October 23, 2025
The plan is for the Detroit Tigers to promote their top prospect, shortstop
Kevin McGonigle, next season, and the Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold writes that a "midsummer promotion makes the most sense." The 21-year-old hasn't played above Double-A Erie in the minors, but he's coming soon, and fantasy managers need to take notice. "I expect the players that posted dominant years in Double-A to factor into our big-league team next year," president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. McGonigle ranks second overall on MLB Pipeline's top-100 list going into next season. While nothing is official yet, McGonigle is expected to be in big-league camp during spring training after hitting .305 with 19 home runs, 59 walks, and 46 strikeouts in 88 games with Erie and High-A West Michigan in 2025. At Erie, McGonigle hit .254 with 12 homers, 33 walks, and 26 K's in 46 games, posting a .919 OPS. The Tigers are in win-now mode, so as long as McGonigle is performing in the minors early in 2026, he should make his big-league debut sooner rather than later.
--Keith HernandezSource: Detroit Free Press - Evan Petzold
October 23, 2025
The Athletic's Jim Bowden writes that Boston Red Sox outfielder
Jarren Duran's name "keeps coming up in trade rumors," and it now "sounds like the Red Sox will move on from him this winter." Boston must envision their future outfield as
Wilyer Abreu in right field,
Ceddanne Rafaela in center field, and
Roman Anthony in left. Duran has plenty of appeal, as he slashed .256/.332/.442 and led the league in triples for the second straight season while posting 4.6 bWAR in 2025. He was more productive in 2024, though, leading the league with 48 doubles and 14 triples and also hitting 21 home runs and stealing 34 bases. Making Duran more attractive is the fact that he's controllable through the 2028 campaign, so Boston is going to have a high asking price for him. Bowden lists the Phillies, Dodgers, Tigers, Guardians, and Rangers as teams that would love to acquire him.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jim Bowden
October 23, 2025
The Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan announced that they will officially post third baseman Kazuma Okamoto for major-league teams this offseason, according to Francys Romero. Okamoto should have a decent market as a player who can play third base and first base, and he also has some experience playing the outfield. Third base is his primary position. Last season for the Giants, the 29-year-old slashed a strong .327/.416/.598 with 15 home runs in 69 games in what was a down year for him. Okamoto averaged over 30 home runs per season in the NPB from 2018 through 2024, so he certainly has pop in his bat that should translate to Major League Baseball in 2026 and beyond. Okamoto's fantasy value for next season will ultimately depend on where he lands this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: Francys Romero
October 22, 2025
The San Francisco Giants are naming Tony Vitello as the team's new manager, per ESPN's Jeff Passan and Pete Thamel. Vitello previously served as the manager for the University of Tennessee's baseball program and will become the first MLB manager hired directly from a college program. Vitello led the Volunteers to a College Baseball World Series victory in 2024. The Giants fired veteran MLB manager Bob Melvin on September 29 after he spent two seasons at the helm and failed to lead San Francisco to a playoff berth in either year. Expectations for Vitello in San Francisco will be high right away. The Giants have a talented roster and may continue to add pieces during the offseason, but they also play in one of MLB's most competitive divisions in the National League West.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Jeff Passan, Pete Thamel
October 22, 2025
Los Angeles Angels pitching prospect Tyler Bremner (elbow) "isn't pitching in Angels instructs due to elbow soreness," according to Sam Blum of The Athletic. Blum also reports that Bremner "had a clean MRI" and there's "no concern within the (organization) about any actual injury." Still, any sort of elbow discomfort is a worrying sign for the number two overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft. Bremner threw 77 1/3 innings this season at the University of California, Santa Barbara, recording a 3.49 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 111 strikeouts. Given how the Angels have aggressively promoted prospects in recent seasons, Bremner may be in the team's big-league plans sooner rather than later. His health will be a storyline for fantasy managers to monitor over the winter.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Sam Blum
October 22, 2025
Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reports that "there is expected to be runway" for top Mariners infield prospect
Colt Emerson to "win an opening-day job going into 2026." In 2025, Emerson played 90 games with High-A Everett, 34 games with Double-A Arkansas, and six games with Triple-A Tacoma. He slashed .285/.383/.458 with 16 home runs, 78 RBI, 82 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 600 plate appearances spread across the three levels. Emerson will not turn 21 years old until July 2026. He's a natural shortstop, but Jude speculates that Emerson's best path to a starting job in Seattle may be at third base.
Eugenio Suarez served as Seattle's third baseman down the stretch of 2025, but he is now a free agent. Despite his limited experience at the highest levels of the Minors, it appears Emerson could crack the Mariners 2026 opening day roster if he performs in Spring Training.
