4 weeks agoAccording to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, free-agent starting pitcher
Corbin Burnes is drawing interest from the San Francisco Giants. Feinsand noted that with
Blake Snell signing with their rival Los Angeles Dodgers, the Giants are now believed to have "significant interest" in the former Cy Young winner. The 30-year-old is widely considered to be the top starting pitcher available on the market. Last season, in his debut season in Baltimore, Burnes posted a 2.92 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP. Under the hood, he boasted an excellent 31.6% hard-hit rate, 6.7% barrel rate, and 48.8% ground ball rate, which are all significantly above the average marks. No matter where Burnes calls home in 2025, fantasy managers should view him as a high-end starting pitcher during draft season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
4 weeks agoAccording to Francys Romero, the Seattle Mariners and relief pitcher
Yunior Marte have agreed to a minor-league deal. This deal also includes an invite to spring training. Marte spent the past two seasons pitching in Philadelphia after making his debut in San Francisco in 2022. Last summer through 26 innings of work, the right-hander held a 6.92 ERA and 1.88 WHIP with an 18:25 BB:K. In Triple-A, he posted a 6.88 ERA and 2.06 WHIP. Through the summer, Marte generated a rough 6.53 xERA and a hefty 42.7% hard-hit rate. Given his struggles in 2024, Marte will likely face an uphill battle to make the Opening Day Roster, but he could earn a middle-relief role if he has a successful spring training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Francys Romero
4 weeks agoAccording to Francys Romero, six clubs have "real interest" in free agent relief pitcher
Aroldis Chapman. Last summer, the hard-throwing southpaw spent the entire campaign in the Steel City and held a solid 3.79 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP with a 98:39 BB:K ratio through 61 2/3 innings of work. He also tallied 14 saves. He posted stellar metrics under the hood with a 2.98 xERA and .165 xBA, which placed him in the top 90th and 99th percentile, respectively. He also showcased elite swing-and-miss upside with a 32.3% whiff rate and 37.1% K rate. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to where the 36-year-old signs in the offseason, as he could be a favorite to earn save opportunities given his ability to generate whiffs at an elite rate.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Francys Romero
4 weeks agoThe NC Dinos announced on Thursday that they signed designated hitter
Matt Davidson to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. The deal is for a $1.2 million salary plus $300,000 in incentives, and the Dinos will have the option to extend him in 2026 for $1.7 million ($1.3 million salary and $400,000 in incentives). Davidson, the former 35th overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009, will stick around in Korea after playing well there in 2024. In 131 games for the Dinos, the 33-year-old hit an impressive .306/.370/.633 with a 1.003 OPS, 46 home runs, 119 RBI and 90 runs scored in 567 plate appearances. He made his major-league debut in 2013 with Arizona and has a .220/.290/.430 slash line with 54 homers and 157 RBI in six MLB seasons. Davidson hasn't appeared in the bigs since 2022, when he played in only 13 games with the Diamondbacks and Athletics.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MyKBO.net - Dan Kurtz
4 weeks agoThe KT Wiz of the Korean Baseball Organization re-signed right-hander
William Cuevas to a one-year, $1.5 million deal on Thursday. Cuevas will return to Korea for a seventh season with the Wiz. In his sixth season with the organization in 2024, Cuevas went 7-12 with a 4.10 ERA and 1.25 WHIP while striking out 154 and walking 59 in 173 1/3 innings over 31 starts. The 34-year-old veteran hurler pitched in the minors for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, but he hasn't appeared in a major-league game since 2018, when he had a 7.41 ERA and 1.82 WHIP for the Boston Red Sox in 17 innings pitched in nine outings (one start). At this point in his career, the Venezuelan righty is a long shot to reappear in the big leagues in the United States.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MyKBO.net - Dan Kurtz
4 weeks agoFree-agent pitcher
Emmanuel Ramirez signed a one-year deal with the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball on Friday. Ramirez will head overseas in 2025 a year after making his major-league debut with the Miami Marlins. He made 15 appearances out of Miami's bullpen and had a 6.97 ERA (4.62 FIP) and 1.40 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and eight walks in 20 2/3 innings pitched. The 30-year-old Dominican hurler pitched for both Triple-A Jacksonville and Triple-A Buffalo (Blue Jays organization) as well in 2024 and posted a 4.20 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 56:17 K:BB in 30 relief appearances over 45 innings pitched. Ramirez will now head to Japan perhaps with the intentions of trying to resurface in the States after a season or two pitching for the Lions.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Seibu Lions
4 weeks agoFree-agent infielder
Jason Vosler has signed a deal with the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League. Vosler appeared in 10 games for the Seattle Mariners in the big leagues in 2024 and went 5-for-28 (.179) with three RBI and two runs scored in 30 plate appearances. He had a hot bat in the minors at Triple-A Tacoma, though, slashing .303/.371/.573 with a .944 OPS, 31 home runs, 110 RBI, four steals and 92 runs scored in 119 games played. The left-handed hitter debuted in the big leagues in 2021 with the San Francisco Giants. Vosler has played in 107 career MLB games and has a .207/.274/.395 slash line with a .669 OPS, 10 home runs and 34 RBI in 288 plate appearances. In Japan, he could serve as the Dragons' regular first baseman in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Yahoo Japan
4 weeks agoFree-agent infielder
Jose Devers agreed to a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, according to sources. Devers is the cousin of Boston Red Sox third baseman
Rafael Devers. He spent the last six seasons in the Miami Marlins organization and appeared in 24 games at the big-league level, posting a weak .611 OPS. The 24-year-old Dominican only played in three games for the Fish in 2024 and hit .239/.304/.362 with three home runs, 17 RBI, three stolen bases and 28 runs scored in 54 games at Triple-A Jacksonville. Devers is mostly useful for his glove in the middle infield and he's likely to begin the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Gwinnett as infield depth for the Braves. In seven minor-league seasons, Devers has slashed .261/.324/.362 with a .686 OPS and only 13 home runs.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Aram Leighton
