December 9, 2025
The Boston Red Sox would be comfortable with
Marcelo Mayer as their starting third baseman on Opening Day. The 22-year-old endured a rough rookie season, slashing .228/.272/.402 with four home runs, 10 RBI, 20 runs, and no steals while posting an 80 wRC+. He also struck out at a 30.1% clip across 136 plate appearances. His year ended early after a wrist injury that required surgery in August. Looking ahead to 2026, a fully healthy Mayer projects for roughly 15 home runs, 10 steals, and a .250 batting average. At present, he profiles as a viable middle-infield option in deep 12- or 15-team fantasy leagues.
--Marty TallmanSource: Matthew Crory
December 9, 2025
The price for free-agent first baseman
Pete Alonso has "likely" risen in light of
Kyle Schwarber's five-year, $150 million contract, per Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive.com. Alonso is now expected to seek a six- or seven-year deal, though it's unclear whether the Boston Red Sox would commit to a contract that would carry him through his age-36 or age-37 season. The 31-year-old slugger bet on himself last year by taking a one-year deal with the Mets, and that decision appears poised to pay off. In 2025, Alonso launched 38 home runs and slashed .272/.347/.524 with a 141 wRC+ across a career-high 709 plate appearances. For fantasy managers, Alonso remains one of the safest sources of home runs in the league, and he's played all 162 games in each of the last two seasons.
--Marty TallmanSource: Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam
December 9, 2025
The Miami Marlins and
Eury Perez are reportedly getting closer to agreeing on a five or six-year extension, according to Craig Mish of the SportsGrid. Earlier this spring, the Marlins opened contract-extension talks with Pérez, but the two sides were initially about $15 million apart. That gap now appears to be resolved. The 22-year-old flashed legitimate upside in the majors last season, posting a 4.25 ERA (3.80 SIERA) and a 27.3% strikeout rate across 95⅓ innings. Durability and command have been his main shortcomings, but he reached a career-high 118 innings last year while lowering his walk rate. Looking ahead to 2026, Pérez has the ceiling of a fantasy ace, and he won't cost you a top-75 pick.
--Marty TallmanSource: Craig Mish
December 9, 2025
There is mutual interest in a potential extension for
Jakob Marsee and the Miami Marlins, but no formal offer has been made, according to Isaac Azout from Fish On First. The 24-year-old burst onto the scene last year, slashing .292/.363/.478 with five home runs, 33 RBI, 28 runs, 14 stolen bases, and a 133 wRC+ in 234 plate appearances. The young outfielder also showed good plate discipline, posting a 9.4 BB% to a 20.5 K%. For 2026, the speedy lefty is expected to steal between 30-40 bases while putting up 10-15 home runs at the top of Miami’s batting order. At his current 152 ADP, he is a safe bet for steals with enough on-base skills and emerging pop to return profit even without a major breakout.
--Marty TallmanSource: Isaac Azout
December 9, 2025
The Kansas City Royals' starting pitchers
Noah Cameron,
Ryan Bergert, and
Stephen Kolek are drawing interest from several teams, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. The St. Louis Cardinals have specifically checked in on Cameron, who posted a 2.99 ERA (4.33 SIERA) with a 12.8 K-BB% across 138 1/3 innings last season. While Rogers did not specify which clubs are eyeing Bergert and Kolek, it's reasonable to assume that neither pitcher would fetch a significant return. In 2025, Bergert recorded a 3.66 ERA (4.62 SIERA) with an 11.8 K-BB% over 76 1/3 innings, while Kolek logged a 3.51 ERA (4.39 SIERA) with a 10.0 K-BB% across 112 2/3 innings.
