December 31, 2025
Free-agent outfielder
Jarred Kelenic is signing a non-roster deal with the Chicago White Sox, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The 26-year-old spent the last couple of years with the Atlanta Braves after originally being a first-round pick by the New York Mets back in 2018. Kelenic was once one of the Seattle Mariners' top prospects, but he has never been able to put it all together at the plate and has a career .658 OPS in five big-league seasons. He'll have a better shot to make the big-league roster in Chicago, but Kelenic is coming off his worst season as a pro, slashing .167/.231/.300 with a .531 OPS, two home runs, two RBI, and 23 strikeouts in 65 plate appearances in 24 games for Atlanta. He wasn't much better at Triple-A Gwinnett, hitting .213/.286/.309 in 95 games. At best, Kelenic will probably be hoping for a platoon role with the White Sox in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
December 30, 2025
The Los Angeles Angels and third baseman
Anthony Rendon agreed to restructure the rest of his contract on Tuesday, a league source told Sam Blum of The Athletic. The agreement will allow the 35-year-old Rendon to retire with one year left on his contract. He is owed the $38 million for the final year of his seven-year, $245 million deal, and the Angels will pay out that money over the next three to five years to free up significant cash for the club to pursue high-profile free agents in 2026. A second hip surgery caused Rendon to miss all of 2025. He will remain on the roster next year, but he's likely to be placed on the 60-day injured list at the outset of spring training. In six years with the Halos, Rendon appeared in just 257 of a possible 1,032 games.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Sam Blum
December 30, 2025
Free-agent right-handed reliever
Kirby Yates and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal on Tuesday, pending a physical, a source told Ari Alexander. Yates will stay in L.A. after spending the 2025 campaign with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, where he went 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA (4.76 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, three saves, 52 strikeouts, and 17 walks in 41 1/3 innings out of the bullpen during the regular season. It was a disappointing year for the 38-year-old veteran after he recorded a 1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 33 saves the year prior with the Texas Rangers. Yates is no spring chicken, but he could bounce back to better results in 2026 and will be in the mix for more saves next season in an Angels bullpen that lost
Kenley Jansen in free agency. Yates' primary competition for saves next season will come from the oft-injured
Robert Stephenson and veteran lefty
Drew Pomeranz.
--Keith HernandezSource: Ari Alexander
December 29, 2025
The Miami Marlins are acquiring speedy outfielder
Esteury Ruiz from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday in exchange for Cuban right-hander Adriano Marrero, sources told Francys Romero. Marrero had signed with the Marlins for a $350,000 signing bonus on Jan. 15 of last year. Ruiz, 26, led all of baseball with 67 stolen bases back in 2023 with the Athletics, but he couldn't replicate that success with the A's in 2024 and was eventually cut. The Dominican outfielder latched on with the Dodgers last year but ended up playing in only 19 games at the big-league level, going 4-for-21 (.190) at the plate with a homer, two RBI, and four steals. Ruiz, despite his electric wheels, has not been an asset defensively and has slashed only .241/.296/.343 in his four seasons in the majors. While he could start 2026 in the minors, Ruiz has a much better shot to return to the big leagues and stick around now that he's in Miami.
--Keith HernandezSource: Francys Romero
December 29, 2025
Right-hander
Zach Eflin re-signed with the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday night on a one-year deal worth $10 million, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The deal includes a mutual option for the 2027 season. The 31-year-old veteran will stick around in Baltimore as he looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season, in which he went 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA (5.64 FIP), 1.42 WHIP, and 50:13 K:BB ratio in 14 starts (71 1/3 frames). Eflin's poor season probably had a lot to do with a back injury that required season-ending surgery in August. He should be back to full health for spring training in February. Eflin also dealt with a right-lat strain. Even if he's fully healthy come Opening Day, outside of his elite control, he won't have a ton of fantasy upside on the wrong side of 30, especially in the tough American League East.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
December 29, 2025
Left-handed pitcher
Andrew Heaney officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on Sunday after 12 seasons in the big leagues. Heaney will ride off into the sunset after winning a World Series ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers in October. The 34-year-old southpaw began the 2025 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates before joining the Dodgers. He made only one appearance for L.A. during the regular season, allowing three earned runs in two innings of relief. Overall, Heaney had a 5.52 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with 86 strikeouts and 40 walks in 122 1/3 innings over 27 outings (23 starts) in 2025. He was originally the ninth overall pick by the Marlins in 2012 out of Oklahoma State. In his 12 MLB seasons with six different teams, Heaney went 56-72 with a 4.57 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 23.8% strikeout rate in 1,136 2/3 regular-season innings over 230 appearances (208 starts).
