3 weeks agoNew York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said the hope is that right-hander
Jonathan Loaisiga (elbow) will be ready to pitch for the team in late April or early May. Loaisiga avoided Tommy John surgery and instead had a UCL repair of his right elbow in April of this year. The 30-year-old veteran still has some rehab to do, but as long as he doesn't suffer a setback, his 2025 debut won't be delayed for too long. Despite not being fully healthy, the Yankees re-signed the Nicaraguan hurler. Loaisiga made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Yankees and has a 3.44 career ERA (3.59 FIP), a 1.23 WHIP, seven saves and a 207:72 K:BB in 219 2/3 innings over 163 appearances (11 starts). Because of his injury, Loaisiga is most likely to be a bullpen option for the Yankees when he returns, giving him little fantasy appeal.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner
3 weeks agoUnsurprisingly, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that right-handed reliever
Devin Williams will serve as the team's closer next season. This was fully expected when the Yankees acquired Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason. The 30-year-old two-time All-Star will have an even higher fantasy ceiling as an elite closer heading into 2025 now that he's in the Bronx. The former second-round pick by the Brewers in 2013 had a pristine 1.73 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 51 saves in 119 1/3 innings pitched for the Brewers in 2022 and 2023. He got a late start to the 2024 season after having back surgery and threw only 21 2/3 frames in the regular season, but he was lights-out again with a 1.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 14 saves and 38 strikeouts. Williams will be highly coveted as a top fantasy close. His arrival in the Bronx will push
Luke Weaver into the eighth-inning setup role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Chris Kirschner
3 weeks agoFree-agent right-hander
Bryse Wilson agreed to a one-year, $1.05 million deal, pending a physical, with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, according to a source. The deal includes a potential $250,000 in performance bonuses. The 26-year-old will compete for a start in the starting rotation for the rebuilding White Sox. Wilson chose to head to free agency after being removed from the Milwaukee Brewers' 40-man roster this offseason. He threw 104 2/3 innings in the regular season for the Brew Crew in 2024 and had a 4.04 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 31 walks in 34 appearances (nine starts). As exclusively a reliever for Milwaukee the year prior, Wilson was better with a 2.58 ERA in 53 outings, although he was a bit fortunate. If Wilson does make Chicago's rotation, he'll most likely be more of an innings-eater than anything else and will be a low-upside streamer in deeper fantasy formats.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
3 weeks agoThe New York Mets have signed free-agent catcher
Chris Williams to a minor-league contract. The 28-year-old has spent his entire minor-league career in the Twins' organization, the team that drafted him back in 2018. The former eighth-round draft pick blasted 38 home runs in 589 at-bats at Triple-A over the past two seasons and has shown a keen eye at the plate with a career 14.5% walk rate in the minors. The right-handed-hitting backstop will likely begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Syracuse and serve as depth in the event one of their current big-leaguers goes down. There's no immediate or significant fantasy impact here, however.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Ken Rosenthal
3 weeks agoNew York Yankees' recent trade acquisition
Cody Bellinger could play first base, left field, or center field for the Bombers, according to manager Aaron Boone, who said on Wednesday that a report that Bellinger was told he would play center field was "fake news." This means that top prospect
Jasson Dominguez is still in play for the center-field job and leaves open the possibility of signing a first baseman, which could put Bellinger in left field. Nevertheless, it sounds like
Aaron Judge will transition back to right field, regardless of what transpires. Bellinger himself has said he'll play wherever he's needed and to let the offseason play out. The lefty slugger is ranked right around 124 in early 2025 fantasy drafts, so we'll see how his new surroundings affect his ADP in the coming months.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Bryan Hoch
3 weeks agoNew York Mets first baseman/designated hitter
Joey Meneses is doing his best
Pete Alonso impression down in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, now with 10 home runs and 52 RBI in 50 games played (187 at-bats), along with 12 doubles and a strong .316 batting average. Not that the competition is the same as playing against major leaguers, but with Alonso still not signed, it should give the Mets a little peace of mind that they have a capable veteran waiting in the wings if need be. The 32-year-old signed a minor league deal with New York in November which includes an invitation to spring training. His debut season was his best showing in the majors when the right-handed hitter slashed .324/.367/.563 with 13 home runs in 222 at-bats. He's off the fantasy radar, however, until he's getting regular at-bats in Queens.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
3 weeks agoFree agent first baseman
Jose Abreu took a break from baseball last July after he was released by the Astros and no team picked him up. The 37-year-old, who will turn 38 in January, was hopeful to return to MLB in 2025. Now, the veteran is playing in the Puerto Rican Winter League and, while the level of competition is more akin to the minor leagues, he's showing there is a little pop left in his bat. Through 20 games, the veteran is hitting just .244 with 19 strikeouts to only three walks, but he's belted the second-most home runs in the circuit so far with five long balls, as well as four doubles in 78 at-bats. After such a dismal performance over the last two seasons in Houston (.217/.275/.351, 72 wRC+), it might take more than that to pique the interest of a big league club, but it's a start. Whether he signs on with one or not, however, we have likely seen the end of Abreu's fantasy relevance.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
3 weeks agoThe Milwaukee Brewers have released pitcher
