MLB News

Vinnie Pasquantino • 1B • Royals

Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals Agree on Two-Year Contract

First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and the Kansas City Royals agreed to a two-year contract on Friday to avoid salary arbitration, sources told Anne Rogers of MLB.com. The deal is worth more than $11 million guaranteed and can max out at close to $16 million with incentives. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger played in all but two games in 2025 in his fourth year in the big leagues and slashed .264/.323/.475 with a .798 OPS, career-high 32 home runs, career-high 113 RBI, and career-high 72 runs scored in 682 plate appearances. Pasquantino managed to have a career year because he stayed off the injured list for the first time since 2022. He's one of the best sources of left-handed power at the first base position, but Pasquantino will need to improve against lefties if he wants to continue his upward trajectory. The former 11th-rounder in 2019 has top-five upside at his position.

3 days ago

David Robertson • RP

David Robertson Announces his Retirement

Veteran right-handed reliever David Robertson announced his retirement from professional baseball on Friday, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. The 40-year-old veteran signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in the second half of last season and posted a 4.08 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, two saves, 22 strikeouts, and eight walks in just 17 2/3 innings pitched in the regular season. Robertson was originally drafted by the New York Yankees in 2006 out of Alabama in the 17th round. After 17 seasons in the big leagues, Robertson will walk away with a career 2.93 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 179 saves, and a 31.9% strikeout rate in 894 1/3 regular-season innings. His lone All-Star season came back in 2011 with the Yankees, when he had a sharp 1.08 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, one save, and a 100:35 K:BB in 66 2/3 frames. Robertson won a World Series ring in 2009 with the Yankees.

3 days ago

George Soriano • RP • Nationals

George Soriano Claimed Off Waivers by Nationals

The Washington Nationals have claimed relief pitcher George Soriano off waivers from the Atlanta Braves. Soriano was designated for assignment earlier this week after they added Jose Suarez to their roster. Soriano is looking to bounce back in 2026 after a disastrous season with the Miami Marlins in 2025. The 26-year-old finished with an 8.35 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, and a 36/19 K/BB ratio in 24 appearances. Somehow, Soriano almost allowed more earned runs (34) than he struck out batters (36). The Nationals are hopeful that Soriano can return to form and pitch as he did during his rookie season in 2023. He's expected to compete for a middle relief role during Spring Training.

3 days ago

Lucas Sims • RP • White Sox

Lucas Sims Signs Minor-League Deal With White Sox

The Chicago White Sox have signed relief pitcher Lucas Sims to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. Sims is looking to bounce back after posting ugly numbers with the Washington Nationals last season. He allowed 19 earned runs with 14 walks across 18 appearances with the Nats in 2025. The 31-year-old hasn't been successful since leaving the Cincinnati Reds mid-way through the 2024 season. In seven years with the Reds, Sims registered a 3.94 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, with nearly 300 strikeouts in over 200 appearances. It's a low-risk move for the White Sox, who could get a decent middle reliever if Sims bounces back.

3 days ago

Nick Pratto • 1B • Rangers

Nick Pratto Expected to Sign with Rangers

The Texas Rangers are expected to sign first baseman Nick Pratto to a deal for the 2026 season. The assumption is that this will be a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training. The deal isn't officially done, but Chris Cotillo believes that the deal is close to being finalized. Pratto is a former first-round pick of the Kansas City Royals during the 2017 draft. The organization viewed him as the future at first base, but Pratto could never put it together at the big league level. Last season, Pratto slashed .232/.307/.353 with seven home runs and 35 RBI in 95 games with the Royals. The Rangers are hopeful they can tap into his potential and help the 27-year-old turn around his career.

3 days ago

Jacob Wilson • SS • Athletics

Jacob Wilson Signs Seven-Year Extension

Athletics infielder Jacob Wilson has agreed to a long-term extension with the organization on Friday. The two sides have agreed on a seven-year, $70 million extension, including an eighth-year club option. It didn't take long for the A's to lock up their young infielder after a breakout rookie campaign. In 2025, Wilson slashed .311/.355/.444 with 13 home runs, 63 RBI, and five steals in 125 games. He finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting behind his teammate Nick Kurtz. The A's have seen enough of the 23-year-old to warrant buying out the rest of his rookie contract. The front office has done a nice job of locking up their young talent with Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler, and now Wilson signed to long-term deals. The A's have some strong pieces to build a future around going forward.

