MLB News

Right-handed reliever Evan Phillips and the Atlanta Braves agreed on a three-year, $35 million contract on Thursday, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. It is the biggest deal of the winter so far and will send the veteran reliever to Atlanta, which already has one of the best bullpens in baseball. The 32-year-old veteran will head to the National League East after going 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA (3.87 FIP), 1.08 WHIP, one save, 33 strikeouts, and six walks in 26 innings with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2026 in his ninth year in the majors. It was not a bad showing for Phillips, who was returning from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Since his first full season with the Dodgers in 2022, Phillips went 17-10 with a nice 2.31 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 46 saves, 245 strikeouts, and 53 walks in 210 2/3 innings pitched across 225 relief appearances in L.A. He will give the Braves some late-inning, high-leverage insurance in front of closer Raisel Iglesias after setup man Robert Suarez dealt with elbow issues in the second half last season. At the very least, Phillips will be a strikeout artist to target in holds leagues in fantasy baseball in 2027.

Atlanta Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said that right-hander Spencer Strider (elbow) is on track to be ready for spring training and the start of the 2027 regular season, according to Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It was another injury-plagued season for Strider in 2026 with the Braves, as he made only eight starts (39 innings) due to elbow and oblique injuries, going 4-2 with a 5.31 ERA (5.36 FIP) and 1.36 WHIP with 46 strikeouts and 20 walks in his sixth year in the big leagues. He did not pitch again after he dealt with right-elbow inflammation in mid-June. Strider had an internal-brace procedure done on his right arm in 2024 (he made only two starts that year) and returned to post a 7-14 record, 4.45 ERA (4.53 FIP), and 1.39 WHIP with 131 strikeouts and 51 walks in 23 starts covering 125 1/3 innings in 2025. It is good news for the Braves that Strider should be ready for the start of next season, but there is now a lot of risk around the former All-Star due to his arm injuries and a sudden drop in velocity after his return. The likelihood of him leading the league in strikeouts ever again (281 in 2023) is remote.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (hand), who is available via trade, had surgery on his left hand (just above his wrist) after the season, a league source told Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Marsh played through the injury for several months, which could explain his uneven performance in 2026. He maintained his bat speed throughout the season, but Marsh did not drive the ball like he did in the first half of the year. Even without the left-handed-hitting outfielder's offensive woes, the Phillies might view this as a time to move on from a platoon player with a rising salary. The soon-to-be 29-year-old was an All-Star in the first half in what was looking like a breakout season before falling off in the second half and finishing with a .260/.304/.408 slash line with a .713 OPS, 18 home runs, 62 RBI, 71 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 524 regular-season at-bats. He hit over .300 in the first half with 15 home runs, but in 63 games after the All-Star break, he hit just .184 (34-for-185) with three homers, 16 RBI, 15 walks, and 46 strikeouts. Marsh is projected to earn roughly $8 million through salary arbitration before becoming a free agent next winter, and with enough platoons already expected for the Phillies, now could be the time for them to move on from Marsh.

Free-agent left-hander Adrian Morejon is drawing interest as a starter, but his preference is to remain a reliever, a person briefed on his market told The Athletic. A common theme among Clay Holmes, Seth Lugo, and other relievers converted to starters in recent years was their strong desire to become members of the rotation, and perhaps Morejon's thinking will be changed by a big free-agent offer. Morejon dealt with issues as a starter with the San Diego Padres before converting to a relief role and becoming one of the most dominant left-handed relievers in the sport in recent seasons. He was a first-time All-Star in 2025 with the Friars, and he has gone 25-11 with eight saves, a 2.58 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, 248 strikeouts, and 66 walks in 223 1/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen in San Diego in the last three years. Morejon regularly hits triple digits with his fastball and went 9-3 in 2026 with a 2.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, three saves, a career-high 107 strikeouts, and only 28 walks in 86 innings pitched as the eighth-inning setup man in front of closer Mason Miller. If he stays in a relief role and leaves San Diego, Morejon would suddenly become a high-end fantasy closer, depending on the landing spot.

Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (neck) underwent cervical spine surgery to address his lingering neck issue, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Brown is expected to start throwing early in the new year and should be game-ready in the first half of the season. The 27-year-old was excellent in 2026, going 4-2 with a 1.85 ERA and 0.94 WHIP with 65 strikeouts, but he appeared in only 20 games (eight starts) and threw 68 innings for the Cubbies because of his neck injury, which also caused him to miss extended time back in 2024. It is good news that Brown could be ready to return in the first half of the 2027 season, but it remains to be seen if the Cubs will use him as a starter or as a reliever. He was even better as a starter in a limited sample size last year, posting a 1.70 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 11 walks in 42 1/3 innings pitched, but if Chicago is still worried about his long-term health, having him return to a bullpen role makes a lot of sense. The former 33rd-rounder by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 has gone 10-13 in his three MLB seasons with the Cubs, with a 4.15 ERA (3.38 FIP), 1.21 WHIP, and 250:70 K:BB in 229 2/3 innings across 60 appearances (31 starts).

