MLB News
Diamondbacks Re-Sign Jose Castillo To Minors Deal
The Arizona Diamondbacks re-signed left-hander Jose Castillo to a minor-league deal on Wednesday. Castillo spent all of the 2024 season pitching at Triple-A Reno, posting a 4.35 ERA in 21 games and 20 2/3 innings pitched. He will return to return for the second straight year in 2025 while providing the D-backs will a valuable left-handed relief arm. Arizona currently has a strong left-handed relief group at the major-league level, including A.J. Puk, but Castillo could be on the short list to be called up to the majors if any of their southpaws is injured. The Venezuelan hurler made his MLB debut in 2018 with the San Diego Padres, and all four of his big-league seasons have come with them. In his 40 relief appearances for the Padres, he recorded a 4.24 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 55 strikeouts and 16 walks in 40 1/3 innings pitched. Of his 40 1/3 innings in the bigs, 38 1/3 of them came in 2018.
3 hours ago
Dodgers, Orioles, Red Sox Viewed As Contenders For Garrett Crochet
The Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox are reportedly viewed as the major contenders to try and trade for Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet this offseason. According to a National League executive, "the team to watch on (Crochet), for sure" is the Orioles. Baltimore was in on lefty Blake Snell before he signed with the Dodgers and could try to re-sign Corbin Burnes, but they've been linked more to Max Fried and Nathan Eovaldi. The O's may be the most likely to get Crochet, as MLB Pipeline has their farm system ranked as No. 3 in baseball. The Red Sox are also loaded with highly touted position-player prospects. Even after signing Snell, the Dodgers are interested in trading for Crochet or signing Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki. The 25-year-old Crochet was one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2024 before slowing down in the second half and having his innings limited.
3 hours ago
Mets Sign Genesis Cabrera To Minor-League Deal
The New York Mets signed free-agent left-hander Genesis Cabrera to a minor-league deal on Wednesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Cabrera, a 28-year-old Dominican hurler, made his big-league debut back in 2019 with the St. Louis Cardinals and has posted a 3.89 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, five saves and a 268:136 K:BB in 275 2/3 innings over 272 appearances (two starts) in his six MLB seasons. He held a 3.59 ERA (5.13 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP while saving two games and striking out 50 batters in 62 2/3 relief innings for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024. Cabrera's strikeout rate fell to 18.5% this past season, while he remained inconsistent throwing strikes with a 10.7% walk rate. He will represent left-handed relief depth for the Mets heading into spring training in 2025 and will be off the fantasy radar.
16 hours ago
Brandyn Garcia Could Make Opening Day Roster
Seattle Mariners left-hander Brandyn Garcia has emerged as a realistic candidate to make the team's Opening Day roster in 2025. Garcia was the team's 11th-round pick out of Texas A&M in 2023 and pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in college. The 24-year-old southpaw won the team's minor-league co-pitch of the year in 2024 and has emerged as one of Seattle's best pitching prospects. He held a 2.25 ERA with 134 strikeouts, 47 walks and only four home runs allowed over 116 innings in 27 appearances (25 starts) with High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas this past season. Garcia could be a starter in the big leagues in the long term, but the Mariners view him as a potentially valuable left-handed arm out of their bullpen next year. His transition to the bullpen during spring training will be something to watch next spring.
17 hours ago
Mariners Optimistic Matt Brash Can Return In Late April
Seattle Mariners right-hander Matt Brash (elbow) had an internal-brace procedure in early May, but he has been working out at the team's spring training facility in Arizona this fall and is ahead of schedule in his rehab from elbow surgery. As a result, the Mariners are optimistic that Brash could return to their bullpen by the end of April. Seattle's bullpen was hampered by injuries all year in 2024, so the return of Brash to a key late-inning role as a setup man would be excellent news for the M's. The 26-year-old Canadian hurler was excellent in his second major-league season in Seattle in 2023, going 9-4 with a 3.06 ERA (2.26 FIP), a 1.33 WHIP, his first four career saves, 107 strikeouts and 29 walks in 70 2/3 innings over a league-high 78 appearance out of the bullpen.
