3 weeks agoAccording to Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post, the New York Yankees have checked in on free agent infielder
Jorge Polanco. The Yankees have been searching for an infielder following the departure of
Gleyber Torres. While they could opt to have an internal option replace Torres, Polanco has the ability to play both second and third base, which could provide the Yankees with great lineup flexibility. Polanco played through a knee injury last season in Seattle and underwent surgery in October, but is expected to be ready for spring training. Last summer, he posted a .213/.296/.355 line with 16 home runs and four stolen bases. However, in 2023, Polanco held a strong .255/.335/.454 line with 18 doubles and 14 home runs. If Polanco were to sign with the Yankees, he would likely cover second or third base with
Jazz Chisholm Jr. covering the other.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark W. Sanchez
3 weeks agoAccording to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Pittsburgh Pirates are showing interest in free agent outfielder
Randal Grichuk. The Pirates have been in the market for an outfielder all offseason and have been reported to have shown interest in
Alex Verdugo. The 33-year-old is coming off one of best seasons of his 11-year MLB career where he posted a strong .291/.348/.528 slash line with 12 home runs with 20 doubles in Arizona. However, he was only able to log 106 games as he was in a strict platoon role. Under the hood, he generated a stellar .359 xwOBA, 47.6% hard-hit rate, and an 11.0% barrel rate. If Grichuk were to sign with the Pirates, he would likely have an everyday role in right field, which could impact his production as he has usually struggled to hit right-handed pitching. Currently,
Nick Yorke is slated to be the starting right fielder in Pittsburgh.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
3 weeks agoAccording to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the Houston Astros have signed infielder
Zack Short to a minor league deal that includes an invite to spring training. Short logged 42 games in the major leagues last summer with three different clubs. He held an overall .129/.282/.171 with three doubles and two stolen bases. He posted an impressive 15.9% walk rate but generated a poor .271 xwOBA. Across 29 games at Triple-A last season, the infielder posted a .216/.316/.273 line with three doubles and a 19:27 BB:K ratio. Fantasy managers should expect Short to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster but will likely spend most of the 2025 season at Triple-A, given his lack of offensive production in the major leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Chandler Rome
3 weeks agoAccording to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, right-handed pitching prospect Matthew Linskey was traded to the Houston Astros in exchange for infielder
Grae Kessinger. The 22-year-old joined the Arizona system in 2023 in the 16th round of the MLB Draft. In 2024, the Rice product logged 22 1/3 innings of relief at Single-A. He performed very well with a 1.59 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. He posted a strong 9:37 BB:K ratio. However, Linskey was given a brief look at High-A and was unable to carry his momentum. He allowed six earned runs and six free passes while striking out seven batters in a small six-inning stint. Fantasy managers in dynasty formats should continue to keep an eye on his progression, as he looked quite comfortable at Singe-A. He should be expected to spend most of the 2025 season at High-A.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Chandler Rome
3 weeks agoAccording to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the Houston Astros have traded infielder
Grae Kessinger to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Matthew Linskey. Kessinger was removed from the 40-man roster earlier this offseason when the Astros acquired first baseman
Christian Walker. Across 49 major leagues during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Kessinger held a .131/.243/.213 with just two doubles and one home run. He held a strong 12.0% walk rate but an underwhelming .226 xwOBA. However, across 121 career games at the Triple-A level, the Ole Miss product carried a .271/.363/.407 line with 23 doubles and 12 home runs. Kessinger will likely open the campaign at Triple-A Reno given his struggles in the majors.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Chandler Rome
3 weeks agoAccording to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the New York Mets have met with free-agent relief pitcher
Tanner Scott. Scott is viewed as one of the top remaining relief pitchers available on the open market. Sammon noted that according to a source, the Mets are looking to continue to bolster their current bullpen. Even though they already have an elite closer in
Edwin Diaz, Scott would provide the Mets with a stellar 1-2 punch. Last season, the southpaw posted an excellent 1.75 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP across 72 innings of work. He struck out batters at a solid 28.6% rate and generated an elite 27.5% hard-hit rate and a 4.7% barrel rate. If Scott were to ink a contract with the Mets, fantasy managers should view him as an elite option for holds, as he would likely be deployed as the go-to option in the eighth inning.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Will Sammon
3 weeks agoAccording to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, the Boston Red Sox have had multiple discussions with left-handed relief pitcher
A.J. Minter. Minter has spent his entire eight-year MLB career with the Atlanta Braves. Last season, the southpaw logged 34 1/3 innings with a 2.62 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Minter was deployed as an eighth inning reliever as a set-up man for closer
Raisel Iglesias. Minter posted a strong 26.1% K rate and generated hard contact at a solid 33.3% rate. However, he had his season cut short after undergoing season-ending hip surgery in August. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his recovery process during Spring Training as he may miss time early. With the Boston Red Sox acquiring
Aroldis Chapman earlier this offseason, fantasy managers should expect Minter to return to a set-up role if he were to come to an agreement with the Red Sox.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Chris Cotillo
3
weeks
agoAccording
to
Gordon
Wittenmyer
of
the
Cincinnati
Enquirer,
Cincinnati
Reds
second
baseman
Matt
McLain
could
see
time
in
the
outfield
in
2025.
