MLB News

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd has declined his player option and will become a free agent this offseason, ESPN's Jesse Rogers reports. Boyd was 10-5 this season with a 3.91 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 96 strikeouts in 126 2/3 innings pitched. Boyd joins teammate Clay Holmes in declining his option and becomes a free agent with fellow Cubs starting pitchers Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, and David Peterson. The Cubs could look to revamp their starting rotation this offseason depending on how many of their free agents they bring back for next season.

The Boston Red Sox have traded infielder Tsung-Che Cheng to the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations. Cheng had 39 at-bats for the Red Sox last season with no homers and five RBI while hitting .256 with seven runs scored. Cheng is from Taiwan and played in 94 games with Triple-A Worcester last season, hitting .241 with eight homers and 30 RBI with 52 runs scored.

The Boston Red Sox have traded outfielder Nate Eaton to the Athletics in exchange for minor-league pitcher Jareth Rayo. Eaton completed the 2026 season with the Red Sox, hitting .160 with one home run and six RBI in 50 at-bats. Rayo was 1-1 in rookie ball in the Athletics organization last season with a 5.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 36.0 innings pitched.

Chicago Cubs right-hander Clay Holmes declined his player options and has become a free agent, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Holmes joins Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, Matthew Boyd, and David Peterson as free agents as the Cubs look for a rebuild of their pitching staff this offseason. Rogers guesses that one or two of the five names listed could possibly return to the Cubs this offseason. The pitching rotation will likely have a new look for the Cubs whenever baseball does return. Holmes was 6-8 combined between the Mets and Cubs this year with a 3.29 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, while Boyd went 10-5 with a 3.91 ERA and 1.21 WHIP.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin (finger, toe) had another surgery, with the Red Sox saying it was "a successful partial excision of the fifth metatarsal base with tendon repair," according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. The procedure was performed by Dr. Anish R. Kadakia in Chicago. In addition to having finger surgery, Durbin also had surgery on a toe on his right foot recently. Neither procedure was very serious, so the right-handed slugger should be ready in plenty of time before the start of spring training next year. In his first season in Beantown and just his second year in the big leagues, the 26-year-old former 14th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves from Washington University in St. Louis hit .248/.332/.378 with a .710 OPS, a career-high 13 home runs, 64 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 74 runs scored in 153 games across 586 plate appearances during the regular season. He only hit four long balls in the second half, but he was more productive overall with a .274 average (61-for-223) compared to a .228 first-half average with nine homers. Durbin is not a prototypical power bat as a third baseman, but his speed on the basepaths makes him a valuable corner-infield asset in deeper fantasy leagues.

New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette is exercising his $42 million player option for the 2027 season and will stay with the Mets, league sources told Will Sammon of The Athletic. The 28-year-old holds another player option worth the same amount for the 2028 campaign. Bichette had a miserable start to his first year in Queens, but he rebounded to finish with a .260/.312/.390 slash line with a .702 OPS, 18 home runs, 78 RBI, 76 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 160 games and 696 plate appearances in his eight years in the majors. By May 17, he was hitting just .210 with a .531 OPS. But over his final 114 games, Bichette had a .281 batting average and a .772 OPS with 16 long balls. Bichette will return to try to help the Mets get back to the postseason after two straight seasons of the organization missing the playoffs. The two-time All-Star is more of a contact-oriented hitter with limited speed on the base paths. He has not reached the 20-homer mark since doing so for three straight seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2021 to 2023.

The Atlanta Braves announced on Thursday that they exercised the $17 million 2027 option for outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. It is no surprise that the Braves picked up Acuna's option for next season, even though he missed more time with injuries in 2026. The right-handed slugger and former MVP missed roughly seven weeks this year with hamstring and knee injuries, which ultimately made him more of a bust for fantasy purposes. The 28-year-old Venezuelan outfielder finished with a .255/.345/.451 slash line with a .796 OPS, 20 home runs, 55 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 61 runs scored in 107 games and 469 plate appearances. The five-time All-Star still has league-winning upside, but his lengthy injury history has made him a risk/reward fantasy outfielder going into the 2027 season. Acuna has only played in 150-plus games twice in his nine MLB seasons, but despite missing valuable time with injury in each of the last two seasons, he has still managed to reach the 20-homer mark for Atlanta. The Braves can tolerate Acuna's injuries while he plays on one of the most team-friendly contracts in baseball.

Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras was named the World Series MVP after helping the Brewers win their first-ever championship over the Tampa Bay Rays in five games, according to MLB. The 28-year-old Venezuelan backstop became the eighth catcher to be voted World Series MVP after hitting .381 while throwing out four attempted base-stealers and winning 10 of his 13 appeals in the first World Series with the automated ball-strike system. Contreras capped it off with an RBI double in the 4-1 win to clinch the series on Wednesday night in Tampa. "He's our pit bull. You don't just walk up and pet him. There's a chance you get nipped," manager Pat Murphy said. During the regular season, Contreras, a three-time All-Star, hit .270 with 18 home runs and a career-best 94 RBI to help Milwaukee win their fourth straight National League Central title. He also led the league with 185 challenges and 105 overturns during the regular season. Contreras won 22 of 33 ABC challenges in the playoffs. Going into his eighth year in the big leagues next year, Contreras will continue to be one of the better upside options offensively at the catcher position in fantasy baseball.