17 hours ago
Ben Brown Cleared For Normal Offseason Throwing Program
Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (neck) has been cleared for a normal offseason throwing program, according to a team source. Brown is one of the team's promising young pitchers, but unfortunately he didn't appear in a game after June 8 in his rookie season in 2024 due to an unusual neck injury. The 25-year-old had a 3.58 ERA in 55 1/3 innings for the Cubbies in a swing role and showed dominant tendencies at times as both a starter and reliever. It remains to be seen how the Cubs will choose to use him moving forward, but when healthy, Brown has the stuff to be fantasy relevant in all leagues. The most likely scenario is that the former 33rd-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 will be given a chance to win an Opening Day rotation spot. If health issues resurface, though, a long-term relief role could be in the cards for Brown.
17 hours ago
Yankees Raise Their Offer To Juan Soto
The New York Yankees have raised their offer to try and re-sign superstar outfielder Juan Soto in the last couple of days, according to people familiar with the situation. The news could come as a response to a report on Tuesday that said the division-rival Boston Red Sox are making an early push to try and pry Soto away from the Bronx. In addition to the Yankees and Red Sox, the Mets, Dodgers and Blue Jays are in on the Soto sweepstakes. New York has also reached out to free-agent pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, but they remain solely focused on trying to bring Soto back after he hit a career-high 41 home runs in 2024 and led the team to a World Series appearance. The 26-year-old generational talent is expected to set an MLB record for contract value, with word coming that teams are willing to go beyond $600 million to land him. Soto is believed to be interested in a 15-year deal.
17 hours ago
Brandon Crawford Announces His Retirement
Shortstop Brandon Crawford officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on Wednesday on his Instagram account. It ends a successful 14-year major-league career that saw Crawford win two World Series with the San Francisco Giants while also being named to three All-Star teams. The 37-year-old spent the first 13 years of his career with the Giants before ending it in 2024 with the St. Louis Cardinals after he hit .169 in 28 games. Crawford was originally a fourth-round pick by the Gigantes in 2008 out of UCLA. Perhaps his best season came in 2021, when he had a career-highs in batting average (.298), home runs (24), RBI (90) and stolen bases (11). He won his first World Series ring in 2012 in his second year in the league. In addition to being steady with the bat, Crawford won four Gold Gloves in his career and finishes with a .249/.318/.395 career slash line and .713 OPS in 1,682 games.
17 hours ago
Red Sox Focusing On Max Fried
With the Los Angeles Dodgers signing left-hander Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal on Tuesday night, USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports that the Boston Red Sox are now focusing on free-agent lefty Max Fried to upgrade their starting rotation this offseason. In addition to Fried, the BoSox are reportedly upping their efforts to land free-agent superstar outfielder Juan Soto, so Boston appears to be quite serious about opening up their wallet this winter. Fried, who has been an All-Star for the Atlanta Braves in two of the last three seasons, bounced back health-wise in 2024 to go 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA (3.33 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP and 166:57 K:BB in 174 1/3 innings over 29 regular-season starts. Fried isn't a huge strikeout guy and relies more on inducing ground balls, so a move to a bad defensive team in the Red Sox in the tough AL East might not be the best landing spot for fantasy purposes.
Yesterday
Blake Snell, Dodgers Agree On Five-Year, $182 Million Deal
Free-agent left-hander Blake Snell will stay in the National League West after agreeing to a five-year, $182 million deal on Tuesday night with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to sources. The deal is pending a physical. It's the first nine-figure deal of the MLB offseason, with the World Series-champion Dodgers locking down the two-time Cy Young winner. The 31-year-old southpaw signed with the San Francisco Giants at the end of spring training and had a rough start to the 2024 campaign while not being 100% healthy, but he eventually bounced back when he was fully healthy and went 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 145 strikeouts and 44 walks in 104 innings over his 20 starts. Snell can be wild -- career 10.9% walk rate -- but his career 30.2% strikeout rate pretty much offsets it to make him a fantasy ace who will be in another good situation in LA while joining a strong starting rotation that will include Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in 2025.