--Will BradySource: Seattle Times - Adam Jude
October 22, 2025
Evan Drellich of The Athletic reports that the Cleveland Guardians will not allow closer
Emmanuel Clase to pitch in the Venezuelan winter league. Clase is one of the subjects of an ongoing gambling investigation by Major League Baseball. He was placed on paid leave by the Guardians in July, and there's been speculation that he may never pitch in the big leagues again once the investigation concludes. Clase appeared in 48 games during the 2025 season, pitching to a 3.23 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 47 strikeouts and 24 saves. From 2022-2024, Clase recorded 133 saves and made three consecutive All-Star teams. If Clase is not a member of the Guardians in 2026, right-hander
Cade Smith could open the season as the team's closer.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Evan Drellich
October 22, 2025
New York Mets All-Star shortstop
Francisco Lindor (elbow) recently had a right-elbow debridement surgery, but he's expected to be ready for spring training in February, according to the team. Lindor also had a cleanup procedure on his throwing elbow after the 2023 campaign to remove bone spurs. He should be completely fine for the start of the 2026 regular season and will enter the year as one of the premier fantasy options at the shortstop position. The Puerto Rican infielder hit only .267 (172-for-644) in a league-high 732 plate appearances during the regular season, but he still managed to reach the 30-homer mark for the third straight season in New York and the sixth time in his career. Lindor added 86 RBI, 117 runs scored, and a career-high 31 stolen bases. Fantasy managers definitely can't complain about a 31-31 season.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Mets
October 21, 2025
Veteran free-agent catcher
Austin Nola signed a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday that includes a major-league invitation to spring training camp, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Nola broke into the big leagues in 2019 with the Seattle Mariners before joining the San Diego Padres in 2020. He hit a career-best 10 homers as a rookie in Seattle and also batted a combined .258 with six home runs and 69 RBI in two seasons for the Padres in 2021 and 2022 before slashing a putrid .146/.260/.192 in just 52 games in 2023. He did not play at all in the big leagues in 2024 and managed to surface for only 14 games for the Colorado Rockies this past season, going 7-for-38 (.184) with one RBI. The 35-year-old veteran will most likely open the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Gwinnett, where he'll offer the Braves depth at the position.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA Today - Bob Nightengale
October 21, 2025
Boston Red Sox first baseman
Triston Casas (knee) continues to make steady progress as he recovers from a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee that ended his season early. The 25-year-old remains on schedule in his rehab and expects to be ready for spring training. There had been speculation about whether Casas would be available for Opening Day, but recent updates suggest optimism from both the player and the team. Before the injury, Casas slashed .182/.277/.303 in 29 games. The Red Sox hope to have their promising young first baseman healthy to anchor the lineup in 2026.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
October 21, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman
Ty France (oblique) participated in the team's intrasquad game on Thursday as he works back from left oblique inflammation. The 31-year-old was acquired from the Minnesota Twins midway through the 2025 regular season but has yet to make an impact during Toronto's deep postseason run. France has been sidelined since September 22 but is considered day-to-day and could return for the upcoming World Series matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Before the injury, France slashed .277/.320/.372 over 37 games with the Blue Jays and will look to contribute in any way possible if he is cleared.
--Julian BrookeSource: ESPN.com
October 21, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder
Joey Loperfido replaced
Anthony Santander (back) ahead of Game 4 of the ALCS and will look to make an impact in the upcoming World Series. The young outfielder has primarily been used as a pinch-runner and late-game substitute, recording just one at-bat this postseason. After joining Toronto from the Houston Astros in 2024, Loperfido impressed in limited regular-season action this year, slashing .333/.379/.500 over 41 games. With his raw talent and versatility, Loperfido will look to make the most of his opportunities as the Blue Jays pursue their first World Series title in over three decades.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
October 21, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman
Ernie Clement is quickly becoming one of the most underrated contributors in the team's historic postseason run. The 29-year-old has carried over his strong regular season, hitting an astounding .429 with a 1.063 OPS through 42 at-bats. Clement has recorded 18 hits and delivered six multi-hit performances across 11 games, establishing himself as the team's everyday third baseman. His elite contact skills and Gold Glove-caliber defense have made him a steady force on both sides of the ball. During the regular season, Clement slashed .277/.313/.711, marking the most productive full season of his career.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
October 21, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander
Chris Bassitt made his second appearance of the 2025 postseason in Monday's winner-take-all Game 7 victory at home. Bassitt worked a clean eighth inning to set up closer
Jeff Hoffman for the ninth, striking out one batter along the way. The veteran did not earn a rotation spot this postseason but has now provided eight strong outs for a Blue Jays team making its first World Series appearance in over three decades. Bassitt has yet to allow a run in the playoffs and has likely secured more meaningful innings in the upcoming matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He owns a career 3.57 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in the postseason.
--Julian BrookeSource: MLB.com
October 21, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that left-hander
Blake Snell and right-hander
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start the first two games of the World Series, respectively, on Friday and Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Both Snell and Yamamoto have been lights-out on the mound for the Dodgers in the postseason as the Dodgers head into their second straight Fall Classic appearance. Snell has given up just two earned runs with five walks and 28 strikeouts in three wins over the Reds, Phillies, and Brewers in 21 innings. He also tossed five shutout innings with 10 K's in a win over Toronto on Aug. 9 during the regular season. Yamamoto has given up six runs (four earned) with four walks and 18 K's in 19 2/3 frames over his three postseason starts this October. The Japanese hurler did not face the Blue Jays during regular-season action in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya
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