Yu Darvish's Strikeout Rate Is Impressive

Free-agent starting pitcher Yu Darvish has struck out 29.7 percent of the batters he's faced in his career, which is the highest rate in history for a starter with at least 500 innings, ahead of Chris Sale (29.2 percent), Stephen Strasburg (29.0 percent) and Randy Johnson (28.6 percent). Darvish is only behind Max Scherzer (30.4 […]

Zack Wheeler Wins Arbitration Case

New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler won his arbitration case and will make $1.9 million in 2018. The Mets were offering $1.5 million. With Wheeler, the story has been arm injuries, as he missed two full years following Tommy John surgery, and he was inconsistent in 2017 with more arm issues. There remains upside […]

Gregory Polanco Trained Hard In Offseason

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco took his offseason training very seriously after having the worst season of his career in 2017, in which he played in only 108 games due to shoulder, groin and hamstring injuries that caused him to land on the disabled list three separate times. Polanco trained in the Dominican Republic after […]

Lance Lynn Drawing Interest from Several Teams

Free-agent starting pitcher Lance Lynn is reportedly drawing interest from seven or eight teams. The Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles are confirmed to be among the teams showing interest, but they are also reportedly exploring the trade market for starting pitching as well. The source mentions that the Cardinals, Lynn's former team, are "not in […]

Archie Bradley in the Mix for Closer Spot in 2018

Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Archie Bradley will compete with Brad Boxberger and Yoshihisa Hirano for the closer role in Arizona. In his first season as a reliever, Bradley posted a 3-3 record with a 1.73 ERA, 74 strikeouts and one save. He spent most of the year as the D-backs most versatile bullpen hand, pitching multiple […]

Cardinals Have No Interest In Bringing Lance Lynn Back

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the St. Louis Cardinals have shown no interest in bringing back free-agent starting pitcher Lance Lynn. After going 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA in 2017, his first season back from Tommy John surgery, Lynn has a 72-47 career record and a 3.38 career ERA. Goold mentions […]

Indians Sign Stephen Fife

The Cleveland Indians signed pitcher Stephen Fife to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Fife is 31 and hasn't pitched in a major league game since he underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2014. He spent 2017 with the Marlins organization and with the Seibu Lions in Japan. He's organizational depth, at […]

J.D. Martinez Discussing Deals With Arizona

Free-agent outfielder J.D. Martinez, who has a five-year offer of at least $120 million from the Red Sox, has discussed short-term and long-term deals with the Arizona Diamondbacks as well. With the free-agent market moving like molasses and although the Red Sox have been the favorites to land Martinez all along, the D-backs may remain […]

Noah Syndergaard Focusing On Lean Workouts

New York Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who missed four months in 2017 with a torn lat muscle, is doing a vastly different workout routine this year that is focused on athleticism instead of bulking up. "I'm trying to become more athletic overall and doing the right kind of lifts," said the leaner Syndergaard. "It's […]

Rangers Trade Russell Wilson To The Yankees

ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports that the Texas Rangers traded Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson today to the New York Yankees in exchange for future consideration. It might surprise some that Wilson actually played nearly 100 games in the Colorado Rockies system after being drafted in the 4th round of the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft. Wilson […]

Cubs Appear Best-Positioned To Land Yu Darvish

MLB.com is reporting that the Chicago Cubs are in the best position to land free-agent starting pitcher Yu Darvish. Among the teams still in on Darvish, aside from the Cubs, are the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins. Darvish has been rumored to be holding out hope that the Dodgers or […]

J.D. Martinez Still In Negotiations With Red Sox

Free-agent outfielder J.D. Martinez is not "fed up" with the Boston Red Sox, per earlier reports. "J.D. is involved in multiple negotiations and is pleased with the participants and the good-faith process," Scott Boras, Martinez's agent, reportedly said. "Suggestions otherwise are not accurate." The Red Sox have been viewed as the favorites to land Martinez […]

Orioles Re-Sign Craig Gentry

The Baltimore Orioles re-signed outfielder Craig Gentry to a minor league deal that will pay him $900,000 if he's on the major league roster. The deal includes an invite to spring training. Gentry hit .257 with two home runs, 11 RBI and five steals in 101 at-bats for the O's in 2017 while seeing time […]

Twins Still Interested In Jaime Garcia

The Minnesota Twins continue to show interest in free-agent starting pitcher Jaime Garcia, according to multiple sources. Garcia won his only start with Minnesota last summer before being flipped to the Yankees. Between three teams, including the Braves, Garcia went 5-10 with a 4.41 ERA in 27 starts in 2017. At this point in his […]

