24 hours agoAccording to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Kansas City Royals are signing free-agent relief pitcher
Carlos Estevez. Estevez has been one of the top relief pitchers on the open market during the offseason and had several suitors. However, the Royals were able to get a deal done. Last season, Estevez opened the 2024 campaign with the Los Angeles Angels before being shipped to the Philadelphia Phillies at the deadline. Across 55 innings, the right-hander posted an impressive 2.45 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. He tallied 50 punchouts and 26 saves with a strong 5.7% walk rate. However, the 32-year-old generated a hefty 10.1% barrel rate and 42.3% hard-hit rate, both well below the average marks, suggesting he may see some regression in 2025. Fantasy managers should expect Estevez to compete for save opportunities alongside
Lucas Erceg in the Kansas City bullpen.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan
1 day agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates designated right-hander
Elvis Alvarado for assignment on Wednesday to make room for newly-signed infielder/outfielder
Adam Frazier on the 40-man roster. If Alvarado clears waivers, he could return to the Pirates organization. The 25-year-old Dominican hurler has never appeared in a major-league game and will probably be fighting an uphill battle to get there in 2025. He was in the Miami Marlins' organization last year and made 41 relief appearances between Single-A Jupiter and Triple-A Jacksonville. In his 50 2/3 innings pitched, Alvarado had a solid 2.66 ERA, a 1.44 WHIP, a career-high 11 saves, 74 strikeouts and 40 walks. In his six seasons toiling in the minors, he has a 4.25 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 23 saves, 257 strikeouts and 135 walks in 230 2/3 frames over 175 appearances (seven starts).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
1 day agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates won their salary arbitration hearing against right-hander
Johan Oviedo (elbow) on Wednesday, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. Oviedo will now earn $850,000 in 2025 instead of the $1.15 million that he filed for earlier in January. The 26-year-old is on track to be ready for spring training this year after missing all of last year due to Tommy John surgery. However, the Pirates may take extra caution with the Cuban hurler and ease him into things early on during the regular season because of his long layoff. Oviedo showed flashes for the Bucs in 2023, allowed two or fewer runs 18 times out of his 32 starts while finishing with a 4.31 ERA (4.49 FIP) and 1.37 WHIP with a 158:83 K:BB in his 177 2/3 innings thrown. When he struggled, though, the wheels sort of fell off, and he had a league-high 13 hit-by-pitches. He's going to need to improve his control plenty, and that won't be easy coming off TJ surgery.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
1 day agoThe Atlanta Braves announced on Wednesday that catching prospect
Drake Baldwin will be a non-roster invite to major-league spring training this year. Baldwin is considered Atlanta's top prospect, and MLB Pipeline has him ranked as the No. 63 overall prospect in baseball entering the 2025 season. The former third-round pick in 2022 out of Missouri State University hit a combined .276/.370/.423 with 16 home runs, 88 RBI and 58 runs scored in 124 games with Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett in 2024. He will almost certainly begin this year at Gwinnett, but he figures to eventually operate as
Sean Murphy's backup in the big leagues eventually with
Travis d'Arnaud no longer in town. Baldwin hits from the left side and stands at 5-foot-10, 210 pounds. With an excellent approach at the plate and few strikeouts, Baldwin has the upside of a starting catcher for Atlanta down the road.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Atlanta Braves
1 day agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers and left-handed reliever
Alex Vesia avoided salary arbitration on Wednesday by settling on a one-year, $2.25 million guarantee deal that includes a club option for the 2026 season, according to a source. Vesia filed at $2.35 million, and the Dodgers countered at $2.05 million earlier this month. He'll be paid $2.25 million this year and has a $3.55 million club option that includes a $50,000 buyout. Vesia can make up to $3.75 million based on appearances. Although the 28-year-old southpaw isn't going to see any save chances in a loaded Dodgers bullpen, he should still feature in high-leverage situations in late innings based on matchups after he was lights-out in L.A. last year. In his fourth season with the Dodgers in 2024, he held a career-best 1.76 ERA, a career-high five saves, 0.99 WHIP and a career-high 87 K's in 66 1/3 innings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
