January 1, 2026

The Houston Astros signed Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai to a three-year deal worth up to $63 million on Thursday, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Imai will make $18 million a year with the potential for $3 million more in performance bonuses per season based on innings pitched. He will receive $54 million in guarantees. The 27-year-old will have opt-out clauses after all three years of the deal as well. Although Imai isn't projected to be as dominant as Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, he'll certainly help replace left-hander Framber Valdez, who is expected to depart Houston in free agency this offseason. Last season with the Seibu Lions in Nippon Professional Baseball, Imai had a sharp 1.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 178:45 K:BB ratio in 163 2/3 innings. He stands at 5-foot-11 and features a five-pitch mix. Imai will need his control gains from 2025 to stick as he transitions to MLB.--Keith Hernandez
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman

January 1, 2026

Right-hander Spencer Howard is signing with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball, according to Yakyu Cosmopolitan. Howard pitched in NPB last year, but before that, he spent five seasons in MLB. In 2025 for the Rakuten Eagles, Howard was limited to just nine starts due to injury, though he still posted a strong 2.22 ERA across 48 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old was once a top prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, but he has struggled to find consistent success in the major leagues, finishing his five MLB seasons with a 7.00 ERA, 136 strikeouts, and a 1.736 WHIP over 144 innings. The hope is that Howard can refine his skills overseas and potentially earn another opportunity with an MLB club in the future.--Marty Tallman
Source: Yakyu Cosmopolitan

January 1, 2026

The signing window for NPB All-Star third baseman Kazuma Okamoto closes at 5 p.m. EST on Friday, and according to Katie Woo and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Okamoto has met with several teams this week in Los Angeles. The Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Boston Red Sox have shown interest in the 29-year-old Japanese slugger, but as of now, he hasn't signed with anyone yet. Okamoto is widely regarded as one of Japan's premier power hitters, having recorded 30 or more home runs in six different seasons. Even though an elbow injury limited him to only 77 games in 2025, he posted a .322/.411/.581 slash line with 15 home runs while drawing 34 walks to only 36 strikeouts. In MLB, he projects as a right-handed corner infielder or designated hitter with the potential for 25 or more home runs. For fantasy purposes, Okamoto is a high-upside draft pick with considerable risk, as he will be facing MLB pitching for the first time in his career.--Marty Tallman
Source: Katie Woo and Will Sammon

January 1, 2026

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed free-agent right-hander Josh Winckowski (elbow) to a two-year minor-league contract, according to Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors. Since debuting in 2022 with the Boston Red Sox, Winckowski has logged 242 1/3 innings, posting a 4.20 ERA, 195 strikeouts, and a 1.47 WHIP. Winckowski has made 21 career starts but has spent the bulk of his time coming out of the bullpen. The former 15th-round draft pick by the Blue Jays in 2016 has always done a good job of keeping the ball on the ground, but after being moved to the bullpen in 2022, his fastball velocity ticked up by roughly 2 mph, and his strikeout rate climbed to a career-high 22.3%. The 27-year-old was limited to just 11 2/3 innings in 2025 due to an elbow injury and is currently rehabbing from internal-brace surgery, with hopes of returning late in the 2026 season. Once healthy, the Blue Jays plan to transition him into a starting role. For now, Winckowski carries no fantasy relevance.--Marty Tallman
Source: Steve Adams

January 1, 2026

Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai reportedly began in-person meetings earlier this week, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon and Katie Woo. Imai has until Friday at 5:00 p.m. ET to sign with a major-league team, or he will be required to play in Japan for the 2026 season. Imai is one of the top pitchers in NPB and most recently pitched for the Saitama Seibu Lions. In 2025, he pitched to a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts across 163 2/3 innings. Since the start of 2024, Imai has posted an NPB-best 27% strikeout rate, and even though he is not viewed on the same level as Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, he is still projected to command a multi-year contract worth up to $150 million. Teams showing the most interest in the 5-foot-11 righty include the Mets, Yankees, Cubs, Phillies, White Sox, and Orioles. From a fantasy standpoint, the 27-year-old's perceived MLB upside has pushed his ADP to around 181, placing him ahead of starting pitchers such as Tanner Bibee, Carlos Rodon, and Cade Horton in early drafts. Once he officially signs, fantasy managers should expect his draft stock to rise.--Marty Tallman
Source: Will Sammon and Katie Woo

