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MLB Player News

Rotoworld

  • FA Relief Pitcher #73
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    Cubs non-tendered RHP Adbert Alzolay, INF Patrick Wisdom, OF Brennen Davis and RHP Trey Wingenter.
    This was a formality after all of these players were DFA’d to open up 40-man roster spots on Tuesday. They’re officially free agents now. It sounds like the Cubs are hoping Alzolay returns, but Wisdom is likely to head elsewhere.
  • WAS General Manager
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    The Nationals won the MLB Draft Lottery and will pick first overall in the 2025 MLB Draft.
    The ping pong balls came through for the Nationals as they secure the top selection in next year’s MLB Draft after having just 10 percent odds of landing the first overall pick. Oklahoma prep shortstop Ethan Holliday — son of former Rockies star Matt Holliday and brother of Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday — and Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette are among the top candidates for the first-overall selection next year. All non-playoff teams are entered into the draft lottery for the top six picks with both the Athletics and White Sox -- who landed the 11th and 10th picks, respectively -- ineligbile for revenue sharing reasons. Here’s how the rest of the draft order shook out: (1) Nationals, (2) Angels, (3) Mariners, (4) Rockies, (5) Cardinals, (6) Pirates, (7) Marlins, (8) Blue Jays, (9) Reds, (10) White Sox, (11) Athletics, (12) Rangers, (13) Giants, (14) Rays, (15) Red Sox, (16) Twins, (17) Cubs, (18) Diamondbacks.
  • FA Starting Pitcher #54
    ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports the Yankees and Max Fried are in agreement on an eight-year, $218 million contract.
    It’s a massive deal for the Yankees, who have their co-ace to pair with Gerrit Cole for the foreseeable future. It’s the largest in baseball history for a left-handed pitcher as New York pivots after failing to retain generational superstar Juan Soto. The 30-year-old southpaw struck out 23 percent of the batters he faced last year with the Braves, finishing with a strong 3.25 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 166/57 K/BB ratio across 174 1/3 innings (29 starts). The move doesn’t change a ton for Fried from a fantasy perspective heading into next season as he remains a certifiable top 20-range option among starting pitchers.
  • FA Starting Pitcher #54
    MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports the Yankees are willing to make a seven-year contract offer to Max Fried.
    We’d certainly hope so. The expectation all along was that New York would be in the mix for Fried, but their pursuit has presumably ramped up in recent days after failing to retain generational slugger Juan Soto. All indications point to Fried, who has also been linked to the Red Sox and Blue Jays as well, making his final decision this week before the Winter Meetings wrap up. The 30-year-old southpaw struck out 23 percent of the batters he faced last year with the Braves, finishing with a strong 3.25 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 166/57 K/BB ratio across 174 1/3 innings (29 starts).
  • DET Starting Pitcher #35
    Tigers signed RHP Alex Cobb to a one-year, $15 million contract.
    The deal, which was agreed to earlier this week, is now official after Cobb passed his physical. The 37-year-old veteran hurler’s ongoing injury issues curtail his realistic upside for fantasy purposes, but he’s remained a viable streaming option for fantasy managers in recent years, especially in deeper mixed leagues. He was limited to just three starts last year with the division-rival Guardians due to hip, shoulder and blister issues. He’s unlikely to reverse a three-year decline in strikeout rate, but his above-average control remains intact. He’s probably best left on the waiver wire to open the year, but if he’s healthy there aren’t a ton of more pitcher-friendly ballparks than Detroit, especially in the early portion of the year when the temperatures are near the freezing mark.
  • SF Shortstop #27
    Giants signed SS Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million contract.
    The deal is now official after Adames passed his physical. Without being too hyperbolic, the move to San Francisco is pretty much the worst-case scenario landing spot for fantasy purposes since Oracle Park ranks almost dead-last (28th) in home runs for right-handed batters, according to Statcast park factors over the last three seasons. That doesn’t mean Adames won’t remain a strong fantasy contributor with the Giants. We’re confident projecting the 29-year-old stalwart as a top 10 shortstop from a fantasy perspective heading into 2025 since we’re still comfortable locking in a realistic 25-homer floor. However, it’s difficult to forecast a repeat of last year’s career-high 32 round-trippers with the Brewers since Oracle Park puts a realistic ceiling on his over-the-fence pop upside.
  • FA Second Baseman #25
    MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports Gleyber Torres is drawing interest from the Blue Jays and Angels.
    The Blue Jays would be the preferred landing spot for fantasy purposes since it would keep Torres in the hitter-friendly AL East, but he would make a ton of sense for Los Angeles, enabling them to move Luis Rengifo around the diamond. The big question here is whether signing Torres would be a bigger statement about the health of shortstop Zach Neto heading into next year in the wake of his offseason shoulder surgery.
  • FA Shortstop #7
    The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports Jorge Polanco has met with the Astros and Blue Jays at the Winter Meetings.
    Polanco’s persistent knee issues are the biggest obstacle to his fantasy relevance at this juncture of his career. If he’s able to stay on the field, he would make a ton of sense for Houston or Toronto as additional infield insurance. He would give the Astros a fallback option at the hot corner in case they’re unable to retain star Alex Bregman.
  • FA Relief Pitcher #93
    Ari Alexander of KPRC reports that the Blue Jays are signing Yimi Garcia to a two-year contract.
    Garcia joins the Blue Jays after spending most of the 2024 season with Toronto before a deadline trade to the Mariners. The right-hander picked up an elbow injury to end the year, but was effective with a 3.46 ERA and 49/12 K/BB in 34 innings prior to being placed on the injured. He should serve as a bridge to whomever the Blue Jays sign to close in 2025.
  • BAL Catcher #99
    Orioles signed C Gary Sanchez to a one-year, $8.5 million contract.
    Sanchez will be the backup backstop to Adley Rutschman, but should see playing time against left-handed pitching as a designated hitter as well. His position makes him a bit more appealing in fantasy than any other, but Sanchez would need an injury to Rutschman to be a truly viable starting catcher in fantasy.
  • BAL Right Fielder #17
    Orioles signed OF Tyler O’Neill to a three-year, $49.5 million contract.
    O’Neill and Gary Sanchez both became official Tuesday. The outfielder will be a starting corner outfielder for the Orioles after hitting .241 with 31 homers and an .847 OPS in his first and only season with the Red Sox in 2024. He won’t help in the average category, but O’Neill has enough pop to be a solid run producer while playing in a quality Baltimore lineup.