November 11, 2025
The Detroit Tigers will at least listen to trade offers for left-hander
Tarik Skubal, but they "would have to be completely overwhelmed" to move him, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. MLB teams won't be willing to give up more than two top-10 prospects in exchange for Skubal, knowing that he won't sign an extension and plans to hit free agency following the 2026 season. Nightengale adds that the Tigers are "expected to hang onto him until at least the July 2026 trade deadline." The 28-year-old southpaw is likely to win a second straight American League Cy Young award after leading the league with a 6.5 WAR, 2.21 ERA, 2.45 FIP, and 0.89 WHIP in 195 1/3 innings in 2025. Skubal also struck out a career-high 241 hitters while walking just 33 in 31 regular-season starts. Regardless of where he's pitching in 2026, Skubal will be an elite fantasy ace.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 11, 2025
The Kansas City Royals acquired right-hander
Mason Black from the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday in exchange for right-hander Logan Martin, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. Black will head to KC after the Giants designated him for assignment last week. The 25-year-old former third-round pick by SF in 2021 out of Lehigh University only threw four innings out of the bullpen for the Giants in 2025, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out five. He wasn't much better in the minors, collecting a 5.81 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 119 1/3 innings. Martin, 24, was a former 12th-rounder by KC in 2023 out of Kentucky. He has yet to make his major-league debut after three seasons in the minors, going 12-7 wth a 3.49 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 187:71 K:BB in 51 appearances (41 starts).
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 11, 2025
The Chicago Cubs will be "shopping in the expensive aisle" for starting pitching this offseason, and USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale reports that general managers around the league are predicting that Chicago could sign free-agent left-hander
Framber Valdez and/or free-agent right-hander
Dylan Cease. Free-agent outfielder
Kyle Tucker is expected to sign elsewhere, so the Cubs will have "plenty of money to burn." They will also be looking to make a splash after finishing second in the National League Central again to the Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago's starting rotation last year left a lot to be desired, so they will certainly look to bolster the top half of the rotation around impressive young right-hander
Cade Horton. Valdez, 31, went 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 187:68 K:BB in 192 innings over 31 starts in his final year in Houston. The aging southpaw relies on pinpoint control and inducing ground balls over velocity and K's, and would be a logical replacement for
Shota Imanaga.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 11, 2025
Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports writes that the Baltimore Orioles "have to bring in a front-line starter" this offseason and cannot afford to miss the playoffs again, or general manager Mike Elias' job will be on the line. The Orioles have learned that they cannot sit idle and expect to compete in the tough American League East, even if they have a solid core of young rising players. Starting pitching will be a point of emphasis this offseason, with free-agent right-hander
Dylan Cease potentially being a target for Baltimore. They might not choose to dip into their prospect pool to trade for a starter like they did to acquire
Corbin Burnes, but there will be other free-agent options available, with left-hander
Framber Valdez being another potential option. After back-to-back playoff appearances, the O's disappointed with a 75-87 record to finish last in the AL East in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 11, 2025
The Cleveland Guardians almost traded outfielder
Steven Kwan to the Los Angeles Dodgers over the summer, and the Dodgers will "come calling again," according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. After the Dodgers' failed experiment with the left-handed-hitting
Michael Conforto, they will have an opening in their outfield for 2026, and Kwan could fill that spot while giving the back-to-back World Series champions another on-base machine for either the top or bottom of their stacked batting order. The Guardians' price tag for Kwan will be high, but the Dodgers have plenty of prospect capital to get something done. The 28-year-old has been an All-Star each of the last two years in Cleveland and hit .272/.330/.374 with a career-low .705 OPS, 11 homers, 56 RBI, 81 runs, and 21 steals in 156 regular-season games. Kwan lacks power, but he's plenty useful for a high-floor average, runs, and speed, and his fantasy value would receive a boost if he were to move to L.A.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 10, 2025
USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale reports that the Miami Marlins are "set to accept the best offer they receive" this winter on right-hander
Sandy Alcantara, believing "now is the time" to trade him. Alcantara was on the trade block in 2025, too, but the Fish never got the offer they wanted for the former National League Cy Young winner. The 30-year-old Dominican hurler will earn $17.3 million in 2026 and has a $21 million club option for the 2027 campaign. Alcantara was shaky in his return from Tommy John surgery in the first half of 2025, but he had a second-half surge in Miami to finish with an 11-12 record, 5.36 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 142:57 K:BB in 174 2/3 innings over his 31 starts. He had eight quality starts in 13 starts since the All-Star break while also posting a 3.33 ERA with 71 K's and 20 walks over 83 2/3 innings. Even if Alcantara isn't traded before the start of the 2026 season, he showed enough in the second half to convince fantasy managers that he can be a fantasy ace for all of next season.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 10, 2025
The Arizona Diamondbacks are "definitely motivated in moving" All-Star second baseman
Ketel Marte with $71 million remaining on his contract through 2030, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. The Diamondbacks will obviously be asking for a lot in return. If Arizona doesn't trade Marte by the middle of April in 2026, he will have 10-and-5 rights and a full no-trade provision. Plenty of MLB teams should be interested in the 32-year-old switch-hitting Dominican infielder, but it remains to be seen if anyone will meet the D-backs' lofty asking price. Marte has been an All-Star each of the last two seasons and has been one of, if not the best, all-around second baseman in the game. Since the start of the 2023 campaign, Marte has a combined .283/.368/.519 slash line, .887 OPS, 89 home runs, 249 RBI, 274 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases in 412 regular-season games. If Marte is going to be traded, it will most likely come this offseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 10, 2025
The Cincinnati Reds have publicly denied any efforts to trade right-hander
Hunter Greene, but "they still plan to listen to offers" for Greene, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. However, unless the Reds are completely overwhelmed by a trade offer and receive a return that will help them now and in the future, Cincinnati "will keep him." Greene is owed just $39 million over the next three seasons and has a 421 million team option for 2029. At the price and with his ability, Nightengale writes that the Reds "aren't going to find a better pitcher at a bigger discount rate." The 26-year-old hard-throwing starter missed two-plus months with a groin injury in 2025, but when healthy, he was a high-end fantasy starter, going 7-4 with a 2.76 ERA (3.27 FIP) and 0.94 WHIP with 132 K's and 26 walks in 107 2/3 frames over 19 starts. Greene is no stranger to injuries, but a career 30% strikeout rate makes him a No. 1 starter in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 10, 2025
The rebuilding Minnesota Twins have two of the best trade chips in right-handed starting pitchers
Joe Ryan and
Pablo Lopez, and could continue their aggressive rebuild by trading them away this offseason, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. Lopez is under team control for two more years at $21.5 million per year, while Ryan has two years of club control and is salary-arbitration eligible after making $3 million in 2025. Ryan, 29, ended his season by giving up five or more runs in four of his last seven outings, but overall, he had a career-best 3.47 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 194:39 K:BB over his 171 innings in his fifth big-league season. Ryan was an All-Star for the first time in his career. Lopez, meanwhile, had an injury-plagued campaign, missing two months early in the year with a Grade 2 teres major strain before being shut down with a right-forearm strain in late September. The 29-year-old is already considered fully healthy, though, and should be a full-go in spring training.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 10, 2025
USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates "won't even listen to trade proposals" for right-hander
Paul Skenes. The 23-year-old pitching phenom is already one of the best pitchers in baseball, but the rebuilding Pirates won't consider trading away the former first overall pick and the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year. Skenes is already a two-time All-Star and followed up his special first year in the big leagues by going 10-10 with a league-best 1.97 ERA (2.36 FIP) and league-best 0.95 WHIP with a career-best 216 strikeouts and 42 walks in 187 2/3 innings over his 32 starts. Skenes headlines an intriguing young pitching staff for the Bucs that will remain the strength of their team heading into next season. In fantasy baseball, Skenes will be the most coveted No. 1 starter.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 10, 2025