San Diego Padres star right-hander Michael King declined his $28 million player option for the 2027 season on Thursday and will be a free agent this offseason, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. King will be one of the most coveted players on the open market this winter as a true ace when he is healthy. The 31-year-old veteran bounced back from injury in 2026 to go 12-10 for the Friars with a 3.21 ERA (4.13 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with 159 strikeouts and 70 walks in 185 innings across his 32 starts in his eighth year in the big leagues. King's first year in San Diego in 2024 was his best since leaving the New York Yankees, going 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA (3.33 FIP), 1.19 WHIP, and a career-high 201 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings pitched across 31 outings (30 starts). After declining his option for next season, King will receive a $5 million buyout as he searches for a more lucrative multi-year deal on the open market. The Padres will surely have interest in bringing him back, but King could price himself out of the Padres' budget.

Milwaukee Brewers flamethrowing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (calf) was pulled from his outing in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night against the hosting Tampa Bay Rays after stretching his right calf and talking about it for a while with the training staff, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. He was officially removed with cramping in his right calf after throwing 5 2/3 shutout frames with two hits allowed, one walk, and two strikeouts. Misiorowski continued to have problems putting hitters away with the punchout, but the Brewers are on the verge of their first-ever World Series championship as they take a 4-0 lead into the late stages of the game. Wednesday's outing will most likely be his last of this year's postseason, so he will finish with an excellent 1.89 ERA and 1.11 WHIP despite a disappointing 16 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched. The 24-year-old was also nearly unhittable during his first full regular season in 2026, going 16-5 with a league-best 1.80 ERA and a league-high 252 strikeouts in just 174 2/3 innings pitched over his 30 starts. The Miz should be one of the first pitchers off the board in fantasy drafts in 2027.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Charles Davalan has been playing some second base in the Arizona Fall League, per Dylan Hernandez of the California Post. Davalan spent most of the 2026 season at High-A, hitting .292/.403/.535 with 24 home runs, 72 RBI, 103 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases across 530 plate appearances. The 22-year-old is considered to be one of the top prospects in the Dodgers system, but Los Angeles has a logjam in the outfield at both the MLB level and at the top of their farm system. Davalan has logged just five plate appearances at Double-A, so he's unlikely to be part of the Dodgers' big-league picture until late 2027 at the earliest. Still, if Davalan can prove he can survive on the infield, it could help him move faster through Los Angeles' system.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Joshua Baez is expected to get every chance to be the team's everyday left fielder in 2027, per Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Baez made his MLB debut this past August, hitting .230/.278/.510 with seven home runs, 18 RBI, 18 runs scored, and two stolen bases across 108 plate appearances. Baez's season came to an end in mid-September after he suffered an oblique injury, but he should be fully recovered in time for 2027 Spring Training. The 23-year-old flashed high-end power upside during his time in the big leagues, posting an 11.8% barrel rate and a 47.1% hard-hit rate. However, he also struck out in 30.6% of his plate appearances. Still, if Baez gets an extended opportunity in St. Louis next season, he could be a useful power bat for fantasy managers.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez (hamstring) said he is not feeling any lingering effects of the hamstring injury that ended his 2026 season and that he plans to play in the Dominican Winter League this offseason, per Jason Mackey of MLB.com. Valdez suffered a hamstring injury in early September that landed him on the injured list for the remainder of the year, but it appears he is already back to playing strength. The 22-year-old made his MLB debut in 2026 and flashed high-end power upside, slashing .232/.345/.510 with 17 home runs, 47 RBI, and 40 runs scored across 287 plate appearances. However, Valdez also struck out in 37.6% of his trips to the plate.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller (shoulder) is expected to have a normal offseason, per Aidan Stepansky of MLB.com. Keller's 2026 season ended in early August after he suffered a Grade 3 Teres Major strain in his right shoulder. However, the 30-year-old was able to avoid surgery, and he appears to be on track to be ready for 2027 Spring Training. Keller had a rough season in 2026 before the injury, recording a 6-8 record with a 5.29 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts across 115 2/3 innings (22 starts). His average fastball velocity fell to a career-low 93.4 miles per hour, and his strikeout rate plummeted to 17.7%. However, Keller may have been feeling the effects of the injury before ultimately being shut down.