3 days ago

Thomas White • SP • Marlins

Thomas White in Line for Midseason Promotion in 2026?

Miami Marlins left-hander Thomas White, the consensus top prospect in the organization, is expected to be called up later in the 2026 season, according to Kevin Barral of Fish on First. Across three minor-league levels last year, White had a 2.31 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 14.55 K/9, and a 5.12 BB/9 in 89 2/3 innings pitched. The 21-year-old southpaw needs to improve both his command and control, though, and he'll be working to show that to the Fish during spring training. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder needs more innings under his belt before Miami will trust throwing him into the fire in their MLB starting rotation, as he's made just two starts at the Triple-A level. Besides his shaky control, White has the obvious makings of a front-line starting pitcher for fantasy managers, who should already be stashing him in dynasty/keeper leagues. He's MLB Pipeline's No. 17 overall prospect going into the 2026 season.

3 days ago

Emmet Sheehan • SP • Dodgers

Emmet Sheehan to Open the Season in Starting Role?

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan is likely to be considered for a starting role to begin the 2026 regular season, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. That will especially be the case if manager Dave Roberts opens the year with a hybrid or six-man rotation. Both Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will miss a large chunk of spring training for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. It was quite impressive what Sheehan did last year for the Dodgers, as he was returning from Tommy John surgery and an internal-brace procedure on his right elbow. The 26-year-old had a 2.82 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 89 strikeouts, and 22 walks in 15 outings (12 starts) over 73 1/3 innings in his second MLB season. Sheehan mostly relies on his slider and changeup for whiffs and has plenty of strikeout upside for fantasy managers to dream on if he ever gets a full-time shot at a starting spot in L.A.

3 days ago

Martín Pérez • SP • Braves

Braves Agree to Minor-League Deal With Martin Perez

The Atlanta Braves and free-agent left-hander Martin Perez agreed to a minor-league deal on Friday, sources told Aram Leighton of Just Baseball Media. Perez, who will turn 35 years old in April, had a 3.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 44:22 K:BB in 56 innings over 11 outings (10 starts) with the Chicago White Sox last season. In his 14-year major-league career, the veteran Venezuelan hurler has posted a 4.41 ERA (4.44 FIP) and 1.43 WHIP with a weak 16.3% strikeout rate and 8.3% walk rate over 1,631 2/3 innings pitched for six different clubs. Perez made the All-Star team once, back in 2022 with the Texas Rangers, when he went 12-8 with a 2.89 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 32 starts. He missed most of last year with elbow and shoulder injuries, and it's unclear if he'll be ready for the start of spring training. Perez isn't much of a fantasy asset, but he'll give Atlanta some starting depth with Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), Grant Holmes (elbow), and Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) all rehabbing injuries in the offseason.

3 days ago

Travis Bazzana • 2B • Guardians

Travis Bazzana Invited to Spring Training

The Cleveland Guardians announced on Friday that infield prospect Travis Bazzana has received a non-roster invite to major-league spring training. Bazzana, who was the first overall pick in 2024 out of Oregon State, hit .245/.389/.424 with an .813 OPS, nine home runs, 39 RBI, 71 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases in 84 games at three minor-league levels in 2025. The 23-year-old Australian's season ended early due to left-flank soreness, and he also missed almost two months earlier in the year with a right-oblique strain. So far, Bazzana hasn't looked like a No. 1 overall pick, although he has gotten on base regularly with a .384 on-base percentage. MLB Pipeline has Bazzana ranked as the No. 20 overall prospect going into the 2026 season. He's an extremely patient hitter and has 20/20 upside at the second base position. Bazzana could be a candidate for his MLB debut in the second half of 2026, depending on how he looks at Triple-A Columbus.

3 days ago

Corey Seager • SS • Rangers

Corey Seager Back to Full Health Heading into 2026

When healthy, Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager remains one of the best left-handed hitters in baseball. Across 445 plate appearances in 2025, the 31-year-old posted a .271/.373/.487 slash line with 21 home runs, 50 RBI, 61 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Unfortunately, consistent health has been elusive for Seager for the majority of his MLB career. Since 2018, Seager has topped 550 plate appearances in a season just once. From a fantasy perspective, the lack of availability limits Seager's ability to rack up counting stats across all categories and minimizes the benefit of his strong batting average. He's also never recorded more than four stolen bases in a season, so building a roster around Seager means accepting below-average speed from the shortstop position. All that being said, Seager should be healthy entering 2026 Spring Training. If he can somehow manage a full season's worth of playing time, Seager could easily out-produce his current average draft position of pick number 88. He's a risky selection, but one that could pay off in a big way for fantasy managers in 2026.