--Marty TallmanSource: Anne Rogers
December 9, 2025
The Boston Red Sox have a stronger chance than the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman
Ketel Marte, largely because Boston has more MLB-ready starting pitching. The 32-year-old is owed $102.5 million over the next six seasons and is coming off a year where he slashed .283/.376/.517 with 28 home runs and a 145 wRC+. The Red Sox could center a deal around one or both of
Payton Tolle and
Connelly Early. Tolle impressed in the minors last season, posting a 3.04 ERA, 133 strikeouts, 23 walks, and a 0.99 WHIP across 91 2/3 innings. After a late-summer call-up, he struggled in the majors, recording a 6.06 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP over 16 1/3 innings, but the underlying talent remains evident. Early produced even stronger results. Across AA and AAA, he delivered a 2.60 ERA, 132 strikeouts, and a 1.11 WHIP in 100 1/3 innings. In his brief major-league stint, he was dominant, pitching to a 2.33 ERA with a 36.7% strikeout rate while effectively limiting hard contact. Adding Marte would represent a significant upgrade over Boston's current second baseman,
Ceddanne Rafaela, who is better utilized in a super-utility or outfield role.
--Marty TallmanSource: Jon Morosi
December 9, 2025
The Chicago White Sox won the MLB draft lottery on Tuesday and will have the first overall pick in the 2026 draft. The White Sox came into Tuesday's lottery with the highest odds (27.73%) to win the No. 1 overall pick after finishing 60-102 in 2025. It will be the first time that they have had the No. 1 selection in a draft since they took Harold Baines back in 1977. After the White Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays will pick at No. 2, followed by the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Kansas City Royals. The Colorado Rockies, who had the worst record (43-119), were not eligible for the draft lottery because they received lottery picks in 2024 and 2025. Colorado will have the 10th overall pick in 2026. Although the White Sox already have a promising young shortstop in
Colson Montgomery, they are widely expected to take UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 overall pick next July.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chicago White Sox
December 9, 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies announced on Tuesday that they have extended the contract of manager Rob Thomson through the 2027 season. The announcement came shortly after the Phillies announced that they re-signed designated hitter
Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million deal on Tuesday. The 62-year-old Thomson has the second-most wins (346) and second-best winning percentage (.580) by a manager in Phillies history. He has guided the Phillies to the playoffs in each season since he replaced Joe Girardi on June 3 of 2022, including National League East titles in each of the last two years. The Phillies won the NL pennant in 2022 but lost in the World Series to the Houston Astros. Thomson has joined Dave Roberts, Aaron Boone, and Mike Matheny as the only managers in MLB history to make the postseason in each of their first four years at the helm.
--Keith HernandezSource: Philadelphia Phillies
December 9, 2025
The Detroit Tigers are interested in signing free-agent reliever
Kenley Jansen, according to Ari Alexander. According to sources, the Los Angeles Angels have checked in on Jansen for a potential reunion. Right-hander
Will Vest is currently the favorite for saves in Detroit as things currently stand, but the Tigers are also interested in bringing
Kyle Finnegan back, so it seems likely that Vest will be in a co-closer situation for the start of 2026. The 38-year-old Jansen had a pretty solid season in his first season with the Angels in 2025, going 5-4 with a 2.59 ERA (3.98 FIP), 0.95 WHIP, 29 saves, 57 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 59 relief innings. Fantasy managers can't really expect Jansen to be much better than he was in 2025, though, after a 59.1% fly-ball rate and a career-low 24.4% strikeout rate. Jansen should still receive save chances somewhere in 2026, but it might be in more of a committee role, which is what he'd be in if he lands in Motown.
--Keith HernandezSource: Ari Alexander
December 9, 2025
Free-agent right-hander
Michael King appears to be the New York Mets' top rotation target this offseason, a source confirmed to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. King recently held a Zoom meeting with the Mets. President of baseball operations David Stearns is hesitant to sign a starting pitcher to a long-term deal of five or more years, according to sources, which could take them out of the market for other top starters this year, such as
Framber Valdez,
Ranger Suarez, and Tatsuya Imai. The 30-year-old King was excellent in his first year with the San Diego Padres in 2024, posting a 2.95 ERA in 173 2/3 innings, but injuries limited him to only 15 starts in 2025. King doesn't have the same reliable track record as other starters on the market, which is why he may not require a deal of at least five years. One talent evaluator said that King "may be the most talented starter on the market." For fantasy baseball managers, King will be a pretty big risk/reward in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
December 9, 2025
The Los Angeles Angels are acquiring infielder
Vaughn Grissom from the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday in exchange for outfielder Isaiah Jackson, sources told Chris Cotillo of Mass Live. The Red Sox acquired Grissom in the trade that sent left-hander
Chris Sale to the Braves. The 24-year-old middle infielder was expected to eventually become Boston's primary second baseman, but that never happened. Grissom spent all of the 2025 campaign toiling at Triple-A Worcester after hitting .190/.246/.219 with no home runs in 31 games at the big-league level in 2024. He is out of minor-league options at this point. The former 11th-round pick by Atlanta in 2019 will have a chance to carve out a spot at either second or third base in Anaheim in spring training. Grissom has dabbled in left field, but most of his experience comes at the keystone.
