MLB News

The Milwaukee Brewers designated left-hander Tyler Jay for assignment on Thursday to make room on the 40-man roster for the recently required right-hander Grant Anderson. Jay made his major-league debut in 2024 but only appeared in relief in five games for the New York Mets and Brewers, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits while walking six and striking out six in 7 2/3 innings pitched. The 30-year-old southpaw went 5-1 with a 3.02 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, three saves, 49 strikeouts and 12 walks in 56 2/3 innings combined at Triple-A Syracuse and Triple-A Nashville on the farm. Jay was originally drafted sixth overall by the Minnesota Twins in 2015 out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. If Jay clears waivers, he could return to the Brewers in a minor-league role to begin the 2025 season.

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said that the plan is to keep infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela in center field in 2025 "as much as possible." Rafaela really stepped up for the Red Sox in 2024 and provided plenty of defensive versatility, mainly in center field and shortstop. The 24-year-old started 72 games in center field, 71 at shortstop and four at second base in his first full season in the big leagues. His elite athleticism allows him to play pretty much anywhere on the diamond, but the BoSox would like to keep him focused on center field this year to hopefully make him more productive offensively. There was a need for Rafaela at the 6 in 2024 when Trevor Story was injured earlier in the year. Rafaela must improve his hard-hit metrics and plate discipline to take the next step as a hitter, but his elite athleticism should give hope to fantasy managers.

MassLive.com's Sean McAdam writes that Boston Red Sox infielder Vaughn Grissom is the "nominal favorite" to open next season as the team's starting second baseman. Grissom's first year with Boston in 2024 was highly disappointing, as he entered spring training with a shot to see most of the playing time at the keystone before multiple injuries set him back. The 23-year-old former Atlanta Braves middle infielder eventually lost the job to David Hamilton and hit just .190/.246/.219 in just 31 games at the big-league level. However, Grissom looked good to end the year at Triple-A Worcester and appears to be fully healthy with spring training just around the corner. Grissom has looked great in the minor leagues but has yet to put it together at the major-league level in small stints. If he's healthy in 2025, though, and secures the 2B job, he has potential for double-digit homers and steals for fantasy managers.

The Texas Rangers have traded relief pitcher Grant Anderson to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Mason Molina. The 27-year-old was designated for assignment by the Rangers earlier in the week. It didn't take the Rangers long to find Anderson a new home. Anderson made it to the MLB last season, but struggled to the tune of a 8.10 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, and 29/10 K/BB ratio. He figures to get a chance to prove himself during spring training. As for Molina, he's a 21-year-old former seventh-round pick that made his professional debut last season. He only pitched in two games in Single-A ball, so it'll be a few years before the Rangers see the results of this trade.

Free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman remains unsigned mid-way through the winter, but that might change soon. The Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays were reportedly the frontrunners to land Bregman this offseason. Both teams are also viewed as the frontrunners to land outfielder Anthony Santander. The Tigers already have a decent core and added Gleyber Torres. The Blue Jays might take one more shot at competing before possibly heading towards a rebuild if things go south. That being said, both teams seem to make sense on paper for Bregman. The superstar slugger is reportedly seeking $200 million after turning down $156 million from the Houston Astros earlier this offseason.

Free-agent starting pitcher Jack Flaherty is reportedly unlikely to sign with the Baltimore Orioles. There were reports that the O's were interested in a reunion, but it seems that Flaherty might feel differently. Flaherty struggled during his stint with the O's during the 2023 season. He posted a 6.75 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, and 42/12 K/BB across nine games with the O's. He pitched much better once he left Baltimore. It sounds like the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, and Los Angeles Dodgers are all in the mix for Flaherty. The right-hander might not find a new home until Roki Sasaki signs with an organization.

Free-agent pitcher Jeff Hoffman is reportedly seeking a deal in the range that fellow reliever Clay Holmes signed earlier this offseason. Holmes signed with the New York Mets on a three-year deal worth $38 million. Hoffman is hopeful to get a similar deal after posting back-to-back solid seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. Holmes signed with the Mets in hopes of transitioning to the starting rotation. It's possibly that Hoffman wants to make a similar move considering he began his career as a starting pitcher with the Colorado Rockies. There doesn't seem to be a ton of interest in Hoffman right now, but they'll likely change once Roki Sasaki signs somewhere.

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the New York Mets are unlikely to pursue free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. Sammon said that the Mets do not view Bregman as a long-term option, and he is currently looking for a long-term contract on the open market. While he did not rule out a potential signing, he views it as very unlikely. Throughout the offseason, the Detroit Tigers have been viewed as "favorites" to land Bregman, in addition to the Boston Red Sox, among other clubs. As a result, this suggests that the Mets view Mark Vientos as their starting third baseman heading into the 2025 campaign. Last summer, the 25-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign by hitting 27 home runs with a .266/.322/.516 slash line. Vientos was very effective in the postseason as well, posting a stellar .327/.367/.636 line.

