December 16, 2025
With newly signed outfielder
Adolis Garcia taking over in right field for the Philadelphia Phillies next season, the team is looking to use prospect
Justin Crawford as a center fielder, according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We believe so," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. "We'd like to have that happen. "If you're going to give Crawford an opportunity, you've got to give it to him. And that's where we are. We're going to give him an opportunity and have him play a lot."
Brandon Marsh will likely be the left fielder, at least against right-handed pitchers. The Phillies are unlikely to add another outfielder this offseason. There's plenty to like about the 21-year-old Crawford in fantasy baseball after he hit .334/.411/.452 with seven homers and 46 steals at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025. His defense is a work in progress, but for his speed alone in a stacked Philly lineup, Crawford's stock is on the rise. Per MLB Pipeline, Crawford is the Phillies' No. 3 prospect.
--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Inquirer - Scott Lauber
December 15, 2025
Sendai University right-hander Genei Sato is transferring to a school in the United States in February to become MLB draft-eligible in 2027, according to Yakyu Cosmopolitan. The Japanese pitching prospect has impressed with a fastball that tops out at 99 mph. The soon-to-be 21-year-old will be taking an atypical path to the big leagues, as most Japanese players end up coming through the posting system, which was introduced in the late 1990s. Rintaro Sasaki, who is the first Japanese high-schooler to choose the NCAA over Nippon Professional Baseball, is still only a sophomore at Stanford. In addition to his high-90s fastball, the 6-foot, 180-pound Sato features a low-90s splitter and a slider. "He's real," top draft prospect Roch Cholowsky told Baseball America. "[He] was like 97-99, throwing a splitter at like 92. A lot of ride on the fastball. Throws his splitter hard but has depth on it, too."
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru
December 15, 2025
Free-agent infielder
Ha-Seong Kim re-signed with the Atlanta Braves on Monday night on a one-year, $20 million deal, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Kim started the 2025 season with the Tampa Bay Rays but didn't make his season debut until July 4 after recovering from shoulder surgery. The 30-year-old South Korean native played in only 24 games with Tampa before being cut, and he finished the year with the Braves. Kim slashed a combined .234/.304/.345 with a .649 OPS, five home runs, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 191 plate appearances over 48 games played. He hit .253 with three homers and 12 RBI in 24 games in Atlanta, and he figures to see most of the playing time at short for the Braves going into next season. Kim's biggest draw in fantasy baseball is for his speed, as he swiped a combined 60 bases in 2023 and 2024. His reckless playing style makes him injury-prone, which we've seen firsthand the last two years.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
December 15, 2025
The Boston Red Sox acquired left-handed pitching prospect
Jake Bennett from the Washington Nationals on Monday in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect
Luis Perales, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Bennett, 25, was drafted by the Nats in the 39th round in 2019. The young southpaw pitched for Single-A Fredericksburg, High-A Wilmington, and Double-A Harrisburg in 2025 in his first year back from Tommy John surgery, going a combined 2-5 with a 2.27 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 64:19 K:BB ratio in 75 1/3 innings over 19 outings (18 starts). Per MLB Pipeline, Bennett immediately becomes the BoSox's No. 7 prospect. The 6-foot-6, 234-pounder is predominantly a sinker/changeup pitcher who has held impressive ground-ball rates in the minors. Bennett also features a low- to mid-90s heater. Bennett might be another full year away from the big leagues, but his combination of size and stuff gives him decent upside at the major-league level.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
December 15, 2025
The Washington Nationals acquired right-handed pitching prospect
Luis Perales from the Boston Red Sox on Monday in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect
Jake Bennett, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. Perales, 22, has missed most of the past two years while recovering from Tommy John surgery, appearing in only 12 games (10 starts) across the Red Sox's minor-league system. He has a fastball that hits triple digits and is already being considered Washington's No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound Venezuelan hurler also has a nasty splitter and features a slider and a cutter as other secondary pitches. Perales has athleticism and elite arm speed, but he's small for a starter, and his durability is a concern. If Perales cannot make it as a starter, the Nats could try him in a high-leverage relief role. His innings will be closely monitored in 2026, and he's probably a long shot to make his MLB debut.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
December 15, 2025
The New York Mets are open to trading infielder/designated hitter
Mark Vientos this winter, sources told Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated. Vientos could draw plenty of interest, as he has four years of club control as a pre-arbitration player. He won't be a free agent until after the 2029 season. However, it remains to be seen how many MLB teams would be interested after Vientos regressed to a .233/.289/.413 slash line with a .702 OPS, 97 OPS+, 17 home runs, 61 RBI, and a -0.2 bWAR in 121 games in 2025. The year prior, Vientos broke out with 27 long balls, 71 RBI, an .837 OPS, and 3.0 bWAR in 111 games.
