December 8, 2025
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Monday that he would like for outfielder
Yordan Alvarez to "spend most of his season" as the designated hitter next year, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. This wouldn't be a huge surprise, considering Alvarez played in only 48 games in 2025 due to injuries. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger made only 15 starts in left field last year and 32 as the DH. The three-time All-Star and former American League Rookie of the Year is expected to be ready for the start of spring training despite having his season cut short by a severe left-ankle sprain. Alvarez had four straight 30-plus homer seasons from 2021-24 while also driving in at least 86 runs in each of those seasons. He missed most of 2025 with a hand fracture. The Cuban native still has elite discipline, but he had a career-worst .797 OPS and only six homers. Alvarez is still on the right side of 30 and has high-end plate skills. Fantasy managers who are willing to take on a little more injury risk could be rewarded handsomely if Alvarez can put his 2025 injury woes behind him.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chandler Rome
December 8, 2025
Free-agent first baseman
Pete Alonso is expected to drive from his Tampa home to the winter meetings in Orlando, Fla., to meet in person with interested teams, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles are among the teams that Alonso is scheduled to meet with. The New York Mets are open to considering re-signing the Polar Bear, but they aren't going to break the bank for him. Alonso was a free agent last year, too, but he ended up re-signing to a two-year, $54 million contract. The right-handed power-hitting first baseman opted out of the final year of the deal to become a free agent again this winter. If the Mets and Alonso don't reunite again, they could turn to lefty slugger
Kyle Schwarber or Japanese corner infielder Munetaka Murakami. The 31-year-old Alonso isn't great defensively, but he's an elite power bat with at least 34 home runs in all six full seasons in the majors since he debuted in 2019.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Mike Puma
December 8, 2025
The Washington Nationals are getting pushed aggressively on shortstop
CJ Abrams this offseason, people familiar with their talks told Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. According to league sources, the Nationals are open to talks on Abrams, but "the bar is high." The 25-year-old is attractive to teams around the league, given the lack of shortstops available on the open market. He's expected to make $5.6 million next year with two more years of arbitration eligibility before becoming a free agent. Beyond
Bo Bichette and
Ha-Seong Kim, there is a significant drop-off in talent. Additionally, Abrams is coming off his best offensive season with a .748 OPS, 19 home runs, and 31 stolen bases. Regardless of where Abrams is playing in 2026, the young shortstop is one of the more attractive young power/speed options at the shortstop position for fantasy drafts next spring.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal
December 8, 2025
The San Diego Padres have shown a willingness to entertain trade offers for right-hander
Nick Pivetta, league sources told The Athletic's Dennis Lin. However, a deal for Pivetta isn't considered likely, as the Padres would require a steep return for Pivetta, who was their best starter in 2025. The 32-year-old veteran's heavily backloaded contract will pay him $19 million next year, up from just $1 million in 2025. He can opt out of his deal next November with two years and $32 million still owed to him. Pivetta is coming off a career year in his first year in SD, in which he had a 2.87 ERA and finished sixth in the National League Cy Young voting. Trading Pivetta would weaken an already thin starting rotation, but the Padres and general manager A.J. Preller's options for rebalancing the payroll are limited. A trade of Pivetta could give the Friars the flexibility and resources to go after multiple controllable starters.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dennis Lin
December 8, 2025
San Diego Padres manager
Craig Stammen said on Monday that the team will keep right-handers
Mason Miller and
David Morgan and left-hander
Adrian Morejon in the bullpen next year rather than converting them to starters. "It's a risky proposition health-wise and performance-wise," Stammen said. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reasonably notes that the Padres are very much in the market for starting arms this offseason after losing right-hander
Dylan Cease to free agency. Free-agent righty
Michael King is also expected to depart for a multi-year contract. The flamethrowing Miller would have been very intriguing for fantasy baseball purposes as a starter, but instead, he'll remain an elite closing target in San Diego with former ninth-inning arm
