RADIO
Garrett Richards Agrees With Padres
11/29:The San Diego Padres agreed on a two-year deal worth around $15 million with free-agent starting pitcher Garrett Richards (elbow) on Thursday, according to sources. Richards had Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss all of the 2019 season, so this deal is for 2020 and beyond. The oft-injured right-hander has high-end starting pitcher stuff when he's healthy, but he hasn't been able to stay on the field for long stretches. He'll come at excellent value in 2020 drafts in the later rounds.Source: Yahoo Sports - Jeff Passan
Twins Avoid Arbitration With Ehire Adrianza
11/29:The Minnesota Twins avoided salary arbitration with shortstop Ehire Adrianza on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $1.3 million deal. Adrianza is mainly a utility infielder who hit .251/.301/.379 with six home runs, 39 RBI and five stolen bases in 114 games for the Twins in 2018. He has very limited value in AL-only leagues for next season.Source: MLB.com - Rhett Bollinger
Cubs Send Tommy La Stella To Angels
11/29:The Chicago Cubs have dealt infielder Tommy La Stella to the Los Angeles Angels for a player to be named later or cash considerations. La Stella has made a career as a bench player and pinch-hitter. His versatility can help strengthen the Angels bench, but La Stella can be avoided in most formats as he is unlikely to see enough at-bats to make a significant impact. La Stella is a career .264 hitter with ten home runs and 94 RBI over five years.Source: Sahadev Sharma
J.T. Realmuto Continues To Attract Interest
11/29:The Astros, Dodgers and Yankees are among the teams that have shown interest in trading for Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto. Houston is believed to be willing to include outfield prospect Kyle Tucker but probably not top pitching prospect Forrest Whitley. The Yankees still hold catcher Gary Sanchez in high enough regard that they have resisted offering other top pieces in a package with Sanchez for Realmuto. The Marlins are requesting a lot in return for Realmuto, but he has proven to be the best hitting catcher in the game the last several seasons. Realmuto seems to prefer a trade after the two sides were nowhere close on a contract extension. No matter where Realmuto is playing in 2019, he should be the first catcher off the board in fantasy drafts.Source: Fan Cred - Jon Heyman
Dodgers Discussing Trade For Corey Kluber
11/29:The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to discuss a trade for Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber, according to sources. One possibility involves the Dodgers sending outfielder Yasiel Puig to Cleveland in addition to at least one other significant player. LA would likely be willing to move left-hander Alex Wood and right-handed prospect Yadier Alvarez. The Tribe are also dangling starters Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer on the trade market this winter. The Indians continue to maintain a high price tag on all of their starters and are not close to making a blockbuster trade. Kluber is aging but has finished in the top 10 in American League Cy Young voting in each of the last five seasons. A Dodgers rotation with Clayton Kershaw and Corey Kluber at the top would be fearsome for the rest of the league.Source: MLB.com - Jon Paul Morosi
Reds In On Dallas Keuchel
11/29:The Cincinnati Reds are said to be "all over" free-agent starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel, and they think the ground-ball pitcher is a fit for hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark. Keuchel's agent, Scott Boras, is touting the lefty as "another (Tom) Glavine." The 2015 American League Cy Young winner was 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 6.7 K/9 across 34 starts in 2018 with the Astros. He's not attractive for his strikeout numbers and must hit his spots and keep the ball down to be effective. Fantasy owners might shy away even more if he lands in Cincy.Source: Fan Cred - Jon Heyman
Jose Leclerc Receiving Trade Interest
11/29:Multiple teams have contacted the Texas Rangers about the availability of closer Jose Leclerc this offseason. Leclerc was electric in 2018, posting a 1.56 ERA, finishing with a 21-inning scoreless streak and posting the lowest opponent's batting average (.126) by any reliever. He also finished the year as the closer and had 12 saves and a career-high 13.3 K/9. A source said the Rangers don't want to move Leclerc unless they're overwhelmed by a trade offer. The right-hander has four years of control left before he becomes a free agent, and Texas has considered offering him a contract extension that would buy out a year or two of free agency. Leclerc's fantasy value is clearly on the rise, but his ceiling for saves will be limited on a rebuilding club.Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Jeff Wilson
Jonathan Schoop Could Hit Open Market
