November 13, 2025
The legend of Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar
Shohei Ohtani continues to grow, as he was named the National League Most Valuable Player on Thursday night for the second straight season. Ohtani has now won four MVP awards, with his first two coming with the Los Angeles Angels. He joined Roger Maris (1960-61 Yankees) as the only players to win the MVP in each of their first two seasons with a team and Joe Morgan (1975-76 Reds) as the only players to win both an MVP and the World Series in back-to-back seasons. The 30-year-old hit .282/.392/.622 with a career-high 55 homers to go with 25 doubles, a career-high nine triples, and 102 RBI while also scoring a league-best 146 runs. His 1.014 OPS and 179 OPS+ also led MLB. Ohtani didn't debut as a pitcher for L.A. until June 16, but he finished with a 2.87 ERA and 145 ERA+ (45% better than league average) while striking out 62 and walking only nine in 14 starts (47 innings). We may never see a player of Ohtani's caliber ever again.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB
November 13, 2025
New York Yankees outfielder
Aaron Judge was named the American League Most Valuable Player on Thursday night for the second straight season, MLB announced. Judge set the record for the most home runs in a single season in the AL in 2022 with 62, and now he's won back-to-back MVP awards, proving that he's one of the best right-handed hitters in MLB history. In 2025, he led all of baseball with a .331 batting average while also hitting 50 home runs. The only other players to do that were Hall of Famers Jimmie Foxx (1938) and Mickey Mantle (1956). Judge's 53 total home runs were the most ever by a batting champ. The 33-year-old didn't stop there, though, also leading the league in on-base percentage (.457) and slugging percentage (.688). Judge's OPS of 1.144 was nearly 200 points higher than Mariners catcher
Cal Raleigh's .948. The fact that Judge played through an elbow injury in 2025 made his campaign even more impressive.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB
November 13, 2025
New York Mets second baseman
Jeff McNeil (shoulder) underwent a minor procedure for thoracic outlet syndrome shortly after the season ended, according to his agent, Garrett Parcell. McNeil already has good range of motion after the surgery and is expected to be a full participant in spring training in 2026. Parcell noted that McNeil's injury affected his swing late in the season, one in which he finished with a .243/.335/.411 slash line, .746 OPS, 12 home runs, 54 RBI, 42 runs scored, and three steals in 122 games played. The 33-year-old former batting champion had a rough .514 OPS in the final month of the season, but he could bounce back next year with better health. Even though McNeil could be New York's starting second baseman on Opening Day, he doesn't offer much in the way of fantasy upside at his age unless he suddenly becomes a .300 hitter again, which is unlikely.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Joel Sherman
November 13, 2025
Kansas City Royals All-Star left-hander
Kris Bubic is attracting trade interest from multiple teams, league sources told The Athletic's Will Sammon. People familiar with the Royals' thinking are saying that the team is "open to the possibility of dealing Bubic" as they look to bolster their offense. The 28-year-old southpaw is a year away from reaching free agency and is projected to make $6 million in 2026 in his final year of salary arbitration. He missed most of the second half of the season with a left rotator-cuff strain, but he was strong before that, posting a 2.55 ERA (2.89 FIP) with 116 strikeouts and 39 walks in 20 starts over 116 1/3 innings. Despite not featuring a ton of velocity, Sammon writes that some rival evaluators are "bullish on his outlook" after he overhauled his repertoire to add a sweeper while improving his fastball and changeup. It's not a lock that KC trades Bubic this offseason, but he's more likely to be moved than
Cole Ragans,
Michael Wacha, or
Seth Lugo.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon
November 13, 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers are among the teams interested in signing free-agent right-handed reliever Rasiel Iglesias, sources told Francys Romero. The Dodgers poured a lot of resources into lefty closer
Tanner Scott for 2025, but it didn't work out. Despite other injuries to key relievers and their bullpen being a weak spot, L.A. won a second straight World Series on the strength of their offense and starting pitching. They'll give it another go to beef up the back end of the bullpen as they seek a three-peat, and it could start with a signing of Iglesias. They've also been connected to right-hander
Devin Williams, who had a down year in his first season in the Bronx. Iglesias will turn 36 in January, but the Cuban reliever had 30-plus saves for the Atlanta Braves in two of his three full seasons there. He had a 3.21 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 29 saves, and a 73:16 K:BB in 67 1/3 frames in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: Francys Romero
November 13, 2025
