3 mins agoMajor League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said that Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki is expected to be included in the 2025 international amateur signing class as a free agent. It means that Sasaki will be posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines after Dec. 2 and will not sign with an MLB team before Jan. 15. The international signing period each year goes from Jan. 15 to Dec. 15, with all teams having 45 days to negotiate with a player from Japan once he's posted. If no deal happens within 45 days, the player is returned to Nippon Professional Baseball. Sasaki can only sign a minor-league deal because he's under the age of 25 and didn't play six seasons professionally in Japan. The 23-year-old has an incredibly high ceiling given his arsenal that includes a triple-digit fastball, filthy splitter and elite slider. The Dodgers are considered the favorites land him after signing
Shohei Ohtani and
Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Evan Drellich
36 mins agoThe Detroit Tigers signed infielder/outfielder
Jahmai Jones to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to camp. The 27-year-old last played with the Yankees in 2024, having logged just 47 plate appearances this season in 33 games, slashing .238/.304/.381 before he was sent down to Triple-A in August for the rest of the season. The former second-round draft pick hit well at Triple-A, batting .304 with an .880 OPS while adding 10 steals in 34 games, and owns a career slashline of .259/.351/.756 in the minors, but has yet to translate that to the big leagues. There are financial incentives in his contract if he makes the big league roster out of camp, but regardless, he'd likely be no more than a platoon player. If Jones were able to work his way into an everyday role, then presumably he'd be hitting and, combined with his speed, he could be an impactful fantasy asset. But that is a big 'if' at this point.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Evan Petzold - Detroit Free Press
39 mins agoFree-agent utility man
Nate Eaton signed a minor-league deal with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to a source. If Eaton joins the 40-man roster, the MLB side of his contract is worth $780,000. He will turn 28 years old in December and played in a total of 72 games with the Kansas City Royals in 2022 and 2023, slashing just .201/.266/.283 with a weak .549 OPS, a homer, 13 RBI, 14 steals and 18 runs scored in 178 trips to the plate. The 27-year-old will most likely start the 2025 season at Triple-A Worcester. The former 21st-round pick in 2018 out of Virginia Military Institute played in 116 games at Triple-A Omaha in 2024 and hit .252 (108-for-428) with 16 home runs, 60 RBI and 27 stolen bases. If he returns to the majors in 2025, it will likely be in a bench role.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
44 mins agoThe Athletics avoided salary arbitration with outfielder/first baseman
Seth Brown on Wednesday, agreeing to terms on an undisclosed one-year contract for the 2025 campaign. Brown made $2.6 million in 2024 and provided a .231/.283/.379 slash line with a below-average .662 OPS, 14 home runs, 44 RBI, four stolen bases and 32 runs scored in 400 plate appearances and 124 games in his sixth season with the organization. The 32-year-old left-handed-hitting veteran will remain with the club as they transition to playing their home games in Sacramento in 2025 and figures to play a platoon role against right-handed pitching. He actually had a lower average (.229) against lefties than righties last season but hit 13 of his 14 round-trippers against righties. Brown will mostly be an AL-only outfielder for depth given his limited upside on one of the weakest teams in baseball.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: A's Communications
1 hour agoAtlanta Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale won the NL Cy Young Award on Wednesday, the first time the 35-year-old has won the award in his 15-year career, despite finishing in the top five in six consecutive seasons from 2013-18. The lefty went 18-3 while posting a 2.38 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a 26.5% K-BB% while earning a trip to the All-Star game for the eighth time. The veteran also won his first career Gold Glove award in 2024. It looks like the Braves won this trade with the Red Sox, as
Vaughn Grissom was sent to the Red Sox in exchange for Sale, and Grissom played just 31 games this season due to injury, posting just a .190/.246/.219. Hopefully Sale's injury issues are behind him and he can continue to pitch a few more years with this type of effectiveness before any age-related decline kicks in. The southpaw was quite the value in fantasy drafts in 2024, but he will cost much more in 2025.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Passan
1 hour agoDetroit Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal won the AL Cy Young Award on Wednesday, the first time the 28-year-old has won the award. The lefty dominated in his 15 starts in 2023 after his return from Tommy John surgery and backed it up with a full season of dominance in 2024. The southpaw went 18-4 while posting a 2.39 ERA -- FIP, xFIP, and SIERA were all under 3.00 as well -- with a 0.92 WHIP, and an elite 25.6% K-BB% in 31 starts (192 IP). The former ninth-round draft pick also made it to his first All-Star game this season. He'll certainly cost quite a bit more in 2025 fantasy drafts than he did this year, but so long as he can stay healthy, he has the repertoire to deliver on a high draft-day price tag.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: MLB
2
hours
agoThe
Chicago
Cubs
acquired
catcher
Matt
Thaiss
on
Wednesday
from
the
Los
Angeles
Angels
for
cash
considerations,
while
RHP
Trey
Wingenter
was
designated
for
assignment
(DFA)
in
a
corresponding
move.
