3 weeks agoThe Texas Rangers are planning to give catchers
Jonah Heim and
Kyle Higashioka equal playing time in 2025, according to general manager Ross Fenstermaker. The Rangers signed Higashioka to a two-year, $13.5 million deal on Monday night and will plan to give him plenty of playing time behind the plate given Heim's struggles on offense this past season. The 29-year-old Heim was an All-Star in 2023, won a Gold Glove and a World Series ring, but he wasn't as good in 2024, slashing .220/.267/.336 with a weak .602 OPS, 13 home runs, 59 RBI and 45 runs scored in 131 games played in his fourth year in Texas. Meanwhile, Higashioka had a career year in his lone season with the San Diego Padres with 17 home runs and 45 RBI in 84 games played as the team's primary backstop. Texas will be hoping a straight split in playing time will keep them both productive, but it will surely limit their fantasy upside.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: RangersToday.com - Jeff Wilson
3
weeks
agoSan
Diego
Padres
outfield
prospect
Tirso
Ornelas
was
added
to
the
team's
40-man
roster
in
July
of
last
season,
prompting
speculation
that
there
was
a
chance
fans
could
see
him
inside
Petco
Park
before
the
conclusion
of
2024.
That
did
not
come
to
read more...
3 weeks agoFree agent reliever
Tommy Kahnle is drawing attention on the open market, with up to eight teams showing interest in adding his services. Kahnle pitched for the Yankees last season, posting a 2.11 ERA (4.01 FIP), 1.15 WHIP, and a 15.1% K-BB% while collecting 16 holds and one save over 42 2/3 IP during the regular season. The 35-year-old even pitched eight-and-two-thirds innings of scoreless ball in the postseason before allowing all three batters he faced in the eighth inning of Game 5 of the World Series to reach base, ultimately going down as the losing pitcher in the series finale. Despite that, the Yankees have been rumored as one of the teams interested in bringing him back. The veteran has a career 3.47 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 17.8% K-BB%, but would likely only be relevant for fantasy in leagues that reward holds unless he were to be thrust into a closing role for some reason, although the righty has just eight career saves.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
3 weeks agoThe Boston Red Sox and relief pitcher
Aroldis Chapman have agreed to a one-year, $10.75 million deal. Boston was looking to add a left-handed bullpen arm and Chapman would fulfill that need. The 36-year-old was a reliever for the Pirates last season, taking over as closer down the stretch, and tallied a 3.79 ERA (3.04 FIP), 1.35 WHIP, 22.3% K-BB%, 22 holds, and 14 saves over 61 2/3 IP. Right now it's uncertain who will be the closer as
Kenley Jansen is a free agent and
Liam Hendriks was shut down late last season due to elbow soreness after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Chapman could be a solid source of strikeouts for fantasy managers regardless of role, but would be even more relevant were he to be named closer, so keep an eye on this situation come spring.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoNew York Mets infield prospect
Luisangel Acuna had a successful showing in the majors late in the season, posting a .308/.325/.641 slashline with a .406 wOBA and 166 wRC+ in 40 plate appearances. Now, the 22-year-old has continued hitting well in the Venezuelan Winter League for the Cardenales de Lara. Through 19 games, the Mets' 12th-ranked prospect is slashing .375/.455/.500 with 12 stolen bases over 67 plate appearances. While winter league competition doesn't serve as a measuring stick in determining how one would fare versus major league pitching, it is encouraging to see after the speedster was slashing just .258/.299/.355 in Triple-A prior to his MLB call-up. With a healthy
Francisco Lindor and offseason transactions yet to take place, it's no certainty that Acuna will be on the Mets opening day roster, but should he earn himself a spot, he would be an intriguing fantasy option that has both good pop and great speed.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Baseball Reference
3 weeks agoFree-agent pitcher
Kyle Hart is reportedly generating serious interest from major-league teams (up to 13) this offseason after he won the Korean Baseball Organization's Dong-won Award for the best pitcher and also the award for best defensive pitcher in 2024. The 32-year-old left-hander pitched for the NC Dinos in Korea in 2024 and went 13-3 with a 2.69 ERA and 1.03 WHIP while striking out 182 and walking just 38 in 157 innings pitched over his 26 starts overseas. Hart, who was drafted in the 19th round in 2016 out of Indiana University Bloomington, made his big-league debut with Boston in 2020 and allowed 21 runs (19 earned) with 10 walks and 13 K's in just 11 innings over four outings (three starts). Given his success in Korea this year, Hart could parlay that into a decent MLB deal this winter, although he'll be a long shot to become fantasy relevant in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Metsmerized - Mike Mayer
3 weeks agoHouston Astros outfield prospect
Jacob Melton is expected to make his major-league debut in 2025, but that won't guarantee him everyday playing time. As a result, the Astros tendered contracts to both
Chas McCormick and
Jake Meyers for the 2025 campaign. Houston would like to add a left-handed bat that could help McCormick and Meyers as options in center field, but the team remains bullish on both players despite their offensive struggles in 2024. Melton, the team's top prospect per MLB Pipeline, has the most upside after slashing .253/.310/.426 with 15 home runs and 30 steals split between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land this year. He spent time at all three outfield spots but played mostly center field. The left-handed hitter's power/speed profile stands out, and the Astros could need his bat if both McCormick and Meyers struggle to hit in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
3
weeks
agoA
few
teams
are
asking
about
free-agent
right-hander
Clay
Holmes
moving
from
the
bullpen
to
the
starting
rotation
in
2025,
including
the
New
York
Mets,
according
to
a
source.