4 days ago

Tommy Edman • 2B • Dodgers

Tommy Edman Will Have Delayed Start to Spring Training, Could Miss Opening Day

According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman/outfielder Tommy Edman (ankle) will have a delayed start to spring training and is in danger of missing Opening Day. Edman is currently recovering from a right ankle operation. According to Woo, there is a "growing likelihood" that Edman will not be ready for Opening Day. The 30-year-old appeared in 97 regular-season games for the Dodgers and held a .225/.274/.382 line. He hit 13 home runs and swiped three bags. He logged 66 starts at the keystone, one as a DH, and spent his other 25 appearances in center field. With Edman likely missing the start of the season, it appears Andy Pages will face minimal competition for the starting job in center field, while Teoscar Hernandez and newly-acquired Kyle Tucker cover the corners.

4 days ago

Robert Suarez • RP • Braves

Robert Suarez No Longer a Reliable Option for Saves in Atlanta

Atlanta Braves right-handed pitcher Robert Suarez was one of the top closers in fantasy baseball while pitching for the San Diego Padres in 2025, posting a 2.97 ERA and 0.90 WHIP across 69 2/3 innings and racking up 40 saves, 75 strikeouts, and four wins. Suarez's stellar performance was enough to land him a three-year $45 million contract with Atlanta this past December. However, the Braves have long-time closer Raisel Iglesias in place in the ninth inning, and reportedly plan to use Suarez in a high-leverage setup role. Suarez profiles as the lead candidate to assume the closer role if Iglesias struggles or suffers an injury. Still, Suarez's fantasy value is greatly diminished for as long as he remains siloed to a setup role, at least in redraft formats. In dynasty leagues, Suarez could jump right back into the ninth-inning role in Atlanta in 2027, as Iglesias will hit free agency at the end of 2026.

4 days ago

Jackson Chourio • CF • Brewers

Jackson Chourio Could Be Primed for Full-Scale Breakout With Improved Health

Across 589 plate appearances in 2025, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio posted a .270/.308/.463 slash line with 21 home runs, 78 RBI, 88 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. The 21-year-old's overall output was solid, but he didn't quite deliver on the full-scale breakout that some were hoping for heading into the year. Chourio missed time during the year due to a hamstring injury, which held down his counting stats and may have impacted his performance. Heading into 2026, Chourio should be fully recovered and locked into an everyday spot at or near the top of a Brewers lineup that finished second in the National League in runs scored (806) in 2025. While Chourio's top-level production in 2025 looks similar to the numbers he posted in 2024, he improved his barrel rate from 7.8% to 9.7% while cutting his strikeout rate from 21.1% to 20.5%. With improved health in 2026, Chourio could provide first-round caliber five-category fantasy production.

4 days ago

Jacob Wilson • SS • Athletics

Jacob Wilson Focuses on Building Strength in Offseason

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson prioritized increasing his strength during the offseason. Wilson noted that it was the "main focus" and spent the entire offseason in the Athletics facility, adding strength. The 23-year-old shortstop enjoyed an impressive rookie season in the majors, posting a .311/.355/.444 line with 13 home runs and five stolen bases. He generated an elite 90th percentile xBA with a 100th percentile strikeout rate. However, he rarely made hard contact, as evidenced in his low 2.2% barrel rate and a 24.7% hard-hit rate, both of which placed him in the second percentile among qualified hitters. However, with Wilson prioritizing improving this aspect of his game, he could take a step forward in the power department in 2026. Managers should continue to view Wilson as an elite batting-average contributor with the upside to push for double-digit home runs in the upcoming season.

4 days ago

Pete Crow-Armstrong • CF • Cubs

Can Pete Crow-Armstrong Bounce Back from His Underwhelming Close to 2025?

