January 17, 2026
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Toronto Blue Jays offered superstar outfielder
Kyle Tucker a massive 10-year, $350 million contract before he chose to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday evening. Tucker opted to ink a four-year, $240 million contract with the two-time reigning World Series Champions. Throughout the winter, the Blue Jays were viewed as favorites to land the star outfielder. While they were unable to land him, they have enjoyed a productive offseason, signing infielder
Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract and starting pitcher
Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $120 million contract. Additionally, they could still look to pursue
Cody Bellinger in free agency if they are looking to further bolster their outfield. Tucker, who carries five-category potential, holds high-end OF1 value heading into 2026 as he is joining the best lineup in the sport.
--Andy SmithSource: Jon Heyman
January 17, 2026
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez is expected to remain on the Dodgers but will shift to left field following the signing of Kyler Tucker. On Thursday night, the Dodgers signed Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract. While Hernandez spent time in left field during his first season in Los Angeles in 2024, he shifted to right field last summer. However, given Tucker's lack of experience in left field, the Dodgers will look to keep their newly-acquired superstar in right field to begin the 2026 season. Last summer, Hernandez took a slight step back and remained a productive power hitter, posting a .247/.284/.454 line with 25 home runs. Given that he will continue to bat in the heart of one of the most potent lineups in baseball, Hernandez remains a viable OF2 in all formats as he should provide high-end power production with elite counting stats.
--Andy SmithSource: Ken Rosenthal
January 17, 2026
Several teams have reached out to the Cincinnati Reds in hopes of acquiring one of their top pitchers, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. While a source noted that teams doubt the Reds would entertain a trade offer for their top arms like
Hunter Greene,
Nick Lodolo, or
Andrew Abbott, a depth pitcher like
Brady Singer could very well be on the trade block. Currently, the Reds have several budding arms in their system who appear poised to take on a full-time role on the MLB roster in the near future. Last season, Singer struggled in his debut campaign in Cincinnati, posting a 4.03 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP across 1692/3 innings of work. While former top prospect
Chase Burns appears poised to earn a spot in the starting rotation, Singer could block other young arms like
Rhett Lowder and
Chase Petty. Managers should pay close attention to the Cincinnati rotation in spring training, as many roles appear up for the taking.
--Andy SmithSource: Ken Rosenthal
January 17, 2026
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Baltimore Orioles are among the clubs that have shown interest in free agent right-handed pitcher
Justin Verlander. Rosenthal noted that the 43-year-old is still receiving interest from several clubs, but given his connection with Orioles GM Mike Elias, the Orioles appear to be among the favorites to land him. However, given that the Orioles are still actively pursuing starting pitching, they could look to pivot to an option with more upside, according to Rosenthal. Last season, Verlander logged 152 innings with the San Francisco Giants and held a 3.85 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP. He struck out only 137 hitters and generated a 37th percentile 4.24 xERA under the hood. Given his decreasing strikeout production and high ratios, Verlander would only be worth targeting in deep 15+ team/AL-only formats if he were to sign with the Orioles.
--Andy SmithSource: Ken Rosenthal
January 17, 2026
Cincinnati Reds second baseman
Matt McLain has added 12 pounds in the offseason as he has focused on getting stronger. The former 17th overall pick has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his two-year MLB career and is eyeing a "fresh start." McLain made his debut in 2023 but missed the entire 2024 campaign due to a rib and shoulder injury. In 2025, McLain appeared in a career-high 147 games but struggled at the plate, posting a .220/.300/.343 line with 18 doubles, 15 home runs, and 18 stolen bases. Under the hood, he generated a low .290 xwOBA. This was a stark drop from the promising .290/.357/.507 line he held during his debut campaign in 2023. Managers should keep a close eye on his status during camp, as the young infielder does possess five-category upside when on the field.
