MLB News

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the New York Yankees continue to talk with the San Diego Padres about infielder Luis Arraez. The Yankees have also inquired about Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux to fill their opening at second base. After failing to re-sign superstar outfielder Juan Soto, the Yankees signed left-hander Max Fried, right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and traded for closer Devin Williams, center fielder Cody Bellinger and reliever Fernando Cruz to make their team deeper. None of those additions are guaranteed to be around beyond next season, though, while stars Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole are approaching their mid-30s. New York is clearly in win-now mode. Although Arraez is an elite contact guy, he'd be a liability at second base full time on defense with Goldy already at first and Giancarlo Stanton as the full-time designated hitter.

Miami Marlins left-hander Ryan Weathers, who has been long-tossing for the last few weeks, is 20 pounds lighter this offseason. The 25-year-old has adopted a Keto diet due to his high-insulin resistance. Weathers missed three months in 2024 with a left index-finger strain, but before that he was looking good with a 3.55 ERA in his first 13 starts. The young southpaw returned late in the year to make three starts in September and will be full healthy heading into the 2025 campaign. Following the trade of lefty Jesus Luzardo to the Philadelphia Phillies, Weathers will undoubtedly be counted on in the Marlins starting rotation behind right-hander Sandy Alcantara. Pitching in Miami is not the most attractive circumstances at all, but Weathers has some late-round flier appeal in fantasy going into 2025 after setting career-best strikeout and walk rates in 2024.

The Cincinnati Reds acquired right-hander Owen White from the Texas Rangers on Monday in exchange for cash considerations, according to the Rangers. The move comes after the Rangers recently designated White for assignment and off their 40-man roster. The 25-year-old will now head to the National League went 2-8 with a rough 5.64 ERA and 1.57 WHIP with 87 strikeouts and 48 walks in 99 innings over 29 appearances (15 starts) at Triple-A Round Rock last year while also appearing in only three games in relief at the major-league level. In his three innings for the Rangers, he gave up eight earned runs while walking one and striking out none. White was originally a second-round pick by the Rangers in 2018, so the Reds are taking a chance hoping that he's a late bloomer. He will most likely start the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Louisville.

Despite Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow denying that the team was shopping first baseman Triston Casas in trades, there remains a belief in the industry that the Red Sox remain open to trading Casas, potentially for young pitching, according to Mass Live's Chris Cotillo. Among other clubs, Boston has discussed Casas with the Seattle Mariners, who continue to look for more bats. The BoSox have been mentioned as a trade possibility for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, which would likely shift incumbent third baseman Rafael Devers from third to first. After adding pitchers Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler this offseason, their primary focus is now on adding a right-handed bat. The 24-year-old left-handed hitting Casas has immense power, but he missed almost four months in 2024 with torn cartilage in his ribs and had a strikeout rate over 30% when he returned. Despite the risks, the potential remains that he can be a four-category fantasy contributor.

According to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network, the Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles have had trade discussions around starting pitcher Luis Castillo. Morosi noted that both teams have had discussions over the recent days and a potential trade would work since the Orioles would be able to take on a majority of Castillo's contract. In addition, the Mariners have been shopping Castillo throughout the offseason in hopes to move his contract to either acquire a top prospect or open up salary to sign one of the current free agents. Morosi noted that a top prospect would likely go back to Seattle in this deal which could allow them to target one of the top remaining free agents such as Pete Alonso. The Mariners have a lot depth at starting pitcher and could move Castillo to either continue to bolster their deep pipeline or use that money to sign a top bat. Alonso would be a great fit especially as the Mariners do not have a high-upside option at first base. In the deal, Baltimore may have to part ways with one their top prospects such as Heston Kjerstad or Coby Mayo. Both have had struggles finding consistent playing time in a deep Baltimore lineup and would benefit well in a full-time role in Seattle. Castillo would be a much-needed addition for Baltimore as they recently lost Corbin Burnes in free agency to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, the St. Louis Cardinals are continuing to explore a potential trade for left-handed pitcher Steven Matz. Earlier this offseason, it was reported that the southpaw, along with Eric Fedde were drawing interest on the trade market. Woo said that with Sonny Gray and Miles Mikolas having no-trade clauses Matz would likely be moved in order to shed salary, especially if the team cannot find a suitor for Nolan Arenado. Woo noted that the team would prefer to hold Fedde until the trade deadline. Last season, Matz logged just 44 1/3 innings of work with a 5.08 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. Currently, he sits as the No.5 starter in rotation but if he were to be moved, then top prospect Quinn Mathews or Michael McGreevy would have a chance to open the season in the majors. Mathews held a strong 2.76 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP with 202 punchouts across 143 innings in his first minor league season.

