19 hours agoAccording to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, several clubs have checked in on free agent left-handed pitcher
Brooks Raley. According to Rosenthal, the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs are among the clubs that have expressed interest in Raley. The southpaw underwent Tommy John surgery last May but is on track to return sometime in the second half of the 2025 campaign. The 36-year-old tossed seven shutout innings last summer before being sidelined. During the 2023 campaign, Raley held a strong 2.80 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP across 54 1/3 innings. He struck out 61 batters, generating a strong 29.2% hard-hit rate and a .321 xSLG. Raley would likely earn a high-leverage role once he returns to the big league mound in 2025.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Ken Rosenthal
19 hours agoAccording to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, the San Diego Padres would prefer to hold infielder
Luis Arraez. Arraez has had his name circling around several trade discussions throughout the offseason. However, the Padres and Arraez settled on a $14 million to avoid arbitration last week. Lin noted that even though the team remains focused on winning a championship, they remain open to moving a few of their higher contracts to create some roster flexibility. Starting pitcher
Dylan Cease and right-handed relief pitcher
Robert Suarez have also had their names around trade talks. Last season, Arraez posted at least a .300 AVG for the third-straight campaign. Last summer, he held a .314 AVG across time with Miami and San Diego. Under the hood, he posted a stellar 4.3% K rate but lacked in power production. The 27-year-old remains one of the top targets for batting average but carries very low power upside.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Dennis Lin
19 hours agoAccording to Mark Bowman of MLB.com, second baseman
Whit Merrifield is considering retirement. Bowman noted that Merrifield was a good fit in Atlanta last season and could be in contention to earn a spot on their Opening Day roster but is currently considering retirement. The veteran opened the 2024 season with the Phillies and ended the campaign in Atlanta. Across 42 games with the Braves, Merrifield held a .248/.348/.336 line with a 20:33 BB:K ratio and six stolen bases. He swiped 17 total bags last summer. He showed a strong eye at the plate with a 10.4% walk rate and a 15.5% K rate. In addition, he placed in the 90th percentile in sprint speed. If Merrifield were to end his career, he would finish with a strong career .280/.328/.413 line, 218 stolen bases, and three All-Star Game appearances across nine MLB seasons.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoAccording to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, the Colorado Rockies have signed right-handed pitcher
Jake Woodford to a minor-league deal that includes an invite to spring training. The 28-year-old spent time with the White Sox and Pirates during the 2024 season and held a 7.97 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP across 35 innings of work. In 2023, he held a similar 6.23 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP through 47 2/3 innings of work with St. Louis. This was a sharp decline from the career-best 2.23 ERA and 1.12 WHIP he posted during the 2022 season. Through 407 2/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, he has held a 4.00 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. With the Rockies inviting several top pitching prospects to spring training, such as
Chase Dollander and
Sean Sullivan, Woodford will likely compete for a spot in the back end of the starting rotation if the young arms struggle in their first taste of the majors.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Thomas Harding
1 day agoAccording to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the New York Yankees have signed first baseman/outfielder
Dominic Smith to a minor-league contract. Smith opened the 2024 season with the Boston Red Sox but was eventually shipped to Cincinnati. Across 93 major league games last summer, Smith held a .233/.313/.378 line with six home runs. In 21 games with Triple-A Durham, Smith posted a .263./337/.375 line. The former 11th-overall selection has been unable to get his major league career back on track since posting a strong .299/.366/.571 line across the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Fantasy managers should expect Smith to open the campaign with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but would likely be given another opportunity in the majors as an injury replacement for
Ben Rice or
Paul Goldschmidt at first base.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
1 day agoAccording to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, the Seattle Mariners designated left-handed pitcher
Austin Kitchen for assignment. This transaction opened a roster spot for infielder
Donovan Solano, who signed a one-year deal with Seattle earlier on Monday. Kitchen made his major league debut in Miami last summer. The 27-year-old logged seven innings and allowed 11 runs and 16 hits while striking out four batters. He was later claimed by Seattle during the second half of the season but did not make a major league appearance for them. Across 45 career innings at the Triple-A level, the southpaw held a 5.40 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He struck out 27 batters while serving up 14 free passes. Kitchen will likely spend most of the 2025 season at the Triple-A level, given his struggles in the major leagues last season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Ryan Divish
1
day
agoAccording
to
Ken
Rosenthal
of
The
Athletic,
the
Los
Angeles
Dodgers,
San
Diego
Padres,
and
Toronto
Blue
Jays
are
the
finalists
for
Japanese
free-agent
starting
pitcher
Roki
Sasaki.
The
overseas
superstar
is
viewed
as
one
of
the
top
pitchers
of
the
offseason
and
received
offers
from
several
clubs.
read more...