According to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, the San Francisco Giants could be losing interest on free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso. While Alonso was initially linked to the Giants earlier in free agency, it seems the Giants may opt to go in a different direction. Baggarly notes that since the Giants already sacrificed two draft picks after acquiring shortstop Willy Adames earlier this offseason, they will likely not entertain a contract with Alonso due to the fact they would have to sacrifice additional picks to acquire him. Instead, the Giants would rather target an infielder to create a more "athletic, and dynamic scoring environment." While Alonso lacks speed, he would bring an elite power bat to their starting nine, as he's hit at least 34 home runs in each full season of his career. This would leave LaMonte Wade Jr. as their current first baseman. Last summer, Wade posted a solid .260/.380/.381 slash line with an excellent 15.5% walk rate.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Los Angeles Angels are "looking at" free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso. Heyman noted that he does believe owner Arte Moreno is trying to get another impact bat in the lineup. If Alonso were to sign with the Halos, first baseman Nolan Schanuel would move to the outfield. However, Heyman said that free-agent outfielder Anthony Santander "is probably more likely" to sign in Los Angeles than Alonso. Alonso would provide some much-needed power to the Angels lineup that also brought in designated hitter Jorge Soler earlier this offseason. Last summer in Queens, Alonso held a .240/.329/.459 slash line with 34 home runs. Under the hood, he generated a strong .343 xwOBA, 13.2% barrel rate, and a 46.4% hard-hit rate. Alonso has also been in contract discussions with the New York Mets throughout the offseason.

According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Philadelphia Phillies could seek a trade partner for infielder Kody Clemens. According to Gelb, the Phillies have several infield left-handed bats which could make it difficult for Clemens to make the roster. Gelb further noted that if Clemens has a successful camp he could be put on the trade block. This means that Weston Wilson and Buddy Kennedy would have a more favorable chance to break the Opening Day roster. Last summer, Clemens held a .219/.258/.447 line with five home runs and nine doubles across 44 games. The 28-year-old holds a career .200/.246/.373 line across three major league seasons. Even if Clemens does make the Opening Day roster, he should not be on your fantasy radar given his lack of stable success in the majors.

The Cleveland Guardians signed free-agent right-hander Luis Frias to a minor-league deal on Thursday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training camp. Frias will join Cleveland this year after spending time with both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays in 2024. In only 9 2/3 innings pitched in 11 appearances in relief, Frias allowed a whopping 16 runs (15 earned) on 19 hits (two homers) while walking seven and striking out 12. However, the 26-year-old Dominican did post a 1.35 ERA during the Diamondbacks' run to the World Series in the fall of 2023. Most of his struggles in 2024 could be attributed to a right-shoulder injury that he dealt with. Frias could bounce back with Cleveland in 2025 if he stays healthy and could be a decent source of strikeouts in deep holds leagues.

Free-agent designated hitter/first baseman Mike Ford signed a minor-league deal with the Minnesota Twins on Thursday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to a source. Ford will try to win a roster spot with the Twins out of spring training in 2025 after hitting .150 (9-for-60) with a homer, four RBI and two runs scored in only 17 games played for the Cincinnati Reds this past season. The 32-year-old veteran left-handed hitter finished last year in Japan while playing for the Yokohama DeNA Baystars. Ford made his major-league debut with the New York Yankees back in 2019 and has a career .205/.298/.402 slash line with a .700 OPS, 37 home runs and 89 RBI in 781 plate appearances over 251 games in six seasons. The Twins have an opening at first base for 2025, but at best, Ford will likely be a bench bat for Minnesota.

The Kansas City Royals announced on Thursday that they re-signed left-hander Austin Cox to a minor-league deal. Cox will return to the Royals after he went 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 65 strikeouts and 40 walks in 60 2/3 innings over 42 appearances (five starts) for Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha in the minors in 2024. The 27-year-old southpaw was drafted by the Royals in the fifth round back in 2018 out of Mercer University. He made his major-league debut with Kansas City in 2023 and made 24 appearances (three starts), finishing with a 4.54 ERA (3.73 FIP), a 1.26 WHIP, his first career save and a 33:17 K:BB in 35 2/3 innings pitched. Cox is most likely to open the 2025 campaign back at Omaha while giving the Royals some left-handed pitching depth out of the bullpen.