According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, the St. Louis Cardinals are no longer actively shopping closer Ryan Helsley. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak said that, "It's something we will always remain open-minded to, but our plan is to have (Helsley) be part of our organization." While Helsley was drawing interest from the Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays earlier this offseason, it appears the Cardinals would prefer to hold onto their closer for the time being. However, if they fall out of the playoff race early on, they may entertain conversations closer to the trade deadline. Last season, the 30-year-old tallied a career-high 49 saves with a 2.04 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. Under the hood, he generated a stellar 29.7% K rate and 3.7% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should view Helsley as a high-end closer heading into the 2025 season.

According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, the St. Louis Cardinals have not had "concrete conversations" regarding shortstop Masyn Winn's potential contract extension. Woo noted that since the team's current plan is trying to bolster a youth movement, locking up Winn for the long-term would be a great way to build upon that idea. Earlier this offseason, the Cardinals opted to let first baseman Paul Goldschmidt walk in free agency and the team has had several trade discussions around third baseman Nolan Arenado. After having an underwhelming major league debut in 2023, Winn took a significant step forward in 2024 holding a strong .267/.314/.416 line with 15 home runs and a 11 stolen bases. He showed a strong eye at the plate by only striking out 17.1% of the time. Winn will likely be penciled in as the leadoff hitter in St. Louis and carries a solid power and speed combination and is worth a look later in drafts this offseason.

According to Chris Cotillo of Masslive.com, the Boston Red Sox are viewed as the "preferred" destination for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. While the Red Sox may not be as interested in acquiring the third baseman, he has made it clear he would not stand in the way. Arenado has had his name on the trade block throughout the offseason as the Cardinals are attempting to shed salary. He recently turned down a trade that would have sent him to Houston. There have also been reports that the New York Yankees have checked in on Arenado but have seemed to lose interest. While Arenado would be a welcomed asset in Boston, he does complicate the starting lineup as Boston team officials have made it clear that Rafael Devers is the team's third baseman. However, acquiring one of the top defenders in the sport would change their mind. This would likely move Devers to first base which would push Triston Casas to DH. Last summer, Arenado held a .272/.325/.394 line with 16 home runs in St. Louis.

According to the team, the Kansas City Royals have signed infielder Cavan Biggio to a minor league deal. Last season, Biggio spent the 2024 campaign with three clubs and logged 78 total games in the majors. Across this stint, he held a .197/.314/.303 line with five doubles, five home runs, and a 24:72 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, Biggio generated a poor .256 xwOBA with a hefty 32.1% K rate. Biggo performed very well during his first two major league seasons (2019 and 2020) where he held an overall .240/.368/.430 line but has fallen below this mark in each season after. Fantasy managers should monitor Biggio's progress during Spring Training but given his struggles in the major leagues, the 29-year-old will likely spend most of the 2025 season in Triple-A.

According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners have shown interest in acquiring infielder Gavin Lux. The Yankees will have a hole in their infield at either second or third base, depending where Jazz Chisholm Jr. starts the season. While the Yankees have a few internal options to fill that void, in DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, or Oswald Peraza, Lux would provide some more upside in their lineup and would remain under team control for another two seasons. Ragazzo noted that the Seattle Mariners have also expressed interest in acquiring Lux as they are also in need of another infielder. Lux could find himself at the forefront of trade conversations in the coming weeks as the Dodgers recently brought in infielder Hye-Seong Kim from the KBO on a three-year deal who is expected to have a starting role in 2025. Last season, Lux held a .251/.320/.383 line with ten home runs and five stolen bases.

According to James Fox of FutureSox, the Chicago White Sox are showing interest in free-agent right-handed pitcher Jakob Junis. The 32-year-old has been deployed as both a reliever and starter throughout his big-league career. Last season, Junis spent time with both the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds. Across 67 frames, the 32-year-old held a solid 2.69 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. He showed elite command with a stellar 3.2% walk rate but struggled to generate whiffs as he held an underwhelming 20.2% strikeout rate. In addition, he posted a poor 42.4% hard-hit rate and 38.7% ground-ball rate, which suggests he could be due for some regression during the 2025 campaign. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to monitor his status, as he could be a viable low-end starting pitcher in AL/NL-only formats if he can sign a 2025 contract.

