November 4, 2025
The Milwaukee Brewers declined catcher
William Contreras' $12 million option for the 2026 season, but he will remain with the team next year and go into his second year of salary arbitration, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 27-year-old Venezuelan backstop remains under team control through the 2027 season, but he will receive a $100,000 buyout after Milwaukee declined his 2026 option. After making his second All-Star team in 2024, Contreras took a step back in 2025, although it may have had to do mostly with the fact that he played through a left middle-finger injury that required offseason surgery. He was still an above-average-hitting catcher in the big leagues with his .260/.355/.399 slash line, .754 OPS, 17 home runs, 76 RBI, 89 runs scored, and six steals in 150 games played for the Brew Crew. With better health, Contreras could bounce back in 2026. He has at least 17 homers in each of his last four years, making him a high-end fantasy catching target.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
November 4, 2025
Boston Red Sox shortstop
Trevor Story has opted into the remaining two years and $50 million left on his deal with the team, a source told Chris Cotillo of Mass Live on Tuesday. Story will make $25 million in each of the next two seasons and has a $25 million club option for 2028 that includes a $5 million buyout. The 32-year-old two-time All-Star had his best year in Boston in his fourth year with the team in 2025, slashing .263/.308/.433 with a .741 OPS, 25 home runs, 96 RBI, 91 runs scored, and a career-high 31 stolen bases in 157 games played and 654 plate appearances. It was the first time in his four years in Beantown that he managed to stay healthy, which resulted in his best season since his final year in Colorado in 2021. He might have had the opportunity to make more on the open market, but he chose security with the BoSox. Expecting another strong season like the one he just had is probably foolish, given his age and lengthy injury history.
--Keith HernandezSource: MassLive.com - Chris Cotillo
November 4, 2025
San Diego Padres right-hander
Yu Darvish (elbow) will miss the entire 2026 season after having surgery to fix a torn flexor tendon in his right elbow that included an internal-brace procedure, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Darvish had the surgery last Wednesday with Dr. Keith Meister. The 39-year-old Japanese hurler only made 15 starts for the Friars during the 2025 regular season due to right-elbow issues, and he also missed some time with elbow injuries the previous two years. Darvish also had Tommy John surgery back in 2015. He's planning on returning to pitch for the Padres in 2027, but at his age, it's fair to wonder how much he has left in the tank. Darvish went 5-5 with a career-worst 5.38 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 68 strikeouts and 19 walks in 72 innings this year. The Padres will have a big need for starting rotation help this offseason, with Darvish injured and
Michael King and
Dylan Cease both free agents.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
November 4, 2025
The Seattle Mariners exercised right-handed closer
Andres Munoz's $6 million option for the 2026 season on Tuesday, a source told Francys Romero. It was an expected move for the Mariners to keep one of the most dominant relievers in baseball around for another year. The 26-year-old Mexican reliever was an All-Star for a second straight year in 2025, finishing the regular season with a tidy 1.73 ERA (2.43 FIP), 1.03 WHIP, a career-best 38 saves, 83 strikeouts, and 28 walks in 62 1/3 innings out of the bullpen for Seattle. The Mariners could keep the 26-year-old around through the 2028 season, too, as they have an $8 million option on him for 2027 and a $10 million option for 2028. Munoz's walk percentage has been in double digits each of the last three years, but he's made up for it by striking out 32.6% of the batters he's faced in the last three seasons.
