1 week agoThe Chicago Cubs announced on Tuesday that they signed former Minnesota Twins left-hander
Caleb Thielbar to an undisclosed one-year deal. Thielbar will provide veteran left-handed depth for Chicago's bullpen heading into the 2025 season. The 37-year-old former 18th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers back in 2009 out of South Dakota State University has pitched for the Twins in all eight of his big-league seasons since debuting in 2013. He held a 5.32 ERA (4.10 FIP) and a 1.56 WHIP with a career-high three saves, 53 strikeouts and 24 walks in 47 1/3 innings over 59 relief appearances in 2024. It was one of Thielbar's worst seasons of his career, but the Cubs are hoping he can bounce back after striking out a third of the batters he faced from 2021 to 2023.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
1 week agoAccording to Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, right-handed pitcher
Ben Heller has signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs. Heller logged just 12 innings with an 11.25 ERA and a 2.08 WHIP with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season. However, at Triple-A, he held a 3.55 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP across 33 innings of work. In this stint, he struck out an impressive 55 batters. Heller was on the injured list with a shoulder injury towards the end of the season but has not shown any signs of being in danger of missing Spring Training. The 33-year-old could earn a spot on the major league roster but will likely open the 2025 season at the Triple-A level, given his lack of success in the big leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Andrew Destin
1 week agoAccording to Kennedi Landry of MLB.com, the Texas Rangers have designated right-handed pitcher
Grant Anderson for assignment to open a roster spot for
Joc Pederson. Anderson has spent the past two seasons in the Texas organization. Last summer, through 26 2/3 innings of work, the 27-year-old posted an 8.10 ERA with a 1.60 WHIP. He struck out batters at a modest 24.2% rate but generated a poor 5.18 xERA and a .261 xBA. In 2023, Anderson carried a 5.10 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP through 35 2/3 innings of work. In 74 1/3 career innings at Triple-A, Anderson has posted a 3.87 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. If Anderson were to find a new club, he would likely operate a low-leverage relief option.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Kennedi Landry
1 week agoAccording to Katie Woo and Will Sammon of The Athletic, free agent left-handed pitcher
Kyle Hart is drawing interest from five clubs on the free agent market. According to a source, the Yankees, Twins, Astros, Orioles, and Brewers are among the suitors. The southpaw has not pitched in the MLB since 2020 but has begun to revive his career by pitching overseas in South Korea. This past season in South Korea, Hart posted a 2.69 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP with 182 strikeouts across 157 innings of work. In 2020, Hart logged 11 innings in San Francisco to the tune of a 15.55 ERA and a 3.09 WHIP. Across 334 2/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, he posted a 4.36 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. If Hart were to find a suitor, he would likely operate as a long-relief option.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic
1 week agoAccording to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees may look at internal options to cover the hot corner in 2025, including
DJ LeMahieu. Sherman noted that the Yankees might not have a strong interest in free agent
Alex Bregman or facilitating a trade to acquire
Nolan Arenado. As a result, they may opt to find their 2025 third baseman on their current roster, and he emphasized DJ LeMahieu as a potential candidate. Last season, the 36-year-old appeared in just 67 games due to several injuries and posted an underwhelming .204/.269/.259 slash line. Sherman noted that while he has struggled as a hitter over the past few seasons, he has remained a strong defender. Other options who could fill the void are
Oswaldo Cabrera and former top prospect
Oswald Peraza. From a fantasy perspective, the starting third baseman in the Bronx will be valuable in AL-only formats, batting in a deep lineup.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
1 week agoFree-agent right-hander
Miguel Castro has signed a minor-league deal with the Houston Astros that includes an invitation to big-league spring training camp. Castro, a 30-year-old veteran from the Dominican Republic, heads to the American League West after spending the 2024 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. In his 11 relief appearances over 13 2/3 innings with Arizona, Castro had a 5.93 ERA and 1.68 WHIP with eight strikeouts and three walks. The previous year in the desert, he had a career-high seven saves in a league-high 75 appearances out of the bullpen. Castro debuted in the big leagues back in 2015 with the Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies and has a career 4.20 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 14 saves and a 410:233 K:BB in his 460 2/3 innings. If he makes the big-league roster in 2025 in Houston, he'll battle for setup duties out of the bullpen.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
1 week agoThe Chicago Cubs are among the teams showing serious interest in free-agent infielder
Josh Rojas, according to a source. Rojas had a 2.2 bWAR in 142 games with the Seattle Mariners in 2024 and started 106 games at third base. He has mostly started at second and third base in his professional career but also has the ability to play shortstop and both corner outfield spots, which would give the Cubbies plenty of defensive versatility. The 30-year-old hit the open market this offseason when the Mariners non-tendered him in November. Rojas slashed only .225/.304/.336 with eight home runs, 31 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 474 plate appearances for the M's and is more known for his defensive prowess and versatility than he is for his bat. His lack of speed and power will likely limit him to a platoon role, at best, if he were to land in Chicago for the 2025 season.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