4 weeks agoFree-agent right-hander
Connor Gillispie signed an undisclosed one-year major-league deal with the Atlanta Braves on Friday. Gillispie, a former ninth-round selection by the Baltimore Orioles in 2019 out of Virginia Commonwealth, made his major-league debut with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024 and gave up two earned runs while walking five and striking out eight in only eight relief innings. The 27-year-old hurler made 27 appearances (15 starts) at Triple-A Columbus and went 5-7 with a 4.05 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP and a 119:48 K:BB in 113 1/3 innings thrown. Gillispie will probably enter spring training in 2025 as a long shot to make Atlanta's Opening Day starting rotation, but he can at least provide them with some bullpen depth to open the year. In five minor-league seasons, he has a 4.01 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with a 9.1 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
4 weeks agoAs he looks to land with a team in free agency this winter, first baseman
Ty France is reportedly willing to catch, according to sources. Over 10 teams have shown interest in France, according to sources, and at least one club has offered him a guaranteed offer. The 30-year-old right-handed slugger has primarily played first base in his career, but he's also seen time at second and third base in the majors and initially made the San Diego Padres' major-league roster as a utility man and third-string catcher early in his career. France is on the open market this offseason after he hit a combined .234/.305/.365 with a career-low .670 OPS, 13 home runs and 51 RBI in 140 games with the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds in 2024. He was an All-Star for the first time in 2022, though, and should get a look as at least a platoon bat at first base/designated hitter with whatever team he joins.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
4 weeks agoFree-agent right-hander
Brooks Kriske on X earlier this week that he has signed a minor-league deal with his childhood team, the Chicago Cubs. At the Triple-A levels with the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles in 2024 for Louisville and Norfolk, respectively, he went a combined 5-0 with a 3.39 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 81 strikeouts and 35 walks in 58 1/3 innings pitched in his 50 appearances out of the bullpen. The 30-year-old former sixth-round selection by the New York Yankees in 2016 out of USC made his big-league debut in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. He has only appeared in 20 games in relief since then with the Yankees, Orioles and Kansas City Royals and has been hit around to the tune of a rough 11.22 ERA and 1.85 WHIP while striking out 25 and walking 17 in 21 2/3 frames. Kriske will be trying to win a bullpen role for the Cubbies in spring training in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Brooks Kriske on X
4 weeks agoFree-agent catcher
Max Stassi (hip) agreed to a minor-league deal with the San Francisco Giants earlier this week, according to sources. Stassi hasn't seen action in the big leagues since 2022 with the Los Angeles Angels due to personal issues and after undergoing left-hip surgery in June. In the last two seasons, he's managed to play in just five rehab games in the minors. The 33-year-old veteran backstop declined his option for the 2025 season with the Chicago White Sox to land on the open market before joining the Giants. Health will obviously be a big issue for Stassi as he tries to make a return to the big leagues, and given all the time away the last two years, he figures to begin the 2025 season rehabbing in the minors. In parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues since debuting in 2013 with the Astros, Stassi has a career .212/.295/.361 slash line with 41 homers and 128 RBI in 403 games played.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Aram Leighton
4 weeks agoA handful of MLB teams have shown interest in free-agent outfielder
Socrates Brito, who slashed an impressive .310/.359/.516 with 26 home runs for the KIA Tigers of the Korean Baseball Organization in 2024 in his third season playing professionally in Korea. The 32-year-old Dominican outfielder last appeared in the big leagues in 2019 with the Toronto Blue Jays, playing in only 17 games and hitting .077 (3-for-39) with no homers and two RBI. In his four big-league seasons (three with the Arizona Diamondbacks), Brito was not very great from the left side of the plate, batting .179/.216/.309 with a weak .525 OPS, five home runs, 18 RBI, three stolen bases and 23 runs scored in 99 games played and 218 plate appearances. If he returns to the States for the 2025 season, he'll merely be competing for a roster spot for outfield depth in spring training.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
4 weeks agoSuper utilityman
Tommy Edman and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a five-year, $74 million contract extension on Friday, according to sources. The deal runs from 2025 through the 2029 season and includes a sixth-year team option. There's also a $17 million signing bonus and deferred money included. The 29-year-old started the 2024 season with the St. Louis Cardinals but didn't make his season debut until midway through August after he had already been traded to the Dodgers. The former sixth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2016 out of Stanford played both center field and shortstop for the Blue on their way to a World Series title, and he was named the National League Championship Series MVP against the Mets. In 37 regular-season games, Edman hit .237/.294/.417 with a .711 OPS, six homers, 20 RBI and six steals. The switch-hitter is better against lefties and should be an everyday player in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
4 weeks agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks re-signed left-hander
Jose Castillo to a minor-league deal on Wednesday. Castillo spent all of the 2024 season pitching at Triple-A Reno, posting a 4.35 ERA in 21 games and 20 2/3 innings pitched. He will return to return for the second straight year in 2025 while providing the D-backs will a valuable left-handed relief arm. Arizona currently has a strong left-handed relief group at the major-league level, including
A.J. Puk, but Castillo could be on the short list to be called up to the majors if any of their southpaws is injured. The Venezuelan hurler made his MLB debut in 2018 with the San Diego Padres, and all four of his big-league seasons have come with them. In his 40 relief appearances for the Padres, he recorded a 4.24 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 55 strikeouts and 16 walks in 40 1/3 innings pitched. Of his 40 1/3 innings in the bigs, 38 1/3 of them came in 2018.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SI.com - Aaron Hughes
RADIO
