MLB News
Kyle Bradish Begins Throwing Program
According to Danielle Allentuck of the Baltimore Banner, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (elbow) began a throwing program. Bradish underwent Tommy John surgery last June but still faces a long recovery process. Baltimore has noted that they hope Bradish can rejoin the starting rotation sometime in the second half of the 2025 campaign. Across 39 1/3 innings last season, the right-hander posted a solid 2.75 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. During his 2023 breakout campaign, the 28-year-old held a 2.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP across a career-high 168 2/3 innings. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress during the first half of the season, and he is a name to keep an eye on as he could be a reliable starting pitcher during the final months of the season.
10 hours ago
Charlie Morton Unlikely To Return To Atlanta
According to David O'Brien of The Athletic, free-agent starting pitcher Charlie Morton is unlikely to return to Atlanta in 2025. O'Brien noted that the team's interest in the 41-year-old has been "put on the back burner" and that Morton has been open to hearing offers from other clubs. The Braves appear focused on addressing other holes on their roster, especially at corner outfield with Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) facing an uphill battle to be ready for Opening Day. In addition, the Atlanta rotation already has established options such as Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and breakout rookie Spencer Schwellenbach. In addition, their ace, Spencer Strider (elbow), will also return to the mound after missing the vast majority of last season due to an internal-brace procedure. Last season, Morton held a poor 4.19 ERA and 1.32 WHIP and should only be viewed as a low-end streaming option in deeper formats if he finds a new home in 2025.
10 hours ago
Walker Buehler Looking For Multi-Year Deal With Opt-Outs
According to Buster Olney of ESPN, free agent starting pitcher Walker Buehler is looking for a multi-year deal with opt-outs on the market. After having a rocky regular season holding a 5.38 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, Buehler played an integral role during Los Angeles' World Series run, posting a solid 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 15 innings of work. Earlier in his career, the right-hander showed high upside, making two All-Star games and logging a career-high 207 2/3 innings to the tune of a 2.47 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in the 2021 campaign. Olney notes that given his strong finish, the 30-year-old could enjoy a nice bounce-back campaign in 2025, which could set him up for a nice payday in 2026 if his contract includes opt-outs. Olney also stated that the Yankees expressed interest in him before signing Max Fried and that the Red Sox, Tigers, and Giants have also kicked the tires on him.
10 hours ago
Nolan Arenado Would Approve Of Trade To The Bronx
According to Mark Feinsand of MLB Network, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado would approve of a trade to the New York Yankees. While the Yankees were not on Arenado's six-team wish list, a source told Feinsand that the former Gold Glover would approve of a trade to New York. The Yankees have been rumored to be in the market for a third baseman this offseason, including free agent Alex Bregman. Acquiring a new third baseman, would allow Jazz Chisholm Jr. to shift primarily to the keystone. Arenado saw his power production drop last season, posting a career-low .394 SLG and hitting just 16 home runs. However, he did still hold a strong .272 AVG. If Arenado is traded to the Yankees, fantasy managers should expect him to have prime RBI opportunities batting in a competitive lineup.
10 hours ago
Tigers Showing Interest In Kirby Yates
According to Ari Alexander of KPRC2, the Detroit Tigers have expressed interest in free-agent relief pitcher Kirby Yates. Yates is coming off his best professional campaign after posting a stellar 1.17 ERA and 0.83 WHIP across 61 2/3 innings with the Texas Rangers. He tallied 33 saves (second-highest total of his career) and was named to the American League All-Star team. Under the hood, the 37-year-old generated an impressive 1.86 ERA and .145 xBA, which placed him in the 100th percentile in both categories among qualified pitchers. In addition, he generated strikeouts at an elite 35.9% rate and limited hard hits at a solid 33.1% rate. While he did struggle with his command, posting an 11.8% walk rate, Yates would likely open the season as the primary ninth-inning option if he signs in Detroit with Jason Foley moving to the setup role.