The New York Mets are expected to let free-agent first baseman
Pete Alonso walk this offseason "unless he signs a deal they can't turn down," according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. President of baseball operations David Stearns was ready to let Alonso walk last year before they ultimately brought him back. The 30-year-old right-handed slugger had another monster year in 2025 with a .272 average, 38 home runs, a league-leading 41 doubles, 126 RBI, and 87 runs scored in 162 games, but it wasn't enough to help the Mets make the playoffs. The Mets are preaching defense and run prevention going forward, and Alonso's weakness is his defense at first base. After missing the postseason, the Mets are reportedly looking for a culture shift without Alonso and several other position players going into 2026. General managers are predicting that the perfect landing spot for Alonso this offseason might be the Boston Red Sox.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 10, 2025
General managers across MLB are predicting that free-agent outfielder
Kyle Tucker will sign with either the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, or Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason. The San Francisco Giants could be a dark-horse team, but they still owe first baseman
Rafael Devers $250 million and are in the second year of a seven-year, $182 million contract with shortstop
Willy Adames and the second of a six-year, $151 million extension with third baseman
Matt Chapman. San Fran will be paying $137 million alone to their top six players in 2026. USA Today's Bob Nightengale wouldn't be surprised if the Blue Jays are "the perfect fit." The 28-year-old left-handed slugger is the top available free agent this winter and should command the biggest contract despite missing more time with injury in 2025. Tucker finished his first and likely last year in Chicago with a .266/.377/.464 slash line, .841 OPS, 22 home runs, 73 RBI, 91 runs, and 25 stolen bases in 500 at-bats.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
November 10, 2025
Free-agent third baseman/designated hitter
Justin Turner plans to play in 2026, according to his agent, Greg Genske. Turner, who turns 41 years old this month, posted a .759 OPS against left-handed pitching while playing for the Chicago Cubs in 2025. Overall, Turner slashed .219/.288/.314 in his 17th MLB season with a .602 OPS, three home runs, 18 RBI, and 14 runs scored in only 80 regular-season games. Big Red still can do damage against southpaws, but he showed in 2025 that he doesn't have much left in the tank otherwise. If Turner signs with another big-league team for the 2026 season, he'll be on the short side of a platoon, likely at designated hitter. Turner played 32 games at first base for Chicago, eight at third base, and 19 as the DH.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
November 10, 2025
Atlanta Braves catcher
Drake Baldwin was named the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year on Monday night. Baldwin, a third-rounder in the 2022 draft out of Missouri State, was thrust into action early in the 2025 campaign when
Sean Murphy started the season on the injured list with a broken rib. Baldwin, who was the club's top prospect, took advantage to earn NL ROY hardware. He got off to a slow start at the plate but eventually figured it out and finished with a .274/.341/.469 slash line with 19 home runs to lead all NL rookies with a 3.1 fWAR. Baldwin becomes the 10th player in franchise history to win the award. His 75.3 mph average bat speed ranked him among the top 9% of qualified hitters this year, and he also finished in the 80th percentile or better in whiff rate (19.5%), expected slugging percentage (.474), expected weighted on-base average (.354), strikeout rate (15.2%), hard-hit rate (49.6%), expected batting average (.276), and average exit velocity (91.7 mph).
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB
November 10, 2025
Right-handed pitcher
Kyle Hendricks is retiring after a long and decorated career that included a World Series championship, an ERA title, and 11 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, a source told Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. In his 12th and final season in 2025 with the Los Angeles Angels, Hendricks went 8-10 with a 4.76 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 114 strikeouts and 43 walks in 164 2/3 innings over his 31 starts. The 35-year-old veteran was a soft-tosser in his career and never had an All-Star selection, but he will finish his career with a decent 3.79 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 1,745 regular-season innings over 307 appearances (301 starts). Hendricks' best season came in 2016 with the Cubbies, when he finished third in the National League Cy Young voting after posting a league-best 2.13 ERA with a 16-8 record and 0.98 WHIP in 190 innings pitched.
--Keith HernandezSource: Chicago Sun-Times - Maddie Lee
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