1 month agoAtlanta Braves left-hander
Chris Sale (back), who was named the 2024 National League Cy Young winner on Wednesday, won't have his offseason hampered at all by the back spasms that he dealt with at the tail end of the season. Sale was unable to take his final turn of the regular season against the division-rival New York Mets in the regular season and then also wasn't available for the Braves in the wild-card series against the San Diego Padres. However, had Atlanta advanced to the NL Division Series, he would have started Game 3 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's great news for the 35-year-old southpaw as he looks for an encore in 2025 with the Braves. He posted a 2.38 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 225 K's and only 39 walks in 177 2/3 innings in his first year in Atlanta. Sale obviously has ace upside, but there's also high bust potential because of his lengthy injury history.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Braves Today - Lindsay Crosby
1 month agoChicago White Sox star left-hander
Garrett Crochet is drawing big trade interest from the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and others. The Orioles and Red Sox have plenty of ammunition from a position-player standpoint, which is what the White Sox are seeking. Now that the innings issue is out of the way for Crochet, his trade value is even higher this offseason. The 25-year-old southpaw was returning from Tommy John surgery in 2024 and was moving from a relief role to the starting rotation, but he ended up making 32 starts (146 innings) while posting a 3.58 ERA (2.69 FIP), a 1.07 WHIP and a 209:33 K:BB as a first-time All-Star. Crochet slowed down later in the year as the White Sox limited his workload, but he has ace potential and two years left of team control, which makes him very attractive to contenders.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
1 month agoMajor League Baseball will test robot umpires as part of a challenge system in spring training in 2025 at 13 ballparks that host 19 teams. If the league likes how things go, it could lead to use of robot umpires during the regular season as early as the following year in 2026. MLB has been testing the automated ball-strike system in the minors since 2019 but is still trying to work out the shape of the strike zone. "I would be interested in having it in '26," commissioner Rob Manfred said. "We do have a collective bargaining obligation there. That's obviously a term and condition of employment. We're going to have to work through that issue, as well." The automated ball-strike system currently calls strikes solely based on where the ball crosses the midpoint of the plate, 8.5 inches from the front and the back. The top of the zone was increased to 53.5% of batter height in 2024 from 51%.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FOX Sports
1 month agoThe Cleveland Guardians and pitcher
Triston McKenzie avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $1.95 million deal for one year. McKenzie was the 42nd overall pick in the 2015 Draft, but after peaking with a 2.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and a 19.7% K-BB% in 2022, the last two seasons have been marred by injury and underperformance, culminating with his demotion to the minors in late June. Things didn't go well there either, posting a 5.23 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, and a 9.7% K-BB% over 53 1/3 IP. The Guardians need rotation help though and McKenzie is still only 27 years old, so if he can return to some semblance of his former self, then he could help Cleveland and fantasy managers. Keep an eye on how his spring goes to see if he appears to be headed in the right direction.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Robert Murray
1 month agoThe Washington Nationals have signed pitcher
Mason Thompson to a one-year deal. The 26-year-old missed the entire 2024 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery and it is presumed that he'll miss at least some portion of the beginning of 2025 as well. Once he returns, the righty will help the Nats out of the bullpen. When Thompson last played in 2023, the former third-round draft pick pitched to a 5.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, and a 9.2% K-BB% in 51 appearances (54 IP). Unless he finds himself in some high-leverage role, the 6-foot-6 hurler will be off the fantasy radar until further notice.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoThe Boston Red Sox have signed catcher
Seby Zavala to a minor-league contract. The veteran debuted back in 2019 but hasn't logged more than 205 plate appearances in any season and is a career .205 hitter, although it was even lower in 2024, batting just .154 in 38 at-bats with Seattle. It wasn't much better in the minors, hitting .188 in 101 ABs at Triple-A. With a career K% of 35.9% in the majors, it's hard to see that getting any better. The former 12th-round pick will provide depth for the Red Sox but the backstop doesn't move the needle for fantasy.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoThe Texas Rangers have signed right-hander
Caleb Boushley to a minor-league contract. Boushley pitched in the Twins organization for the entirety of 2024, but only briefly in the majors with just four innings pitched this year. At Triple-A in 2024, the 31-year-old made 26 starts but pitched to a 5.23 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. The righty doesn't miss a lot of bats, logging just a 7.24 K/9, but he also only walked 4.9% of the batters he faced. The former 33rd-round draft pick will need to perform better in 2025 if he hopes to make it back to the bigs, but unless he changes something, he doesn't have the stuff to make him fantasy relevant.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoFree-agent first baseman/designated hitter
Joey Meneses has signed with the New York Mets on a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring camp. Meneses debuted with the Nationals back in August of 2022 and impressed with a .324/.367/.563 slash line over 240 plate appearances with a .395 wOBA and 158 wRC+, but failed to come close to that type of production over the next two seasons. The 32-year-old finished last season with a .231/.291/.302 slash line with a .264 wOBA and 68 wRC+ in 313 plate appearances. If Meneses wants to make it back to the majors, he may have an easier path if the Mets don't re-sign
Pete Alonso. Either way, he won't be on the fantasy radar unless he's getting regular at-bats with the big-league club.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
