4 weeks agoAccording to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, multiple teams are interested in free agent starting pitcher
Justin Verlander. Verlander had a disappointing campaign last summer, posting a high 5.48 ERA and a 1,38 WHIP across 90 1/3 innings of work. The 41-year-old opened the season in the injured list with a shoulder injury and then missed time later in the summer due to a neck injury. Last season, Verlander saw his strikeout rate continue to decrease and walk rate climb, in relation to his 2023 production. In addition, the right-hander generated a .301 xwOBA which was his highest mark since his 2017 season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Verlander's status as we approach Spring Training. Seeing that teams are interested suggests he will likely sign with a club in 2025, but fantasy managers should draft him with caution given his injury troubles last season and declining metrics.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Morosi
4 weeks agoFree-agent infielder
Andrew Velazquez signed a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to major-league spring training with the New York Yankees on Friday. Velazquez, who was born in the Bronx, will return to the Yankees after playing for them in 2021, when he hit .224 (15-for-68) with a homer, six RBI and four stolen bases in only 28 games at the major-league level. The 30-year-old switch-hitter was originally a seventh-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012. Velazquez made his big-league debut in 2018 with the Tampa Bay Rays and has played for five teams over his six major-league seasons. He has hit just .189/.244/.293 with 12 homers, 40 RBI and 40 stolen bases in 275 games played in the majors. Velazquez will provide infield depth for the Yanks in 2025 after posting a .692 OPS with 16 homers and 33 steals at Triple-A Gwinnett in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: YES Network - Jack Curry
4 weeks agoAccording to Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star, Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Alek Manoah (elbow) hopes to return to the mound in August. The 26-year-old underwent a modified internal-brace procedure in his right elbow last June. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the first half of the campaign, as Manoah will likely begin facing live hitters sometime in June and embark on a rehab assignment in July. Last season across a small 24 1/3-inning stint with Toronto, Manoah held a 3.70 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. While he struggled during the 2023 season and posted a career-worst 5.87 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP, he held a strong 2.24 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP during the 2022 campaign. If Manoah can return to the mound and not face any setbacks during his recovery process, he could be a valuable fantasy asset during the second half of the 2025 campaign.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mike Wilner
4 weeks agoAccording to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Dodgers are designating catching prospect
Diego Cartaya for assignment to open a roster spot for infielder Hye-seong Kim. Cartaya was a former top catching prospect but has never lived up to his prospect pedigree. Before the transaction, MLB Pipeline ranked Cartaya as the 16th-best prospect in the Dodger system. In 2023, the backstop held a mere .189/.278/.379 slash line across 93 games at Double-A. Last season across both Double-A and Triple-A, Cartaya posted a .221/.323/.363 slash line with just 11 home runs and a 47:113 BB:K. Cartaya may draw interest from another suitor but will likely need more time at Triple-A in 2025 before making his major-league debut.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jack Harris
4 weeks agoAccording to Danielle Allentuck of the Baltimore Banner, the Baltimore Orioles designated catcher
Rene Pinto for assignment to clear a roster spot for the newly-acquired right-handed pitcher
Charlie Morton. Pinto was signed by the Orioles earlier this offseason but no longer has a spot on the roster with
Gary Sanchez serving as the No.2 catcher behind
Adley Rutschman. Pinto has spent his entire professional career with the Tampa Bay Rays. Last summer, across 19 games in the majors, Pinto held a .214/.292/.429 line with three doubles and two home runs. Across 53 games with Triple-A Durham, the 28-year-old posted a .191/.257/.373 slash line with 11 long balls and a 16:84 BB:K ratio. Pinto will likely spend most of the 2025 season in Triple-A if he find a suitor, given his lack of success in the majors.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Danielle Allentuck
4 weeks agoFree-agent starting pitcher
Charlie Morton signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday evening. The 41-year-old spent the past four seasons with the Atlanta Braves. Last season, the right-hander held a 4.19 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP across 165 1/3 innings. Morton made at least 30 starts in each season during his four-year tenure with the Braves. Under the hood, Morton generated a modest 23.8% strikeout rate with a below-average 4.49 xERA last season. This was a decline from the 25.6% K rate he held during the 2023 campaign. After losing
Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Morton should have a permanent role in the Baltimore rotation throughout the 2025 season. However, given his declining metrics, he should only be targeted in deeper 15-plus team formats or AL-only leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Baltimore Orioles
4 weeks agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to an undisclosed deal on Friday with Korean infielder Hye-seong Kim, whose posting window from the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization closes on Friday, according to a source. According to MBC Sports' Daniel Kim, the deal is for three years with club options for 2028 and 2029. The 25-year-old will turn 26 years old in late January and will head to the United States after slashing .326/.383/.458 with 11 home runs and 30 steals for the Heroes in 2024. He has hit a cool .304/.364/.403 in his eight seasons in Korea. Kim is a very similar player to free-agent infielder
Ha-Seong Kim, but without the power. In LA, Kim is unlikely to see regular playing time given their stacked roster, but the keystone is probably his best path to at-bats. Speed and contact are Kim's calling cards, which won't give him much upside in fantasy in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
4 weeks agoThe Milwaukee Brewers designated left-hander