Brett Baty is likely to be the starter at third in 2026, and the Mets just signed
Jorge Polanco to take over at first base to replace
Pete Alonso, who signed with Baltimore in free agency. Vientos was able to drop his strikeout rate to a career-low 24.8% in 2025, but he isn't great defensively and still has a lot to prove.
--Keith HernandezSource: Sports Illustrated - Pat Ragazzo
December 15, 2025
The Kansas City Royals are still interested in trading for Boston Red Sox outfielder
Jarren Duran, but only if Boston lowers their asking price, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Royals have signed
Lane Thomas in free agency and also acquired
Isaac Collins from the Milwaukee Brewers, but they remain open to adding another outfielder. KC believes they'd have to give up left-hander
Cole Ragans to land Duran. The Royals see Ragans as a player with greater value as a potential Game 1 starter in a playoff series. Both Ragans and Ruan are under team control for three more seasons, with Ragans under contract for a combined $12 million the next two years and Duran for $7.75 million in 2026. If the Royals were to land Duran, he'd play left field with
Jac Caglianone getting most of the playing time in right. The 29-year-old regressed offensively and defensively in 2025, slashing .256/.332/.442 with 16 homers and 24 steals in 157 games, but he's still a highly coveted commodity with 20-20 potential that figures to be moved this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
December 15, 2025
Free-agent first baseman
Josh Bell agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal that includes a mutual option for 2027 with the Minnesota Twins on Monday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 33-year-old switch-hitter will play first base and designated hitter for the Twins next season. This is the first big-league signing of the offseason for the rebuilding Twins. Barring more offseason moves, Bell should see the majority of playing time in Minnesota in 2026 after slashing .237/.325/.417 with 22 home runs, 63 RBI, and 54 runs scored in 140 games with the Washington Nationals. The 6-foot-3, 261-pounder still brings some pop from both sides of the plate, but he has only reached the 30-homer mark once (back in 2019 with the Pittsburgh Pirates), and he doesn't contribute really anywhere else for fantasy managers. Bell will be corner-infield depth in fantasy leagues in 2026 in his first year with the Twins.
UPDATE: Bell's one-year deal is worth $7 million.--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
December 15, 2025
Cuban outfielder
Adolis Garcia and the Philadelphia Phillies are finalizing a one-year, $10 million deal, pending a physical, on Monday, sources told Francys Romero. Garcia will head to the National League East and look to help a contending team as he tries to get back to his 2023 form, when he was named MVP of the American League Championship Series. The 32-year-old veteran will essentially be replacing
Nick Castellanos, who is expected to be traded or released this offseason. The landing spot is an ideal one for Garcia in a hitter-friendly ballpark in a stacked lineup in Philly. Garcia had a second straight season with an OPS under .700 in 2025, and he also hit fewer than 20 home runs for the first time since becoming an everyday player. Injuries are a concern and could have contributed to a drop in his batted-ball metrics and bat speed in 2025. At a slightly discounted price in fantasy drafts next spring, though, Garcia will be an attractive bounce-back candidate in his new digs.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Francys Romero
December 14, 2025
The Boston Red Sox could reunite with veteran right-handed reliever
Chris Martin, who plans to pitch next season, a source told Chris Cotillo of Mass Live. Martin will be heading into his age-40 season in 2026, but he still wants to pitch, and Boston is interested. He was great in Beantown in 2023-24 with a 2.16 ERA, but he finished this past season on the injured list with thoracic outlet syndrome. Before getting hurt in 2025, Martin was solid for the Texas Rangers, posting a 2.98 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, two saves, 43 strikeouts, and eight walks in 42 1/3 innings pitched in relief. If Martin were to return to Boston, he'd most likely be in line to pitch in a high-leverage setup role in front of left-handed closer
Aroldis Chapman. Martin had five saves in his two seasons with the BoSox. In 10 big-league seasons, he's sporting a 25.2% strikeout rate and an elite 3.3% walk rate.