A
week
ago,
Thaiss
was
DFAd
after
the
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10 hours agoThe Athletics signed free-agent left-hander
Matt Krook and right-hander
Jason Alexander to minor-league deals late last week. Krook, 30, pitched one inning in relief for the Baltimore Orioles in 2024 and allowed three runs (two earned) while walking one and striking out two. He saw most of his action at Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 3.92 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with a save, 54 strikeouts and 31 walks in 41 relief appearances. Alexander, 31, hasn't pitched in the majors since debuting in 2022 with the Milwaukee Brewers, when he had a 5.40 ERA and 1.62 WHIP over 71 2/3 innings in 18 appearances (11 starts). He spent this past season pitching for Triple-A Worcester in the Red Sox's organization, going 7-6 with a 4.42 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP and a 129:39 K:BB in 29 outings (27 starts) covering 138 1/3 frames. Both Krook and Alexander are likely to start at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2025.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
10 hours agoFree-agent first baseman
Trenton Brooks signed a minor-league deal with the San Diego Padres. Brooks will stay in the National League West division after making his major-league debut with the San Francisco Giants in 2024. The 29-year-old former 17th-round pick by the Cleveland Guardians in 2016 out of the University of Nevada only played in 12 games for the Gigantes and went 3-for-25 (.120) with an RBI, stolen base and three runs scored while striking out six times. The left-handed hitter was much better in the minors in 94 games with Triple-A Sacramento, slashing a robust .302/.410/.453 with an impressive .863 OPS, 10 home runs, 58 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 62 runs scored in 407 plate appearances. Brooks will likely start the 2025 season with the Padres in Triple-A El Paso as he looks to work his way back to the majors.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
10 hours agoThe Colorado Rockies announced on Wednesday that they agreed to re-sign catcher
Jacob Stallings to an undisclosed one-year deal that includes a mutual option for the 2026 season. Stallings became a free agent this offseason after declining his portion of a mutual option for 2025, but he now finds himself back with the Rockies for at least another season. The 34-year-old veteran backstop found himself working as the team's primary catcher down the stretch in 2024 and he finished with a .263/.357/.453 slash line, an impressive .810 OPS, a career-high nine home runs, 36 RBI and 31 runs scored in 281 trips to the plate over 82 games played for Colorado. Stallings will give the Rockies extra catching depth again next year, but fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting him to serve as the lead backstop all year.
Drew Romo and perhaps even
Hunter Goodman should factor in at the position.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rockies Club Information
10 hours agoThe Chicago Cubs designated infielder
Patrick Wisdom for assignment on Wednesday after the team acquired relief pitcher
Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians, according to sources. The move isn't all that surprising after Wisdom really struggled at the plate in Chicago in 2024. The 33-year-old former first-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 out of Saint Mary's slashed a dreadful .171/.237/.392 with a .629 OPS, eight home runs, 23 RBI, five stolen bases and 16 runs scored in 75 games after hitting 20-plus home runs in each of the previous three seasons for the Cubs. Wisdom struggles to make consistent contact at the plate, but he proved the last three years that he has intriguing pop when he finds the barrel. He could be claimed off waivers by another club, but if he isn't, he should land somewhere for the 2025 campaign.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
10 hours agoThe Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed reliever
Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday, according to sources. It's unclear what the Cubs sent Cleveland in return. Morgan went 3-0 with a strong 1.93 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 34 strikeouts and 11 walks last year for Cleveland in 42 innings out of the bullpen and has a 3.23 career ERA in 173 innings as a reliever in the big leagues. The 28-year-old has pitched a total of 265 1/3 innings at the major-league level over 161 appearances (19 starts) since making his debut in 2021 with the Guardians. Morgan sports a career 23.8% strikeout rate and a nice 6.4% walk rate, although his strikeout rate fell to a career-low 20.4% in 2024. He will likely work in the middle innings for the Cubbies in 2025 and won't be on the fantasy radar.
UPDATE: The Guardians received outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario in return.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
23 hours agoThe Seattle Mariners acquired infielder
Austin Shenton from the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations. In a corresponding move, the Mariners designated right-hander
JT Chargois for assignment. Shenton was originally drafted by Seattle in the fifth round in 2019 out of Florida International. The 26-year-old made his major-league debut with the Rays in 2024 but played in only 19 games, going 9-for-42 (.214) with a homer, three RBI and three runs scored. He also appeared in 83 games with Triple-A Durham on the farm and slashed .258/.361/.497 with an .858 OPS, 20 home runs, 65 RBI and 49 runs scored in 363 plate appearances. Shenton will provide the M's with minor-league infield depth heading into spring training next year after hitting .283/.388/.527 in his five seasons in the minors.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Daniel Kramer
24 hours agoCleveland Guardians manager
Stephen Vogt was named the American League Manager of the Year on Tuesday evening. It was a pretty special first season as manager in the big leagues for Vogt, as he had a winning record, won the AL Central title and helped his club advance to the AL Championship Series. It's the third time in the last decade that a Guardians skipper has won the award, with Vogt being the fifth-youngest manager to win the award. Vogt becomes the fastest person to go from being a player to Manager of the Year winner. He finished playing on Oct. 5 of 2022 and was hired as Cleveland's manager just 397 days after with zero managerial experience. It was an impressive turnaround after the team went 76-86 in 2023. Vogt leaned heavily on his bullpen that combined to post a 2.57 ERA, the fourth-best among all bullpens since 1995.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB
24 hours agoMilwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy was named the 2024 National League Manager of the Year on Tuesday evening. Murphy was chosen over the Padres' Mike Shildt and the Mets'
Carlos Mendoza on 27 of the 30 ballots cast. He becomes the first Brewers manager to win the award. What the Brewers were able to accomplish in 2024 was even more impressive, considering they traded co-ace
Corbin Burnes on the eve of spring training and
Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) missed the entire season. Closer
Devin Williams also missed the first four months of the year with a back injury, and former MVP
Christian Yelich missed the last two months due to injury. Milwaukee was projected to win 79 games, yet the Brewers went 93-69 to win their second straight NL Central title, their fourth division crown in the last seven seasons and their sixth playoff appearance in that span.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB
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