Tyler Jay for assignment on Thursday to make room on the 40-man roster for the recently required right-hander
Grant Anderson. Jay made his major-league debut in 2024 but only appeared in relief in five games for the New York Mets and Brewers, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits while walking six and striking out six in 7 2/3 innings pitched. The 30-year-old southpaw went 5-1 with a 3.02 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, three saves, 49 strikeouts and 12 walks in 56 2/3 innings combined at Triple-A Syracuse and Triple-A Nashville on the farm. Jay was originally drafted sixth overall by the Minnesota Twins in 2015 out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. If Jay clears waivers, he could return to the Brewers in a minor-league role to begin the 2025 season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Curt Hogg
4 weeks agoThe Texas Rangers announce that they acquired left-hander Mason Molina from the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday in exchange for right-hander
Grant Anderson. The Brewers selected Molina in the seventh round of the 2024 MLB draft from the University of Arkansas, and he made his professional debut last year with Low-A Carolina. The 21-year-old southpaw threw five shutout innings across two starts for the Mudcats and had a 3.97 ERA with an 11.74 K/9 in three collegiate seasons with Texas Tech and Arkansas. Molina is obviously at least several years away from a potential major-league debut, and he'll likely start the 2025 campaign at Single-A Hickory.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Texas Rangers PR
4 weeks agoBoston Red Sox chief baseball officer
Craig Breslow said that the plan is to keep infielder/outfielder
Ceddanne Rafaela in center field in 2025 "as much as possible." Rafaela really stepped up for the Red Sox in 2024 and provided plenty of defensive versatility, mainly in center field and shortstop. The 24-year-old started 72 games in center field, 71 at shortstop and four at second base in his first full season in the big leagues. His elite athleticism allows him to play pretty much anywhere on the diamond, but the BoSox would like to keep him focused on center field this year to hopefully make him more productive offensively. There was a need for Rafaela at the 6 in 2024 when
Trevor Story was injured earlier in the year. Rafaela must improve his hard-hit metrics and plate discipline to take the next step as a hitter, but his elite athleticism should give hope to fantasy managers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Sean McAdam
4 weeks agoMassLive.com's Sean McAdam writes that Boston Red Sox infielder
Vaughn Grissom is the "nominal favorite" to open next season as the team's starting second baseman. Grissom's first year with Boston in 2024 was highly disappointing, as he entered spring training with a shot to see most of the playing time at the keystone before multiple injuries set him back. The 23-year-old former Atlanta Braves middle infielder eventually lost the job to
David Hamilton and hit just .190/.246/.219 in just 31 games at the big-league level. However, Grissom looked good to end the year at Triple-A Worcester and appears to be fully healthy with spring training just around the corner. Grissom has looked great in the minor leagues but has yet to put it together at the major-league level in small stints. If he's healthy in 2025, though, and secures the 2B job, he has potential for double-digit homers and steals for fantasy managers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Sean McAdam
4 weeks agoThe Texas Rangers have traded relief pitcher
Grant Anderson to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Mason Molina. The 27-year-old was designated for assignment by the Rangers earlier in the week. It didn't take the Rangers long to find Anderson a new home. Anderson made it to the MLB last season, but struggled to the tune of a 8.10 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, and 29/10 K/BB ratio. He figures to get a chance to prove himself during spring training. As for Molina, he's a 21-year-old former seventh-round pick that made his professional debut last season. He only pitched in two games in Single-A ball, so it'll be a few years before the Rangers see the results of this trade.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 weeks agoFree-agent third baseman
Alex Bregman remains unsigned mid-way through the winter, but that might change soon. The Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays were reportedly the frontrunners to land Bregman this offseason. Both teams are also viewed as the frontrunners to land outfielder
Anthony Santander. The Tigers already have a decent core and added
Gleyber Torres. The Blue Jays might take one more shot at competing before possibly heading towards a rebuild if things go south. That being said, both teams seem to make sense on paper for Bregman. The superstar slugger is reportedly seeking $200 million after turning down $156 million from the Houston Astros earlier this offseason.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
4 weeks agoFree-agent starting pitcher
Jack Flaherty is reportedly unlikely to sign with the Baltimore Orioles. There were reports that the O's were interested in a reunion, but it seems that Flaherty might feel differently. Flaherty struggled during his stint with the O's during the 2023 season. He posted a 6.75 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, and 42/12 K/BB across nine games with the O's. He pitched much better once he left Baltimore. It sounds like the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, and Los Angeles Dodgers are all in the mix for Flaherty. The right-hander might not find a new home until Roki Sasaki signs with an organization.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Rich Dubroff
4 weeks agoFree-agent pitcher
Jeff Hoffman is reportedly seeking a deal in the range that fellow reliever
Clay Holmes signed earlier this offseason. Holmes signed with the New York Mets on a three-year deal worth $38 million. Hoffman is hopeful to get a similar deal after posting back-to-back solid seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. Holmes signed with the Mets in hopes of transitioning to the starting rotation. It's possibly that Hoffman wants to make a similar move considering he began his career as a starting pitcher with the Colorado Rockies. There doesn't seem to be a ton of interest in Hoffman right now, but they'll likely change once Roki Sasaki signs somewhere.
--Andy Webb - RotoBallerSource: Matt Gelb
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