The New York Mets are scheduled to meet with free-agent left-hander Tarik Skubal next week, a source told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. The Mets were expected to be in the running from the jump this offseason, with the New York Post's Jon Heyman referring to them as the early favorites over the Los Angeles Dodgers recently. The Mets and Dodgers have the deepest pockets, which makes them the favorites for by far and away the best player on the open market this offseason, and the Mets also have the most pressure on them from above after finishing in last place in the National League East last year and missing the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Skubal is said to have really enjoyed his time in the second half of the 2026 season with the Dodgers after they acquired him at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers in early August, but ultimately, the biggest offer, money-wise, is expected to win out. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has an incentive to pick a team before the lockout arrives on Dec. 1, so his market could move quickly this month. Regardless of where Skubal signs, he should be one of the first starting pitchers off the board in 2027 fantasy drafts after another strong season with the Tigers and Dodgers, going 12-7 with a 2.72 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 186 strikeouts in 158 2/3 innings across 26 starts despite having left-elbow surgery midseason.

Per The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chad Biship, the Atlanta Braves want right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) to take his comeback much more slowly, making it unlikely that he will be ready for the start of the 2027 regular season, according to president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos. It is not surprising at all that Schwellenbach is not expected to be ready for Opening Day after having his first right-elbow surgery in February to remove bone spurs. He later went under the knife to fix an elbow fracture. The 26-year-old former second-round selection in 2021 did not pitch at all for the Braves in 2026 after looking strong in his first two big-league seasons, going 15-11 with a 3.23 ERA (3.27 FIP), 1.01 WHIP, and 235:41 K:BB in 234 1/3 innings pitched across his 38 starts. Because of his first two strong seasons in the majors, Schwellenbach will be a stash candidate for fantasy managers in 2027 drafts, even though he is likely to open the season on the injured list. At the same time, he will likely be on a strict innings limit after having last pitched in a big-league game in June of 2025.

The New York Yankees received some good news on superstar outfielder Aaron Judge (rib) after his follow-up visit with Dr. Gregory Pearl, a Texas-based specialist who reviewed the healing of the right rib fracture that cost Judge most of the 2026 season, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "He's currently in a good place," general manager Brian Cashman said. "No new added features to his circumstance, outside of [that Judge will] take the winter to continue to rest up, and he'll be ready to go. But there's no new procedures or anything there." Judge was limited to just 66 games due to a rib fracture and a right-calf strain in September. The 34-year-old eight-time All-Star and three-time MVP hit .241/.360/.511 with 18 home runs, 41 RBI, 45 runs scored, and five stolen bases across 285 plate appearances in his 11th year in the big leagues. Despite his injury-plagued season in 2026, fantasy managers should still consider the right-handed slugger as the premier power threat in the big leagues, not named Shohei Ohtani. He should head into spring training next year with a clean bill of health.

The Detroit Tigers signed top free-agent reliever Emilio Pagan to a one-year, $11 million deal on Wednesday, sources told Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Tigers chose not to bring veteran closer Kenley Jansen back for the 2027 season and will replace him in the ninth inning with Pagan, who will make $1 million more than the $10 million mutual option that he turned down with the Cincinnati Reds last month. The 35-year-old veteran missed some time in the first half of the 2026 season with a hamstring injury and finished with a 3.38 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 25 saves in 28 opportunities, and a 45:11 K:BB in 42 2/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen in Cincy. Pagan has plenty of experience in high-leverage situations, which is where Detroit's bullpen really fell short last season, as he has 90 saves in his 10 major-league seasons, with the past three coming for the Reds.

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski was named the 2026 National League Cy Young Award winner on Wednesday, according to MLB. Like the American League winner, New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler, Misiorowski won the award unanimously as the most dominant pitcher in the NL this year. The 24-year-old flamethrower went 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, and 252 strikeouts in 30 starts across 174 2/3 innings, leading baseball in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts to help the Brewers win an MLB-best 103 games. The Miz's 6.6 fWAR also led all pitchers, and his 232 ERA+ was the best in a full season since Pedro Martinez recorded a 291 ERA+ in 2000. He joins Corbin Burnes (2021), Pete Vuckovich (1982), and Rollie Fingers (1981) as the fourth Cy Young Award winner in Milwaukee's history. Misiorowski is the first pitcher since Randy Johnson in 2001 to win the Cy Young and World Series in the same season. The 6-foot-7 hurler's fastball averaged 100.6 mph, which is rarefied air for a full-time starting pitcher. He threw more than 1,000 pitches at 100 mph or faster, which was more than double the record Jordan Hicks set in 2018. In his final 24 starts, Misiorowski had a 1.46 ERA to seal the NL Cy Young.

