MLB News

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Nick Martinez declined his $20 million mutual option for the 2027 season to become a free agent this winter, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Martinez will instead take a $4 million buyout and enter the open market. The 36-year-old veteran unsurprisingly will be looking for a new team to play for in 2027 and beyond after making his first All-Star team in 2026 and helping the Rays advance to the World Series, where they lost in five games to the Milwaukee Brewers. In 31 starts for Tampa this year, Martinez went 15-6 with a strong 3.10 ERA (3.96 FIP) and 1.09 WHIP with 109 strikeouts and 26 walks in a career-high 180 innings pitched during the regular season. It was the first time in his nine-year MLB career that Martinez made all of his appearances in a starting role. Despite his age, Martinez should have some multi-year offers after his impressive year for the Rays, but it will also depend on whether interested teams view him as more of a reliever as he nears the end of his career.

Right-hander Tatsuya Imai will not opt out of his deal with the Houston Astros this offseason, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Imai has $36 million and two years left on his deal with the team and has another opt-out clause in his contract after the 2027 season. The 28-year-old Japanese hurler showed some flashes in his first year in the big leagues in the United States, but ultimately, he was a disappointment for Houston and fantasy managers, going 6-4 with a 4.93 ERA (4.25 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with 97 strikeouts and 51 walks in 76 2/3 innings across his 23 appearances (15 starts) for the Astros in 2026. Imai's fantasy stock fell drastically towards the end of the season, when he was deployed out of the bullpen in the final two months. Depending on how the team's starting-rotation options are looking in spring training next year, it is possible that the Astros could keep Imai in a relief role, which would make him avoidable in nearly all fantasy formats in 2027. As a reliever in a small sample size of just eight appearances, Imai was much more effective for Houston, allowing only four earned runs on eight hits while walking 11 and striking out 25. Better control would help Imai bounce back in his sophomore season in the big leagues.

The Baltimore Orioles are expected to decline outfielder Luis Robert Jr.'s $20 million option for the 2027 season, sources told Francys Romero. The Orioles would pay a $2 million buyout to make Robert a free agent this winter at the age of 29. The always-enticing power/speed option was one of the New York Mets' big free-agent additions last offseason, but he did not pan out and quickly found himself on the injured list and stayed there for almost three months due to a lumbar spine disc herniation. In just 58 games played this year, the Cuban right-handed slugger hit a disappointing .223/.303/.399 with 11 home runs, 26 RBI, 26 runs scored, two stolen bases, 24 walks, and 55 strikeouts in 61 plate appearances in total with the Mets and Orioles. Robert played in only three games with the O's to close out the year and will now find himself back on the open market. Baltimore picked him up after he was waived by the Mets in August. Robert is still young enough to have some upside, but MLB teams will not be willing to pay him too much given all the injuries he has endured that have essentially made him a bust.

Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley (elbow) will opt into his $14 million player option for the 2027 season to stay in Baltimore for another year, a source told Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Helsley had a strong start to his first year in Baltimore in 2026, but it was short-lived, and he ended up pitching only 15 1/3 innings out of the bullpen for the O's due to a right-elbow injury. The 32-year-old veteran and two-time All-Star was attempting to bounce back following a rough finish to the 2025 campaign after being traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the New York Mets. In 22 appearances in relief for the Mets to finish that season, Helsley had a 7.20 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, and zero saves in 20 innings pitched. He had a 4.11 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, eight saves, and a 21:9 K:BB in his limited showing for Baltimore this year. Helsley should be healthy for the start of next season, but it is fair to wonder if he will be the team's primary ninth-inning option or approach his form from the 2024 campaign, when he led the league with 49 saves in St. Louis.