1 day agoAccording to the team, the Seattle Mariners have signed free agent infielder
Donovan Solano to a one-year contract worth $3.5 million. The 37-year-old spent the entire 2024 campaign with the San Diego Padres and posted a solid .286/.343/.417 line. He hit eight home runs, 13 doubles, swiped two bags, and held a 22:65 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, he generated a .307 xwOBA and 37.4% hard-hit rate, suggesting he could be due for some regression in 2025. Solano performed very well against southpaws last season, posting a .302 AVG and .443 SLG, which was much higher than the .277 AVG and .403 SLG he posted against right-handed pitching. During the 2023 season, the 11-year MLB veteran posted a similar .282/.369/.391 line with five long balls. Fantasy managers should expect Solano to compete for an everyday role in the Seattle infield.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Seattle Mariners
2 days agoSan Francisco Giants right-hander
Justin Verlander (back, shoulder) said on a video call with the media that he started throwing earlier this offseason and is up to 92 mph and is feeling good. Verlander was limited to 17 starts with the Houston Astros last season in his 19th year in the big leagues due to back and shoulder ailments, but he said he's addressed the physical issues that cut his season short in 2024. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Gigantes last week and will hope to stay healthier in his 20th MLB campaign. The three-time Cy Young winner and former MVP will be hoping to rebound in his new digs in a good pitcher's park in the Bay Area in 2025, but with his strikeout rate continuing to fall and with injuries now a big issue, fantasy managers may want to temper expectations.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: San Francisco Chronicle - Susan Slusser
2 days agoBoston Red Sox designated hitter
Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) could play some outfield if he remains with the team in 2025, according to manager Alex Cora. However, the left-handed hitter is a potential trade candidate this offseason as the BoSox look for more right-handed bats for their lineup, so there's no guarantee Yoshida will even be in Boston by Opening Day. But the Red Sox could have trouble finding a team willing to take Yoshida, who is due $55.8 million over the next three years and is coming off surgery to fix a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder in October. He was limited to designated-hitter duties in 2024 but made 84 starts in left field as a rookie in 2023. Yoshida never went on the injured list in 2024, but his lingering shoulder issue limited him to just one inning in left field. He's been mediocre for fantasy managers in his first two years with a .280 average, 25 homers and a .775 OPS in 248 games.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
2 days agoBoston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said over the weekend that infield prospect
Kristian Campbell and
Vaughn Grissom will focus on second base in spring training, with shortstop prospect
Marcelo Mayer playing multiple positions. Campbell, the team's No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, played at High-A Greenville, Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester in 2024 and slashed a combined .330/.439/.558 with an impressive .997 OPS, 20 home runs, 77 RBI, 24 stolen bases and 94 runs scored in 115 total games. The 22-year-old finished the year on the injured list due to a lat injury, but he should be fully healthy for spring training as he competes for a job at the keystone with Grissom. Boston also has
David Hamilton as an option at second, but Campbell has the highest ceiling of any of the BoSox's options for the position. Campbell's fantasy stock will continue to rise if he looks good this spring.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Boston Globe - Pete Abraham
2 days agoThe New York Yankees have been told that Japanese free-agent right-hander Roki Sasaki will not sign with them, according to a source. Sasaki is one of the most prized free-agent arms this offseason and has already met with the Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays. Since Sasaki is under 25 with less than six seasons played professionally overseas, he's subject to the international bonus pool and its signing window, which opens on Wednesday. He will end up signing for something more in the range of
Shohei Ohtani's $2.3 million bonus with the Angels in 2017. The Dodgers and Padres have been considered the front-runners for Sasaki's services all offseason, with a resolution likely coming later this week. Sasaki should be fantasy relevant immediately, although he comes with durability concerns.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: YES Network - Jack Curry
2 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander
Jeff Hoffman (shoulder) failed two physicals due to concerns with his right shoulder with the Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles this offseason before eventually signing with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to a source. Both the Braves and Orioles had deals in place with Hoffman before he failed physicals with their medical staffs, with the O's having a three-year, $40 million deal set with Hoffman. The 32-year-old has been healthy since 2021, but he has gone on the injured list twice in his career with shoulder-related issues. Despite the physical concerns, the Blue Jays signed him to a three-year, $33 million deal, which means he's expected to serve as their closer in 2025, with
Yimi Garcia and
Chad Green serving as setup men. Given the concerns about his shoulder and the fact Hoffman only has 12 career saves in nine seasons, he'll be a shaky closing option for fantasy managers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
2 days agoAccording to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, the San Diego Padres have "entertained" trade discussions for several key players, including closer
Robert Suarez. The other players mentioned have already been circulating around trade discussions, such as second baseman
Luis Arraez and starting pitcher
Dylan Cease. The 33-year-old enjoyed a career season in 2024, posting a 2.77 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP with 36 saves. Over his first two major league seasons, Suarez tallied just one save. In 2024, he logged a career-high 65 innings and generated a strong 3.05 xERA and .291 xBA, which were both significantly above the average marks. He also showed solid command with a 6.2% walk rate, which placed him in the 78th percentile among qualified pitchers. For now, fantasy managers should view Suarez as the top option for saves in San Diego entering the 2025 season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Dennis Lin
2 days agoAccording to John Denton of MLB.com, the St. Louis Cardinals claimed left-handed pitcher
Bailey Horn off waivers. Horn was designated for assignment earlier this offseason by the Detroit Tigers when they signed second baseman
Gleyber Torres. The Auburn product made his major league debut last season with the Boston Red Sox and posted a 6.50 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP across 18 innings of work. During this stretch, he struck out 13 batters and severed up ten free passes. Across 39 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level last season, Horn held a 4.54 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He struck out 50 batters and tallied three saves. Fantasy managers should expect Horn to open the 2025 campaign at the Triple-A level, given his lack of proven success in the major leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: John Denton
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