New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler was named the 2026 American League Cy Young Award winner on Wednesday, according to MLB. Schlittler won the award unanimously and became the seventh Yankees Cy Young winner, and the first since Gerrit Cole in 2023. The previous honorees include Bob Turley (1958), Whitey Ford (1961), Sparky Lyle (1977), Ron Guidry (1978), and Roger Clemens (2001). Schlittler was absolutely dominant in his first full major-league season, going 14-6 with an AL-best 1.95 ERA, pacing the league in pitching WAR (6.2) and opponent's on-base percentage (.244). His ERA was the third-lowest mark in franchise history by a qualified pitcher, trailing only Spud Chandler (1.64 in 1943) and Guidry (1.74 in 1978). Schlittler struck out 239 batters and had only 49 walks and 129 hits allowed in 193 2/3 innings. His 239 strikeouts tied Jack Chesbro (1904) for the fourth-most by a Yankees pitcher in a single season. He was about as dominant as they come, allowing one run or fewer in a major-league-best 21 starts, and he gave up three runs or fewer in 29 starts, tied for the most in the majors. Schlittler has led all MLB starters with a 2.23 ERA since his debut in July of 2025. Just like that, he has made his way to the upper echelon of fantasy starting pitchers going into next season.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene has been mentioned as a trade candidate by industry executives at the general manager meetings this week, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. When asked about Greene, Tigers GM Scott Harris said the Tigers will listen to trade offers, but they are not currently focused on trading the left-handed-hitting outfielder. Greene is a three-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger winner, and he had another solid season for Detroit in 2026, slashing .280/.370/.474 with a career-best .844 OPS, 21 home runs, 75 RBI, 79 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 140 games across 592 plate appearances. He had career highs in home runs (36) and RBI (111) in 157 games played in 2025, but Greene also hit just .258 (155-for-600) and led the American League with 201 strikeouts in 655 plate appearances. While he did not display as much power in 2026, he was a more patient hitter, with his .313 on-base percentage in 2025 jumping to .370 this year. Because Greene is not an excellent defensive outfielder, the Tigers have every reason to be cautious about extending a potential full-time designated hitter in the not-too-distant future.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (finger) will be evaluated in a couple of weeks and will then likely start a range-of-motion and strengthening program before progressing to hitting, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow expects Anthony to be ready for spring training in 2027. The 22-year-old is working his way back from a torn finger ligament that limited him to 55 games in his second big-league season. In those 55 games (242 plate appearances), the left-handed-hitting outfielder batted .245 (52-for-212) with five home runs, 15 RBI, 24 runs scored, and two steals after he hit .292 with eight homers, 32 RBI, and four stolen bases in 71 games in his first year in the big leagues in 2025. Anthony still has a lot of fantasy upside as a power/speed threat, but he has quickly developed an injury-prone label going into 2027 after also missing the tail end of 2025 due to an injury. With the possibility of surgery down the road on his finger if it does not heal properly, Anthony will be a risk/reward fantasy outfielder in spring drafts.

New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried (elbow) had a bone spur removed from his left elbow but should be ready for spring training next year, general manager Brian Cashman told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. The 32-year-old veteran is expected to begin his throwing program in December, per Cashman. Fried had two separate stints on the injured list in 2026 for a left-elbow bone bruise, but when he was healthy, the three-time All-Star continued to be a fantasy ace, going 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA across 112 2/3 innings pitched. He is in the second year of his eight-year, $218 million contract that he signed with the Yankees as a free agent. The former seventh overall pick by the San Diego Padres in 2012 won a league-high 19 games and had a strong 2.86 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 189:51 K:BB in 195 1/3 innings across 32 starts in his first season in pinstripes in 2025, so in comparison, he was a disappointment overall for fantasy managers in 2026. As long as Fried does not have any setbacks with his elbow this offseason, he will be a high-end fantasy starting pitcher target in spring drafts.

Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart was named the National League Jackie Robinson 2026 Rookie of the Year, according to Major League Baseball. The 22-year-old Stewart immediately brought a power presence to Cincy's lineup, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 112 runs while putting together the first season with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBI for a Reds rookie. Overall, the former 32nd overall pick in 2022 hit .263/.330/.457 with a .787 OPS, 87 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases in 623 at-bats in 2026. Stewart became just the fifth rookie to record at least 100 RBI and 15 stolen bases, joining Carlos Beltran (1999), Jose Canseco (1986), Tony Lazzeri (1926), and Al Simmons (1924). Perhaps the most impressive thing about Stewart's first full season in the big leagues was that he played in all 162 regular-season games. He played in 18 games in 2025 and hit .255 (14-for-55) with five home runs and eight RBI in 58 plate appearances. Stewart's impressive 2026 campaign earned him 20 of 30 first-place votes for the NL.

