3 weeks agoThe St. Louis Cardinals are entering a rebuilding stage this offseason, but teams that have talked to the Cardinals have come away with the impression that they will not trade closer
Ryan Helsley. "It's something we will always remain open-minded to, but our plan is to have him be part of our organization," president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. Helsley is entering his age-30 season and is projected to earn $8.5 million in his final year of arbitration eligibility. His value is as high as it will probably ever be after he saved a league-high 49 games in 53 chances in 2024 on his way to winning the award for best closer in the National League. Helsley also had a strong 2.04 ERA in his 66 1/3 frames. The Cardinals are open to trading third baseman
Nolan Arenado, but they aren't expected to go for a full teardown. The Cardinals also aren't considering moving Helsley to their starting rotation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
3 weeks agoESPN's Buster Olney writes that the perception of some MLB teams is that the Chicago White Sox are intent on trading outfielder
Luis Robert Jr. this offseason, which could be an indication that the White Sox want to cash out on Robert's diminished value now instead of waiting and seeing his value drop even further if he struggles again in the first half of 2025. Robert will make $15 million in 2025 with $20 million club options in 2025 and 2026. "If they really believed he would bounce back, wouldn't you hang onto him until next summer and look for him to rebuild his value?" asked one rival official. More injuries limited the 27-year-old to 100 games in 2024, and he hit just .224/.278/.379 with 14 home runs and a strikeout rate over 30%. It's a big if for Robert staying healthy in 2025, but if he does and the White Sox hold him, he could bounce back nicely and fetch high-end prospects in a trade. It's a big risk.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN - Buster Olney
3
weeks
agoESPN's
Jeff
Passan
writes
that
free-agent
first
baseman
Pete
Alonso's
free-agent
market
this
winter
is
likely
to
take
more
time
to
develop
than
free-agent
shortstop
Willy
Adames'.
However,
there's
a
scenario
where
Alonso
doesn't
want
to
miss
out
read more...
3 weeks agoThe Toronto Blue Jays reportedly have had an in-person meeting with free-agent right-hander
Corbin Burnes. The Blue Jays are also in on free-agent outfielder superstar
Juan Soto and are looking to make a big splash in free agency yet again this offseason after another disappointing season that finished without a postseason berth. Burnes, 30, is at the top of the free-agent pitching market and turned down a $21.05 million qualifying offer from the Baltimore Orioles, so any team that signs him will be forced to give up draft picks. In 32 starts in his first and potentially only season in Baltimore, Burnes was outstanding, posting a 2.92 ERA, which was seventh-lowest among qualified starters in 2024. Despite being on the wrong side of 30 and with his strikeout rate dropping slightly, Burnes is going to be paid long term like the fantasy ace that he is.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
3 weeks agoThe Athletics agreed to a three-year, $67 million deal with free-agent right-hander
Luis Severino on Thursday, according to sources. It's the largest guarantee in the franchise's history. Severino had a bounce-back season in 2024 with the New York Mets, posting a 3.91 ERA over 182 innings, and now he'll head west to pitch for the A's, who will play in a minor-league stadium in Sacramento for the next three seasons before their planned move to Las Vegas. Severino will now anchor the A's rotation, but he can opt out of his deal after the second year. The 30-year-old was an All-Star in 2017 and 2018 with the Yankees before missing most of 2019 with a lat strain and all of 2020 due to Tommy John surgery. Severino struck out 161 batters in 2024 with the Mets and had the fourth-hardest average fastball among qualified starters. Durability issues aren't going away, and his ceiling is lower with the A's.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoThe Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) have posted right-handed pitcher Koyo Aoyagi, which means that a 45-day window has been opened during which time he can negotiate with MLB teams. Aoyagi is known for his sidearm throwing angle, and last season pitched to a 3.69 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in Japan's Central League, one of the two "major leagues" of NPB. The righty does not garner the same fanfare as Roki Sasaki, who is expected to sign with an MLB team this offseason, nor should he with a 5.2 K/9 in 12 Central League games in 2024. If an MLB team does sign the 30-year-old, it will most likely be in a relief role rather than as a starter. Until there is more clarity here, however, he doesn't move the needle for fantasy.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Jon Morosi
3
weeks
agoHouston
Astros
corner
infield
prospect
Zach
Dezenzo
missed
time
in
the
beginning
of
the
2024
season
due
to
a
wrist
injury
but
got
back
on
the
field
in
June,
playing
22
games
at
Double-A
and
only
11
more
at
Triple-A
before
earning
a
read more...