11 hours ago
Red Sox Acquire Catcher Carlos Narvaez From Yankees
The Boston Red Sox acquired catcher Carlos Narvaez from the New York Yankees on Wednesday in exchange for minor-league right-hander Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and international bonus-pool space. In a corresponding move to make room on their 40-man roster, Boston designated infielder/outfielder Enmanuel Valdez for assignment. Narvaez, 26, made his major-league debut with the Yankees in 2024 but only saw action in six games, going 3-for-13 with two walks and six strikeouts. The Venezuelan backstop played 96 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the minors and slashed .254/.370/.412 with a .782 OPS, 11 home runs, 58 RBI, nine stolen bases and 54 runs scored in 403 plate appearances. Barring another addition at the position by the BoSox this offseason, Narvaez should enter spring training as the favorite for backup duties to Connor Wong in 2025.
15 hours ago
Kyle Wright Hoping To Be Healthy For Next Season
Kansas City Royals right-hander Kyle Wright (shoulder), who missed all of the 2024 season after having right-shoulder surgery, is hoping to be 100 percent healthy for spring training and the 2025 campaign. If he is, he could play a key role for the Royals' pitching staff. Wright touched 90 mph with his fastball in early October. Specifically, the 29-year-old hurler had surgery in October of 2023 to fix a torn capsule in his right shoulder. He won a league-high 21 games and had a 3.19 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in a career-high 30 starts for the Atlanta Braves back in 2022, so fantasy managers shouldn't completely forget about Wright. It remains to be seen if Wright can recapture his form from his breakout season in Atlanta, and he could be a work in progress next year as he works to regain more velocity. For now, Wright will merely be one to watch in KC.
15 hours ago
Adrian Morejon A Candidate To Join Starting Rotation
The San Diego Padres would love to land Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki this offseason, but if they don't, general manager A.J. Preller mentions left-hander Adrian Morejon as a candidate to move from the bullpen to the starting rotation in 2025. Preller also said that right-handed relievers Bryan Hoeing and Stephen Kolek could be options to join the rotation. It will all depend on what the Padres do in free agency and on the trade market before the start of spring training. Morejon is coming off the best year of his career and pitched his way into a high-leverage bullpen role. He had a 2.83 ERA (2.79 FIP) and a 10.0 K/9 in 60 appearances. Staying healthy has been an issue for the southpaw in his career, though, so a move to a starting role wouldn't help his chances at staying on the field. Hoeing was a part-time starter with the Marlins before he was acquired at last summer's trade deadline.
15 hours ago
Wander Franco's Trial Delayed To June 2
The trail of Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco for charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking was postponed on Thursday until June 2 of next year after a judge in the Dominican Republic ruled that key witnesses were not located in time to meet the original trial date of Dec. 12. If convicted, Franco could face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Of the 36 witnesses scheduled to testify in the case, only three were present on Thursday. Although the legal process still has to play out, there remains a pretty good chance that the 23-year-old won't play in major-league baseball ever again. He was placed on indefinite administrative leave on Aug. 22 of 2023 in the midst of his third MLB season, and he was added to the restricted list in July of 2024. In addition to his trial, Franco is under investigation until the case is resolved.
15 hours ago
Francisco Lindor's Back Injury In The Rearview Mirror
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (back) said that the back issue that caused him to miss some games in September hasn't been a problem during offseason workouts. Lindor will continue to monitor his back, but he looks set for a fully healthy offseason. The 31-year-old was forced to miss over a week due to his nagging back injury in the middle of a postseason run late in September. The Mets eventually clinched a wild-card spot and advanced to the National League Championship Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lindor didn't look hampered by his back in the playoffs, hitting .275 in 13 games played. He should be fully healthy for spring training and the start of the 2025 campaign. Lindor could lose Pete Alonso as lineup protection, but he's already gained Juan Soto, who should drive him in plenty. He was one steal shy of a 30-30 season in 2024 and remains an elite fantasy shortstop.