According to the transaction log on MLB.com, former power-hitting prospect Moises Gomez has agreed to a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres. Gomez was released by the Cardinals at the end of July after a rough season in Triple-A. He hit only .194 with three home runs in 45 minor league games in 2024, but he has shown signs of turning things around in winter ball. In Venezuela, he is hitting .273/.396/.613 with 15 home runs in 48 games this winter. Earlier in his career, the right-handed hitter had 39 minor league homers in 2022 and 30 homers in 2023. In his previous work at Triple-A, he has shown plenty of power but also posted a very high strikeout rate. It's unclear if his new deal will include an invite to Spring Training, but if he can rediscover his power stroke, he could be a prospect to monitor since he's still just 26 years old.

According to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the market for veteran starting pitcher Max Scherzer is starting to heat up a bit as we head into 2025. Heyman reports there are four teams involved in the market but did not identify exactly who is in the mix. Scherzer is 40 years old and was limited to under 50 innings last year for the Rangers due to a variety of ailments, but he has indicated he's not ready to retire and hopes to pitch again this year. In 2023, he went 13-6 while splitting time between the Mets and Rangers with a 3.77 ERA, 4.32 FIP, and 10.26 K/9. His ERA rose to 3.95 in his limited work last year while his strikeout rate dropped to 8.31 K/9, his lowest mark since 2011. While he is not nearly the dominant, Cy Young candidate he was 10 years ago, Scherzer could still have enough in the tank to be a veteran contributor for a team needing rotation depth. He is a big name to watch in the next few weeks and will likely land a short-term deal with hopes of helping a contending team reach the next level.

Outfielder Anthony Santander is one of the biggest bats remaining on the free agent market, and the top two suitors for the 30-year-old at this point are the Toronto Blue Jays and the Detroit Tigers, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Both teams could definitely use a power bat in the middle of their lineup like Santander's as they look to contend in the American League. Santander is coming off a career-high 44 home runs and 102 RBI last year for the Orioles while hitting .235 with a .345 wOBA and 129 wRC+. Santander has at least 28 homers in each of the last three years for the O's and would fit into the middle of either Detroit's or Toronto's lineup. The Tigers made a surprise playoff run last year while the Blue Jays had a disappointing season in a stacked AL East. Both will look to be in the playoff chase again this year but need to add some thump to their lineup like Santander. From an individual perspective, the Park Factor in Toronto would give Santander much more power potential than the cavernous environs of Comerica Park.

According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, infielder Josh Rojas has agreed to a one-year deal with the Chicago White Sox. Before being non-tendered earlier this offseason by the Mariners, Rojas hit .225 with a .286 wOBA and 91 wRC+. He hit eight home runs and finished with 31 RBI and 48 runs scored while adding 10 stolen bases. He has double-digit stolen bases in each of the last three seasons and could be a regular contributor this season for Chicago, who has plenty of question marks in the infield. The 30-year-old lefty has been very versatile, playing mostly 2B and 3B with a little SS mixed in as well. He also played a little in a corner outfield spot, setting him up as a potential utility option for Chicago this season. The fact that he's a lefty should keep him on the strong side of platoons, and he actually had a 104 wRC+ against righties last season. In 2023, Rojas was a key piece of the trade that sent closer Paul Sewald to Arizona back, but he struggled during his time in Seattle. This one-year, "prove it" deal will give him a chance to hit the market as a free agent again next year or possibly be moved to a contender at the Trade Deadline if he has a good start to the year. If he earns an everyday role out of Spring Training, he has enough upside to be an end-of-draft option in AL-only leagues.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the New York Mets and free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso remain apart on the potential length of his new contract. Heyman noted that, "I do think the years are the hang-up right now," when discussing the current state of their negotiations. While they may be on the same page in terms of money, both sides remain apart on the length of a new contract. Alonso is one of the top bats remaining on the free-agent market and is the clear top first baseman available. He has spent his entire six-year MLB career in Queens. Last summer, Alonso hit 34 home runs with a .240/.329/.459 slash line. Alonso has gone deep at least 30 times in each of his full seasons, excluding the 2020 season. If Alonso were to return to the Mets, he would continue to bat in the top half of a lineup that is welcoming Juan Soto.

According to James Fegan of Baseball America, the Chicago White Sox designated shortstop Braden Shewmake for assignment to make room for left-handed pitcher Tyler Gilbert. The White Sox acquired Gilbert from the Philadelphia Phillies earlier on Wednesday. Shewmake appeared in 29 games with the White Sox last summer and held a poor .125/.134/.203 slash line with two doubles, one home run and five stolen bases. Across 209 career games at the Triple-A level, the infielder has posted a career .239/.299/.395 line with 23 home runs and 36 stolen bases. If Shewmake finds a new club, he will likely spend most of the 2025 campaign in the minor leagues given his struggles in the big leagues.