--Keith HernandezSource: Francys Romero
November 4, 2025
Former Chicago Cubs right-hander
Keegan Thompson signed a one-year split contract with the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The split contract will pay Thompson $1.3 million on the big-league half (with $100,000 in performance incentives). Thompson will stay in the National League Central after playing the first four years of his big-league career in Chicago, where he posted a 3.64 ERA (4.51 FIP), 1.32 WHIP, and 225:111 K:BB over 104 appearances (23 starts) covering 227 1/3 frames. The 30-year-old pitched at Triple-A Iowa for half of the 2025 season while appearing out of the Cubs' bullpen 24 times, recording a career-best 2.67 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 36 strikeouts, 18 walks, and a career-high two saves. Thompson has mostly been a reliever the last three years, but it's possible Cincy will consider using him in a swing role in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Cincinnati Enquirer - Gordon Wittenmyer
November 4, 2025
The Baltimore Orioles acquired right-handed reliever
Andrew Kittredge from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Kittredge will return to Baltimore after opening the 2025 season with the O's. The 35-year-old veteran was traded from Baltimore to Chicago at the trade deadline over the summer. Now that he's back with the Orioles, the team will likely pick up his $9 million option for the 2026 season. Kittredge had a 3.45 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 32:8 K:BB in 31 1/3 relief innings in Baltimore before he was traded to the Cubbies, where he posted a 3.32 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, five saves, 32 strikeouts, and only three walks in 21 2/3 relief innings in the regular season. Right now, Kittredge could be the favorite for closing duties for the O's next season, although that could easily change after more moves are made this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
November 4, 2025
Chicago Cubs left-hander
Shota Imanaga has become a free agent after the team rejected their option to extend his contract to a fifth year, sources told Jesse Rogers of ESPN. That triggered Imanaga's ability to exercise a $15 million player option for the 2026 season, but he also declined that to hit the open market. The 32-year-old Japanese southpaw will now be free to sign with any team this offseason after going 24-11 with a 3.28 ERA (4.24 FIP), 1.01 WHIP, 23.1% strikeout rate, and 4.3% walk rate in 318 innings and 54 starts in his first two MLB seasons. The Cubs still hold the right to extend a $22 million qualifying offer to Imanaga. Imanaga's 2025 campaign was interrupted by an injury in the first half of the season, and he wasn't nearly as good in the second half after returning, posting a 4.70 ERA after the All-Star break. He also struggled in his two playoff starts and had only 117 K's in 25 starts during the regular season after punching out 174 batters in 29 starts in his rookie campaign.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
November 4, 2025
As expected, the Chicago White Sox picked up the $20 million option for the 2026 season on outfielder
Luis Robert Jr. on Tuesday, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The White Sox also have another $20 million club option on Robert for the 2027 campaign. The 28-year-old Cuban outfielder has been a name thrown around in trade rumors for over a year, but the Pale Hose have held onto him even though he continues to miss valuable time due to injuries. He played in 110 games in 2025 and hit just .223/.297/.364 with a .661 OPS, 14 home runs, 53 RBI, and 52 runs scored, but he also stole a career-high 33 bases in 431 plate appearances. Robert also showed his upside in the second half by hitting just under .300. Fantasy managers are wondering if Robert can ever replicate his 38-homer, 80-RBI, 20-steal season from 2023. Robert has the skills to do so, but his health is a big question mark.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers
November 3, 2025
The Atlanta Braves announced on Monday that they hired Walt Weiss as their new manager. Weiss, who has served as the team's long-time bench coach, will be promoted to manager after the team parted ways with former manager Brian Snitker following a disappointing 2025 campaign that ended without a playoff appearance. The 61-year-old managed the Colorado Rockies from 2013-16, going 283-365 and never finishing higher than third place in the National League West. The Braves still have a strong core led by former MVP
Ronald Acuna Jr., first baseman
Matt Olson, third baseman
Austin Riley, and young catcher
Drake Baldwin, but they finished 76-86 in 2025 and were hurt by major injuries to key players. They also still have pitchers
Chris Sale,
Spencer Strider, and
Spencer Schwellenbach. Weiss joined the Braves as their bench coach in 2018 and has served under Snitker since then.