January 1, 2026

The Los Angeles Angels have shown interest in St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Arenado's performance has steadily declined over the past few seasons, and the Cardinals appear to be entering a rebuild. St. Louis has already moved on from veterans such as right-hander Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras. In 2025, Arenado slashed .237/.289/.377 with 12 home runs, 52 RBI, and 48 runs scored across 436 plate appearances. His 84 wRC+ was the lowest mark of his career outside of his 2013 rookie season. The 34-year-old also missed time with a shoulder injury, limiting him to just 107 games. For a trade to be possible, Arenado would need to waive his no-trade clause, and it remains unclear whether he would be willing to do so to return to his native Southern California. Earlier this week, the Angels restructured the contract of oft-injured third baseman Anthony Rendon, thus making a trade for Arenado more plausible. While Arenado is no longer the elite offensive force he once was, he remains an above-average defender with solid contact skills. If traded to Los Angeles, he would likely play every day and hit in the middle of the lineup. From a fantasy perspective, Arenado currently carries an ADP of around 580, making him essentially free in drafts. That price makes him a reasonable late-round flyer as a corner infielder or bench bat in 15-team leagues. If Arenado is moved, then the Cardinals' top prospect, J.J. Wetherholt, would have a greater chance of making the club out of spring training. Keep Wetherholt on your fantasy radar for 2026.--Marty Tallman
Source: Ken Rosenthal

December 31, 2025

Free-agent right-hander Tyler Mahle agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Mahle will head to the National League West and an excellent pitcher's ballpark after spending the last two years with the Texas Rangers. The 31-year-old veteran only made 16 starts for the Rangers last year due to shoulder injuries, but when he was on the mound, he was great. Mahle went 6-4 with a career-best 2.18 ERA (3.37 FIP) and 1.13 WHIP with 66 strikeouts and 29 walks in 86 2/3 innings pitched. He had Tommy John surgery in 2023 and has had a strikeout rate under 20% in each of the last two years. That, along with his recent injury history, will limit Mahle's fantasy appeal. However, despite not missing many bats, Mahle could be a decent back-of-the-rotation arm for fantasy managers if he stays healthy in San Fran.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand

December 31, 2025

Free-agent outfielder Jarred Kelenic is signing a non-roster deal with the Chicago White Sox, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The 26-year-old spent the last couple of years with the Atlanta Braves after originally being a first-round pick by the New York Mets back in 2018. Kelenic was once one of the Seattle Mariners' top prospects, but he has never been able to put it all together at the plate and has a career .658 OPS in five big-league seasons. He'll have a better shot to make the big-league roster in Chicago, but Kelenic is coming off his worst season as a pro, slashing .167/.231/.300 with a .531 OPS, two home runs, two RBI, and 23 strikeouts in 65 plate appearances in 24 games for Atlanta. He wasn't much better at Triple-A Gwinnett, hitting .213/.286/.309 in 95 games. At best, Kelenic will probably be hoping for a platoon role with the White Sox in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN Chicago - Jesse Rogers

December 30, 2025

The Los Angeles Angels and third baseman Anthony Rendon agreed to restructure the rest of his contract on Tuesday, a league source told Sam Blum of The Athletic. The agreement will allow the 35-year-old Rendon to retire with one year left on his contract. He is owed the $38 million for the final year of his seven-year, $245 million deal, and the Angels will pay out that money over the next three to five years to free up significant cash for the club to pursue high-profile free agents in 2026. A second hip surgery caused Rendon to miss all of 2025. He will remain on the roster next year, but he's likely to be placed on the 60-day injured list at the outset of spring training. In six years with the Halos, Rendon appeared in just 257 of a possible 1,032 games.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Sam Blum

December 30, 2025

Free-agent right-handed reliever Kirby Yates and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal on Tuesday, pending a physical, a source told Ari Alexander. Yates will stay in L.A. after spending the 2025 campaign with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, where he went 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA (4.76 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, three saves, 52 strikeouts, and 17 walks in 41 1/3 innings out of the bullpen during the regular season. It was a disappointing year for the 38-year-old veteran after he recorded a 1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 33 saves the year prior with the Texas Rangers. Yates is no spring chicken, but he could bounce back to better results in 2026 and will be in the mix for more saves next season in an Angels bullpen that lost Kenley Jansen in free agency. Yates' primary competition for saves next season will come from the oft-injured Robert Stephenson and veteran lefty Drew Pomeranz.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Ari Alexander

