1 month agoThe Atlanta Braves are declining to tender right-handed pitcher
Huascar Ynoa's contract, which will make him a free agent. The 26-year-old pitcher has spent most of the past two seasons on the injured list as he logged just 29 2/3 during this span and has not returned to the big leagues since the 2022 campaign. Across 122 1/3 innings in Atlanta, Ynoa sometimes showed high-strikeout potential but struggled with an overall 5.22 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Through 185 innings with Triple-A Gwinnett, Ynoa carried a similar 5.55 ERA and 1.48 WHIP while striking out 199 batters in 185 frames. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should monitor Ynoa's status during the offseason, as he could find a potential suitor willing to take a chance on him, given the swing-and-miss upside he has shown.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Braves
1 month agoThe Atlanta Braves have declined to tender
Ramon Laureano's contract, which will make him a free agent. The Braves signed the veteran outfielder to their roster in late May after the Cleveland Guardians released him. Through 67 games in Atlanta, Laureano posted a solid .296/.327/.505 line with 13 doubles, ten home runs, 29 RBI, and five stolen bases. Earlier in the summer with Cleveland, Laureano held a mere .143/.265/.229 line in a 31-game stint. Under the hood, he generated a strong 12.6% barrel rate and an above-average 40.8% hard-hit rate. Given his strong play towards the end of the season, the 30-year-old will likely find a suitor and could be worth a look in deep 5-outfielder leagues if he has a full-time role out of Spring Training.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Braves
1 month agoThe Texas Rangers and relief pitcher
Josh Sborz agreed on a one-year contract to avoid arbitration, according to the team. The 30-year-old battled numerous injuries this past summer and logged only 16 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander had a 3.86 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP during this limited sample size. The relief pitcher is set to miss some time during the start of the 2025 campaign as he is still recovering from his shoulder operation. Sborz was a crucial member of their World Series run in 2023, as he posted a near-perfect 0.75 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP in 12 frames of work. Fantasy managers should expect Sborz to return to his typical high-leverage role in the Texas bullpen in 2025, and he could be a viable option for holds if he can return to form following his recovery.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Texas Ranger PR
1 month agoAccording to SNY, relief pitcher
Sean Reid-Foley and the New York Mets have agreed on a one-year deal to avoid arbitration. The 29-year-old logged only 21 2/3 innings in Queens last season as he battled numerous injuries all summer. During this small stint, he posted a strong 1.66 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with a stellar 27.8% K rate. In addition, he boasted a 62.7% ground ball rate and a 1.98 xBA. This past summer, Reid-Foley typically pitched in the seventh and eighth innings, and fantasy managers should expect him to return to that similar role in 2025. With
Edwin Diaz expected to see the vast majority of save opportunities, fantasy managers in holds leagues should still consider drafting Reid-Foley as he could become the bona fide set-up man on a competing Mets team.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: SNY
1 month agoAccording to Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Cubs outfield prospect
Brennen Davis will head to free agency as the club did not tender his contract. Davis was originally drafted by the Cubs in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. After being considered one of the club's top prospects for several seasons, Davis battled numerous injuries and could never find his footing. This past summer, Davis logged only 47 starts with Triple-A before suffering a back fracture. The 25-year-old has flashed upside at times as he posted a strong .252/.367/.474 line at the Double-A level. Fantasy managers in dynasty formats should continue to monitor where Davis signs the offseason, as he could be worth a speculative flier if he can find stable playing time in Triple-A.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Meghan Montemurro
1 month agoAccording to Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Cubs have non-tendered outfielder
Mike Tauchman, which will send him to free agency. Tauchman spent the past two seasons operating on the Northside and held a .250/.360/.372 line across his time there. This past summer, the 33-year-old carried a .248 AVG with seven long balls and six stolen bases. Under the hood, he held a stellar 13.4% walk rate and slightly above average .330 xwOBA. Fantasy managers should expect the veteran to find a new home, serving as a fourth outfielder, and have a chance to see starting opportunities in center field. With his departure, fantasy managers should closely monitor the team's No. 2 prospect,
Owen Caissie, during Spring Training, as he could have a clear path to a full-time role in 2025.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Meghan Montemurro
1 month agoAccording to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Rays have non-tendered relief pitchers
Tyler Alexander and
Colin Poche. Alexander operated as both a starter and a reliever last summer and held a 5.10 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP across 107 2/3 innings of work. Under the hood, he carried a poor 4.68 xERA and 32.1% ground ball rate. Poche operated as a high-leverage option out of the bullpen over the past few seasons in Tampa Bay. Last summer, he took a slight step back as he posted a 3.68 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP compared to his stellar 2.23 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP he held in 2023. Fantasy managers should expect Poche to find a new club and continue to operate as a high-leverage option and could eventually mix in for save opportunities depending on his new situation. Alexander will likely find a new home in another bullpen but could see occasional starts.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
1 month agoThe Los Angeles Angels have declined to tender
Patrick Sandoval's contract, which will send him to free agency. The 28-year-old has spent his entire six-year MLB career with the Angels and held a cumulative 4.01 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and a 236:529 BB:K ratio through 536 innings of work. Last summer, the southpaw posted a hefty 5.08 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP through 81 frames. Under the hood, he held a strong 51.% barrel rate and an above-average 36.3% hard-hit rate. However, he struggled to command his pitches as he had a 9.9% walk rate, which was well below the average mark. This past June, Sandoval underwent an internal brace procedure, which will likely sideline him through most of the 2025 campaigns. As a result, fantasy managers should not expect him to carry any fantasy value next summer as he searches for a new club.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Los Angeles Angels PR