Robert Suarez expected to leave in free agency. Miller has been one of the best relievers in the game the last two years, posting a 2.56 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a dominant 43.1% strikeout rate in 126 2/3 innings.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Alden Gonzalez
December 8, 2025
The Baltimore Orioles are among the teams interested in signing free-agent left-hander
Ranger Suarez, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Suarez doesn't light up the radar gun, but his terrific postseason pedigree has many teams looking his way on the open market. The 30-year-old southpaw rejected the Philadelphia Phillies' one-year, $22.025 qualifying offer, so Philly will receive draft-pick compensation if he signs with another team for 2026 and beyond. He went 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 151 strikeouts, and 38 walks in 157 1/3 innings over 26 regular-season starts in 2025 in his eighth big-league season with the Phils. Since Suarez's first full year in the majors in 2021, he has posted a solid 3.25 ERA with a below-average 22.5% strikeout rate and 7.5% walk rate. A move to Baltimore and the tough American League East would put Suarez in yet another tough pitching environment.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
December 8, 2025
The Chicago Cubs are among many teams that are showing interest in Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. It's worth noting that the Cubs have done very well in the past in the Japanese market with players like outfielder
Seiya Suzuki and left-handed starter
Shota Imanaga. The Seibu Lions have posted Imai for MLB teams this offseason, and he's already drawing plenty of interest from teams like the Cubs and New York Yankees, among others. The 27-year-old had a stingy 1.92 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 163 2/3 innings for the Lions in 2025. Imai has been compared to
Luis Castillo with a pitch profile that includes a four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, splitter, "vulcan" changeup, and curveball. He's predominantly a fastball-slider guy with a bulldog style. There's high-end fantasy upside with Imai for a pitcher who has been dominant against right-handed hitters.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
December 8, 2025
The New York Yankees don't expect shortstop
Anthony Volpe (shoulder) to return in April of next season, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. Volpe suffered a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder while diving for a ball on May 3, but he didn't have surgery on it until the middle of October after the team had been eliminated from the postseason. The 24-year-old is expected to be cleared to hit by February, but he won't be allowed to dive until around April. Expect the Yankees to be cautious with their starting shortstop, so it's possible that we won't see him until mid to late May. Until he's ready, speedy infielder
Jose Caballero is expected to see most of the playing time at the 6 in the Bronx. Volpe needed several cortisone shots throughout the year for his shoulder and hit just .204/.253/.374 after the injury. He's going to be much cheaper in fantasy drafts in 2026, and for good reason.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
December 8, 2025
The New York Yankees are expecting right-hander
Gerrit Cole (elbow) to make his 2026 debut sometime in May or June, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. We already knew that Cole wasn't going to be ready for Opening Day after having Tommy John surgery with an internal-brace procedure on his right elbow back in March. The 35-year-old veteran missed the entire 2025 season. He threw off a bullpen mound at Yankee Stadium last month, but he still has a ways to go in his recovery. The Yankees are hoping that Cole will be able to face live hitters at some point in spring training. Cole is a six-time All-Star and former American League Cy Young winner, but it's fair to wonder how dominant he'll be when he returns next year following a lengthy absence, especially at his age. The Yankees have a clear need in their rotation with Cole, lefty
Carlos Rodon (elbow), and
Clarke Schmidt (elbow) all recovering from elbow procedures.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Bryan Hoch
December 8, 2025
Free-agent right-hander
Michael Soroka has agreed to a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, pending a physical, sources tell Jesse Rogers and Jeff Passan of ESPN. In 2025, Soroka pitched to a 4.52 ERA (3.78 SIERA) with a career-high 25.1% strikeout rate across 89 2/3 innings for the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. When the 28-year-old first reached the majors, he relied heavily on generating ground balls. But after recovering from multiple injuries, he overhauled his pitch mix and became more of a strikeout-oriented hurler. For fantasy managers, Soroka is a solid late-round dart throw with some upside and will likely be the last pitcher you draft in most leagues.