1 month agoAs expected, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter
Shohei Ohtani was named the 2024 National League Most Valuable Player on Thursday night, his third MVP award in the last four seasons. If not for
Aaron Judge's amazing season in 2022 in which he set a new American League mark for home runs in a season, Ohtani would have four straight MVP awards under his belt. Ohtani is the first DH to win the award after becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in the same season. The Japanese two-way player (he'll return to pitching in 2025) becomes the 12th player ever to win three MVPs and the second to do so within his first seven seasons, joining Stan Musial. After signing an unprecedented $700 million deal with LA, Ohtani led the Dodgers to a World Series title and led the NL in homers (54), RBI (130) and OPS (1.036).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
1 month agoNew York Yankees outfielder
Aaron Judge was named the 2024 American League Most Valuable Player on Thursday night after receiving all 30 first-place votes for the award. It's Judge's second career MVP award as he beat out the Kansas City Royals'
Bobby Witt Jr. and teammate
Juan Soto. The honor was well-earned, as Judge led the majors in home runs (58), RBI (144), OPS (1.159) and wins above replacement (11.2) this year while spending most of his time in center field in the Bronx. He also led the Yankees back to the World Series, although they fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Judge's 223 adjusted OPS was the highest for a right-handed hitter since 1900, according to ESPN research. He becomes the seventh Yankees player to win multiple MVPs, joining Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Maris.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
1 month agoFree-agent left-hander
Rich Hill said that he wants to pitch again in 2025. Hill's performance for the United States in the WBSC Premier12 tournament with four scoreless innings against Japan certainly helps his cause, although he'll most likely have to settle for a minor-league deal. The 44-year-old southpaw only pitched in 3 2/3 relief innings for the Boston Red Sox in 2024 and allowed two earned runs. If Hill does land with another team on the open market this offseason, he'll be a long shot to return any fantasy value and will mostly be used in mop-up relief duty out of the bullpen instead of as a starter. In 2023 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres, Hill wasn't very effective, posting a 5.41 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 129 strikeouts and 58 walks in 146 1/3 innings over 32 outings (27 starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
1 month agoThe Philadelphia Phillies are high on right-handed pitching prospect
Andrew Painter, especially after he just looked dominant in the Arizona Fall League, but they will surely limit his innings in 2025. Painter is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, but he'll also turn 22 in April of next year and has problems with injuries in the past. He made six shortened starts in the AFL and logged 15 2/3 innings while being named the league's top pitcher, but he will be limited in 2025 in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. The Phillies would prefer to have Painter at the back of their rotation later in 2025, which means he might not pitch spring training games to preserve his innings. It means that the Phillies need a plan for the back of their rotation in the early portion of the season. Painter's fantasy value will be limited in 2025, but there's no doubt his stuff makes him a high-upside, long-term fantasy starter.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Matt Gelb
1 month agoThe Boston Red Sox could be looking to trade outfielder
Wilyer Abreu this offseason as they seek to upgrade their starting rotation. The primary reason that makes Abreu expendable is the fact that Boston is rich with young outfielders at the moment --
Roman Anthony is their top prospect, while
Kristian Campbell is their No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- and they also have
Jarren Duran and
Ceddanne Rafaela. The Seattle Mariners are one team that would be interested in Abreu after he received some votes for Rookie of the Year in 2024. MLB Network's Jon Morosi also mentioned the San Francisco Giants as a potential good fit for Abreu. The 25-year-old Dominican also won a Gold Glove in 2024 while slashing .253/.322/.459 with 15 home runs, 58 RBI, eight steals and 59 runs scored in 132 games in his first full MLB campaign.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
1 month agoRival executives are saying the Chicago Cubs want to trade first baseman/outfielder
Cody Bellinger this offseason, but it might not be that easy. The 29-year-old has a remaining guarantee of $32.5 million -- $27.5 million in salary with $5 million in a potential buyout -- by choosing not to opt out of his deal. Bellinger could sacrifice his buyout and opt in for another $27.5 million in 2026. He was 11 percent above league average in OPS but wasn't as impactful in 2024 as he was in 2023. If the New York Yankees don't re-sign outfielder
Juan Soto, Bellinger could be one of their options. However, the $32.5 million that Bellinger is guaranteed would mitigate the return. In order to trade the lefty slugger, Chicago might need to take back an inflated contract or accept marginal prospects in any deal. Bellinger hit .266 with 18 homers, 78 RBI and nine steals in 130 games for the Cubs in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
1 month agoThe Athletics said at the winter meetings that they will not trade designated hitter
Brent Rooker, and center fielder
JJ Bleday also falls into that category, according to a source briefed on the team's thinking. The A's desperately want to add plays as they transition to playing their home games in a minor-league stadium in Sacramento in 2025, but they are also reluctant to trade the few quality players they have. Star closer
Mason Miller perhaps could be on the trade block, but the A's would want a quality position player under long-term control in return. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wrote earlier this year that if the San Diego Padres wanted Miller, the A's likely would have asked for outfielder
Jackson Merrill. The A's are deep in outfield prospects, but they're looking for immediate big-league help, which the rest of the league is also doing.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
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