MLB News
Nicky Lopez Elects Free Agency
The Chicago White Sox announced on Tuesday that infielder Nicky Lopez and left-hander Sammy Peralta both cleared waivers and elected free agency instead of accepting their outright assignments to the minor leagues. In his first season with the last-place White Sox in 2024, Lopez was the team's primary second baseman and finished with a .241/.312/.294 slash line, weak .606 OPS, only one home run, 21 RBI, five stolen bases and 40 runs scored in 445 trips to the plate over 124 games played. The 29-year-old will most likely be searching for a minor-league deal on the open market as a utility infielder. In his six big-league seasons since debuting in 2019 with the Kansas City Royals, Lopez has a .248/.312/.314 slash line with only seven homers, 152 RBI and 47 stolen bases in 668 games. Lopez isn't going to be on the fantasy radar in 2025.
1 hour ago
Wander Franco Now Facing Weapons Charges
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco will now face charges of illegal use and possession of a firearm after he was arrested in the Dominican Republic countryside during an armed altercation on Sunday, according to public prosecutors. Franco had been held for questioning by police but is expected to be granted his release on Tuesday. A Glock with its magazines and 15 rounds of ammunition but no registration papers were found in Franco's Mercedes-Benz at the time of the altercation. There were no injuries, and the involved parties won't be pressing charges. The use and possession of illegal firearms carries a maximum sentence of three to five years. Franco is currently on indefinite administrative leave from MLB and will stand trial in the DR on Dec. 12 in a separate case involving charges of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation against a minor. He's unlikely to play baseball in the big leagues again.
1 hour ago
Travis d'Arnaud Agrees On Two-Year Deal With Angels
Free-agent catcher Travis d'Arnaud and the Los Angeles Angels agreed on a two-year, $12 million deal on Tuesday, according to sources. d'Arnaud hit the free-agent market after the World Series after the Atlanta Braves declined his $8 million team option for the 2025 season. Despite splitting playing time behind the plate the last two years in Atlanta with Sean Murphy, the 35-year-old veteran was serviceable on offense, slashing .232/.295/.418 with a .714 OPS, 26 home runs, 87 RBI and 71 runs scored in 173 games played and 633 plate appearances. d'Arnaud will be returning home to LA and should be expected to serve as the team's backup catcher behind Logan O'Hoppe. He could still be attractive in two-catcher leagues, but the move to Anaheim from Atlanta no doubt is a downgrade fantasy-wise in a much less potent offense.
1 hour ago
Enoli Paredes Signs Minors Deal With Braves
Free-agent right-hander Enoli Paredes signed a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, according to a source. Paredes pitched well with the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs this past season, posting a 1.66 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with his first career save, 16 strikeouts and 10 walks in 21 2/3 innings over 18 appearances out of the bullpen. It was a nice showing for the 29-year-old reliever after he spent the entire 2023 toiling in the minors. He didn't have a large sample size in 2024, but if Paredes pitches as well as he did in spring training with Atlanta, he'll have a good shot to make the team's Opening Day bullpen. Paredes made his big-league debut in 2020 with the Houston Astros and has a career 4.01 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 53:41 K:BB in 55 appearances in relief covering 54 innings.
5 hours ago
Ryan Helsley Won't Move Into Starting Rotation
The St. Louis Cardinals are not considering moving closer Ryan Helsley into their starting rotation for the 2025 season. Helsley was a starting pitcher as a prospect in the minor leagues, but he has yet to make a start at the major-league with the Cardinals in his six years with the team. He made his second All-Star team in 2024 and was outstanding in the ninth-inning role, posting a league-high 49 saves, a 2.04 ERA (2.41 FIP), 1.10 WHIP, 79 strikeouts and 23 walks in 66 1/3 relief innings. The 30-year-old veteran is entering his final year for salary arbitration, so the Cardinals are reportedly considering dealing him this winter. If Helsley sticks with the Red Birds for the 2025 campaign and in the closer's role, the right-handed reliever will be a high-end fantasy closing option yet again.