December 29, 2025

The Miami Marlins are acquiring speedy outfielder Esteury Ruiz from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday in exchange for Cuban right-hander Adriano Marrero, sources told Francys Romero. Marrero had signed with the Marlins for a $350,000 signing bonus on Jan. 15 of last year. Ruiz, 26, led all of baseball with 67 stolen bases back in 2023 with the Athletics, but he couldn't replicate that success with the A's in 2024 and was eventually cut. The Dominican outfielder latched on with the Dodgers last year but ended up playing in only 19 games at the big-league level, going 4-for-21 (.190) at the plate with a homer, two RBI, and four steals. Ruiz, despite his electric wheels, has not been an asset defensively and has slashed only .241/.296/.343 in his four seasons in the majors. While he could start 2026 in the minors, Ruiz has a much better shot to return to the big leagues and stick around now that he's in Miami.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Francys Romero

December 29, 2025

Right-hander Zach Eflin re-signed with the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday night on a one-year deal worth $10 million, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The deal includes a mutual option for the 2027 season. The 31-year-old veteran will stick around in Baltimore as he looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season, in which he went 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA (5.64 FIP), 1.42 WHIP, and 50:13 K:BB ratio in 14 starts (71 1/3 frames). Eflin's poor season probably had a lot to do with a back injury that required season-ending surgery in August. He should be back to full health for spring training in February. Eflin also dealt with a right-lat strain. Even if he's fully healthy come Opening Day, outside of his elite control, he won't have a ton of fantasy upside on the wrong side of 30, especially in the tough American League East.--Keith Hernandez
Source: New York Post - Jon Heyman

December 29, 2025

Left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on Sunday after 12 seasons in the big leagues. Heaney will ride off into the sunset after winning a World Series ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers in October. The 34-year-old southpaw began the 2025 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates before joining the Dodgers. He made only one appearance for L.A. during the regular season, allowing three earned runs in two innings of relief. Overall, Heaney had a 5.52 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with 86 strikeouts and 40 walks in 122 1/3 innings over 27 outings (23 starts) in 2025. He was originally the ninth overall pick by the Marlins in 2012 out of Oklahoma State. In his 12 MLB seasons with six different teams, Heaney went 56-72 with a 4.57 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 23.8% strikeout rate in 1,136 2/3 regular-season innings over 230 appearances (208 starts).--Keith Hernandez
Source: Talkin' Baseball

December 27, 2025

The Cincinnati Reds acquired outfielder Dane Myers from the Miami Marlins on Saturday. The two teams have agreed on a deal that sends Myers to the Reds in exchange for outfielder Ethan O'Donnell. Myers didn't have a clear path to playing time in Miami, so the Marlins decided to move on from him. He slashed .235/.291/.326 with six home runs, 31 RBI, and 18 stolen bases in 106 games with the Marlins this past season. The expectation is that Myers will compete for a starting corner outfield spot, but will likely end up settling into a bench role. As for O'Donnell, he slashed .236/.327/.325 with seven homers, 56 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in 125 games in Double-A this past season. He's a former sixth-round pick who offers decent upside due to his speed. This seems like a fair trade for both sides, but it's unlikely to have much of an impact in fantasy leagues next season.--Andy Webb
Source: Cincinnati Reds

December 27, 2025

The Philadelphia Phillies have signed relief pitcher Genesis Cabrera to a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training. Cabrera has found a new home after being removed from the Minnesota Twins' 40-man roster. The southpaw pitched with four different MLB teams this past season. He didn't have much success at any of his stops, but maybe Philly can figure him out. Cabrera finished with a 6.54 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 35/18 K/BB ratio across 42.2 innings last season. He experienced success earlier in his career with the St. Louis Cardinals. Hopefully, the Phillies can tap into that, but if not, it's a low-risk move, with only an invite to camp extended to Cabrera.--Andy Webb
Source: Mike Rodriguez