16 hours ago
Red Sox Prepared To Keep Rafael Devers At Third Base
After previous reports suggested the Boston Red Sox were considering moving Rafael Devers off third base going into next season, president of baseball operations Craig Breslow feels differently. "Rafael Devers is our third baseman and we are really excited about that," Breslow said this week at the MLB winter meetings. Manager Alex Cora has also confirmed that he hasn't had any talks with Devers about changing positions this offseason. The 28-year-old graded out poor defensively at the hot corner in 2024 and also played through nagging injuries to both of his shoulders. Boston would almost certainly move Devers in 2025 if they were to sign free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, but until that happens, it looks like Devers is staying put. Defensive issues aside, the Dominican third baseman is a three-time All-Star and remained one of the most productive third baseman offensively last year.
16 hours ago
Yankees Targeting Cody Bellinger
The New York Post's Jon Heyman writes that the New York Yankees are targeting Chicago Cubs outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger in a trade this offseason after failing to re-sign superstar outfielder Juan Soto. In addition to Bellinger, the Yankees could go after Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker or free agents Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, Christian Walker and Anthony Santander. New York's emphasis for a position player is on third base, first base and outfield. Although the Yankees and Cubs remain far apart on money, they've made a bit of progress during the MLB winter meetings this week. Chicago is asking the Yankees to take on nearly the full $52.5 million Bellinger is due over the next couple years. Bellinger is a former MVP who would bring great defense at first base and would also be an insurance policy in center field in case prospect Jasson Dominguez doesn't work out.
16 hours ago
Red Sox Have Had Talks With John Means
A day after landing left-hander Garrett Crochet, the Boston Red Sox are apparently still looking for pitching. They've been linked to the Mariners with intentions of acquiring one of their rotation pieces, presumably right-hander Luis Castillo, but have also reportedly been in talks with former Orioles left-hander John Means (elbow). The 31-year-old was an All-Star in 2019 and was second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting that season. However, it has been a challenge for him to stay healthy in recent years. From 2022 through 2024, the lefty has pitched a total of 52 1/3 innings after two Tommy John surgeries derailed those campaigns. Means had the second surgery in June 2024, so the southpaw likely won't be available until the second half of the 2025 season. Whenever he does make it back, with a career K/9 of just 7.5, he'd likely only help in other areas like ERA and WHIP for fantasy managers.
18 hours ago
Padres Select Pitcher Juan Nunez In Rule 5 Draft
The San Diego Padres took pitcher Juan Nunez from the Orioles' organization with the 12th pick in Wednesday's Rule 5 Draft. Nunez ranked as Baltimore's eighth-ranked prospect, now slotting in as San Diego's No. 11. Players taken in the major league phase of the draft have to put on the team's 40-man roster, paving the way to playing time in the big leagues and the hope is that they'll remain on the 40-man at the end of the season. Six of the 10 players selected in last year's Rule 5 Draft stayed with the team for the entirety of the season. Nunez is a 5-foot-11 righty who has been used as both a starter and a reliever. The Dominican has a mid-90s fastball with a curve, slider, and changeup. In 2024 at High-A, the 24-year-old pitched to a 2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and had 38 strikeouts in 29 1/3 IP. While he may make his major league debut at some point in 2025, he is not on the fantasy radar at this point.
18 hours ago
Mets Still Trying To Bring Back Pete Alonso
Even after landing the crown jewel of the free-agent market in outfielder Juan Soto, the New York Mets are still trying to bring back fan favorite first baseman Pete Alonso. Even after a few other big names have made the move to new clubs, Alonso remains a free agent with perhaps a bit less interest than expected after somewhat of a down year. With that being the case, the Mets may feel they can bring the 30-year-old back at a more affordable price than anticipated. However, there is still plenty of time to sign and maybe a few more dominoes need to fall in order to provide some clarity on what his possible landing spots are and how much his services should be worth. The Polar Bear hit 34 home runs last season, 12 fewer than in 2023, and his strikeout rate crept up again, yet his wRC+ increased slightly to 122 from 121. Nevertheless, the veteran is durable and should be a reliable source of power again in 2025 fantasy drafts.