According to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network, free agent starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw intends to pitch in 2025. Morosi also noted that if Kershaw does return to the mound, he expects him to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 36-year-old was only able to log 30 innings of work last season due to an offseason shoulder surgery and an eventual bone spur in his toe that cut his season short in late August. During his limited stint, the southpaw held a 4.50 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP with an underwhelming 18.0% K rate. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during Spring Training as he will likely ink a one-year deal with the Dodgers if he is able to move past his most recent offseason toe surgery. The future Hall Of Famer is just 32 punchouts away from being the 20th pitcher in MLB history to tally 3,000 strikeouts. If he does return to the mound in 2025, he is worth a look in deeper NL-only formats.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, free agent starting pitcher Max Scherzer is likely to sign a one-year deal this offseason. Morosi noted that there are teams interested in signing the former three-time Cy Young winner. Last season, the right-hander was only able to log nine starts (43 1/3 innings) to the tune of a 3.93 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP for the Texas Rangers. He delt with numerous injuries such as shoulder fatigue, a back injury, and a hamstring strain. Earlier this offseason, the 40-year-old has expressed interest in pitching in 2025 and noted that a healthy offseason will prepare him well for the upcoming season. Even in a small sample size last summer, Scherzer still generated whiffs at a strong 29.2% rate and showed great command with a 5.6% walk rate. Even though he has numerous injury concerns, he is worth a look in deeper formats if healthy during Spring Training.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, multiple teams are interested in free agent starting pitcher Justin Verlander. Verlander had a disappointing campaign last summer, posting a high 5.48 ERA and a 1,38 WHIP across 90 1/3 innings of work. The 41-year-old opened the season in the injured list with a shoulder injury and then missed time later in the summer due to a neck injury. Last season, Verlander saw his strikeout rate continue to decrease and walk rate climb, in relation to his 2023 production. In addition, the right-hander generated a .301 xwOBA which was his highest mark since his 2017 season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Verlander's status as we approach Spring Training. Seeing that teams are interested suggests he will likely sign with a club in 2025, but fantasy managers should draft him with caution given his injury troubles last season and declining metrics.

Free-agent infielder Andrew Velazquez signed a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to major-league spring training with the New York Yankees on Friday. Velazquez, who was born in the Bronx, will return to the Yankees after playing for them in 2021, when he hit .224 (15-for-68) with a homer, six RBI and four stolen bases in only 28 games at the major-league level. The 30-year-old switch-hitter was originally a seventh-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012. Velazquez made his big-league debut in 2018 with the Tampa Bay Rays and has played for five teams over his six major-league seasons. He has hit just .189/.244/.293 with 12 homers, 40 RBI and 40 stolen bases in 275 games played in the majors. Velazquez will provide infield depth for the Yanks in 2025 after posting a .692 OPS with 16 homers and 33 steals at Triple-A Gwinnett in 2024.

According to Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star, Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Alek Manoah (elbow) hopes to return to the mound in August. The 26-year-old underwent a modified internal-brace procedure in his right elbow last June. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the first half of the campaign, as Manoah will likely begin facing live hitters sometime in June and embark on a rehab assignment in July. Last season across a small 24 1/3-inning stint with Toronto, Manoah held a 3.70 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. While he struggled during the 2023 season and posted a career-worst 5.87 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP, he held a strong 2.24 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP during the 2022 campaign. If Manoah can return to the mound and not face any setbacks during his recovery process, he could be a valuable fantasy asset during the second half of the 2025 campaign.

According to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Dodgers are designating catching prospect Diego Cartaya for assignment to open a roster spot for infielder Hye-seong Kim. Cartaya was a former top catching prospect but has never lived up to his prospect pedigree. Before the transaction, MLB Pipeline ranked Cartaya as the 16th-best prospect in the Dodger system. In 2023, the backstop held a mere .189/.278/.379 slash line across 93 games at Double-A. Last season across both Double-A and Triple-A, Cartaya posted a .221/.323/.363 slash line with just 11 home runs and a 47:113 BB:K. Cartaya may draw interest from another suitor but will likely need more time at Triple-A in 2025 before making his major-league debut.

According to Danielle Allentuck of the Baltimore Banner, the Baltimore Orioles designated catcher Rene Pinto for assignment to clear a roster spot for the newly-acquired right-handed pitcher Charlie Morton. Pinto was signed by the Orioles earlier this offseason but no longer has a spot on the roster with Gary Sanchez serving as the No.2 catcher behind Adley Rutschman. Pinto has spent his entire professional career with the Tampa Bay Rays. Last summer, across 19 games in the majors, Pinto held a .214/.292/.429 line with three doubles and two home runs. Across 53 games with Triple-A Durham, the 28-year-old posted a .191/.257/.373 slash line with 11 long balls and a 16:84 BB:K ratio. Pinto will likely spend most of the 2025 season in Triple-A if he find a suitor, given his lack of success in the majors.

Free-agent starting pitcher Charlie Morton signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday evening. The 41-year-old spent the past four seasons with the Atlanta Braves. Last season, the right-hander held a 4.19 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP across 165 1/3 innings. Morton made at least 30 starts in each season during his four-year tenure with the Braves. Under the hood, Morton generated a modest 23.8% strikeout rate with a below-average 4.49 xERA last season. This was a decline from the 25.6% K rate he held during the 2023 campaign. After losing Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Morton should have a permanent role in the Baltimore rotation throughout the 2025 season. However, given his declining metrics, he should only be targeted in deeper 15-plus team formats or AL-only leagues.