Arizona Diamondbacks veteran right-hander Michael Soroka declined his end of a $10 million mutual option for the 2027 season to make himself a free agent this winter, a source told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. The 29-year-old is looking to cash in on his solid season with the Di-backs in 2026 after recording a 3.41 ERA with 114 strikeouts in 116 innings pitched. Arizona signed him to a deal last December that included a $6.5 million base salary, and he ended up making another $1.35 million in performance-based bonuses. The one-year deal included a mutual option for next year with a $1 million buyout. Piecoro writes that the Diamondbacks are expected to be interested in re-signing Soroka, but that they will likely be priced out of his market. The team already has more than $170 million forecast for next season and is expected to reduce its payroll from last year's $200 million-plus figure. Additionally, Arizona already has five capable starting pitchers in Corbin Burnes, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Merrill Kelly, and Ryne Nelson. Soroka did most of his damage in 2026 in the first half of the season, going 8-3 with a 3.07 ERA, 79 strikeouts, and only 17 walks in 82 innings in 15 starts before the All-Star break.

Seattle Mariners executive vice president and general manager of baseball operations Justin Hollander announced on Thursday that the team declined their $6.075 million 2027 club option on right-hander Bryce Miller, but he remains under contract with the team through the 2029 season. Miller will receive a $15,000 buyout as part of a one-year deal that guaranteed $2.452 million. He is eligible for salary arbitration as well. He did not make his debut with the team in 2026 until May 13 due to a strained left oblique and went 4-10 with a 4.17 ERA in 21 starts and one relief appearance for Seattle in his fourth year in the big leagues. It was a second straight disappointing season for Miller after he had a career-worst 5.68 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 74:34 K:BB in 90 1/3 innings across 18 starts in his third year in 2025. He is trying to recapture the form that saw him post a career-best 2.94 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 171:45 K:BB in his 31 starts in 2024. Miller had his worst stretch in the majors in 2026 and was demoted back to the minors in August. With Emerson Hancock now a rotation member and young lefty Kade Anderson in the mix, Miller could be the odd man out for a rotation spot to begin next season.

The Seattle Mariners announced on Thursday that they exercised their $9 million 2027 club option on right-handed closer Andres Munoz. The 27-year-old agreed to a four-year, $7.5 million contract with the Mariners in December of 2021 that included three club options. He was an All-Star in both 2024 and 2025 and had a $7 million salary this year under the first option while going 5-6 with a career-worst 4.24 ERA, 28 saves in 38 chances, and 89 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings pitched. Seattle has a $10 million option for 2028 that would increase by $250,000 each for 20, 30, 40, and 45 games finished in 2027. Despite Munoz's not-so-great 2026 campaign, he will open the 2027 season as Seattle's primary closer after saving 101 games for the team since the start of the 2023 campaign. Although Munoz had a career-high 4.24 ERA (3.35 FIP) in 2026, he still managed a strong 37.1% strikeout rate in his seventh year in the big leagues and should remain a coveted closing option in fantasy baseball leagues going into next season without much competition in the ninth inning.

The Atlanta Braves announced on Thursday that they exercised their $7 million 2027 option on second baseman Ozzie Albies. Albies agreed in 2019 to a seven-year, $35 million contract that included $7 million options in both 2026 and 2027. The 29-year-old four-time All-Star will now head into the final year of his deal with the team next season after hitting a career-low .237 with 22 home runs, 73 RBI, and 85 runs scored across 615 at-bats. He was a disappointment in the batting average department, but Albies still had plenty of value for the Braves up the middle at the keystone and played in all 162 of the team's regular season games in his 10th year in the big leagues. The 29-year-old switch-hitter and native of Cura ao should find himself in an everyday role in Atlanta for one more season while providing fantasy managers with some pop at the second base position, but the days of Albies being a threat for 20 homers and 20 steals appear to be over. He will turn 30 in January and is the Braves' longest-tenured player. It is concerning for fantasy managers looking to roster Albies next year that he hit just .194 with a .575 OPS in the second half.

Boston Red Sox veteran right-hander Sonny Gray declined his side of a $30 million mutual option for the 2027 season on Friday to become a free agent, according to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. Gray will receive a $5 million buyout payable in five $1 million installments each Jan. 15 from 2027-31 as he looks for a multi-year deal on the open market after pitching extremely well in his lone season in Beantown. The 36-year-old three-time All-Star led the league with 18 wins while also posting a strong 2.72 ERA (3.47 FIP) and 1.15 WHIP with 149 strikeouts and 46 walks in 169 innings pitched across 29 regular-season starts. The soon-to-be 37-year-old signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals in November of 2023 and was traded to the Red Sox last November. Gray's 2.72 ERA was his best in a full season in the big leagues, and although he still has value to a starting rotation, it will be difficult for him to match his numbers from 2026 with whatever team he chooses to pitch for next season.