3 weeks agoThe Seattle Mariners have at least had preliminary talks about acquiring All-Star third baseman
Alec Bohm from the Philadelphia Phillies to fill their vacancy at the hot corner. However, Philadelphia's high asking price for Bohm has given Seattle pause. The Phillies have reportedly asked for one of the team's starters -- either
Logan Gilbert or
George Kirby -- in a package involving Bohm. Bohm hit .280 with 15 home runs and 97 RBI in the best season of his career in 2024, but he hit just .258 with 11 homers and 67 RBI after the first month of the season. For how much hard contact the 28-year-old right-handed slugger made, fantasy managers would have expected more power, with his playing-time volume and surrounding lineup carrying a lot of his value. While there's nothing to suggest the M's will actually trade for Bohm, a move to Seattle would be a downgrade in lineup and for the ballpark factor.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Seattle Times - Adam Jude
3 weeks agoAccording to sources around the league, they expect free-agent outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez to re-sign with the team. "Many people around the league expect Teoscar Hernández and the Dodgers to find their way back to each other, and my understanding is the Dodgers and Teoscar are very much engaged and trying to nail the final details of a contract. Things are looking good for Teoscar Hernández and the Dodgers to be back together," 570 LA Sports' David Vassegh said. The 32-year-old Dominican veteran had one of the best years of his career and the Dodgers won a World Series championship in his first year in LA in 2024, so a reunion makes tons of sense. He hit a career-high 33 home runs and drove in 99 runs in 589 regular-season at-bats. Hernandez makes up for a high strikeout rate with plenty of hard contact and over-the-fence power and has hit 25-plus homers in five straight seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: 570 LA Sports - David Vassegh
3
weeks
agoWhile
the
Yankees
are
still
considered
one
of
the
four
serious
contenders
to
sign
Juan
Soto,
they
have
been
making
alternative
plans
in
the
event
they
are
unable
to
bring
back
the
superstar
outfielder.
New
York
has
been
said
to
be
interested
in
shortstop
read more...
3
weeks
agoFree-agent
shortstop
Willy
Adames
is
drawing
interest
from
the
New
York
Yankees,
who
are
expected
to
pursue
him
in
the
event
they
lose
out
on
Juan
Soto.
While
the
Yankees
are
technically
set
at
shortstop
with
read more...
3 weeks agoFree-agent veteran right-hander
Lance Lynn said that he has lost 20 pounds already since the end of last season, dropping from 280 to 260 pounds. Lynn battled knee issues in 2024 and was limited to 117 1/3 innings, his lowest total over a full season since missing all of 2016 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 37-year-old became a free agent when the St. Louis Cardinals declined his $12 million club option for 2025. He's nearing the end of his career, but Lynn ranks sixth in the majors with 2,006 1/3 innings pitched since debuting in 2011. The last time Lynn reached 30 starts and 200 innings was back in 2019, so fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting a sudden breakout for the veteran hurler. Knee issues dating back to 2021 and a lack of strikeout stuff will make Lynn an easy pitcher to avoid in shallow mixed fantasy leagues, regardless of where he's pitching.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon
3 weeks agoThe Kansas City Royals signed free-agent infielder
Jordan Groshans to a minor-league deal on Tuesday, according to sources. Groshans, once a top prospect with the Toronto Blue Jays after they took him 12th overall in 2018 made his big-league debut with the Miami Marlins in 2022 and went 16-for-61 (.262) with a homer, two RBI and nine runs scored in just 17 games played. He spent all of 2024 toiling in the minors with the New York Yankees and Athletics, combining for a .235/.311/.318 slash line with a weak .628 OPS, four home runs, 34 RBI and 46 runs scored in 101 games with Double-A Midland, Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. At this point in his career, it's going to be an uphill battle for Groshans to return to the major-league level and have any kind of significant impact for the Royals.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FanSided - Robert Murray
3 weeks agoThe San Diego Padres are in a strong position to land Japanese ace Roki Sasaki on the open market this offseason, according to several industry sources. The division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and reigning World Series champions have also been mentioned as favorites for Sasaki, but he may prefer to go to a smaller market in San Diego and stay out of the shadow of both Japanese stars
Shohei Ohtani and
Yoshinobu Yamamoto in LA. The Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan are expected to post the 23-year-old Sasaki this offseason, and he has the ability to develop into a high-end starter at the big-league level in time. In addition to the Padres and Dodgers, the Cubs, Rangers, Blue Jays, Rays, Yankees and Mets are potential landing spots for Sasaki. In four pro seasons in Japan, Sasaki has posted a sharp 2.02 ERA.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Francys Romero
3 weeks agoBaltimore Orioles left-hander
Trevor Rogers, who as acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins last year, was sent to Triple-A Norfolk after four mostly ineffective starts with his new club. It was a big fall for Rogers, who had a 3.17 ERA in his final nine starts with the Marlins. He had a 7.11 ERA in his four starts for the O's. Rogers was an All-Star as a rookie in 2021 but admits he was overwhelmed in his move to Baltimore in 2024. The veteran lefty did have a 2.96 ERA with 28 K's and six walks in 24 1/3 innings in his final four starts for Norfolk, though, and he is going to a player performance data-driven center this offseason for further evaluation to try and regain some velocity. Rogers averaged 94.5 mph on his fastball in 2021, but it was down to 91.9 mph in 2024. The 27-year-old is focusing on getting his lower half stronger as he looks to bounce back in 2025 with the O's.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports - Steve Melewski
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