1 day agoESPN's Jeff Passan reports that the Cincinnati Reds are finalizing a trade on Wednesday to acquire left-handed reliever
Taylor Rogers from the San Francisco Giants, according to sources. The 34-year-old southpaw is owed $12 million in 2025. He will lade a late-inning left-handed arm to the Reds' bullpen for the upcoming season. It's unclear what the Giants will receive in exchange. It doesn't come as a big surprise that San Fran is shedding Rogers' contract after they placed him on waivers last August. He was a solid piece of their bullpen last year, though, sporting a 2.40 ERA (3.75 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 64 strikeouts and 22 walks in 60 innings pitched over 64 relief appearances. Rogers' 25.7% strikeout rate was down from his career mark of 28.2% in 2024. Although he'll be a valuable left-handed setup man, the absence of save chances will continue to make him forgettable for fantasy purposes.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
1 day agoMLB.com's Mark Feinsand writes that the Toronto Blue Jays appear to be the most serious about signing free-agent right-hander
Max Scherzer, according to sources. The three-time Cy Young winner would join righties
Kevin Gausman,
Jose Berrios and
Chris Bassitt in Toronto's starting rotation, which also has
Bowden Francis and
Yariel Rodriguez as options. Scherzer is a future Hall of Famer, but he's 40 years old and is coming off another injury-filled season in which he made only nine starts for the Texas Rangers, going 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA. He recently threw for teams in Florida, where one source said he looked good. Scherzer is unlikely to ever be a 200-inning workhorse again, but he could provide 140-150 quality innings in what could be his final season. "Toronto has been hot for him for about two months," one source said. "[The Blue Jays] certainly feel like the favorites to get him."
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
1 day agoFree-agent infielder
Ha-Seong Kim (shoulder) and the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a two-year, $29 million deal on Wednesday that includes an opt-out clause after the first season, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Kim is coming off labrum surgery but is expected to return in May and is slated to take over at shortstop for the Rays when he's ready to make his 2025 debut. Fantasy managers are going to be skeptical, and rightfully so, especially coming off shoulder surgery. It's a fair bet that the 29-year-old South Korean native's 2023 season with the San Diego Padres -- when he hit .260/.351/.398 with 17 homers, 60 RBI and 38 steals -- is his high-water mark. He dropped down to a .233/.330/.370 line with 11 homers, 47 RBI and 22 steals in 121 games last year. Kim is a nice source of speed, but coming off injury and going to a much weaker lineup in Tampa, his fantasy stock will be down considerably.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
1 day agoThe Washington Nationals requested unconditional release waivers on left-hander
Joe La Sorsa on Wednesday. The 26-year-old southpaw was recently designated for assignment by the Nationals to make room on the 40-man roster for Japanese pitcher
Shinnosuke Ogasawara last week. La Sorsa cleared waivers and will now be free to sign with any MLB team ahead of spring training in just a few weeks. The former 18th-round selection by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019 out of St. John's University made his major-league debut in 2023 with the Rays before joining the Nationals later that season. In his two years at the MLB level, La Sorsa has a 4.47 ERA (4.61 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 42 strikeouts and 14 walks in 50 1/3 innings (all in relief).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports - Bobby Blanco
1 day agoThe Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro reports that veteran right-hander reliever
Ryan Pressly was told he will close some games his new team, the Chicago Cubs, in 2025. Pressly also added that he will head into spring training in February competing for the ninth-inning role after
Porter Hodge filled in admirably in the closer role in 2024. Pressly thinks both he and Hodge will be a "pretty dynamic duo" at the back end of the Cubs' bullpen. The 36-year-old Pressly should probably be considered the favorite for saves in Chicago just because of his experience factor, but he should be considered a low-end fantasy closer after showing clear signs of decline the last several years in Houston. He did pick up 25 holds as a setup man for the Astros in 2024, but his strikeout and walk rates and velocity have been trending down, and he'll be an injury risk as well.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Chicago Tribune - Meghan Montemurro