Earlier
this
week,
the
Cincinnati
Reds
traded
for
second
baseman
Gavin
Lux
which
complicates
their
infield
read more...
3 weeks agoAccording to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati Reds third baseman
Noelvi Marte could open the 2025 season in the minor leagues. After acquiring
Gavin Lux from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Marte could be without a permanent spot in the lineup. The 23-year-old missed the first 80 games of the 2024 season due to a performance enhancing drug suspension and struggled in his return. Across 66 games, the infielder held an underwhelming .210/.248/.301 line with just four home runs and nine stolen bases. However, in his short 35-game stint in the majors in 2023, Marte showcased high upside with a .316/.366/.456 line and three home runs and six stolen bases. Wittenmyer noted that his performance in Spring Training will be crucial in determine his role during the start of the season. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his performance as he could continue to fall on draft boards if his struggles continue to linger.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Gordon Wittenmyer
3 weeks agoAccording to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the San Francisco Giants have signed free agent starting pitcher
Justin Verlander to a one-year contract pending physical. The 41-year-old had a disappointing season last season with the Astros as he posted a 5.48 ERA and a 1.38 across 90 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander opened the season on the injured list with a shoulder injury and then missed time due to a neck injury. However, during 2022 and 2023, Verlander held a cumulative 2.45 ERA and 0.98 WHIP and was the AL Cy Young winner in 2022. Last season, the veteran saw his K rate drop to a low 18.7% rate but he continued to suppress hard contact as he generated a strong 32.5% hard-hit rate and a 6.9% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should expect Verlander to have a spot in the starting rotation throughout the 2025 campaign and is worth a look in deeper formats as he hopes to bounce back from an injury riddled 2024.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan
3 weeks agoThe Tampa Bay Rays are working to finalize a multi-year contract extension for right-hander
Drew Rasmussen as he plans to return to a starting role in 2025. If the deal is finalized, Rasmussen will get a $500,000 signing bonus, a $2 million salary in 2025, $5.5 million in 2026 and an $8 million option for the 2027 season. His option includes escalator clauses based on health and innings pitched. The incentives make a lot of sense, as the 29-year-old has already had three elbow surgeries in his pitching career. Rasmussen has showed flashes as both a starter and reliever for Tampa, although his whiff rates have been much more impressive as a reliever. In five big-league seasons, Rasmussen has a sharp 2.95 ERA and 1.09 WHIP while striking out 301 and walking 82 in 310 2/3 innings over 99 outings (50 starts). Rasmussen is a big injury risk but is also worth a late-round flier as he transitions back to a starting role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
3
weeks
agoMilwaukee
Brewers
right-hander
Brandon
Woodruff
(shoulder)
is
throwing
bullpens
twice
a
week
in
Mississippi
as
part
of
his
normal
offseason
progression.
His
arm
is
feeling
great
and
he's
hoping
to
be
ready
to
go
for
Opening
Day
in
2025,
although
there
is
no
read more...
3
weeks
agoAccording
to
USA
TODAY's
Bob
Nightengale,
the
New
York
Yankees
are
actively
trying
to
trade
right-hander
Marcus
Stroman
to
clear
his
$18
million
salary.
The
Yankees
have
signed
left-hander
Max
Fried
and
first-baseman
Paulread more...
3 weeks agoThe Chicago White Sox agreed to a minor-league deal with a non-roster invitation to major-league spring training on Tuesday with free-agent infielder
Bobby Dalbec, according to the White Sox. Dalbec was originally a fourth-round pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2016 out of the University of Arizona. The 29-year-old right-handed power bat hit a career-high 25 home runs and drove in 78 runs in 133 games for Boston in his second year with the team, but he could never recapture that form and hit a combined 14 long balls in the last three seasons. In the last two years, Dalbec only appeared in 58 games at the big-league level and slashed .159/.234/.235 with a terrible .469 OPS, two home runs, nine RBI and 71 strikeouts in 146 plate appearances. He should have more of an opportunity to contribute at the major-league level with the Pale Hose, but he'll still be off the fantasy radar in 2025 fantasy drafts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Scott Merkin
3
weeks
agoThe
Toronto
Blue
Jays
are
among
a
half
dozen
teams
that
are
interested
in
free-agent
closer
Carlos
Estevez,
according
to
the
New
York
Post's
Jon
Heyman.
After
letting
former
closer
Jordan
Romano
walk
into
free
agency
after
an
injury-plagued
season
read more...
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