--Keith HernandezSource: Mass Live - Chris Cotillo
December 14, 2025
Free-agent infielder
Amed Rosario and the New York Yankees agreed on a one-year, $2.5 million deal on Saturday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Rosario played in 46 games with the Washington Nationals in 2025 before getting traded to the Yankees. The veteran infielder only played in 16 regular-season games in the Bronx, though, going 10-for-33 (.303) with a home run and five RBI. Rosario slashed .276/.309/.436 in 62 total games with six home runs, 23 RBI, and 20 runs scored as a utility infielder. The 30-year-old will continue to serve as a bench player for the Yankees in 2026, making him pretty useless in mixed redraft leagues. Rosario's greatest skills are his defensive versatility and his ability to make contact at the plate.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
December 14, 2025
The Milwaukee Brewers acquired left-hander
Angel Zerpa from the Kansas City Royals on Saturday in exchange for outfielder
Isaac Collins and right-handed reliever
Nick Mears. Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said that the team is open to looking at Zerpa as a starter. "He's somebody we've been trying to access for a long time," Arnold said. The 26-year-old Venezuelan southpaw was a starter in the minors, but he was a reliever in KC the last two years, posting a 4.03 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 107 strikeouts and 41 walks in 118 1/3 innings over his 129 outings (two starts). At best, Zerpa is just a name to file away and watch during spring training if Milwaukee indeed stretches him out as a starter. If Zerpa is a full-time starter in 2026 with the Brewers, he'll most likely be on an innings cap after spending the last two years as a full-time reliever.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
December 14, 2025
The Kansas City Royals acquired right-handed reliever
Nick Mears and outfielder
Isaac Collins from the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday in exchange for left-hander
Angel Zerpa, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Mears was a useful arm in Milwaukee's bullpen this past season, sporting a career-best 3.49 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with his first career save, 46 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 56 2/3 regular-season innings. The 29-year-old will give the Royals some extra bullpen depth in front of setup man
Lucas Erceg and closer
Carlos Estevez. Mears won't hold much fantasy value in 2026, outside of deeper holds leagues, but he could become an intriguing pickup if injuries strike Estevez and Erceg. He has a career 4.61 ERA (4.06 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP with 174 punchouts and 72 walks in 164 relief innings with the Brewers, Pirates, and Rockies.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
December 14, 2025
The Kansas City Royals acquired outfielder
Isaac Collins and right-handed reliever
Nick Mears from the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday in exchange for left-hander
Angel Zerpa, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN.com. Collins surprisingly finished fourth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2025 after slashing .263/.368/.411 with a .779 OPS, nine home runs, 54 RBI, 56 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases in 130 regular-season games for the Brew Crew. The 28-year-old former ninth-rounder by the Rockies in 2019 out of Creighton struggled down the stretch, though. In Kansas City, the switch-hitting outfielder will likely compete for a platoon spot in the outfield for the Royals in spring training. The move to the American League Central with a clearer path to regular playing time should make him more attractive as a late-round flier in AL-only fantasy leagues in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
December 14, 2025
Free-agent right-hander
Dustin May and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed on an undisclosed one-year deal on Saturday that includes a mutual option for the 2027 season, pending a physical, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. May will return to the National League after starting the 2025 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers before being traded to the Boston Red Sox. The 28-year-old went a combined 7-11 with a career-worst 4.96 ERA (4.88 FIP), 1.42 WHIP, and 123:56 K:BB ratio in 132 1/3 innings pitched over 25 appearances (23 starts). The numbers don't look great, but the biggest takeaway was that May managed to stay healthy for a career-high 132 1/3 frames. Especially after St. Louis traded
Sonny Gray away this offseason, May should be a lock for a starting rotation spot with the Cards going into next season. Through his first six MLB seasons, the former third-rounder has been a disappointment due to injuries and a lackluster 21.9% strikeout rate.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
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