--Keith HernandezSource: Atlanta Braves
November 3, 2025
Kansas City Royals left-hander
Kris Bubic (shoulder) has been cleared to begin an offseason throwing program, according to MLB.com. Bubic's 2025 season ended early in late July due to a left rotator-cuff strain, but he thankfully avoided having to go under the knife. The 28-year-old southpaw should be ready for the start of the 2026 season, but his shoulder injury will make him much more of a risk in fantasy drafts next spring. Before his rotator-cuff injury, though, Bubic made his first career All-Star team by going 8-7 with a career-best 2.55 ERA (2.90 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with a career-high 116 strikeouts and 39 walks in 116 1/3 innings over 20 starts for the Royals. If not for his shoulder injury, Bubic was well on his way to a breakout campaign in his sixth year in the majors. In his 117 big-league appearances (80 starts), Bubic has a 4.14 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and a below-average 21.9% strikeout rate.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
November 3, 2025
The Milwaukee Brewers announced on Monday that right-hander
Brandon Woodruff (lat) declined his $20 million mutual option for the 2026 season and will officially become a free agent. Despite ending an injury-plagued season with a lat injury in late September, Woodruff will decline his 2026 option and take a $10 million buyout instead. The 32-year-old veteran hurler got a late start in 2025 while recovering from right-shoulder surgery that kept him out for the entire 2024 season. He suffered a setback while on his minor-league rehab assignment after being hit by a comebacker, but when he finally returned to Milwaukee, he was solid, going 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA and 0.91 WHIP with 83 punchouts and 14 walks over 12 games started. Woodruff is expected to be ready for spring training, but at his age and with his new team unknown, he'll be a high-risk, high-reward fantasy starting pitcher.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Brewers
November 3, 2025
As expected, the Milwaukee Brewers announced on Monday that they exercised the $8 million option for the 2026 season on right-hander
Freddy Peralta. Peralta was one of the best pitchers in baseball for the Brew Crew in 2025, going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA (3.65 FIP), 1.07 WHIP, and 204:66 K:BB in 176 2/3 innings over his 33 starts. His 17 wins led the league, and it was his third straight season with 200-plus strikeouts. Peralta will be back for his ninth year in Milwaukee in 2026, but he'll be a trade candidate this offseason and next summer, with the Brewers unlikely to sign him to a long-term extension. Peralta was an All-Star for the second time in his career in 2025, and he's had a 3.59 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with a 29.9% strikeout rate and 9.3% walk rate over 931 regular-season innings.
--Keith HernandezSource: Milwaukee Brewers
November 3, 2025
Boston Red Sox right-hander
Lucas Giolito (elbow) will decline his side of the mutual option with the team for the 2026 season, a source told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. The Red Sox must now decide whether they will extend a one-year, $22 million qualifying offer to Giolito. The veteran hurler will receive a $1.5 million buyout after he declined his $19 million option for next year. Giolito bounced back this year following an internal-brace procedure on his right elbow that kept him out for the entire 2024 season. In 26 starts in Beantown, he went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 121 strikeouts and 56 walks in 145 innings pitched. His strong bounce-back season ended prematurely, though, when he developed elbow soreness in the final month of the regular season. How many suitors Gioloto has on the open market this winter will depend on his injury prognosis going into spring training.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Boston Globe - Alex Speier
November 3, 2025
Atlanta Braves infielder
Ha-Seong Kim opted out of his contract on Monday and has become a free agent, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Kim had offseason shoulder surgery and didn't make his 2025 debut with the Tampa Bay Rays until July 4. The 30-year-old South Korean native then dealt with a handful of other nagging injuries and was limited to just 48 games. Kim ended the campaign with the Atlanta Braves and hit a combined .234/.304/.345 with five home runs, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 191 plate appearances. He opted out of the $16 million that he was owed for the 2026 season, but there's a chance that he'll return to Atlanta and serve as their starting shortstop to begin next season. Kim probably had his high-water mark in 2023 with the Padres, when he had 17 homers, 60 RBI, and 38 steals in 152 games, and his aggressive playing style leaves him vulnerable to injury.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
November 3, 2025
As expected, New York Mets first baseman
Pete Alonso officially opted out of his deal with the Mets on Monday and is now a free agent, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Alonso was a free agent last offseason as well and didn't find what he was looking for on the open market, eventually re-signing in the Big Apple for two years and $54 million. The 30-year-old veteran right-handed slugger is once again a free agent after opting out of the second year of the contract. Alonso, the former National League Rookie of the Year in 2019, has been an All-Star each of the last four seasons and has had at least 34 home runs each year in that span. In 162 games in 2025, Alonso clubbed 38 home runs, drove in 126, and had a league-high 41 doubles while slashing .272/.347/.524 in 709 plate appearances. Alonso is still one of the premier sluggers in the game and should be an elite source of power in fantasy, regardless of where he ends up.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
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