Jon Duplantier so that "he can pursue an opportunity with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan." Duplantier had signed on with the Brewers in November on a minor league deal that included a spring training invite, but the 30-year-old will try his hand at NPB instead. The former third-round draft pick was drafted by the Diamondbacks, but also spent time in the Phillies, Mets, and Dodgers organizations, mostly in a relief role. After the Dodgers signed him in August of last season, they used him exclusively as a starter, and over his final four starts at Triple-A the righty posted a 2.61 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and he struck out 36 batters over 20 2/3 innings. The command has been a problem though, walking 13.6% of the batters he faced during that stretch and 11.9% during his career in the minors. He last pitched in the majors in 2021 when he made four starts for the D-backs, and he'll attempt to get back on track overseas.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Curt Hogg
3 weeks agoThe Kansas City Royals avoided salary arbitration with right-hander
Kyle Wright (shoulder) on Tuesday by signing him to a one-year, $1.8 million deal for the 2025 season, according to a source. Wright will make the same salary he did in 2025 while he was rehabbing from surgery on his right shoulder. The former fifth overall pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2017 out of Vanderbilt missed all of the 2024 season and only appeared in nine games (seven starts) in his final season in Atlanta due to his shoulder injury. The 29-year-old has been throwing off a mound during the offseason and is expecting to be full go for spring training, though, giving the Royals another option for their starting rotation. However, given his missed season in 2024, he'll likely have his innings limited. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues might feel he's worth a flier in hopes he can recapture his breakout form in 2022.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
3 weeks agoThe Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed reliever
Cody Poteet from the New York Yankees on Tuesday in exchange for outfielder/first baseman
Cody Bellinger and cash, according to sources. Poteet only appeared in five regular-season games (four starts) for the Yankees in 2024 and allowed seven runs (six earned) on 18 hits (two home runs) while walking eight and striking out 16 in 24 1/3 innings pitched. He made his debut in 2021 with the Miami Marlins and has a 3.80 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with a 20.2% strikeout rate and 10.2% walk rate in 83 innings over three major-league seasons. Poteet won't be anywhere near the fantasy radar next year but will give the Cubs some pitching insurance as both a starter and reliever. He will most likely start the 2025 campaign pitching for Triple-A Iowa.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoNew York Mets right-hander
Clay Holmes, who is expected to move from a relief role to a starting role with his new team in 2025, said he wants to be able to throw at least 160 innings next season. Holmes signed with the Mets in free agency and has confidence in the training staff to help with his transition to the starting rotation. The 31-year-old spent the last three seasons in the Bronx with the New York Yankees, making the All-Star team twice and posting a 2.85 ERA (2.84 FIP), 1.16 WHIP, 204 strikeouts, 65 walks and 74 saves in 189 2/3 innings pitched. He'll be looking for similar success that recent relievers-turned-starters
Garrett Crochet and
Reynaldo Lopez have had. Holmes threw a career-high 136 1/3 frames in the minors in 2016, so it may be a bit unrealistic for him to get up to 160 after spending much of the last six years as a reliever.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Metsmerized
3 weeks agoThe Chicago White Sox acquired catcher
Matt Thaiss from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations. It's already the second time Thaiss has been traded this offseason, with the Cubs landing him last month in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels. The 29-year-old left-handed-hitting backstop was no longer needed after the Cubbies signed veteran
Carson Kelly to a two-year deal to serve as the backup for
Miguel Amaya. Thaiss should have a better path to playing time with the rebuilding Pale Hose. He'll mainly be competing with
Korey Lee in spring training, although Chicago also has prospect
Edgar Quero waiting in the wings. The former first-rounder has hit just .208/.313/.342 with a .655 OPS, 22 homers and 79 RBI in 245 career MLB games over six seasons. At best, he's likely to be a part-time catching option for the White Sox in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Watch Marquee - Andy Martinez
3 weeks agoThe Toronto Blue Jays are among the many teams that are interested in free-agent right-hander
Nick Pivetta, who is a Canadian native. Pivetta declined a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer from the Boston Red Sox, so any team willing to sign him in free agency will have to give up draft-pick compensation to Boston. Despite never having an ERA under 4.00 in eight major-league seasons, Pivetta has a strong market this offseason as a free agent. The 31-year-old had a 4.14 ERA (4.07 FIP), a 1.13 WHIP and a 172:36 K:BB in 145 2/3 innings over 27 outings (26 starts) for Boston in 2024. Strikeouts are the main draw with Pivetta after having over a 30% strikeout rate the last two seasons. When he does allow contact, though, it's typically hard, and home runs have been an issue. A move out of the American League East would probably be a plus for his fantasy value in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
3
weeks
agoAccording
to
Jeff
Passan
of
ESPN,
the
Chicago
Cubs
are
trading
first
baseman/outfielder
Cody
Bellinger
to
the
New
York
Yankees
in
exchange
for
right-handed
pitcher
Cody
Poteet
and
cash.
Bellinger
has
spent
the
past
two
seasons
playing
with
the
Cubs.
read more...
3 weeks agoFormer Milwaukee Brewers closer
Devin Williams said he was a bit surprised when he learned he was traded to the New York Yankees this offseason. However, Williams called it "a tremendous honor" to join the Yankees after he initially thought he'd be dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 30-year-old right-hander was sent to the Yankees in exchange for left-hander
Nestor Cortes, second base prospect
Caleb Durbin and cash considerations last weekend. Williams got a late start in 2024 while recovering from a back injury that required surgery, and although he only threw 21 2/3 innings in the regular season, he returned to lights-out form, posting a 1.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 38 strikeouts and 14 saves. The two-time All-Star should immediately take over closing duties from
Luke Weaver in the Bronx and will have even more fantasy upside as an elite closing option in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: YES Network - Jack Curry
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