MLB Player News

Murakami has been a brilliant player for the Yakult Swallows, particularly in hitting .318/.458/.711 with 56 homers as a 22-year-old in 2022, but his last two seasons have been rather disappointing. In 2024, he hit .244/.379/.472 with 33 homers and 180 strikeouts in 610 plate appearances. That 851 OPS was still 206 points better than the Central League’s .645 mark on the whole, but it definitely didn’t meet expectations. Also, while Murakami has mostly played third in Japan, he’ll likely be viewed by major league teams as a first baseman. He still should set off quite a bidding war — since he’s coming over at age 26, he’ll be able to make most of his true worth in the posting system — but how he performs next season will determine whether he’s treated as one of the best corner infield free agents of all-time or just a quality regular.

Boyd will have a relatively unobstructed path in spring training to secure a starting rotation spot in Chicago with only youngster Ben Brown standing in his way. The 33-year-old southpaw struck out nearly 28 percent of the batters he faced last season across eight starts for the upstart Guardians, and also looked extremely impressive in three postseason starts, in his return from Tommy John surgery. The raw stuff appears to be back to pre-surgery levels, and he’s always missed enough bats — when healthy — to make an impact for fantasy managers, especially in deeper mixed leagues. At a bare minimum, Boyd is worthy of a speculative dice roll in the late stages of deeper fantasy drafts next spring as a low-risk lottery ticket.

Montas getting a two-year deal for this kind of money is quite a surprise. Even more so that it comes with a player option; if he pitches well, he’s gone after one year, and if not, he’ll be back for $17 million in 2026. Montas was thoroughly mediocre for the Reds and Brewers last season, going 7-11 with a 4.84 ERA. Maybe he’ll be better in a second full year back from shoulder surgery... the Mets obviously believe so.

If the 25-year-old is seeking an opportunity to make a big-league roster, the White Sox seem like a perfect choice. Mitchell spent the entire 2024 campaign at Triple-A El Paso where he slashed .277/.359/.512 with 22 homers, 70 RBI, 12 stolen bases and a 95/55 K/BB ratio across 469 plate appearances. He could wind up being a sneaky late-round option in the deepest of mixed league drafts if he finds his way into regular at-bats.

McCullough elaborated, “He looked great, he sounded great, felt like he was really right on track at this point… All signs point to things looking very positive for the start of the season.” The star 29-year-old right-hander missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery. He should provide a major boost atop the Marlins’ rotation to begin the 2025 season. Early fantasy drafters haven’t forgotten about him, as his average draft position currently sits just outside the top-150 players overall.

The 27-year-old will earn $1 million in 2025 including a signing bonus of $200,000. De Jesus had been receiving interest from MLB teams this off-season, but ultimately decided that it was in his best interest to remain in Korea. Th right-hander went 13-11 with a 3.68 ERA and a 178/44 K/BB ratio over 171 1/3 innings with the Kiwoom Heroes in 2024.

Mike Ford, on the other hand, has become a free agent after struggling to establish himself in his first year in Japan. Austin, who came up with the Yankees in 2016, is well established as one of Japan’s best hitters after five seasons with Yokohama. In 2024, he led the Central League in average, just edging out Domingo Santana, and OPS, coming in at .316/.382/.601 in 445 plate appearances.

It’s a one-year deal for $900,000 for Thompson. The 28-year-old has been in the Cubs’ organization since being drafted in the 11th round back in 2018, and in 2024 he forged a 5.95 ERA with a 99/44 K/BB over 107 1/3 innings.

The deal is now official after passing his physical. Snell is a major boost to the Los Angeles rotation, and when healthy he’s been among the most effective pitchers in baseball; an understatement as seen in two Cy Young awards. He should pitch near the top of the rotation, and while managers need to take some precautions based on his durability, this is a wonderful fit for both fantasy and reality.

Ramirez was released by the Blue Jays back in November, and it’s not surprising the 30-year-old is heading overseas. A strong season in the NPB could give him a wider market come 2026.

Tough business. Perlaza, a former Cubs minor leaguer, was the Eagles’ best hitter last season, coming in at .275/.364/.486 with 24 homers. He’s still just 26 and he had a .922 OPS in Triple-A in 2023, so he could receive interest from major league teams, presumably on a minor league deal. Other players non-tendered by Korean clubs this week include former big leaguers Eric Lauer, Roenis Elias, Jordan Balazovic and Brandon Waddell. Waddell was cut despite having gone 23-10 with a 2.98 ERA in 43 starts since 2022.