1 month agoFormer St. Louis Cardinals closer
Giovanny Gallegos is signing a minor-league deal with a spring training invite with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, according to a source. Gallegos hit the free-agent market mid-season after being designated for assignment by the Cardinals before latching on with the Minnesota Twins in early August. The 33-year-old right-handed reliever didn't reach the majors with Minnesota late in the year, though, and finished the 2024 campaign with a career-worst 6.53 ERA (6.36 FIP) while picking up one save with a 1.64 WHIP and 21:10 K:BB in just 20 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in St. Louis. The Mexican pitcher will look to bounce back with the World Series champions. Gallegos has 45 career saves in eight big-league seasons with a decent 3.49 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 29.6% strikeout rate, so he could work his way into a setup role for LA if he can rediscover his form.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Trade Rumors - Steve Adams
1 month agoThe Boston Red Sox re-signed right-hander
Bryan Mata (elbow, lat) to a minor-league deal on Friday, according to a source. Mata was designated for assignment earlier in the week and then non-tendered on Friday, but they quickly reached an agreement to bring him back. The 25-year-old Venezuelan hurler only appeared in 11 games (seven starts) in four different minor-league stops in 2024 due to his elbow and lat injuries. In 22 2/3 innings pitched, Mata had a 4.37 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 20 strikeouts and nine walks in the Florida Complex League and at High-A Greenville, Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. Mata will now look to put his injuries behind him while competing for a big-league roster spot in spring training in 2025. Most likely, he'll start at Worcester to begin the regular season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
1 month agoThe New York Yankees non-tendered infielder
Jon Berti and left-hander
Tim Mayza on Friday, making them both free agents. Berti, 34, stole a league-high 41 bases just two years ago in 2022 with the Miami Marlins, but he was limited to 25 games at the big-league level in 2024 in his first year in the Bronx. In his 74 plate appearances, he hit .273 (18-for-66) with a homer, six RBI and five steals. Berti's speed, on-base abilities and defensive versatility should land him a job somewhere on the open market as a utility man in 2025. Mayza, 32, had a rough start to the year with the Toronto Blue Jays with an ERA over 8.00 in 35 relief appearances, but he was better (4.00 ERA) in 18 relief innings for New York in the second half of the season. He was a successful high-leverage arm for Toronto several years ago and will be looking to bounce back somewhere else in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Yankees PR Department
1 month agoThe New York Yankees avoided salary arbitration with outfielder
Trent Grisham and right-hander
JT Brubaker (oblique) by agreeing to one-year deals on Friday. Grisham, 28, will earn $5 million in his second season in the Bronx. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter saw his fantasy stock drop considerably in pinstripes in 2024, as he was essentially the team's fourth outfielder. The former first-rounder hit a disappointing .190/.290/.385 with a .675 OPS, nine home runs, 31 RBI, one steal and 21 runs scored in 179 regular-season at-bats. Depending on what the Yankees do in free agency this offseason, Grisham could have a path to a bigger role in 2025, but at best, he'll likely be in some sort of platoon in the outfield against right-handed pitching. Grisham is mostly useful for his glove at this point in his career and isn't anything more than a bench bat in AL-only leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Yankees PR Department
1 month agoInfielder
Andy Ibanez and the Detroit Tigers avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $1.4 million deal, according to sources. Ibanez gets a raise after earning $633,900 in his second year with Detroit in 2024. The 31-year-old veteran from Cuba wasn't quite as good this past season, though, slashing a very mediocre .241/.295/.357 with a below-average .652 OPS, only five home runs, 32 RBI, two stolen bases and 30 runs scored in 99 regular-season games. Ibanez's greatest asset is his glove and his ability to play pretty much anywhere on the infield besides catcher. He also makes plenty of contact with the lumber, but there's very little power to speak. Ibanez will likely be in a utility role again for the Tigers in 2025, which limits his fantasy value to AL-only leagues as depth. He has a career .256/.305/.396 slash line with 24 homers in four MLB seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Francys Romero
1 month agoFree-agent shortstop
Kyle Farmer agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday with the Colorado Rockies. The deal includes an option for the 2026 season. Farmer became a free agent this offseason when the Minnesota Twins declined his mutual option for the 2025 season on Halloween, but the 34-year-old infielder didn't last on the open market for long. He'll head to the National League West after the Rockies just non-tendered second baseman
Brendan Rodgers. Farmer was forced into action with
Carlos Correa battling injuries again in 2024, and he played in over 100 games for the fourth straight season, slashing .214/.293/.353 with five home runs, 25 RBI, three steals and 26 runs scored in 107 games. Farmer had double-digit homers in three previous seasons and could be an interesting infielder in NL-only leagues in a utility role with his move to hitter-friendly Coors Field.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
1 month agoInfielder
Nick Madrigal was non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs on Friday, making him a free agent, according to a source. The former fourth overall pick by the Chicago White Sox in 2018 out of Oregon State will now be free to sign with any team this winter. Madrigal certainly has not lived up to his draft pedigree, and it hasn't helped that he's battled injuries in recent seasons. The 27-year-old has just four career home runs in five seasons and slashed a weak .221/.280/.256 with a career-worst .535 OPS, no homers, 10 RBI and five runs scored in only 51 games in his third season with the Cubbies in 2024. Madrigal fractured his left hand in June while in the minors at Triple-A Iowa. He's pretty much lost any fantasy appeal he once had and will merely be looking to latch on with a team looking for infield depth going into 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
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