3 weeks agoJapanese right-handed pitching phenom Roki Sasaki is expected to be posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball this winter, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are considered the favorites to sign him. The Dodgers would sign Sasaki with international bonus-pool money and a minor-league deal. After signing two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani to a record contract and also bringing in Japanese pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto on a big deal, the Dodgers are expected to bring in another high-profile Japanese pitcher in Sasaki after winning the World Series over the Yankees. Sasaki has a fastball that hits triple digits, but he's not as polished as Yamamoto and is only 23 years old. Because of his age, he might top out at around $7.56 million on his first MLB deal this winter.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Dodgers Nation - Doug McKain
3 weeks agoThe Boston Red Sox announced on Monday that they exercised outfielder
Rob Refsnyder's $2.1 million option for the 2025 season. In a Red Sox lineup with plenty of left-handed hitters, Refsnyder was once again very valuable as a right-handed bat in Beantown in his third year with the team. In 307 plate appearances over 93 games, he hit .283/.359/.471 with an .830 OPS, a career-high 11 home runs, 40 RBI, two stolen bases and 32 runs scored as a platoon outfielder. Refsnyder doesn't receive the playing time to make him all that valuable in regular fantasy leagues, but he stands out as a DFS streamer because of his dominance over left-handed pitching. The South Korean outfielder hit .302 (38-for-126) with eight of his 11 home runs against southpaws in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Red Sox
3 weeks agoAs expected, the St. Louis Cardinals did not extend a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent first baseman
Paul Goldschmidt, according to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak. If Goldschmidt signs with another team on the open market this offseason, the Cardinals won't receive draft-pick compensation. The Cardinals reportedly don't have a ton of interest in re-signing him on a lesser deal after a disappointing 2024 campaign. The 37-year-old slugger had a second straight down year after winning National League MVP in 2022. The seven-time All-Star slashed .245/.302/.414 with a career-worst .716 OPS, 22 home runs, 65 RBI, 11 steals and 70 runs scored in 654 plate appearances and 154 games. While Goldy looks to be past his prime, there's still some power in his bat, and he could rebound with a change of scenery.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - John Denton
3 weeks agoThe Cincinnati Reds extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent right-hander
Nick Martinez on Monday, according to sources. He already declined a $12 million player option last week. Martinez and the Reds actually discussed a multi-year contract extension before this point, but neither side could agree to anything, and now the 34-year-old veteran swingman is on the open market. If Martinez rejects the offer and signs with another club this winter, the Reds will receive draft-pick compensation. He had a great first season in Cincy in 2024, going 10-7 with a career-best 3.10 ERA (3.21 FIP), a 1.03 WHIP and a career-high 116 strikeouts in 142 1/3 innings over 42 appearances (16 starts). Martinez might see plenty of money on the open market given his versatility, but it also wouldn't be a surprise if he accepted the one-year qualifying offer to stay with the Reds.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent first baseman
Christian Walker on Monday, according to sources. If Walker chooses to reject the offer and signs with another team on the open market, the Diamondbacks would receive draft-pick compensation. Not only is the 33-year-old veteran one of the better first-base bats in baseball, but he also just won a third straight National League Gold Glove at the position. The former fourth-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles out of South Carolina, Walker hit .251/.335/.468 with an .803 OPS, 26 home runs, 84 RBI, two steals and 72 runs scored in 552 plate appearances over 130 games in his eighth year in the desert. It was a slight drop in production from the previous two years, but he did miss some time late in the year due to injury. He has 25-plus homers in each of the last three campaigns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez on Monday, according to sources. Even though the Dodgers and Hernandez could reunite in 2025, he's almost certainly going to reject the offer. If Hernandez then signs with another team in free agency, the Dodgers would be receive draft-pick compensation. The 32-year-old right-handed slugger helped LA win another World Series title in his first year with the team and was a consistent offensive force all year on a team stacked with All-Stars. Hernandez hit .272/.339/.501 with an .840 OPS, career-high 33 home runs, 99 RBI, career-high-tying 12 steals and 84 runs scored in 154 regular-season games for the Blue. For fantasy purposes, Hernandez's fantasy value would be at its highest if he stays in LA's stacked lineup.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoMilwaukee Brewers first baseman/outfielder
Jake Bauers and right-hander
Bryse Wilson both cleared waivers on Monday and were outrighted to Triple-A Nashville. Both Bauers and Wilson were arbitration-eligible but will become free agents after being cast off the team's 40-man roster. Bauers matched his previous career-high of 12 home runs and also drove in 43 and stole a career-high 13 bases in 116 games in 2024 in his first year in Milwaukee, but he also hit just .199 with a .301 on-base percentage, .361 slugging percentage and below-average .662 OPS. He's now hit only .208 in five big-league seasons with five different teams. Wilson, 26, served as a swingman for Milwaukee this year, going 5-4 with a 4.04 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with a career-high 82 K's and 31 walks in 104 2/3 frames over his 34 outings (nine starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
3 weeks agoMilwaukee Brewers right-hander
Frankie Montas declined his portion of his $20 million mutual option for the 2025 season on Monday to officially become a free agent. The Brewers also claimed right-hander
Kevin Herget off waivers from the New York Mets and claimed left-hander
Rob Zastryzny off waivers from the Chicago Cubs. Montas will receive a $2 million buyout and is now free to sign with any team. The 31-year-old veteran began the year with the Cincinnati Reds before being traded to the Brewers at the deadline. The Dominican hurler went a combined 7-11 with a 4.84 ERA (4.71 FIP), a 1.37 WHIP, 148 strikeouts and 66 walks in 150 2/3 innings over 30 starts after missing pretty much all of 2023 due to injury. He was slightly better in 11 regular-season starts for the Brewers and will be hoping to take that momentum into 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