19 hours ago
Giants The Favorites To Land Corbin Burnes
The San Francisco Giants are said to be the "heavy favorites" for landing free-agent pitcher Corbin Burnes. After seeing two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell head to their divisional foe the Dodgers, the Giants are looking for some help behind their current ace Logan Webb. Burnes would certainly be an upgrade over any of their current rotation options as a former Cy Young winner himself (acknowledging that current projected No. 2 starter Robbie Ray has also won the award). The 30-year-old is a four-time All-Star coming off a 15-9 season with a 2.92 ERA (3.55 xFIP), 1.10 WHIP, and a solid 17.0% K-BB%. While it was the first time since his rookie season in which the veteran averaged less than a strikeout per inning, a move to pitcher-friendly Oracle Park should allay any concerns over diminishing rates, especially since his career (and 2024) walk rate is better than average at 7.0%.
19 hours ago
Rockies Plan To Hit Brenton Doyle At Leadoff
Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black said on Wednesday that he plans to bat outfielder Brenton Doyle in the leadoff spot in 2025. Doyle saw most of his plate appearances from the three-hole in 2024. In fact, he only had 14 games out of the leadoff spot and hit a lowly .120 (6-for-50) with a homer, seven RBI and three runs scored. The 26-year-old will see more trips to the plate batting regularly out of the leadoff spot and should score more runs, but it will also limit his RBI opportunities. The former fourth-rounder had a breakout campaign in just his second season in the big leagues, slashing .260/.317/.446 with a .764 OPS, 23 home runs, 72 RBI, 30 stolen bases and 82 runs scored in 149 games. Doyle was one of the biggest surprise performers in 2024 and will now look to follow it up with another solid performance. His power/speed combo at hitter-friendly Coors Field after his 2024 breakout will make him expensive.
Yesterday
Gleyber Torres Drawing Interest From Nationals And Angels
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels have expressed interest in free-agent second baseman Gleyber Torres. However, if he were to sign in Washington, Torres would have to move to another spot in the infield with Luis Garcia Jr. expected to operate as the starting second baseman. Last season, the Angels lacked consistent offensive production at the keystone. With the Yankees, Torres held a .257/.330/.378 slash line with 15 home runs and four stolen bases last season. Under the hood, he generated a weak 35.4% hard-hit rate and 6.3% barrel rate, both of which were a sharp decline from his 2023 production. Torres has been a reliable second baseman from a fantasy perspective throughout his career and has been able to contribute to all five standard categories and could be worth a look at a low ADP investment this offseason.
Yesterday
Jared Jones, Mitch Keller Available For Trade
According to Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Pirates have made starting pitchers Jared Jones and Mitch Keller available for trade at the Winter Meetings. Destin noted Jones is "very available." The Pirates have expressed interest in acquiring some offensive pieces, and moving one of these starting pitchers would put them in a good position to acquire a potent bat. Keller has typically operated as the workhorse in the Pittsburgh rotation, logging over 175 innings in each of the past two seasons. Last summer, Keller posted a 4.25 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. Jared Jones made his major league debut last summer and showed great potential. In his first 121 2/3 big league innings, the young right-hander held a 4.14 ERA and 1.19 WHIP while generating a strong 26.2% K rate. With Paul Skenes looking like a clear ace and Bubba Chandler nearing his major league debut, moving one of these starters could provide Pittsburgh a much-needed spark to their lineup.
Yesterday
Cincinnati Showing Interest In Nick Pivetta
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Cincinnati Reds have checked in on free-agent starting pitcher Nick Pivetta. Sherman also noted that the Reds tried to acquire lefty Garrett Crochet, who was eventually traded to the Boston Red Sox earlier on Wednesday. Last season, Pivetta posted a 4.14 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 145 2/3 innings of work. He generated an excellent 28.9% strikeout rate and showed great command with a 6.1% walk rate. However, he generated ground balls at a weak 33.4% rate and allowed hard contact at a high 38.9% mark. The Reds have already been active this offseason, acquiring starting pitching, as they've traded for Brady Singer and re-signed Nick Martinez, and adding a high-upside strikeout option in Pivetta would further strengthen this relatively weak rotation.
Yesterday
Kyle Bradish
• SP
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Orioles
