January 4, 2026
Free-agent pitcher Kona Takahashi has decided not to sign with an MLB organization and will head back to Japan. The right-hander has until the end of Sunday to sign with a team, but it doesn't sound like it's going to happen. There wasn't a huge market for Takahashi, who only reportedly received a few offers from MLB teams. Takahashi has decided to return to Japan and continue working on his craft, with the goal of a possible MLB return in the future. The 28-year-old lacks strikeout numbers with only 88 punchouts across 148 innings this past season in Japan. It doesn't seem like organizations felt his stuff would translate well to the MLB game, but maybe something will change in the future.
--Andy WebbSource: Will Sammon
January 4, 2026
The Minnesota Twins have signed free-agent shortstop
Orlando Arcia to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. Arcia will look to bounce back after an ugly season in 2025. He slashed .202/.238/.291 with three home runs and 13 RBI across 76 games with the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies last year. Arcia is only a few years removed from an All-Star campaign he had with the Braves in 2023. It's a low-risk gamble for the Twins, who could potentially be getting a quality backup infielder in Arcia.
--Andy WebbSource: Chris Cotillo
January 3, 2026
The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a contract with free agent third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. While the exact terms of Okamoto's contract are not yet known, his signing represents another sizable move for Toronto, which has already added starting pitcher
Dylan Cease to a roster that was one win away from the World Series in 2025. Across 293 plate appearances in Japan's NPB in 2025, Okamoto, who turns 30 years old in June, slashed .327/.416/.598 with 15 home runs, 49 RBI, and 38 runs scored. He's also posted double-digit walk rates in each of the last three seasons and slashed his strikeout rate to a career-best 11.3% in 2025. In Toronto, he'll likely have a chance to be the team's everyday third baseman and deepen what is already a strong lineup.
--Will BradySource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
January 3, 2026
The St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox have discussed a trade for Cardinals utility man
Brendan Donovan, per Will Sammon and Katie Woo of The Athletic. Across 515 plate appearances for St. Louis in 2025, Donovan slashed .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs, 50 RBI, 64 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Donovan turns 29 in mid-January and is under club control through the 2027 season. His best attribute might be his versatility, as he's spent time at second base, third base, corner outfield, and even shortstop. In Boston, Donovan would likely see most of his playing time in the infield, depending on whether or not the Red Sox bring back free agent third baseman
Alex Bregman. Donovan is a better real-life player than a fantasy asset, given his limited power and speed contributions. However, he could see a slight jump in value if he lands an everyday role in a more potent lineup, such as Boston's.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Will Sammon, Katie Woo
January 3, 2026
In a recent radio appearance on First Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo, ESPN insider Buster Olney reported that the Boston Red Sox have made an "aggressive" offer to free agent third baseman
Alex Bregman. Olney also predicts that Bregman will ultimately end up re-signing with the Red Sox. Across 495 plate appearances in his first season in Boston in 2025, Bregman slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs, 62 RBI, and 64 runs scored. Although he owns a middling 6.1% career barrel rate, Bregman remains one of the MLB's best hitters in terms of controlling the strike zone with a career 11.8% walk rate and 13.4% strikeout rate. A reunion with Boston might be the best fit for Bregman from a fantasy perspective, as it would allow him to continue to take advantage of the Green Monster at Fenway Park. In addition to Boston, Bregman has also been linked to the Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Detroit Tigers, among others.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Buster Olney
January 3, 2026
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reports that the Toronto Blue Jays "remain the favorite" to sign free-agent outfielder
Kyle Tucker. Tucker, who turns 29 in mid-January, may be the most sought-after position player in this winter's free-agent market. Across 597 plate appearances in 2025 for the Chicago Cubs, Tucker slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs, 73 RBI, 91 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases. Tucker also dropped his strikeout rate to a career-best 14.7%, although his hard-hit rate fell to a career-worst 40.2%. In Toronto, Tucker would be an everyday corner outfielder and would likely hit in front of star first baseman
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Tucker has missed 110 games due to injury over the last two seasons, so he carries some risk for both MLB teams and fantasy managers. However, his ability to be a five-category contributor makes him a priority early-round target in fantasy drafts, particularly if he winds up in a solid lineup like Toronto's.
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
January 3, 2026
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto is "likely" to agree to a deal on Saturday, and that the San Diego Padres "could be the frontrunner." Okamoto's posting window closes on Sunday, so he is facing a deadline to choose an MLB destination. Across 293 plate appearances in the NPB in 2025, Okamoto slashed .327/.416/.598 with 15 home runs, 49 RBI, and 38 runs scored. He's also posted double-digit walk rates in each of the last three seasons and slashed his strikeout rate to a career-best 11.3% in 2025. If he does sign with San Diego, Okamoto would likely move to first base or designated hitter due to the presence of star Padres third baseman
Manny Machado. Okamoto has also been linked to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox, among others. However, Feinsand reports that "it's unlikely that he will wind up in Pittsburgh."
--Will BradySource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
January 2, 2026
The Minnesota Twins acquired infielder
Eric Wagaman from the Miami Marlins on Friday in exchange for left-hander
Kade Bragg, according to the Marlins. Wagaman will head to the American League Central after the Marlins designated him for assignment earlier in the week. The 28-year-old made his big-league debut in 2024 with the Los Angeles Angels and went 18-for-72 (.250) with two homers and 10 RBI in just 18 games played. He appeared in 140 games for the Fish in 2025, slashing .250/.296/.378 with a .674 OPS, nine home runs, 54 RBI, 56 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 514 plate appearances. In Minnesota, Wagaman will most likely compete for a platoon job against lefties in a corner outfield spot or at first base. Wagaman had a .783 OPS against southpaws. At best, he'll be a bench bat in AL-only leagues in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Miami Marlins
January 1, 2026
The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the New York Yankees and New York Mets are concentrating on free-agent outfielder
Cody Bellinger at this time, with Bellinger being the Yankees' No. 1 priority. The Mets also love Bellinger for his all-around play and defense in both the outfield and at first base. Heyman also mentioned the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and potentially the Toronto Blue Jays as landing spots for Bellinger, depending on how things work out with free-agent outfielder
Kyle Tucker. Bellinger declined his $25 million player option for the 2026 season with the Yankees and decided to test free agency after a strong .272/.334/.480 slash line with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in 152 regular-season games in the Bronx in 2025. Re-signing with the Yanks would likely be the best thing for Bellinger's fantasy value going into next year and beyond.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
January 1, 2026
The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the New York Yankees are among the teams showing interest in free-agent shortstop
Bo Bichette this offseason. In addition to the Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs have checked in on Bichette. The Yankees could try to pry the superstar shortstop away from the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. The 27-year-old is open to moving to second base long-term, which will expand what is a weak middle-infield market this winter. Bichette had a down year in 2024, but he rebounded nicely in 2025 with a .311/.357/.483 slash line with 18 home runs and 94 RBI in 139 regular-season games for Toronto. His 2026 fantasy value will depend on where he lands, but Bichette has proven that he's a strong candidate to hit around 20 home runs while delivering a high average for fantasy managers. Adding second base eligibility would make him even more attractive.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
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 HernandezSource: 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 TallmanSource: 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 TallmanSource: 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 TallmanSource: 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 TallmanSource: Will Sammon and Katie Woo
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