--Marty TallmanSource: Jesse Rogers and Jeff Passan
December 7, 2025
Second baseman Jeff Kent was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. The 57-year-old was named on 14 of 16 ballots and still holds the record for home runs (351) by a second baseman. Kent was the only player elected to the HOF this year, with all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, 354-game winner Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, and Gary Sheffield being left out again. Kent played 17 seasons for six different teams, but his best years came with the San Francisco Giants while playing alongside Bonds. He was a five-time All-Star and was named the National League MVP in 2000 with the Giants, when he hit a career-high .334 with 33 home runs and 125 RBI. Of his 377 career home runs, 351 came as a second baseman. Kent had a career slash line of .290/.356/.500 with an .855 OPS.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Bradford Doolittle
December 7, 2025
The Boston Red Sox are among the teams interested in trading for Arizona Diamondbacks superstar second baseman
Ketel Marte, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Other teams that could be potential fits for Marte include the Seattle Mariners, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, and Toronto Blue Jays. Marte has been involved in trade rumors this offseason, but general manager Mike Hazen recently said that it's unlikely Arizona will move the 32-year-old veteran Dominican. The switch-hitting infielder was one of the big reasons why the D-backs were one of the highest-scoring teams in baseball in 2025, as he slashed .283/.376/.517 with an .893 OPS, 28 home runs, 72 RBI, 87 runs, and four steals in 126 games. Marte's 145 wRC+ led all qualified second basemen for the second straight year.
--Keith HernandezSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman
December 7, 2025
The Kansas City Royals are looking to upgrade their outfield this offseason, and they are willing to trade a starting pitcher in order to get one, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The most logical trade candidate could be left-hander
Kris Bubic, who is projected to earn $6 million in his final year of salary arbitration before free agency. The Royals aren't pursuing the most expensive outfield options in
Kyle Tucker and
Cody Bellinger, and they might also be out on
Harrison Bader, who is believed to be seeking a three-year deal. According to people briefed on their talks, KC's preference is to add two outfielders. They may re-sign
Mike Yastrzemski.
Adolis Garcia,
Max Kepler,
Mike Tauchman,
Lane Thomas, and
JJ Bleday are other free-agent options. Bubic missed most of the second half with a left rotator-cuff strain, but he was cleared to begin throwing in early November and should have a normal season in 2026 after avoiding shoulder surgery.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
December 7, 2025
The Los Angeles Angels have already added right-handed starters
Grayson Rodriguez and
Alek Manoah this offseason, but people briefed on the team's plans have told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that the Angels want to add another starting pitcher. In addition to adding another starting pitcher, the Halos want to address their bullpen, center field, and third base.
Yusei Kikuchi and
Jose Soriano sit at the top of the rotation. Rodriguez and Manoah have not pitched in the majors since 2024 due to injuries, and lefty
Reid Detmers is a bit of an unknown. Rosenthal writes that ideally, the Angels would add another high-end starter and at least one long man/starter type. The Angels acquired Rodriguez from Baltimore in exchange for outfielder
Taylor Ward, and they signed Manoah to a low-risk, one-year deal worth $1.95 million.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
December 7, 2025
The Pittsburgh Pirates have made a four-year offer to free-agent designated hitter
Kyle Schwarber, people briefed on the team's talks told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Rosenthal reports that the offer is almost certainly worth more than $100 million. The Pirates are considered a long shot to land Schwarber, who will most likely end up re-signing with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Boston Red Sox are known to be interested in the left-handed slugger, and Schwarber's hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds, are also making a push. Pittsburgh has only given out one $100 million contract (
Bryan Reynolds), and they have never come close to that number in free agency. Schwarber is one of the best power hitters in baseball and is coming off a career-best 56 home runs. For the Phillies to retain the 32-year-old, they might have to guarantee Schwarber a fifth year.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
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