11/29:There is a strong possibility that the Milwaukee Brewers non-tender second baseman Jonathan Schoop on Friday, which would make him a free agent, according to sources. Schoop was an All-Star in 2017 with the Orioles, but he struggled mightily after being traded to the Brewers in the second half of the 2018 season. He is projected to make $10.1 million in arbitration. The Brewers could also trade him. Schoop has still managed to hit at least 21 home runs in each of the last three seasons, but he may never top the 30-homer mark again. His 2017 season may have been an outlier.Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
Jeff McNeil Being Discussed In Mets-Mariners Potential Swap
11/29:New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil is being discussed in the potential trade between the Mets and Seattle Mariners that would involve second baseman Robinson Cano and closer Edwin Diaz, according to a source. Several first-round picks, including 2018's Jarred Kelenic, are also being discussed. McNeil came out of nowhere this year to hit .329/.381/.471 with three homers and 19 RBI in 225 at-bats for New York. A fortunate BABIP means his average will likely regress, so don't overspend on him at the keystone in 2019. He would likely be the starting second baseman in Seattle if he was involved in this trade.Source: MLB.com - Jonathan Mayo
Dodgers, Padres Make Offers To Garrett Richards
11/29:The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres have made offers to free-agent starting pitcher Garrett Richards (elbow), according to sources. Richards had Tommy John surgery this year and will miss all of the 2019 season, so fantasy owners in redraft leagues can ignore him heading into spring drafts. The right-hander's career has been marred by injuries so far, but when he's healthy he has the stuff to be a high-end fantasy starter. Landing with the Dodgers would be ideal for his value in 2020.Source: Fan Cred - Jon Heyman
Mets Making Progress In Deal For Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz
11/29:There is significant momentum toward a deal that would send Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano and All-Star closer Edwin Diaz to the New York Mets, according to league sources. A deal is not done yet, but the expectation is that the trade will get finished. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that two former first-round picks -- outfielder Jarred Kelenic and pitcher Justin Dunn -- are under consideration to be sent to Seattle. Kelenic was the sixth overall pick of the 2018 draft, and Dunn was the 19th overall selection in 2016. Cano has five years and $120 million remaining on his contract, but the Mariners are believed to be willing to eat a large chunk of the contract in order to ship him out. Cano also has a full no-trade clause, although he seems willing to waive it to play in New York again. Stay tuned for more details throughout the day.Source: Yahoo Sports - Jeff Passan
Franmil Reyes To Have Surgery Thursday
11/28:Updating a previous report, San Diego Padres outfielder Franmil Reyes (knee) will have surgery on Thursday to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee. His expected recovery time will be between four and eight weeks, so he should be ready in time for spring training. Reyes had an 11-game hitting streak going in the Dominican Republic winter league and hit an impressive .280/.340/.498 with 16 home runs and 31 RBI in 87 games in his rookie season. He has a place on mixed league rosters as a late-round pick if he sees consistent playing time in 2019.Source: The Athletic - Dennis Lin
Franmil Reyes To Have Knee Examined
11/28:San Diego Padres outfielder Franmil Reyes (knee) returned to San Diego to have his right knee examined after an injury that has sidelined him for more than a week during the Dominican winter league. The 23-year-old was hitting an impressive .444/.510/.689 with three home runs, six RBI and 11 strikeouts to six walks in 13 games for Escogido. Reyes had an 11-game hitting streak before his injury sidelined him. Reyes should have a pretty solid role in 2019 after hitting .280/.340/.498 with 16 home runs and 52 RBI in 87 games with the Friars in his rookie year. Hopefully his knee injury is minor and doesn't cause him to get a late start next year.Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Jeff Sanders
Blue Jays Could Trade Russell Martin
11/28:The Toronto Blue Jays have discussed trading catcher Russell Martin, according to league sources. Toronto will likely have to eat much of the remaining money on Martin's final year of his deal, as he hit a measly .194/.338/.325 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI in 289 at-bats in 2018. Martin will be 36 years old next season and doesn't appear to have much left in the tank. However, he can be a nice veteran presence and backup for another team.Source: Yahoo Sports - Jeff Passan
Pirates Have Discussed Trading Francisco Cervelli
11/28:The Pittsburgh Pirates have discussed trading catcher Francisco Cervelli, according to league sources. Even with a decent amount of catching available in the offseason, Cervelli will be attractive to teams because of his high on-base percentage and makeup behind the dish. He hit .259/.378/.431 with a career-high 12 home runs and 57 RBI in 104 games with the Bucs in 2018. Injuries are a concern, but Cervelli isn't a bad second catcher in two-catcher leagues. Elias Diaz would likely be locked into a heavy workload if Cervelli were to be traded.Source: Yahoo Sports - Jeff Passan