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (foot) is back at third base and will bat third in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, according to MLB.com. Caminero was pulled in the 12th inning of the Game 4 win over Milwaukee on Tuesday night with a sore right foot, but it was nothing serious, and he is back in action the very next day in a must-win game for the Rays. The 23-year-old Dominican went 1-for-5 at the plate with a run scored and a strikeout on Tuesday before leaving in extra innings, and he is now hitting .250 (12-for-48) with a home run, four doubles, five RBI, seven runs scored, five walks, and 15 strikeouts in 13 games this postseason. Caminero went hitless in three at-bats against Misiorowski earlier in the series and will have a tall task against the flamethrowing youngster as the Rays try to prevail for a second straight night to force a Game 6 in the Fall Classic back in Milwaukee on Friday night.

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen will start Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Rasmussen will look to bounce back in his second start against the Brewers in this year's Fall Classic after allowing three earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out four in just 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision in Game 2 in Milwaukee on Saturday. The 31-year-old veteran was very sharp in the postseason this October before his start against the Brew Crew last weekend, allowing only three earned runs on 13 hits (two homers) while walking three and striking out 23 in 21 innings in two starts against the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Championship Series and one start in the AL Division Series versus the New York Yankees. If he pitches like he did in the first three playoff games and his 30 regular-season starts, the Rays will have a great shot at forcing a Game 6 back in Milwaukee on Friday night. Rasmussen was lights-out in 2026, going 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 174 strikeouts in 172 innings pitched.

Milwaukee Brewers rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt has looked like a seasoned veteran in this year's World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. After slashing an impressive .281/.350/.368 with a .718 OPS, three home runs, 34 RBI, 19 stolen bases, and 33 runs scored in his first 74 games (266 plate appearances) during his first regular season in the big leagues, the 22-year-old former sixth-rounder has hit .333 (15-for-45) with a homer, three doubles, five RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases in his first 12 playoff games this year. Pratt was nearly unstoppable in Tuesday night's 4-3, 12-inning loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field, going 4-for-5 with a homer and two RBI. His dinger in the top of the 12th inning nearly gave the Brewers their first-ever World Series championship before Tampa rallied to walk it off with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. "That was probably one of the coolest swings of my life," Pratt said. "But it's over." The young shortstop will look to stay hot at the plate and send the Brewers to a series win in Game 5 in Tampa on Wednesday night against right-hander Drew Rasmussen.

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Liam Hicks had two of the team's nine hits in their 4-3 12-inning victory over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night in Game 4 of the World Series. Hicks went 2-for-5 at the plate to help the Rays avoid a four-game sweep in the best-of-seven series and force a Game 5 in Tampa on Wednesday evening. It was the second straight World Series game with a hit for Hicks, who hit a two-run homer in the Game 2 loss in Milwaukee on Saturday. The left-handed hitting backstop did not play in the 10-1 Game 3 loss on Monday night with left-hander Robert Gasser on the mound for the Brewers. Hicks is now hitting .237 (9-for-38) with a homer, a double, eight RBI, and two runs scored in his first 12 postseason games this October after hitting a combined .284/.367/.434 with an .801 OPS, 18 home runs, 82 RBI, 66 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 479 at-bats in the regular season with the Rays and Miami Marlins. The Canadian catcher will have a tough matchup in Game 5 of the Fall Classic on Wednesday night against Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski.

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson was one of the team's primary contributors in the 4-3 12-inning victory over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday night. Simpson went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double and an RBI to help keep the Rays alive in the Fall Classic and force a Game 5 on Wednesday evening in Tampa. In addition to his strong night on offense, Simpson made a great leaping catch at the left-field wall to prevent extra bases off the bat of Garrett Mitchell. The 25-year-old speedster still has not homered since debuting in the majors last year, but he still has plenty of ways to help the Rays, as he hit over .300 during the regular season with a league-high 46 stolen bases while adding six triples, 38 RBI, and 66 runs scored in 151 regular-season games across 612 plate appearances. In his first postseason showing of his career this October, Simpson has continued to hit the ball well, going 12-for-41 (.293) with two doubles, a triple, six RBI, five stolen bases, and five runs scored in 12 games played. Tampa will need more out of him on Wednesday night in Game 5 of the World Series if they want to send the series back to Milwaukee on Friday night.

Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez (elbow) did not pitch at all for the Twins in 2026 after having Tommy John surgery in February, but the veteran hurler is two months into a three-month buildup to return to the mound and is scheduled to throw off a mound in the third week of November, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Lopez and the Twins think he will be ready for the start of the 2027 season, barring a setback. "We'll have a sense of exactly where he's at come spring training, but (we're) expecting him to be a full go for the season," general manager Jeremy Zoll said in late September. It is the second time in his career that Lopez has had Tommy John surgery, and he said the first experience better prepared him mentally for his current program. Not only will the 30-year-old Venezuelan be returning from right-elbow surgery in 2027, but it will be the final year of his four-year, $73.5 million deal. In 14 starts in 2025 in his third year in Minnesota, Lopez was lights-out, going 5-4 with a career-best 2.74 ERA (3.19 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with 73 strikeouts and 20 walks in 75 2/3 innings pitched. Lopez was a first-time All-Star in 2023 in his first year with the Twins, when he had a career-high 234 punchouts.