The Miami Marlins announced on Friday that they exercised right-hander Sandy Alcantara's $21 million 2027 club option. It was a no-brainer move for the Fish after Alcantara looked more like the pitcher who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2022 before needing Tommy John surgery and missing all of the 2024 campaign. The two-time All-Star struggled to an ERA over 5.00 in 174 2/3 innings across 31 starts last year, but he rebounded in 2026 by going 13-11 with a 3.87 ERA (4.08 FIP), 1.23 WHIP, and 153:59 K:BB in a league-high 214 innings over 36 appearances (a league-high 33 starts). Alcantara also led the league in hits allowed (204) and batters faced (894) in his ninth season in the majors (all but one with Miami). It was nice to see Alcantara bounce back in 2026, but his 17.1% strikeout rate left a lot to be desired in fantasy, and his strikeout rate has been in decline since his 2022 Cy Young season. The 31-year-old will be looking for another strong season in 2027 before he reaches free agency the following winter, and he should be considered a strong No. 2 starter next year.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd has declined his player option and will become a free agent this offseason, ESPN's Jesse Rogers reports. Boyd was 10-5 this season with a 3.91 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 96 strikeouts in 126 2/3 innings pitched. Boyd joins teammate Clay Holmes in declining his option and becomes a free agent with fellow Cubs starting pitchers Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, and David Peterson. The Cubs could look to revamp their starting rotation this offseason depending on how many of their free agents they bring back for next season.

The Boston Red Sox have traded infielder Tsung-Che Cheng to the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations. Cheng had 39 at-bats for the Red Sox last season with no homers and five RBI while hitting .256 with seven runs scored. Cheng is from Taiwan and played in 94 games with Triple-A Worcester last season, hitting .241 with eight homers and 30 RBI with 52 runs scored.

The Boston Red Sox have traded outfielder Nate Eaton to the Athletics in exchange for minor-league pitcher Jareth Rayo. Eaton completed the 2026 season with the Red Sox, hitting .160 with one home run and six RBI in 50 at-bats. Rayo was 1-1 in rookie ball in the Athletics organization last season with a 5.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 36.0 innings pitched.

Chicago Cubs right-hander Clay Holmes declined his player options and has become a free agent, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Holmes joins Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, Matthew Boyd, and David Peterson as free agents as the Cubs look for a rebuild of their pitching staff this offseason. Rogers guesses that one or two of the five names listed could possibly return to the Cubs this offseason. The pitching rotation will likely have a new look for the Cubs whenever baseball does return. Holmes was 6-8 combined between the Mets and Cubs this year with a 3.29 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, while Boyd went 10-5 with a 3.91 ERA and 1.21 WHIP.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Caleb Durbin (finger, toe) had another surgery, with the Red Sox saying it was "a successful partial excision of the fifth metatarsal base with tendon repair," according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. The procedure was performed by Dr. Anish R. Kadakia in Chicago. In addition to having finger surgery, Durbin also had surgery on a toe on his right foot recently. Neither procedure was very serious, so the right-handed slugger should be ready in plenty of time before the start of spring training next year. In his first season in Beantown and just his second year in the big leagues, the 26-year-old former 14th-round pick by the Atlanta Braves from Washington University in St. Louis hit .248/.332/.378 with a .710 OPS, a career-high 13 home runs, 64 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 74 runs scored in 153 games across 586 plate appearances during the regular season. He only hit four long balls in the second half, but he was more productive overall with a .274 average (61-for-223) compared to a .228 first-half average with nine homers. Durbin is not a prototypical power bat as a third baseman, but his speed on the basepaths makes him a valuable corner-infield asset in deeper fantasy leagues.