1 week agoAround 20 major-league baseball teams sent initial pitches to Japanese free-agent right-hander Roki Sasaki, but only a few teams were afforded in-person meetings with the coveted young pitcher. It's possible that Sasaki will visit a couple of cities before he makes his final decision, which is expected to come between Jan. 15 and Jan. 23. His agent, Joel Wolfe, said it's likely that Sasaki's next step is eliminating some teams from contention. The 23-year-old was officially posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball on Dec. 9, giving MLB teams 45 days to try to lure him into their organization to begin his career in the States. Among the favorites for his services are the Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Cubs, Rangers and Mets. Sasaki has some of the best stuff in the world, but there are questions about his durability and decreasing velocity as he looks to try and stay healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
1 week agoThe St. Louis Cardinals and third baseman
Nolan Arenado agreed at the beginning of the offseason that it was in both party's best interest to move on. Arenado's agent, Joel Wolfe, was given permission to seek a trade for his client. The Houston Astros were willing to trade for Arenado and take on the majority of the remaining three years and $74 million left on his contract, but Arenado was not sold on the idea and used his full no-trade clause to block the deal. According to sources, Arenado was willing to later revisit a trade to Houston, but the Astros pivoted quickly and signed
Christian Walker. There has been minimal traction on the trade front for the 10-time Gold Glove winner since, making it plausible that he remains with the Cardinals in 2025. The Red Sox and Yankees have been linked to Arenado, but it's unclear exactly how interested they'd be in Arenado and the money that comes with him.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon and Katie Woo
1 week agoAfter free-agent right-hander
Corbin Burnes signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks last Saturday, the Baltimore Orioles are looking elsewhere for pitching help and have interest in a possible reunion with free-agent right-hander
Jack Flaherty, according to league sources. The O's recently inquired about Flaherty, among others, as they move to their fallback options after failing to re-sign Burnes. Outside of Japanese righty Roki Sasaki, Flaherty is the best starter available on the open market, so Baltimore will likely face competition for Flaherty. He's believed to be seeking at least a five-year deal while coming off a year with the World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers in which he had a 3.17 ERA and 194 K's in 162 innings. Despite having a 6.75 ERA in nine games (seven starts) with the O's in 2023, Flaherty is reportedly interested in a reunion after his bounce-back year in 2024.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon and Katie Woo
1 week agoBoston Red Sox chief baseball officer
Craig Breslow said on Monday that right-handers
Garrett Whitlock (elbow) and
Lucas Giolito (elbow) are both currently rehabbing but are expected to pitch most, if not all, of the 2025 season. Giolito had an internal-brace surgery on his arm several months before Whitlock did, so of the two, he has the best shot at being healthy for Opening Day and contributing for fantasy managers. If Whitlock's rehab is dragging, the Red Sox could choose to use him in relief instead, although that would significantly damper his fantasy outlook. Whitlock has had success as both a starter and reliever, and he had an ERA under 2.00 in four starts in 2024 before the injuries set in. Giolito has been throwing for months at this point, and the 30-year-old could force Boston's hand with a six-man starting rotation early in the year if he's fully healthy and ready to go.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
1 week agoBoston Red Sox chief baseball officer
Craig Breslow said on Monday that veteran right-handed reliever
Liam Hendriks (elbow) is on track for a normal spring training in 2025. In addition to having a normal spring, the 35-year-old Australian should be "fully healthy" for the start of the regular season, giving the BoSox an experienced high-leverage reliever at the back of their bullpen. Although Hendriks hasn't been healthy in recent seasons and has also battled cancer, he is a three-time All-Star and has 116 career saves over 13 big-league seasons, so he could be firmly in play for the closer's role to begin the year. Hendriks is recovering from Tommy John surgery and didn't pitch at all last year, though, so he could struggle with efficiency and velocity early on next season. As of right now, his biggest competition for closing duties will come from veteran lefty
Aroldis Chapman.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
1 week agoBoston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter
Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) is "making a ton of progress" this offseason and should be swinging a bat in spring training, according to chief baseball officer
Craig Breslow. Yoshida required surgery to fix a labral tear in his right shoulder in October, but barring a setback in his rehab, the 31-year-old Japanese outfielder should be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season. He's been mostly a disappointment for the Red Sox and still carries $55.8 million left on his deal, which has prompted Boston to discuss him in trade talks this offseason. Yoshida was basically a full-time DH in 2024 -- he played just one game in the outfield. For fantasy purposes, Yoshida has nice contact skills -- he slashed .280/.349/.415 -- but he'll limit you defensively and doesn't hit for much power (just 10 homers).
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
1 week agoDespite having talked about him in different trade packages this offseason, Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer
Craig Breslow said on Monday that the team is "not shopping" first baseman
Triston Casas. The situation this offseason with Casas probably depends on whether Boston signs or trades for a third baseman such as
Alex Bregman or
Nolan Arenado, which would in turn move current third baseman
Rafael Devers across the diamond to first base. The 24-year-old Casas has some of the best raw power in the game at the first-base position, but the BoSox are looking to add a right-handed bat, which could make him expendable. Casas' 2024 campaign was marred by a left rib-cage injury that kept him out almost four months, and he had a strikeout rate over 30% when he returned. A true breakout could still be coming, but it might have to come elsewhere.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
1
week
agoBoston
Red
Sox
chiefs
baseball
officer
Craig
Breslow
said
on
Monday
that
"as
of
now,"
Rafael
Devers
is
still
the
team's
starting
third
baseman.
The
Red
Sox
have
been
very
pleased
with
the
work
that
Devers
has
put
read more...
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