MLB Player News

Robert did what he could for the White Sox on Sunday with three hard-hit balls that all turned into singles along with two walks. The walks are especially interesting: this was the fourth time Robert has walked twice in a game since returning from injury. He only walked twice in a single game three times all of last season. In what’s been a “bad” season, Robert’s OPS is up to .804 in 43 games played.

Despite the rumors that they have often offered the most money, Toronto has famously come up just short on big-name free agents over the last two off-seasons like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Corbin Burnes. Now they appear to be in the mix for the top prize remaining in this year’s free agent class. Sasaki can sign with a major-league club starting Wednesday when the international signing period opens; although, the common belief is that he will sign with either the Dodgers or Padres.

The 28-year-old hurler had a rough time in 2024 where he went 0-6 with a 7.97 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and a 26/9 K/BB ratio over 35 innings in nine appearances (seven starts) between the White Sox and Pirates. You can never have enough pitching depth — especially in Colorado — so the move makes sense from that perspective. Fantasy managers can obviously ignore this one.

The market has been surprisingly quiet on Flaherty over the past couple of weeks, though the Blue Jays, Cubs, Giants and Tigers have been mentioned as teams that were in the mix for his services. If it’s a short-term deal, that could open up the possibilities even further. It’s entirely possible that Flaherty is waiting until Roki Sasaki ultimately signs, to drive up the urgency of the teams that miss out.

The 33-year-old right-hander was terrific for the Padres in 2024, posting a 2.77 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and a 59/16 K/BB ratio over 65 innings while racking up 36 saves. It sounds like the Padres are simply doing their due diligence and exploring all possible avenues to improve their ballclub and that there’s nothing imminent on Suarez. It’s something that fantasy managers should at least keep in mind though when deciding to call Suarez’s name on draft day.

Alvarez, 30, saw some action in the big leagues with the Athletics in in 2024, slashing .243/.282/.270 with two RBI and a stolen base in 39 plate appearances. He’ll add infield depth for the Twins.

The 27-year-old hurler underwent Tommy John surgery back in June, so the chances of him being ready for a return in August seem a bit optimistic. The Jays will undoubtedly play it cautiously in his recovery, and despite the fact that he feels “brand new” it’s unlikely that he winds up logging meaningful innings for the Blue Jays in 2025.

Alexander notes that the Twins will be one of at least 10 teams that plan on attending Anderson’s pro day on January 23. The 34-year-old hurler appeared in 37 games out of the Royals’ bullpen during the 2024 season, registering a 4.04 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and a 29/15 K/BB ratio across 35 2/3 innings.

The 31-year-old hurler underwent his second Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery in June and will miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season while recovering. Wherever he ultimately does sign, expect it to be a two-year pact so the team can take advantage of a full and healthy season from him.

Cooper, 34, didn’t get much of a chance last season, playing in 36 games with the Cubs and Red Sox and hitting .206/.267/.299. He’s still probably a solid right-handed bat, but since he’s no longer a realistic option in the outfield, he’s a tough sell as a bench player. The Braves could keep him as Triple-A insurance, just as they did with Yuli Gurriel for much of last season.

Servais was fired in the middle of the 2024 season after recording a 680-642 record with the Mariners and leading them to one postseason appearance. The 57-year-old will likely be a candidate for manager jobs during the 2026 cycle.