The New York Post's Jon Heyman says that free-agent first baseman
Pete Alonso is still a priority for the New York Mets, but he's also reporting that the Baltimore Orioles could be in the mix to sign him. The Mets are saying that they are looking to change their culture and want to prioritize run prevention, but Heyman doesn't think they can afford to lose Alonso's 38 home runs and 126 RBI. The Orioles are a surprise suitor because they have not really been linked to Alonso to this point. Reports have suggested that if Alonso does leave the Big Apple, the best fit for him could be the Boston Red Sox. In Baltimore, the O's are definitely looking to shake things up after a disappointing 2025 season, and Alonso would be a major upgrade at first base (at least offensively) over
Ryan Mountcastle and Coby May. Although Alonso will be on the wrong side of 30 in 2026, the five-time All-Star is still an elite power bat with 264 homers in his seven major-league seasons.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
November 12, 2025
Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said on Wednesday that right-handed closer
Felix Bautista (shoulder), who had right-shoulder surgery this year, could be back after the trade deadline in 2026, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. The Orioles are still planning on adding late-inning help this offseason, though, because they aren't "banking on him immediately being himself." Specifically, Bautista's surgery fixed a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. He was a first-time All-Star in 2023, when he closed out a career-high 33 games, but he missed all of the 2024 season due to injury as well. The 30-year-old veteran had a career-high 2.60 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 19 saves, 50 K's, and 23 walks in 34 2/3 frames this year before being shut down. Bautista will be a risky late-inning fantasy reliever next year after his long layoff.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Baltimore Banner - Andy Kostka
November 12, 2025
Atlanta Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said on Wednesday that the team will have a better idea of catcher
Sean Murphy's (hip) rehab plan in January, according to David O'Brien of The Athletic. The Braves plan on him playing and sharing at-bats with
Drake Baldwin at catcher and designated hitter, unless they add a DH in the offseason. O'Brien thinks that if Murphy is expected back early next year, Atlanta will pass on adding a big DH. The 31-year-old backstop needed surgery in September to fix a labral tear in his right hip that he's been dealing with for several years. Health issues have caused the former third-rounder to hit a lowly .197/.293/.384, albeit with 26 home runs and 70 RBI, in 166 games the last two years in Atlanta. Baldwin just won the NL Rookie of the Year and is on the rise, so Murphy could lose more playing time going forward, even if he can stay healthy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - David O'Brien
November 12, 2025
New York Mets right-hander
Kodai Senga is "attracting trade interest from multiple teams" this offseason, league sources told The Athletic's Will Sammon. Some MLB teams are viewing the 32-year-old as an interesting buy-low candidate after he got hurt in 2025 and ended the year pitching in the minors due to poor performance. The Mets have had conversations about Senga, but it's unclear if they'd be willing to trade him after the Japanese native went 7-6 with a 3.02 ERA (4.12 FIP), 1.31 WHIP, and 109:55 K:BB in 113 1/3 innings over his 22 big-league starts. He is owed $28 million over the next two years with a team option for 2028, which is a reasonable price. Senga has a 3.00 ERA in his three MLB seasons and finished in the top 10 for the Cy Young as a rookie. However, he had a 6.56 ERA in the second half in 2025, is particular about his mechanics, and missed time due to injury each of the last two years. As such, he'll be a risk/reward fantasy target going into his fourth year in the majors.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon
November 12, 2025
Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias hinted on Wednesday at the GM meetings in Las Vegas that right-hander
Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) will face workload restrictions next season, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. "You miss a year and 2 months, we've got to be realistic about that, and it's not something that we're planning around very heavily. But he's a guy that provides a real wild card for us talent-wise," Elias said. Rodriguez was expected to start ramping up his throwing program in October after he missed all of 2025 due to multiple right-elbow issues before having surgery to remove a bone spur in his arm in August. The 25-year-old former 11th overall pick in 2018 is expected to be ready for the start of spring training in mid-February. However, even if he doesn't have any setbacks with his elbow, his innings will be monitored closely in 2026, limiting his fantasy upside.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
November 12, 2025