--Keith HernandezSource: Talkin' Baseball
December 27, 2025
The Cincinnati Reds acquired outfielder
Dane Myers from the Miami Marlins on Saturday. The two teams have agreed on a deal that sends Myers to the Reds in exchange for outfielder
Ethan O'Donnell. Myers didn't have a clear path to playing time in Miami, so the Marlins decided to move on from him. He slashed .235/.291/.326 with six home runs, 31 RBI, and 18 stolen bases in 106 games with the Marlins this past season. The expectation is that Myers will compete for a starting corner outfield spot, but will likely end up settling into a bench role. As for O'Donnell, he slashed .236/.327/.325 with seven homers, 56 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in 125 games in Double-A this past season. He's a former sixth-round pick who offers decent upside due to his speed. This seems like a fair trade for both sides, but it's unlikely to have much of an impact in fantasy leagues next season.
--Andy WebbSource: Cincinnati Reds
December 27, 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies have signed relief pitcher
Genesis Cabrera to a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training. Cabrera has found a new home after being removed from the Minnesota Twins' 40-man roster. The southpaw pitched with four different MLB teams this past season. He didn't have much success at any of his stops, but maybe Philly can figure him out. Cabrera finished with a 6.54 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 35/18 K/BB ratio across 42.2 innings last season. He experienced success earlier in his career with the St. Louis Cardinals. Hopefully, the Phillies can tap into that, but if not, it's a low-risk move, with only an invite to camp extended to Cabrera.
--Andy WebbSource: Mike Rodriguez
December 27, 2025
The Chicago Cubs have signed free-agent relief pitcher
Hunter Harvey to a one-year deal, according to Will Sammon. The Cubs bulk up their bullpen with this low-risk signing. Harvey was limited to 12 games last season due to multiple injuries. He allowed zero earned runs while striking out 11 batters across 10.2 innings of work with the Kansas City Royals in 2025. The 31-year-old does have a good track record with a few quality seasons with the Washington Nationals in 2022 and 2023. He has regressed since then, but is still worth the gamble given the low risk. The Cubs have done a good job at bringing in project arms and turning them into viable options. Harvey figures to be a late-inning option, but is unlikely to see many save situations with
Daniel Palencia being the primary closer.
--Andy WebbSource: Will Sammon
December 27, 2025
The Cincinnati Reds have agreed to a contract with free-agent outfielder
JJ Bleday, according to MLB insider Robert Murray. Bleday is just one year removed from a strong 2024 season in which he slashed .243/.324/.437 with 20 home runs, 60 RBI, 74 runs scored, a 19.5% strikeout rate, and a 10.4% walk rate across 642 plate appearances. The 28-year-old struggled to replicate that success in 2025, posting a 26.5% strikeout rate and a 90 wRC+ over 98 games, and was optioned twice to Triple-A Las Vegas by the Athletics. While the Reds were rumored to have interest in trading for outfielder
Luis Robert Jr., it appears they've pivoted to Bleday instead. The left-handed-hitting Bleday can play all three outfield spots for Cincinnati, but he'll likely see most of his time in left field, pushing
Will Benson to the bench. From a fantasy perspective, unless you're in a 15-team league or deeper, he can be ignored on draft day. That said, his power and patience could play very well at Great American Ball Park, so keep an eye on his early-season performance to see if he's worth a waiver-wire pickup.