5 hours ago
Tanner Houck Open To Extension With Red Sox
Boston Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck said he's "always" open to talking a contract extension with the team after setting career-highs of 30 starts, 178 2/3 innings and 154 strikeouts in 2024 while posting a 3.12 ERA -- the best by a Red Sox pitcher with at least 30 starts since Chris Sale in 2018. Houck made his first All-Star appearance and finished on a high note to close out the year. "I'm always open to (extension) conversations. I love Boston. And in the fall, leaves changing, this is what I want. This is right up my alley," Houck said. While the 28-year-old might be open to an extension, the Red Sox might not be prioritizing that with Houck eligible for salary arbitration one final time this offseason while being under team control through 2027. However, it's possible they'll reward him for his strong 2024 campaign sooner than later.
5 hours ago
Blue Jays, Red Sox To Meet With Juan Soto
The Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox have free-agent outfielder Juan Soto at the top of their offseason wish lists and are planning to meet with him soon, according to major-league sources. The Blue Jays are serious about adding a star alongside first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after losing out on Shohei Ohtani last winter. In addition to Soto, the Red Sox figure to be aggressive in the starting pitching market. The two favorites to land Soto are the New York Yankees and New York Mets, who also have meetings scheduled with him. Because of his age (26), Soto is expected to warrant the longest contract in baseball history with an expected guarantee in excess of $600 million. The Los Angeles Dodgers won't chase after Soto, but they could get involved in the unlikely event that his market softens later this offseason.
5 hours ago
Caleb Durbin Steals Four More Bases On Monday
Fresh off of a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) Fall Stars game, New York Yankees infield prospect Caleb Durbin continued his push to be in pinstripes to start next season, going 1-for-2 and was hit by a pitch twice in Salt River's victory on Monday. Getting on base three times afforded him the opportunity to once again show off his wheels, stealing four bases in the contest and giving him 27 stolen bases in 22 games. Milan Tolentino has the second-most steals in the AFL with 11. On Monday, before Durbin's latest performance, Yankees manager Aaron Boone indicated that he expected Durbin "to play a big, big role for us this upcoming season." That should get fantasy managers' ears perked up, and should Gleyber Torres leave in free agency, there could be an even clearer path to playing time to begin the year.
6 hours ago
Denzel Clarke Homers In Three-Hit Day
Athletics outfield prospect Denzel Clarke went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs scored on Monday for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). The home run was his second of the fall campaign and he now has his batting average up to .388, good for fourth-highest in the circuit. The 24-year-old has shown off his speed as well, hitting three triples and stealing seven bases in 17 games. Clarke is the Athletics' 10th-ranked prospect according to MLB.com's Top Prospects list. The former fourth-round draft pick is coming off a strong season at Double-A, putting together a .269-13-53-74-36 line in 116 games. A weakness is his strikeout rate, finishing at 29.9% in 2024, but he's shown more patience in the AFL, with a 13:19 BB:K that has buoyed his second-best .506 OBP. He may start next season at Triple-A, but look for him to debut in 2025 should he continue to hit.
6 hours ago
Matt McLain Homers Twice In Arizona Fall League Action
Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain smacked a pair of two-run home runs in a 2-for-5 day at the plate for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League (AFL), his third and fourth homers of the fall season. The 25-year-old missed all of the 2024 regular season due to injuries and is in the AFL trying to knock off some of the rust, while even getting some playing time in the outfield, although Monday he was back at the keystone. Through 11 games in the AFL, McLain is hitting just .220, but six of his nine hits have gone for extra bases. The former first-round draft pick offers multi-category production when healthy and could be a nice value pick in 2025 fantasy drafts since he isn't top-of-mind after missing 2024. When last healthy, McLain put up a .290-16-50-65-14 line in just 89 games in 2023.