Yesterday
Red Sox Stepping Up Their Efforts For Juan Soto
According to sources, the Boston Red Sox are stepping up their efforts to land free-agent superstar outfielder Juan Soto and are trying to sell him on his fit in Beantown. Boston's best hitters in franchise history have mostly been left-handers, and Soto is coming off his best full season in his first year with the division-rival New York Yankees. However, his road OPS was 57 points higher than in the Bronx. Defensively, if Boston were to pry him away from their bitter rivals, Soto would likely shift from right field to left field at Fenway Park. The 26-year-old Dominican is expected to sign a deal worth more than 10 years and possibly more than $600 million. Spending that kind of money would be a major shift from the Red Sox's strategy in recent seasons, but perhaps they're fed up with just one playoff appearance in the last six seasons, including three last-place finishes in the AL East.
Yesterday
Yasiel Puig Heads To Korea
The Kiwoom Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization announced on Monday that they officially signed former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig to a $1 million deal. The club also added Ruben Cardenas for $450,000 ($150,000 in incentives) and pitcher Kenny Rosenberg ($700,000 with $100,000 in incentives). The 33-year-old Puig will leave his winter league team in Venezuela as a result. He has not played in the big leagues since 2019, when he hit .267 with 24 home runs and 84 RBI in 149 games with the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians. The Cuban star hit .279 with 108 homers and 331 RBI in six seasons with the Dodgers, finishing second in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2013. Puig played in 126 games with Kiwoom in 2022 and hit .277 with 21 homers and 73 RBI. Multiple sexual-assault allegations and illegal sports-betting allegations effectively ended his tenure in MLB.
2 days ago
Guardians Re-Sign George Valera
The Cleveland Guardians re-signed outfielder George Valera (knee) to a minor-league deal on Monday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training next year. Valera was non-tendered by the team last Friday but quickly has rejoined the organization. The 24-year-old underwent surgery on his right knee in September and therefore will probably be unavailable for the start of spring training and the start of next season. In all likelihood, he will be assigned to Triple-A Columbus in 2025 when he's fully recovered from his knee surgery. Valera spent the entire 2024 season at Columbus, slashing .248/.337/.452 with a .789 OPS, 17 home runs, 50 RBI, six stolen bases and 51 runs scored in 90 games and 374 trips to the plate. He sports a .243/.358/.452 career slash line with 80 homers and 273 RBI in his six minor-league seasons.
2 days ago
Nolan Arenado Willing To Move To First Base
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado is willing to play first base or less third base to create roster flexibility for a potential new team as the Cardinals contemplate trading him this offseason, according to league sources briefed on the situation. A few teams have expressed interest in Arenado, and talks are likely to intensify with the annual winter meetings approaching in early December. There is growing sense in the industry that the 33-year-old eight-time All-Star will be moved. Arenado has not demanded a trade but was open to the idea when approached by president of baseball operations John Mozeliak as the team shifts its focus to developing their young players in 2025. Arenado will turn 34 in April and has shown signs of offensive decline the last two seasons. However, his defense remains superior. Per sources, Arenado will only waive his full no-trade clause to play for a contender.
2 days ago
Evan Carter Swinging A Bat, Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training
Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter (back) has resumed swinging a bat this offseason, according to the team, and is expected to be ready for the start of spring training in mid-February without restrictions. It's excellent news for Carter, who was limited to only 45 games in 2024 due to back issues. The 22-year-old youngster eventually needed an ablation procedure in October to remove tissue from his back, but apparently he's recovered nicely and should be ready for Opening Day in 2025, barring a setback. The former second-round pick in 2020 burst onto the scene in 2023 and hit .306 (19-for-62) with five homers and 12 RBI in 23 regular-season games and was a lineup mainstay during the club's World Series run that fall. He went 27-for-144 (.188) with five homers and 15 RBI in 45 games in 2024 before being shut down. Carter is going to need to improve against lefties in 2025 to keep a regular role.