Major League Baseball announced that Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle was named the 2026 American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year. McGonigle had an impressive first year in the big leagues, receiving 28 of 30 first-place votes after hitting .278/.376/.430 with an .806 OPS, 18 home runs, 72 RBI, 97 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases in 605 at-bats in 156 total games played in 2026. The 22-year-old's consistency on offense and defense was extremely impressive for a player who was just three years removed from high school. He led the AL with 7.1 wins above replacement and finished fifth in the league in walks and hits. McGonigle became the first rookie to finish within the top five in both categories since Ted Williams in 1939. He split time between shortstop and third base and signed an eight-year, $150 million extension midway through his first month in the majors. McGonigle's 97 runs scored led all rookies, and his 168 hits were tied with Mets outfielder Carson Benge for the lead among rookies.

Chicago White Sox right-hander Grant Taylor will move into the starting rotation for the White Sox in 2027, according to Adrian White of Just BB Media. Taylor has experience as a starter in the minors, but the only "starts" he has in his two major-league seasons in Chicago have been opening assignments. In 96 total appearances over 120 2/3 innings pitched since debuting in 2025, Taylor has a strong 3.06 ERA (2.36 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with 160 strikeouts and 45 walks. He went 7-3 in 2026 with a 2.25 ERA (2.77 FIP), 1.07 WHIP, and 106:30 K:BB in 84 innings pitched. Taylor also had 10 saves. The move to a starting role will certainly make Taylor more attractive in fantasy baseball leagues, but since he only threw 92 2/3 innings in total this past season, his overall ceiling will be limited from a fantasy perspective, with a likely strict innings limit so the White Sox do not overwork him. Taylor is no stranger to injuries, dealing with groin and lat injuries in 2024 and 2025 while also having Tommy John surgery back in 2023.

Chicago Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (neck), whose 2026 season ended in June due to a recurring neck injury, has not been cleared to throw, and surgery has not been ruled out, according to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic. At a minimum, Brown's short-term future is in question, which is yet another reason why pitching is Chicago's No. 1 priority this offseason. A neck injury also caused Brown to miss a big chunk of time back in 2024. The 27-year-old former 33rd-round pick in 2017 by the Philadelphia Phillies was excellent when available this past season, but he appeared in only 20 games (eight starts) for the Cubbies before being shut down. Brown went 4-2 with a career-best 1.85 ERA (2.50 FIP) and 0.94 WHIP with 65 strikeouts and 19 walks in 68 innings pitched. In 2025, he had a career-best 121 strikeouts and 32 walks in 106 1/3 frames. If he is forced to go under the knife, Brown almost certainly will not be ready for the start of the 2027 campaign, and it could force him to miss most, if not all, of next season. Because of Brown's health issues, it would not be a surprise to see the Cubs convert him into a full-time reliever.

Left-hander Tarik Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is arguably the best overall pitcher in baseball and is without a doubt the top free agent available this winter. Entering his age-30 season in 2027, Skubal will be the most sought-after player in baseball this offseason, and MLB Network's Jon Heyman believes that the New York Mets are the current favorites to eventually sign him. The Los Angeles Dodgers, who acquired Skubal from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline in early August, are also a strong bet to bring Skubal back after he went 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 70:13 K:BB in 62 innings over 10 regular-season starts for the Blue in the second half. There are unsurprisingly a lot of teams involved in the Skubal sweepstakes, but few teams have the kind of financial resources that the Mets and Dodgers do. The reason Heyman slightly favors the Mets is that he thinks they are more desperate for a turnaround after missing out on the postseason in each of the last two years. Heyman also mentions the San Diego Padres (with new ownership), the San Francisco Giants, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Toronto Blue Jays as some other teams that could seriously get involved. Regardless of where Skubal lands this offseason, he should be one of the top fantasy targets among starting pitchers in 2027.

Across 615 plate appearances in 2026, Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin hit .284/.358/.459 with 25 home runs, 79 RBI, 85 runs scored, and three stolen bases. The 25-year-old got off to a scorching-hot start to the season before suffering an oblique strain in mid-May that sidelined him for about a month. Baldwin struggled upon his return, hitting just .063 across 50 plate appearances in June after being reinserted into the Braves lineup. However, the young backstop bounced back and closed the season strong, hitting .315 with 10 home runs across 296 plate appearances after the All-Star break. Baldwin's underlying metrics supported his production at the plate, as he posted an excellent 50.9% hard-hit rate and kept his strikeout rate to a manageable 21.5%. Atlanta also frequently used him at designated hitter, both keeping his legs fresh and keeping him in the lineup on an everyday basis. Heading into 2027, Baldwin is in the conversation as the top catcher in fantasy baseball.