7 hours ago
Charlie Morton Intends To Pitch Again In 2025
Free agent pitcher Charlie Morton has stated that he intends to keep his career going in 2025, it's just not known where yet. The 41-year-old pitched the last four seasons for the Braves, and while he was by no means dominant, he was serviceable and reliable. The veteran made at least 30 starts and pitched at least 163 innings each season for Atlanta during his four-year tenure. In 2024, while his ERA was down a bit, to 4.19 compared to a career ERA of 4.01, both his xFIP (3.99) and SIERA (4.06) were slightly better, so there's reason to believe he's still a capable hurler. The righty still averaged a strikeout per inning and even decreased his BB% by 2.3% over 2023. It is anticipated that he'll sign a short-term (one year) deal with a team that is in a position to win now.
7 hours ago
Josue Briceno Extends AFL Home Run Lead On Monday
Detroit Tigers first base/catching prospect Josue Briceno continued his torrid stretch on Monday for the Scottsdale Scorpions, going 2-for-3 with a walk and his ninth home run in 22 games in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). The nine home runs lead all AFL players (second-most is six), but the 20-year-old also leads the circuit in hits (31), batting average (.403), and RBI (22) as well. Briceno missed a lot of time during the regular season due to a PCL sprain, playing in just 40 games for Single-A Lakeland, so he's getting additional reps in the AFL and making the most of it. The 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter ranks ninth among Tigers prospects and has an ETA of 2027 per MLB.com, but with a performance like this, he could certainly move up quickly and make his MLB debut a bit sooner than anticipated. If he wasn't already, he should now be on dynasty managers' radar.
8 hours ago
Braves Acquire Nick Allen From Athletics For Pitching Prospect
On Monday, the Atlanta Braves sent minor-league pitching prospect Jared Johnson to the Athletics in exchange for shortstop Nick Allen. Allen made his major league debut in 2022 but has failed to stick at the major league level due to his underperformance at the plate. He's got a career slashline of .209/.254/.283 with a 53 wRC+ in 760 MLB plate appearances (247 games). The 26-year-old has solid bat-to-ball skills, with an 80.6% contact rate at the major league level, but it hasn't translated to hits. That hasn't been the case in the minors, slashing .345/.431/.497 in 81 games at Triple-A last season. Still, it is his glove that makes him worthy of a major league roster spot if he can manage to at least hit better than .209. Orlando Arcia manned short for the Braves last season, but even his .218 BA with a 72 wRC+ was better than that. Johnson pitched to a 2.60 ERA in 52 relief innings last year at High-A Rome for the Braves and figures to be a bullpen arm as well whenever the 23-year-old gets a shot in the bigs.
8 hours ago
Shane McClanahan Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training
Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan (elbow) is expected to have a normal, healthy offseason after completing his rehab program from Tommy John Surgery on Sept. 25 by throwing 15 to 16 pitches in a live batting practice session at Tropicana Field. McClanahan looked good during that session and was hitting 94 to 95 mph. He had his second TJ surgery back on Aug. 21 of 2023 and missed the entire 2024 season for the Rays. The 27-year-old southpaw has been an All-Star twice and is expected to be fully ready for the start of spring training in February. As long as he doesn't have any setbacks during the spring, McClanahan will open the start of the 2025 regular season atop Tampa's starting rotation. Although McClanahan has high-end fantasy upside when healthy, he'll also probably be on a strict pitch count early on.
21 hours ago
Jonathon Long Dominating Arizona Fall League
Chicago Cubs third base prospect Jonathon Long has been swinging a hot bat throughout the Arizona Fall League. Through 16 games, the 22-year-old has posted a stellar .348/.443/.667 slash line with three doubles, six home runs, 19 RBI, and an 11:17 BB:K ratio. This is a great sign for the No.30 ranked prospect in Chicago as he took significant steps in his development last season. Long opened the 2024 campaign with High-A and carried a .247/.346/.417 line through 68 games. Then, with Double-A Tennessee, the former ninth-round pick held an impressive .340/.455/.528 line with nine doubles and seven home run across a 46-game stint. If Long continues to perform at this elite level, he could have a great opportunity to open the 2025 season with Triple-A Iowa.