2 days ago
Josh Jung Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (wrist) is expected to be ready for spring training in mid-February without restrictions, according to the team. Jung missed the vast majority of the 2024 season with another injury, this time a right-wrist injury that required a second surgery in early October. The Rangers are hoping he can return to the All-Star form he had in 2023 after fracturing his wrist early this season. The 26-year-old right-handed slugger batted .266 (127-for-478) with 23 home runs and 70 RBI in his first full season in the majors in 2023 but only appeared in 46 games this year, batting .264/.298/.421 with a .719 OPS, seven home runs and 16 RBI in 188 plate appearances. In addition to his wrist issues this year, Jung missed around six weeks with a thumb injury in 2023 and has played in just 168 of 324 possible regular-season games the last two years. He's a risk/reward fantasy asset.
2 days ago
Adolis Garcia Resumes Running
Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia (knee) has resumed running this offseason and is expected to be ready to go for the start of spring training in mid-February, barring any setbacks. Garcia didn't require surgery on his left knee, but his 2024 campaign ended early due to a sprained patellar tendon. The 31-year-old Cuban outfielder made his second All-Star team in 2023 and then led the Rangers to their first-ever World Series title by setting career-highs in home runs (39), RBI (107) and runs scored (108) in 148 regular-season games. Garcia took a big step back in 2024, slashing .224/.284/.400 with a below-average .684 OPS, 25 homers, 85 RBI, 11 steals, 68 runs scored and 177 strikeouts in 637 plate appearances over 154 games played. It's good news that he should be fully recovered from his knee injury heading into the 2025 season as he looks to bounce back as a high-end power bat for fantasy managers.
2 days ago
Corey Seager Nearing Full Baseball Activities
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (hernia) is nearing full baseball activities this offseason. Seager needed surgery for a sports hernia in September but is now close to being cleared for all baseball activities. Barring a setback once he begins ramping up, the 30-year-old two-time World Series MVP should be ready to go without restrictions for the start of spring training in the middle of February. The five-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year reached the 30-homer mark for the third straight season in Texas in 2024, and although he wasn't quite as good as he was the previous season when he guided the Rangers to their first World Series title in franchise history, he still hit a strong .278/.353/.512 with an .864 OPS, 30 homers, 74 RBI and 68 runs scored in 123 games played. When healthy, Seager is among the high-end fantasy options at short, but he's also an injury risk.
2 days ago
Diamondbacks Shopping Jordan Montgomery, Others
USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports that the Arizona Diamondbacks are shopping left-handed starter Jordan Montgomery and are also listening to offers on outfielders Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas this offseason. It was a rough season for Montgomery in 2024 after not making his debut with the Snakes until April 19 due to injury. Coming off a World Series title with the Texas Rangers the previous fall, the 31-year-old southpaw finished with an 8-7 record, bloated 6.23 ERA (4.48 FIP), 1.65 WHIP, 83 strikeouts and 44 walks in 117 innings over his 25 appearances (21 starts). Montgomery exercised his $22.5 million player option to stick around in the desert in 2025, but the D-backs are looking for ways to get out of that. McCarthy, meanwhile, hit a career-best .285 with eight homers, a career-high 56 RBI and 25 steals in a career-high 142 games in his fourth MLB season.
3 days ago
Brewers Plan To Hang Onto Devin Williams For Now
The Milwaukee Brewers plan to keep closer Devin Williams until at least the All-Star break in the summer of 2025 before re-evaluating whether to keep him or trade him. The Brewers declined Williams' $10 million club option for next season but remains with Milwaukee as he heads into his final year of arbitration eligibility. A back injury kept the 30-year-old right-handed reliever out for the entire first half of 2024, but when he returned in late July, he was one of the best ninth-inning men in the league. Williams had a 1.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 14 saves, 38 strikeouts and 11 walks in 21 2/3 innings pitched during the regular season. As long as he stays with the Brew Crew, he should be considered an elite closing option for fantasy managers. Whether Milwaukee trades him next summer will depend on where they stand record-wise and Williams' trade market.
3 days ago
José Castillo
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Diamondbacks