Eugenio Suarez Loses Arbitration Case

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez lost his salary arbitration case and will make $3.75 million in 2018. Suarez showed real growth at the plate in 2017, hitting .260 with 26 home runs and 82 RBI in 156 games. That could be his ceiling, but his improved walk rate (13.3 percent) could mean that he […]

Luis Severino Prepared For Another Big Workload

New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino worked with Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez in the Dominican Republic this offseason and is ready for another big workload in 2018 after he threw 193 1/3 innings during the regular season and another 16 in four playoff starts. Severino tossed 151 1/3 innings in 2016. "That was […]

Ervin Santana Has Surgery, Out 10-12 Weeks

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Ervin Santana (finger) underwent surgery on the middle finger of his right hand and will be out 10 to 12 weeks from Tuesday. This will obviously put a serious dent in Santana's fantasy value, as he will now miss the start of the regular season. The veteran right-hander was an All-Star […]

Pirates Sign Daniel Nava

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed free-agent outfielder Daniel Nava on Tuesday, according to a source. The expectation is that he could become part of a left field platoon situation. Nava landed on the disabled list three times in 2017 for the Phillies and has played in just 134 games in the past two seasons. When he […]

Todd Frazier Agrees To Terms With Mets

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that free-agent infielder Todd Frazier has agreed to a two-year, $17 million contract, with the New York Mets. It is a nice deal for Frazier, who aside from home runs, has struggled in recent years. This past season, the 31-year-old hit .213 with 27 home runs and 76 RBI […]

Blue Jays Not Talking Josh Donaldson Extension Yet

The 2017-2018 MLB offseason has been a slow grind in terms of free agent signings, and many believe that is in-part due to the monster free agent class that will hit the market next year. Toronto Blue Jays third basemen Josh Donaldson is one of those players, and as of now, he seems primed to […]

Marlins, Nationals Continue Not Making Progress On J.T. Realmuto Deal

Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reports that the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals have made no progress in a deal involving catcher J.T. Realmuto. The Marlins are said to be asking for either Victor Robles or Juan Soto, two of the Nationals prized prospects. Realmuto is likely to be the next Marlin moved, but […]

David Wright Hasn’t Started Baseball Activity

New York Mets third baseman David Wright has had a rough few years due to various injuries, and 2018 hasn’t gotten off to any better of a start. Wright told the New York Post he hasn’t started baseball activities yet and didn’t sound as if he knows when he will. Perhaps even more ominous, Wright […]

Aaron Nola Signs Split Deal

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola signed a split deal Friday which will earn him $573,000 in the majors in 2018. Nola was injured early last season, but he returned to become the clear ace for Philly, going 12-11 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and excellent 184 strikeouts in 168 innings. Nola's arm was […]

Rangers Have Discussed Deal With Elvis Andrus

Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, who can opt out of his eight-year contract either of the next two years, said there haven't been any formal conversations with the team about a contract extension. However, a source said general manager Jon Daniels has briefly talked with Andrus' agent, Scott Boras, about a new deal that would […]

Rangers Unlikely To Reunite With Yu Darvish

Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said it's unlikely that the team will sign free-agent starter pitcher Yu Darvish or any of the other big-name free-agent pitchers. "We've maintained contact with Darvish, but I think it's unlikely we'll bring in one of the upper-end pitchers," Daniels said. Darvish went 6-9 with a 4.01 ERA, 1.17 […]

Julio Urias Starts Throwing Again

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias (shoulder) posted a video of himself on his Instagram account that shows him throwing for the first time in seven months. The 21-year-old had surgery on his left anterior shoulder capsule last June, which ended his 2017 season. Despite calling the video the "the happiest day of his therapy," he […]

Bruce Maxwell Nearing Resolution On Legal Issues

Oakland A's catcher Bruce Maxwell may be able to resolve his legal issues before spring training begins. Maxwell has a settlement conference scheduled for Feb. 12, where he could reach a plea deal for his arrest. Maxwell was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct stemming from an incident […]

Fernando Rodney Plans To Pitch For Years To Come

Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Fernando Rodney, who will turn 44 years old this March, thinks he can remain effective for several more years. "If you can control the game, it doesn't matter how old you are," Rodney said. "Closing is the situation in the game that I feel most comfortable. I feel like I can […]

Alex Reyes Enters 2018 Without a Set Role

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Alex Reyes is already in Jupiter, Fla., getting a head start on spring training. The young right-hander is recovering from last year's Tommy John Surgery, and the team has set May 1 as a goal for having him back on the mound. What they have not yet set, though, is […]

Brad Miller Expected To Play First Base

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said the plan for now is for infielder Brad Miller to play first base, with Micah Johnson, Daniel Robertson, Ryan Schimpf and Joey Wendle battling for the second base duties. Miller is also a candidate to start at the keystone if the Rays add a first baseman before the […]