3 weeks agoFree-agent veteran outfielder
Avisail Garcia (back) had successful surgery on Thursday to fix a fracture and a disc issue in his lower back at the hospital for special surgery in New York. The procedure was performed by Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi. Garcia now has all offseason to recover from the surgery, but it remains to be seen if he'll be fully ready to go for the start of spring training next year in February. However, barring a setback once he begins ramping up his baseball activities, the 33-year-old Venezuelan outfielder should have a good chance to be ready for Opening Day in 2025 for any team that wants to take a chance on the aging outfielder. Garcia probably won't have a strong market due to his injury and the fact he slashed a very mediocre .240/.255/.380 with a .635 OPS, two home runs and two RBI in 18 games in Miami before his injury.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
3 weeks agoThe Atlanta Braves could turn to catching prospect
Drake Baldwin, who is considered the team's No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline, next season if there's a catching injury to either
Sean Murphy or
Travis d'Arnaud. Baldwin, 23, was impressive in the minors in 2024 and has continued that in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .310 with three extra-base hits and an .892 OPS in seven contests. While his defense isn't weak, his bat is certainly ahead of his glove. Baldwin had just four homers and a .650 OPS in 52 games at Double-A early on this year, but he hit .298 with 12 long balls and an .891 OPS in 72 games after being promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett. "The way he's played, he's definitely a phone call away at this point," general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. Baldwin will begin 2025 back at Triple-A while sharing time with
Chadwick Tromp.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - David O'Brien
3
weeks
agoThe
Athletic's
David
O'Brien
writes
that
the
Atlanta
Braves
are
unlikely
to
get
into
a
bidding
war
to
retain
impending
free-agent
left-hander
Max
Fried.
The
Braves
exceeded
luxury-tax
thresholds
each
of
the
last
two
seasons
and
will
be
returning
read more...
3 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers left-handed reliever
Alex Vesia (ribs) said he threw 15 pitches during a simulated game on Wednesday and felt good on Thursday morning. Vesia said his fastball velocity might have been down one mph but that adrenaline should be able to get him by. "When the lights come on Friday, I'll be ready to go," Vesia said. The 28-year-old southpaw injured his rib cage while warming up in the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres and wasn't on the roster for the NL Championship Series versus the New York Mets. However, after bouncing back nicely after facing live hitters this week, it seems likely he'll be back on the roster for the World Series, where he'll operate in a late-inning role out of the bullpen. Vesia tossed three shutout innings in the NLDS in his three appearances with one walk and four K's.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SB Nation - Eric Stephen
3 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that shortstop
Miguel Rojas (groin) is trending in the right direction and there's a good chance that he'll be included on the roster for the World Series before Game 1 on Friday at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees. Rojas, who suffered a torn adductor muscle in his groin in the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, did not play in the NL Championship Series against the New York Mets but has put himself in the best position to be ready for the World Series. With the 35-year-old veteran defensive stalwart likely to be on the roster, veteran outfielder
Kevin Kiermaier will likely be the odd man out. Rojas will need offseason surgery on his groin and may just be used as an option off the bench in the World Series after starting regularly at the 6 before his injury.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SB Nation - Eric Stephen
3 weeks agoNew York Yankees right-hander
Clarke Schmidt will start Game 3 of the World Series on Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Right-hander
Gerrit Cole and lefty
Carlos Rodon will start Game 1 and Game 2, respectively, at Dodger Stadium on Friday and Saturday. Due to injury, Schmidt made 16 starts during the regular season and was great, going 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA (3.58 FIP), a 1.18 WHIP and a 93:30 K:BB in 85 1/3 innings pitched. He hasn't stood out in either of his two postseason starts this year against the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians, allowing four earned runs on nine hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out six in 9 1/3 frames. Schmidt did not face the potent Dodgers lineup during the regular season and will have a tough task ahead of him in the Bronx and will likely be on a short leash if he struggles.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
3 weeks agoNew York Yankees left-hander
Carlos Rodon said he will make the start for Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday at Dodger Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Right-hander
Gerrit Cole will kick things off in Game 1 on Friday, while right-hander
Clarke Schmidt is scheduled to toe the rubber for Game 3 on Monday back at Yankee Stadium. The 31-year-old Rodon could be the X-factor in this series as the Yankees look to neutralize the Dodgers' power-hitting left-handed bats, most notably
Shohei Ohtani. In three postseason starts this October, Rodon has a 4.40 ERA (seven earned runs allowed in 14 1/3 innings) while giving up 15 hits (two homers), walking only one and striking out 22. He did not face the Dodgers during the regular season and will need to continue missing bats to avoid a rough outing against the high-scoring Dodgers offense.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NJ Advance Media - Brendan Kuty
3 weeks agoLos Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani (elbow) will not pitch in the World Series against the New York Yankees, which starts on Friday at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani was never expected to pitch in 2024 after having right-elbow surgery, even after starting a throwing program before the regular season ended. The 30-year-old Japanese All-Star will be a part of LA's starting rotation in 2025, but we won't see him on the mound during the Fall Classic. At the plate, Ohtani has been a revelation in his first year with the Blue, becoming the first-ever player in MLB history with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. In addition to that impressive feat, he hit .310/.390/.646 with a 1.036 OPS, 130 RBI and 134 runs in 159 regular-season games. In his first taste of the playoffs, he's gone 12-for-42 (.286) with three homers, 10 RBI, 11 walks and 12 runs scored in 11 games played.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Juan Toribio