Holmes
was
a
starter
throughout
his
minor-league
career,
but
he
hasn't
started
a
game
read more...
3 weeks agoAccording to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, the New York Mets have shown interest in signing free-agent right-hander
Walker Buehler this offseason after just signing veteran right-hander
Frankie Montas for their starting rotation. The Montas signing and the fact they are interested in Buehler signals that the Mets aren't playing at the top of the starting pitching market for big names like
Corbin Burnes and
Max Fried. Even after struggling to a 5.38 ERA with a weak 18.6% strikeout rate in 75 1/3 innings during the regular season in his return from Tommy John surgery, plenty of pitching-needy teams are in on Buehler this offseason, including the Athletics. The fact that Buehler showed added velocity and looked much better in the Dodgers' World Series run in October is helping his cause. Even if Buehler doesn't rediscover his pre-injury form, he could be a quite attractive value play in fantasy drafts if he lands in the right situation.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Joel Sherman
3 weeks agoThe Texas Rangers agreed to a two-year, $13.5 million deal with free-agent catcher
Kyle Higashioka on Monday night that includes a mutual option for the 2027 season. Higashioka opened his first year with the San Diego Padres in 2024 as the backup to
Luis Campusano, but he quickly took over starting duties after Campusano was injured early in the year and never looked back on his way to a career year. The 34-year-old former seventh-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2008 hit only .220 (54-for-246), but it came with a career-high 17 home runs, career-high 45 RBI and career-high 29 runs scored in 84 regular-season games. Higashioka isn't suddenly going to hit for average at this point in his career, and he's unlikely to come close to eclipsing his 2024 numbers as the likely backup to
Jonah Heim in Texas. But don't discredit the pop if he earns more time, as he's reached 10 homers in four straight seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers PR
4 weeks agoFree-agent veteran catcher
Martin Maldonado has made it clear that he wants to play one more year of professional baseball. Maldonado has never been much of an offensive force in his 14-year major-league career, but he's excellent defensively and knows how to get the most out of a team's pitching staff. However, with age, even his defensive skills have cratered in recent seasons. He spent the entire 2024 campaign with the Chicago White Sox and slashed a pathetic .119/.174/.230 with four home runs, 11 RBI and nine runs scored in only 48 games played before being released in July. The 38-year-old Puerto Rican backstop will most likely have to settle for a minor-league deal this offseason if he wants to keep playing in 2025. If Maldonado signs somewhere, he'll merely be competing for a backup role for playing time.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
4 weeks agoJapanese first baseman Munetaka Murakami re-signed with the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2025 season but said that will be his final season in Japan. Murakami will be a popular international free-agent target next offseason. His production has slowed in recent seasons, but he's still been one of the best hitters in Japan. Back in 2022, he hit 56 home runs with a 1.168 OPS. This past season, he slashed .244/.379/.472 with 33 round-trippers for the Swallows. Munetaka swings from the left side of the plate. Since he has not accrued nine years of service in Japan, he will need to be posted by the Swallows in order to pursue an opportunity in MLB next offseason. He will not be subject to international bonus pool restrictions when he is posted, though, since he's set to turn 25 years old this coming February.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Yakyu Cosmopolitan
4 weeks agoSNY's Andy Martino writes that there is a widespread belief among bidders that the Toronto Blue Jays will come in with the highest offer to free-agent superstar outfielder
Juan Soto. However, it's no secret that the New York Yankees and New York Mets are "all in" on Soto, according to a league source. There is also widespread skepticism that Soto would choose the Blue Jays, but a source says that if a team is involved in the final bidding, Soto will be willing to play there. In addition to the Blue Jays, Yankees and Mets, the Boston Red Sox have been heavily involved with the generational talent. The expectation is that Soto's market will begin to pick up now that Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror, and the widespread belief is that he'll choose his next team before the end of the upcoming winter meetings in Texas. Wherever Soto is playing in 2025 and beyond, he'll be a high-end fantasy asset.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SNY - Andy Martino
4 weeks agoFree-agent veteran left-hander
Matthew Boyd agreed to a two-year, $29 million deal with the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Boyd will make $14.5 million per year plus $1 million in incentives ($500,000 per season). The 33-year-old southpaw was recovering from Tommy John surgery early in 2024 and didn't sign with the Cleveland Guardians until June. When he finally debuted, he was effective on the mound in Cleveland, going 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA (3.29 FIP), a 1.13 WHIP, 46 strikeouts and 13 walks in 39 2/3 frames over his eight starts during the regular season. In the postseason, Boyd was even better, giving up only one run in 12 innings pitched. Although Boyd hasn't made more than 15 regular-season starts in a single season since 2019, he'll give the Cubbies some valuable starting experience for their starting rotation to open the 2025 campaign.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
4 weeks agoFree-agent right-hander
Frankie Montas signed a two-year deal worth $34 million on Sunday with the New York Mets. The deal includes an opt-out clause after the 2025 season and $17 million per year. Montas, 31, comes to the Big Apple after spending the 2024 campaign with the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers. He went a combined 7-11 during the regular season with a 4.84 ERA (4.71 FIP), a 1.37 WHIP and a 148:66 K:BB in 150 2/3 innings pitched over 30 starts. Montas, who made just one outing the year prior with the New York Yankees due to injury, was better in Milwaukee with a 4.55 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in his 11 start (57 1/3 innings). The veteran right-hander will fill one of New York's starting rotation spots in 2025 and will look to improve upon his 2024 numbers another year removed from injury. Montas' 28.7% strikeout rate last year was encouraging.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
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