Yesterday
Alejandro Osuna Continuing To Progress In Arizona Fall League
Texas Rangers outfield prospect Alejandro Osuna has continued to progress in the Arizona Fall League. Through 22 games, the No. 16 ranked prospect in the Texas system has posted a stellar .314/.449/.477 slash line and has hit eight doubles, two home runs with 16 RBI and two stolen bases. He has also shown a great eye at the plate with a 20:23 BB:K ratio. Last summer, the 22-year-old opened the campaign with High-A and posted a solid .272/.339/.486 line which earned him a late-season promotion to Double-A Frisco. At this level, Osuna continued to take a step forward as he posted an impressive .306/.379/.523 line with 18 doubles, nine home runs, and seven stolen bases in a 57-game stint. If Osuna can continue to develop during Spring Training, he could open the 2025 campaign at Triple-A.
Yesterday
Kemp Alderman Shining In Arizona Fall League
Miami Marlins outfield prospect Kemp Alderman has been performing exceptionally well in the Arizona Fall League. Through a nine-game stint, the Ole Miss product has gone deep six times and posted a strong .306/.375/.833 slash line. Last summer, the former second-round selection from the 2023 draft class opened the campaign with Single-A and was able to end the season spending time with Double-A. Through 77 games in the Miami system last season, Alderman carried a solid .242/.306/.391 line and hit 15 doubles, two triples, eight long balls, and swiped five bags. Fantasy managers should expect the No. 12 ranked prospect in Miami to spend most of the 2025 campaign in the upper levels of the minor leagues.
Yesterday
Drew Gilbert Showing Power In Arizona Fall League
New York Mets outfield prospect Drew Gilbert has been showcasing his power throughout the Arizona Fall League. Through 19 games, the No.3 ranked prospect in Queens has gone deep four times, which is tied for the second-most among outfielders. However, he has struggled to find consistency at the plate as he has posted an underwhelming .209/.361/.418 line but has shown a strong eye at the plate with a 13:12 BB:K ratio. Last summer, Gilbert battled injuries and was only able to appear in 56 games at the Triple-A level. Through this stint, the former first-round pick carried a .215/.313/.393 line with ten home runs and eight doubles. Given his struggles in Triple-A last summer, the Mets will likely opt to let him develop more at that level before promoting him to the majors.
Yesterday
Matt Shaw Powers USA To Victory Over The Netherlands
Chicago Cubs second base prospect Matt Shaw went 4-for-5 with seven RBI to power the United States to a victory over the Netherlands in the WBSC Premier12. Shaw did it all as he tallied an RBI single in the third frame, a three-run double in the seventh, and a three-run shot in the eighth inning. Last summer, Shaw opened the campaign by getting his first extended look at Double-A ball and eventually earned a taste of Triple-A later in the summer. Through his first 35 games with Triple-A Iowa, the former 13th-overall selection posted a stellar .298/.395/.534 line with eight doubles, seven home runs, 21 RBI, and six stolen bases. Given his incredible progression, Shaw could have a strong chance to make the Opening Day Roster. For now, the top prospect in the North Side remains a high-end prospect to stash in all keeper formats.
Yesterday
Orioles Sign Vimael Machin To Minor-League Deal
The Baltimore Orioles signed free-agent veteran infielder Vimael Machin to a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invite to major-league spring training, according to a source. Machin played ball in Mexico this past season but was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 10th round in 2015 out of Virginia Commonwealth and played parts of three seasons with the Athletics from 2020-22. In his 112 games (361 plate appearances), he slashed a weak .208/.290/.261 with a homer, 14 RBI, one steal and 38 runs scored. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican infielder went off in Mexico, though, batting .401/.495/.579 with seven home runs in 85 games played. The left-handed hitter is a long shot to be anywhere that good in spring training in 2025 as he looks to try and win a spot on Baltimore's big-league roster as a utility infielder.
Yesterday