--Marty TallmanSource: Robert Murray
December 26, 2025
The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed free-agent first baseman
Luken Baker to a minor-league deal, per Just Baseball Media's Aram Leighton. Baker became a minor‑league free agent at the end of last season and decided to test the open market instead of staying within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Since 2023, Baker has played in just 73 major-league games, posting a .655 OPS with four home runs, 22 RBI, 15 runs scored, and one stolen base across 189 plate appearances. The Diamondbacks currently have
Pavin Smith set as their primary first baseman with
Tim Tawa backing him up. In 2025, Smith slashed .258/.362/.434 with eight home runs and a 31.9% strikeout rate across 288 plate appearances, while Tawa posted a 72 wRC+ in 225 plate appearances. With Arizona shopping All-Star second baseman
Ketel Marte, it looks like the team is trying to shed payroll while rebuilding. Although it's unlikely, if Baker makes the roster, he'd serve as first-base depth for 2026. For now, you can safely leave him off your fantasy radar.
--Marty TallmanSource: Aram Leighton
December 26, 2025
Free-agent left-hander
Helcris Olivarez and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training, according to Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston. Olivarez has spent his entire professional career in the minor leagues, posting a 4.18 ERA with 387 strikeouts, 238 walks, and a 1.46 WHIP across 325 innings. The 25-year-old isn't a lock to make the team, and even if he does, he's unlikely to have any fantasy relevance in 2026.
--Marty TallmanSource: Ari Alexander
December 26, 2025
Outfielder/infielder
Alec Burleson is set to be the St. Louis Cardinals' everyday first baseman in 2026, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The move comes after St. Louis dealt
Willson Contreras to the Red Sox earlier this week for right-handers
Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo, and Blake Aita. With Contreras gone, Burleson will move over to first base after spending most of 2025 in the outfield. He put together a strong offensive season last year, posting a .802 OPS and .275 xBA with 18 home runs, 69 RBI, 54 runs scored, and five stolen bases, good for a 124 wRC+. He also showed excellent plate discipline, striking out just 14.5% of the time. Defensively, Burleson graded out as a below-average outfielder, but he did make 38 starts at first base in 2025, so the transition shouldn't be much of an issue. From a fantasy perspective, Burleson offers dual eligibility and is expected to play every day, including against left-handed pitching after showing real improvement against them last season. Looking ahead to 2026, Burleson projects for up to 25 home runs with a .270 batting average while hitting in the middle of the Cardinals' lineup, making him a player who should be rostered in both 12- and 15-team leagues.
--Marty TallmanSource: Derrick Goold
December 26, 2025
The Miami Marlins right-handed reliever
Ronny Henriquez (elbow) will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing a hybrid UCL reconstruction surgery with an internal brace on his right elbow, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. Henriquez was expected to compete for the closer's role after a strong 2025 campaign, where he posted a career-best 32.3% strikeout rate along with a 2.22 ERA (2.98 xERA) across 73 innings. With Henriquez sidelined until at least 2027, Miami signed free-agent reliever
Pete Fairbanks to a one-year, $13 million contract. Fairbanks has had trouble staying healthy in the past, but he delivered his best workload last season, throwing a career-high 60 1/3 innings with 59 strikeouts, a 1.04 WHIP, and 27 saves for the Tampa Bay Rays. From a fantasy perspective, Fairbanks' value has jumped in a hurry. Since the news broke, he's been drafted as early as pick 96, after carrying an ADP of 132 beforehand. As long as Fairbanks stays healthy, he will be the Marlins' primary closer for 2026.
--Marty TallmanSource: Christina De Nicola
December 26, 2025
Infielder
Cole Young is expected to be the Seattle Mariners' primary second baseman in 2026, according to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic. The report also effectively shuts down any possibility of a
Ketel Marte trade. If Seattle does acquire infielder/outfielder
Brendan Donovan, he would likely slot into the outfield or at third base rather than second. Young spent most of last season in Triple-A, where he hit .277/.392/.461 with five homers and four steals over 245 plate appearances. After getting the call to the big leagues, the 22-year-old didn't exactly light it up, posting an 80 wRC+ across 257 plate appearances. Even so, the M's still appear ready to commit to their former first-round pick out of Pennsylvania. From a fantasy standpoint, Young is basically free right now with an ADP around 700.8, though that figure will almost certainly rise as draft season moves along. For now, the left-handed hitter is mainly a 15-team middle infield option, but he's a name to keep on your radar heading into 2026.
--Marty TallmanSource: Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon
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