3 weeks agoThe Milwaukee Brewers extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent shortstop
Willy Adames on Monday, according to sources. If Adames rejects the offer, which is likely, and signs with another team, the Brewers will receive draft-pick compensation. The 29-year-old should be able to find a lucrative long-term deal on the open market that will pay him more than $21.05 million in 2025 after he hit .251 (153-for-610) with career-highs in home runs (32), RBI (112), stolen bases (21) and runs scored (93) in 688 plate appearances and 161 regular-season games in his third full season in Milwaukee. Adames offers above-average defense at a premiere position on the infield and is an above-average hitter as well, which is hard to come by at shortstop. He's clubbed 24-plus home runs in each of the last four seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoAtlanta Braves right-handed reliever
Joe Jimenez (knee) is expected to be out eight to 12 months after having surgery on Oct. 29 to fix cartilage damage in his left knee. The surgery was performed in Chicago by Dr. Brian Cole. We'll have a better idea of Jimenez's specific timetable for a return next year, but he's almost certainly going to miss all of the first half of the 2025 season. It's a significant blow to Atlanta's bullpen, as the 29-year-old hurler was one of the team's best bullpen arms in 2024. Despite going 1-5 in his second season with Atlanta in 69 appearances out of the bullpen, he posted a career-best 2.62 ERA (2.34 FIP), a 0.99 WHIP, three saves, a career-high-tying 82 strikeouts and 23 walks in 68 2/3 innings pitched. Don't be surprised if Jimenez's rehab extends into the second half of next season after the All-Star break.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Justin Toscano
3 weeks agoThe Atlanta Braves extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent left-hander
Max Fried on Monday, according to sources. If Fried rejects the offer and signs with another club this offseason, the Braves will receive draft-pick compensation. Fried has pitched in Atlanta in all eight of his big-league seasons, compiling a nice 3.07 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP and 23.9 percent strikeout rate in 884 1/3 regular-season innings over 168 appearances (151 starts). The 30-year-old southpaw is fully expected to reject the qualifying offer and test out free agency. The Braves would love to have him back, but Fried could quickly get priced out of Atlanta's price range for a starter on the open market. The two-time All-Star has been bit by the injury bug in the past, but when healthy, he's one of the better top-of-the-rotation starters in baseball.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoThe Baltimore Orioles extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent outfielder
Anthony Santander on Monday, according to sources. If Santander rejects the offer and leaves the O's in free agency this offseason, Baltimore will receive draft-pick compensation. He is unlikely to accept the offer as he searches for a lucrative contract on the open market. The switch-hitting Venezuelan outfielder made his first All-Star appearance in 2024, his eighth year in the big leagues, by hitting .235/.308/.506 with an .814 OPS, career-high 44 home runs, career-high 102 RBI, two stolen bases and a career-high 91 runs scored in 655 trips to the plate over 155 games played. Santander has been an offensive force for the Orioles the last three seasons, combining for 105 home runs and 286 RBI in 460 games played. He has only 10 steals in eight seasons and a career average of .246.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoThe Baltimore Orioles extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent right-hander
Corbin Burnes on Monday, according to sources. Burnes is fully expected to decline the qualifying offer as he searches for a lucrative long-term offer on the open market. If the 30-year-old veteran ends up signing with another team this winter, the Orioles will receive draft-pick compensation. Baltimore acquired him in February from the Milwaukee Brewers, and he went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA (3.55 FIP), a 1.09 WHIP and 181:48 K:BB in 194 1/3 innings over 32 starts in 2024 for his fourth straight All-Star selection. Regardless of where Burnes is pitching in 2025, he should be viewed as a fantasy ace. 2024 broke a string of three straight seasons of 200-plus strikeouts for Burnes.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoAs expected, the New York Mets gave free-agent first baseman
Pete Alonso a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer on Monday. This was a no-brainer move for the Mets with Alonso headed towards being one of the most sought-after free-agent bats on the market this winter. If Alonso declines the offer, which he's expected to do, the Mets will receive draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere. Although the 29-year-old they call the Polar Bear isn't a big asset defensively at first base, there will be plenty of interest around the league in one of the most powerful right-handed bats. His offensive numbers were slightly down in 2024 with a .240/.329/.459 slash line, career-low .788 OPS, 34 home runs, 88 RBI, three steals and 91 runs scored in a league-high 162 regular-season games. Still, the four-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year's power will play in any ballpark.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoLos Angles Dodgers left-hander
Clayton Kershaw (toe) declined his $5 million option for the 2025 season on Monday to officially become a free agent. However, Kershaw said he will be pitching for the World Series-champion Dodgers again next year no matter what. Especially after getting his second ring, the future Hall of Fame southpaw will return to LA in 2025 for what is likely to be his last year in the big leagues before hanging up his cleats. The three-time Cy Young winner and former MVP hasn't been healthy much in recent years but has still been serviceable for fantasy managers in the limited amount of time he's been on the mound. The 36-year-old made only seven starts for the Dodgers in 2024 and went 2-2 with a career-worst 4.50 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 24 strikeouts and nine walks in 30 innings. Bone spurs in his left big toe prevented him from pitching at all in the run to the World Series title.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
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