--Keith HernandezSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
December 9, 2025
Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said that he's open to moving outfielder
Ronald Acuna Jr. back to the leadoff spot next season, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The vast majority of Acuna's big-league plate appearances have come in the leadoff spot for Atlanta. This year's National League Comeback Player of the Year has hit .294/.387/.535 with a .921 OPS in 3,091 plate appearances in the No. 1 spot in the batting order in Atlanta. The 27-year-old former MVP was limited to 412 plate appearances in 2025 while recovering from the second torn ACL of his career, and he also missed some time late in the year with a calf injury. Acuna was his usual outstanding self when he was on the field, slashing .290/.417/.518 with 21 home runs, but he stole just nine bases. When healthy, Acuna remains one of the top all-around players in the game, but he has played 100 games in a season just twice in the last five years. A move back to leadoff would be ideal for his fantasy upside.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
December 9, 2025
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Houston Astros have spoken to the Pittsburgh Pirates about right-hander
Mike Burrows. However, those talks have cooled since the Pirates acquired outfield prospect
Jhostynxon Garcia from the Boston Red Sox recently. Houston is seeking controllable young starting pitchers and could offer center fielder
Jake Meyers in return. Burrows, 26, is coming off his second major-league season with the Pirates in 2025. In 96 innings pitched, he went 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA (4.00 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with 97 strikeouts and 31 walks in 23 appearances (19 starts). He mostly features a fastball, changeup, and a slider, with all three pitches getting plenty of swings and misses. Burrows has been overshadowed in Pittsburgh by all their talented young arms, but he could become an intriguing flier in fantasy leagues in 2026 if he's moved to the Astros and joins their starting rotation.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
December 9, 2025
The Boston Red Sox really want to bring veteran third baseman
Alex Bregman back after a strong first season in Boston in 2025. However, they are also pricing every available option in case Bregman goes elsewhere, which includes a potential trade for Houston Astros third baseman
Isaac Paredes, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The BoSox could still trade for Paredes and play him at first base if Bregman re-signs. Paredes is projected to earn $9.3 million in 2026 and is under club control for two more years. The price for the 26-year-old is likely to be steep, though, with Houston looking for controllable starting pitchers. The Astros are interested in young lefties
Payton Tolle and
Connelly Early. If Paredes is dealt, the Astros could shift
Carlos Correa to the hot corner. Paredes was limited to 102 games with a hamstring injury in 2025, but his fly-ball tendencies as a right-handed hitter could play very nicely at Fenway Park. In limited time, he still managed 20 homers in his first year in Houston.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
December 9, 2025
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal writes that a trade of Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star second baseman
Ketel Marte might take time for teams to warm to Arizona's asking price, which one rival executive described as a "superstar-type return." Marte is owed a reasonable $102.5 million over the next six seasons, with $41 million deferred and the payouts not starting until 10 years after the money is earned. Any interested team would need to be comfortable with Marte's clubhouse fit and the acquisition cost. Rosenthal adds that the D-backs might need the market to play out for "clubs to become more desperate." The Boston Red Sox are among the teams interested in the switch-hitter, with three unidentified teams also in the mix. Arizona is seeking young pitching, and trading Marte would allow them to clear payroll and inject talent. After the 10th day of the 2026 season, Marte will gain full no-trade protection, so if he's dealt, it will most likely be before the start of next season.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
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