1 day agoFree-agent right-handed reliever
Ryne Stanek re-signed with the New York Mets on Wednesday on a one-year, $4.5 million deal, according to a source. Stanek can make another $500,000 in 2025 in incentives. The 33-year-old veteran reliever began the 2024 season pitching out of the Seattle Mariners' bullpen before being traded to the Mets at last year's deadline. He held a rough 6.06 ERA (4.39 FIP) and 1.29 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and eight walks in 16 1/3 relief innings in 17 regular-season outings for the Mets after the trade, but he turned things around in the postseason and gave up three earned runs with eight strikeouts and two holds in eight innings. Overall in 2024, he had a 4.88 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 67 K's and seven saves in 55 1/3 innings with the M's and Mets. Expect him to operate once again in a high-leverage, middle-relief role as a setup man in front of closer
Edwin Diaz in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
1 day agoVeteran free-agent left-handed starter
Wade Miley (elbow) signed a minor-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday that includes an invite to major-league spring training, according to USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale. Miley will make $2.5 million on a pro-rated major-league deal with $1,000 per inning and maxing out at a total of $4 million with a June 1 opt-out clause. The 38-year-old southpaw is recovering from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow but is expected to return in mid-May in 2025. In his last season with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023, he went 9-4 with a 3.14 ERA (4.69 FIP), 1.14 WHIP, 79 strikeouts and 38 walks in 120 1/3 frames over 23 starts. Not only is Miley recovering a major elbow operation, but he's never been much of a strikeout artist and won't be guaranteed a starting rotation spot once he's healthy. Fantasy managers in most leagues will want to avoid him.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
1 day agoFree-agent right-handed reliever
Tommy Kahnle and the Detroit Tigers agreed to a one-year, $7.75 million deal on Wednesday, pending a physical, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Kahnle, who features one of the better changeups in baseball, should feature in a middle-relief role for a Tigers bullpen that was surprisingly strong in 2024. The 35-year-old will come with a lengthy injury history, but he was a strength out of the New York Yankees' bullpen the last two seasons, posting a combined 2.38 ERA (3.99 FIP) and 1.13 WHIP with three saves, 94 strikeouts and 38 walks in 83 1/3 innings pitched. While he probably won't really be in the mix for saves in a bullpen that also features
Jason Foley,
Beau Brieske and
Tyler Holton, Kahnle could be useful to fantasy managers in leagues that count holds. He only has eight career saves in 10 MLB seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
1 day agoAccording to MLB.com, the San Diego Padres have signed outfielder
Forrest Wall to a minor-league contract. Wall has only appeared in 16 major league games over the past two seasons with the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. Across this short stint, Wall has posted a .311/.380/.422 line with four stolen bases. Across 78 contests at the Triple-A level last season, the 29-year-old posted a solid .278/.381/.392 slash line with 11 doubles, six home runs, and 20 stolen bases. This was a solid improvement compared to the career .268/.356/.385 line he held at the Triple-A level. Fantasy managers should expect Wall to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Given his solid contact skills and upside speed, he could have an outside chance of finding a bench role in San Diego to open the 2025 season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 day agoAccording to Robert Murray of FanSided, the Toronto Blue have signed right-handed pitcher
Adam Kloffenstein to a minor-league deal that contains an invite to spring training. The 24-year-old was given a brief taste of the majors last season as he logged just one inning of work. He was sidelined during the final two months of the season due to a shoulder injury. Across 89 1/3 innings of work at Triple-A last season, Kloffenstein posted a 4.74 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP. He struck out 73 batters and served up 41 free passes. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Kloffenstein's status, as he could be limited during the start of spring training. If he performs well in spring training, he could have an outside chance of making the Opening Day roster but will likely start the 2025 season at Triple-A, given his lack of big league experience.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Robert Murray
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