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong had a spectacular season overall in 2025, posting a .247/.287/.481 slash line with 31 home runs, 95 RBI, 91 runs scored, and 35 stolen bases across 647 plate appearances. However, the 23-year-old's production fell off in the second half of the year. Across 246 plate appearances after the All-Star break, Crow-Armstrong hit .216/.262/.372 with just six home runs and struck out at a 25.6% rate, up from 22.9% in the first half. The lefty-swinging Crow-Armstrong also showed a notable platoon split throughout the season, logging a .594 OPS across 188 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. Heading into 2026, Crow-Armstrong should remain an everyday staple in the Cubs lineup thanks to his elite defense in center field. He also posted a 13% barrel rate in 2025 and has 64 career stolen bases across 293 MLB games, so his power/speed profile appears legit. However, fantasy managers may want to anticipate a drop in counting stats and potentially a decline in batting average in 2026.

4 days ago

Tyler Freeman • RF • Rockies

Tyler Freeman Viewed as Outfielder Entering Spring Training

Colorado Rockies infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman is being viewed primarily as an "outfielder" ahead of spring training. In 2025, Freeman saw time at several positions, logging 17 stats at second base, 66 in the outfield, 28 as a DH, and even one as a third baseman. Through 110 games, Freeman showed strong contact skills, posting a .281 AVG with an elite 11.9% K%. However, he hit only two home runs and posted a modest .715 OPS. He did show upside on the basepaths, stealing a career-high 18 bags while placing in the 80th percentile in sprint speed. Freeman was typically deployed as the team's leadoff hitter and scored 50 runs, despite batting in one of the worst lineups in the sport. However, with Freeman ticketed for a primary outfield role in 2026, he could be in danger of losing at-bats as the Rockies brought in Jake McCarthy this offseason. Managers in deep five-outfielder leagues should monitor his usage in camp. If Freeman can earn a prominent role, he would be a solid late-round target when looking to improve your steals total and batting average.

4 days ago

Cal Quantrill • SP • Rangers

Cal Quantrill Returning to Texas on Minor-League Deal

According to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, the Texas Rangers have signed right-handed pitcher Cal Quantrill to a minor-league deal that includes an invite to spring training. The 30-year-old spent the 2025 season with the Marlins and Braves and finished the campaign in Triple-A Round Rock, in the Texas organization. Through his 117 2/3 innings in the majors last summer, Quantrill posted a 6.04 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP. He struck out only 85 hitters and generated a high 5.81 xERA. With Triple-A Round Rock, the veteran showed some improvement, posting a 1.64 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP across 11 innings. Managers should expect Quantrill to serve as a depth option in Texas and could win a role as a bulk reliever out of camp. However, given his low strikeout upside and struggles last season, Quantrill is not expected to carry much fantasy value in standard formats.

4 days ago

Paul Skenes • SP • Pirates

Paul Skenes Working with Improved Supporting Cast in Pittsburgh in 2026

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes established himself as one of MLB's premier hurlers in 2025, posting a 10-10 record with a 1.97 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 216 strikeouts across 187 2/3 innings pitched. The 23-year-old was unanimously named the National League Cy Young Award winner in just his second big-league season. With a career K-BB rate of 25% across 320 2/3 MLB innings, Skenes' underlying numbers support his dominance. From a fantasy perspective, wins are the one category where Skenes provided middling production in 2025, particularly relative to other high-end starting pitching options. While the Pirates don't profile as a juggernaut in 2026, they have made some steps towards contention this offseason by adding veteran infielders Brandon Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn. With a better supporting cast around him, Skenes could reach yet another level in 2026.

4 days ago

JR Ritchie • SP • Braves

JR Ritchie an Emerging Arm in Atlanta's System

Atlanta Braves right-handed pitching prospect JR Ritchie is an emerging arm in the Atlanta system and is expected to make his MLB debut in 2026. Ritchie began the campaign with High-A Rome but was able to reach Triple-A Gwinnett in the second half. At High-A, the right-hander was impressive, logging 41 2/3 innings to the tune of a 1.30 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP. At Double-A, Ritchie took a slight step back, carrying a 3.49 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP across 38 2/3 innings of work. However, during his first look at Triple-A, the 22-year-old rounded back into form, posting a strong 3.02 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP. During these 59 2/3 innings, Ritchie struck out 61 hitters while allowing 27 walks. Managers should keep a close eye on his status during camp as he could contend for an early 2026 debut.

4 days ago

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