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said at the GM meetings in Las Vegas on Wednesday that he's not trading first baseman
Christian Walker, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. "We haven't talked about Walker in a trade. Walker is our everyday first baseman. He will get some time off. We'll play Paredes there," Brown said. USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale wrote earlier this week that the Astros will "gladly listen to all offers" for Walker this offseason after signing him to a three-year, $60 million deal last December. The 34-year-old veteran right-handed hitter finished on a good note in his first year with the Astros, but it didn't cover up the fact that he had career lows in average (.238), on-base percentage (.297), and slugging percentage (.421) in 154 games. Walker still has plenty of pop (27 homers), but he also struck out a career-high 177 times. At his age, though, his power numbers could drop off even more in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Brian McTaggart
November 12, 2025
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said at the GM meetings in Las Vegas on Wednesday that left-handed closer
Josh Hader (shoulder) has thrown off a mound three times and is "progressing well," according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Hader's 2025 season ended early in the middle of August after he strained his left shoulder. Although it's unclear if the 31-year-old six-time All-Star will be ready for the start of spring training in mid-February, he should be ready for Opening Day, barring a setback. Before his injury in August, Hader was once again one of the more dominant closers in fantasy baseball, posting a 6-2 record, 2.05 ERA (3.25 FIP), 0.85 WHIP, 28 saves, 76 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He now has 227 saves in his nine-year MLB career, including 62 the last two years in Houston.
UPDATE: The Astros are hoping to get Hader ramped up by "sometime early to mid-February," according to Brown.--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
November 12, 2025
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said at the GM meetings in Las Vegas on Wednesday that outfielder/designated hitter
Yordan Alvarez (ankle) is jogging at 65-70 percent but is expected to be ready for spring training in 2026, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. It was an injury-plagued 2025 season for Alvarez, who suffered a pretty serious left-ankle sprain towards the end of the final month of the regular season in September. The 28-year-old Cuban slugger only played in 48 games for the Astros this year, slashing .273/.367/.430 with a career-worst .797 OPS, just six home runs, 27 RBI, and 17 runs scored in 199 plate appearances. Before his ankle injury, Alvarez missed extended time with a right-hand fracture. Assuming he's completely healthy for the start of next season, Alvarez will be a bounce-back candidate in fantasy baseball.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
November 12, 2025
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton wants to play for a winner and may reconsider his stance for certain teams if the Twins continue to break up their roster, a major-league source told The Athletic's Dan Hayes. Buxton, a two-time All-Star, has three years and $45 million left on his current contract. He also has full no-trade protection through next season and the ability to block trades to five teams in 2027 and 2028. The Twins organization is in a precarious state this offseason after trading away shortstop
Carlos Correa and most of their bullpen over the summer. Baseball Prospectus estimates the team's current payroll at $95 million, which is a steep drop-off from where the Twins have been the last five seasons. Buxton's decision on whether to waive his no-trade clause could depend on whether Minnesota trades away one or both of starting pitchers
Joe Ryan and
Pablo Lopez.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dan Hayes
November 12, 2025
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander
Paul Skenes won the National League Cy Young award on Wednesday night, getting all 30 first-place votes one season after winning Rookie of the Year, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Philadelphia Phillies left-hander
Cristopher Sanchez finished second in the voting, with Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Yoshinobu Yamamoto coming in third. It's crazy how quickly Skenes has become one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. In his first two years in the majors, Skenes' 1.96 career ERA is the lowest through 55 starts in any pitcher's career since 1920. The former first overall pick out of LSU only got 3.4 runs of support per game, the third-lowest of any qualified pitcher in 2025. His MLB-best 1.97 ERA was more than a half-run lower than his closest competition in the NL. Skenes is the first pitcher in MLB to have a sub-2.00 ERA with at least 185 innings since
Jacob deGrom did it in 2018. He's going to be a mainstay as the top-rated fantasy starting pitcher for years to come.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
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