3 weeks agoNew York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Wednesday that the organization expects to be very active this offseason, with the matter of what to do with impending free-agent All-Star first baseman
Pete Alonso at the top of the list. Restocking the starting pitching staff will also be important, as both right-hander
Luis Severino and left-hander
Jose Quintana can become free agents, and lefty
Sean Manaea is likely to decline his $13.5 million player option. The Mets are expected to add multiple starters to help replace innings. Alonso earned $20.5 million in 2024 and hit .240 with 34 home runs, 88 RBI and a .788 OPS in 162 regular-season games, numbers that were slightly down from years past. The soon-to-be 30-year-old slugger's free-agent market will be one of the biggest hot-stove topics this winter.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Associated Press
3 weeks agoNew York Yankees left-hander
Nestor Cortes (elbow) expects to be on the roster for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, even though he knows there's long-term injury risk if he comes back a month after being diagnosed with a flexor strain in his left elbow. "We have weighed in the consequences this can lead up to," Cortes said, "but if I have a ring and then a year off of baseball, then so be it." The 29-year-old southpaw continues to ramp up and threw a 28-pitch live batting practice session on Tuesday. Manager Aaron Boone said on Monday there was a "good chance" Cortes would be added to the World Series roster. Since he has not pitched in a big-league game since Sept. 18, he is most likely to be used in a relief role out of the Yankees' bullpen against LA. Cortes would join lefties
Tim Hill and
Tim Mayza out of the bullpen.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
3 weeks agoNew York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said that right-handed reliever
Dedniel Nunez (forearm) is progressing well in his recovery from a right-forearm injury that caused him to miss most of the second half of the 2024 season. The Mets are hoping to get Nunez back on the mound in November, and if that goes well, he could have a very normal offseason. Before his injury, the 28-year-old was excellent in his first taste of the big leagues, going 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA (2.22 FIP), a 0.91 WHIP, his first career save, 48 strikeouts and only eight walks in 35 innings pitched in 25 appearances out of the Mets' bullpen. It's great news for the Mets' bullpen that he could be ready in time for the start of spring training in mid-February and for the start of the 2025 regular season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Metsmerized - Mike Mayer
3 weeks agoNew York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Wednesday that the rehab for infield prospect
Ronny Mauricio (knee) has gone slower than anticipated and he has yet to resume baseball activities in October. It's concerning news for Mauricio, who initially had surgery in December of 2023 to fix a torn right ACL. The 23-year-old also need another operation this past August to remove scar tissue. There's still plenty of time this offseason for Mauricio to ramp up his activities, but having him be ready for the start of spring training in February may not be a lock now. The Dominican switch-hitter was hitting the ball very hard in 2023 before his injury and made his big-league debut, slashing .248/.296/.347 with two homers, nine RBI and seven stolen bases in 26 games. With
Mark Vientos breaking out in 2024, Mauricio's best path to playing time in 2025 might be at second base.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Metsmerized - Mike Mayer
3 weeks agoNew York Yankees first baseman
Anthony Rizzo (fingers) said the days off this week before the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers have been valuable in helping his broken fingers heal. "The biggest thing is getting the swelling out between games. It really blows up from the pressure. The bones are still broken, but to be able to get the swelling out has been key," Rizzo said. The 35-year-old left-handed slugger fractured two fingers on his right hand in the second-to-last game of the regular season and was held out of the American League Division Series before going 6-for-14 with a double, two walks and a run scored in five games (four starts) in the AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians. He should be good to go to start in Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers, and the Yankees will need Rizzo's bat to keep up with LA's high-powered offense in the series.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Greg Joyce
4 weeks agoThe Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan plan on posting left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara this offseason. It will be the first time that the Dragons have allowed a player to move to the U.S. since Akinori Otsuka in 2003. The Dragons selected Ogasawara as their first pick back in 2016 out of Tokai University Sagami High School. He became the youngest opening pitcher in Chunichi's history in 2018 and won double-digit games for the first time in 2022. Ogasawara went 5-11 in 2024 with a 3.12 ERA in 144 1/3 innings pitched. The 27-year-old southpaw has impeccable control (3.7 percent walk rate this year), but he also didn't miss many bats at all (13.6 percent strikeout rate), which could become a much bigger issue in the big leagues in the States.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Yahoo Japan
4 weeks agoNew York Mets right-hander
Paul Blackburn (back) is expected to miss four to five months after undergoing a cerebrospinal fluid leak repair on his back on Oct. 11, according to the team. While there's enough time for Blackburn to get ready before the start of the 2025 regular season, the Mets probably aren't going to rush him in spring training, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the veteran hurler isn't an option to begin the regular season in New York's starting rotation. The 30-year-old began 2024 with the Oakland Athletics before getting traded to the Big Apple in late July. He was slightly more effective in his nine starts with the A's before the trade, as he went 1-2 with a 5.18 ERA (4.69 FIP) and 1.56 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and seven walks in his five starts over 24 1/3 innings with the Mets while missing time with multiple injuries.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon
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