New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette is exercising his $42 million player option for the 2027 season and will stay with the Mets, league sources told Will Sammon of The Athletic. The 28-year-old holds another player option worth the same amount for the 2028 campaign. Bichette had a miserable start to his first year in Queens, but he rebounded to finish with a .260/.312/.390 slash line with a .702 OPS, 18 home runs, 78 RBI, 76 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 160 games and 696 plate appearances in his eight years in the majors. By May 17, he was hitting just .210 with a .531 OPS. But over his final 114 games, Bichette had a .281 batting average and a .772 OPS with 16 long balls. Bichette will return to try to help the Mets get back to the postseason after two straight seasons of the organization missing the playoffs. The two-time All-Star is more of a contact-oriented hitter with limited speed on the base paths. He has not reached the 20-homer mark since doing so for three straight seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2021 to 2023.

The Atlanta Braves announced on Thursday that they exercised the $17 million 2027 option for outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. It is no surprise that the Braves picked up Acuna's option for next season, even though he missed more time with injuries in 2026. The right-handed slugger and former MVP missed roughly seven weeks this year with hamstring and knee injuries, which ultimately made him more of a bust for fantasy purposes. The 28-year-old Venezuelan outfielder finished with a .255/.345/.451 slash line with a .796 OPS, 20 home runs, 55 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 61 runs scored in 107 games and 469 plate appearances. The five-time All-Star still has league-winning upside, but his lengthy injury history has made him a risk/reward fantasy outfielder going into the 2027 season. Acuna has only played in 150-plus games twice in his nine MLB seasons, but despite missing valuable time with injury in each of the last two seasons, he has still managed to reach the 20-homer mark for Atlanta. The Braves can tolerate Acuna's injuries while he plays on one of the most team-friendly contracts in baseball.

Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras was named the World Series MVP after helping the Brewers win their first-ever championship over the Tampa Bay Rays in five games, according to MLB. The 28-year-old Venezuelan backstop became the eighth catcher to be voted World Series MVP after hitting .381 while throwing out four attempted base-stealers and winning 10 of his 13 appeals in the first World Series with the automated ball-strike system. Contreras capped it off with an RBI double in the 4-1 win to clinch the series on Wednesday night in Tampa. "He's our pit bull. You don't just walk up and pet him. There's a chance you get nipped," manager Pat Murphy said. During the regular season, Contreras, a three-time All-Star, hit .270 with 18 home runs and a career-best 94 RBI to help Milwaukee win their fourth straight National League Central title. He also led the league with 185 challenges and 105 overturns during the regular season. Contreras won 22 of 33 ABC challenges in the playoffs. Going into his eighth year in the big leagues next year, Contreras will continue to be one of the better upside options offensively at the catcher position in fantasy baseball.

San Diego Padres star right-hander Michael King declined his $28 million player option for the 2027 season on Thursday and will be a free agent this offseason, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. King will be one of the most coveted players on the open market this winter as a true ace when he is healthy. The 31-year-old veteran bounced back from injury in 2026 to go 12-10 for the Friars with a 3.21 ERA (4.13 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with 159 strikeouts and 70 walks in 185 innings across his 32 starts in his eighth year in the big leagues. King's first year in San Diego in 2024 was his best since leaving the New York Yankees, going 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA (3.33 FIP), 1.19 WHIP, and a career-high 201 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings pitched across 31 outings (30 starts). After declining his option for next season, King will receive a $5 million buyout as he searches for a more lucrative multi-year deal on the open market. The Padres will surely have interest in bringing him back, but King could price himself out of the Padres' budget.

Milwaukee Brewers flamethrowing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (calf) was pulled from his outing in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night against the hosting Tampa Bay Rays after stretching his right calf and talking about it for a while with the training staff, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. He was officially removed with cramping in his right calf after throwing 5 2/3 shutout frames with two hits allowed, one walk, and two strikeouts. Misiorowski continued to have problems putting hitters away with the punchout, but the Brewers are on the verge of their first-ever World Series championship as they take a 4-0 lead into the late stages of the game. Wednesday's outing will most likely be his last of this year's postseason, so he will finish with an excellent 1.89 ERA and 1.11 WHIP despite a disappointing 16 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched. The 24-year-old was also nearly unhittable during his first full regular season in 2026, going 16-5 with a league-best 1.80 ERA and a league-high 252 strikeouts in just 174 2/3 innings pitched over his 30 starts. The Miz should be one of the first pitchers off the board in fantasy drafts in 2027.