--Andy SmithSource: Charlie Goldsmith
January 17, 2026
According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, New York Mets third baseman
Brett Baty is expected to play numerous positions, including left field. On Friday, the team signed infielder
Bo Bichette, who is now slated to take over the everyday role at third base, shifting Baty into a super-utility role. While Baty may struggle to find at-bats in the infield, he could carve out a role in the New York outfield that traded
Brandon Nimmo this offseason and failed to sign
Kyle Tucker. Throughout his MLB career, Baty has only made one appearance in left field, but is expected to earn opportunities there during camp. Last season, the 26-year-old held a .254/.313/.435 line with 13 doubles and a career-best 18 home runs across 130 contests. While Baty's short-term fantasy value did take a hit following Bichette's signing, he could eventually carve out a role in the outfield. For now, he is best left for deeper redraft formats.
--Andy SmithSource: Jon Heyman
January 16, 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates infielder/outfielder
Konnor Griffin is among the Pirates' invites to big-league spring training this year, according to the team. Per MLB Pipeline, Griffin is considered the top prospect in baseball in 2026. The 19-year-old turned heads in his first year in the minors for the Bucs in 2025, hitting .333/.415/.527 with a .941 OPS, 21 home runs, 94 RBI, 117 runs, and 65 stolen bases in 122 combined games with Single-A Bradenton, High-A Greensboro, and Double-A Altoona. Depending on how he looks in spring training, Griffin has a real chance to be the first teenager to debut in the big leagues since
Juan Soto in 2018. Griffin is expected to compete for the starting shortstop job this spring. Griffin is a premium all-around athlete with plus-plus speed, and he certainly has the looks of a future fantasy superstar, potentially as early as 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
January 16, 2026
The New York Mets officially signed Dominican Republic shortstop Wandy Asigen on Thursday for $3.9 million, according to Francys Romero. Asigen, 16, was considered the most explosive player in this year's international class. He was expected to sign with the New York Yankees, but he ended up going to the cross-town rivals. Asigen hits from the left side and stands at 6-foot, 175 pounds. He has plenty of tools, most notably his plus raw power and plus speed at a premium position. Depending on how Asigen develops in the Mets' minor-league system over the coming years, he has a shot to be their shortstop of the future after
Francisco Lindor.
--Keith HernandezSource: Francys Romero
January 16, 2026
The San Francisco Giants signed Venezuelan shortstop
Luis Hernandez, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 international class, for $5 million on Thursday, according to MLB.com's Jesse Borek. It's the second straight year that the Giants have signed the top international free agent. The 17-year-old has projectable tools that could eventually make him a 30/30 candidate because of his hit, power, and run tools. Hernandez is seen as an above-average runner who is extremely aggressive on the basepaths. He has a quick first step at shortstop, although his arm is merely average right now. At just 15 years old in the Venezuelan league, Hernandez hit .346 in 104 at-bats against much older competition. He should be able to stick at the 6 long-term, although he could be battling Josuar Gonzalez, last year's international signing, as the Giants' shortstop of the future.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jesse Borek
January 16, 2026
The New York Mets have claimed shortstop
Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. He was claimed off waivers by the Rays on January 8 from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Rays designated Cheng for assignment to free up a spot on their 40-man roster following a trade. He'll now head to New York after putting up a lackluster campaign in Triple-A Indianapolis last season. Cheng slashed .207/.305/.267 with one home run, 36 RBI, and 20 steals in 110 games in the minors in 2025. He figures to serve as organizational depth in the minors to begin the season.
--Andy WebbSource: SNY Mets
January 16, 2026
The Miami Marlins have claimed right-handed pitcher
Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Bido was claimed off waivers by the Rays in December from the Atlanta Braves. He was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay after they needed to open a 40-man roster spot following a trade. The Marlins have decided to pick up the 30-year-old, who is looking to bounce back after a rough 2025 campaign. Last season, Bido registered a 5.87 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and 68/35 K/BB ratio across 26 games (10 starts) with the Athletics. Bido posted strong numbers with the A's during the 2024 season. This is a solid low-risk move for the Marlins to take a chance on Bido, who could be a decent swingman option for them in 2026.
--Andy WebbSource: Daniel Alvarez-Montes
January 16, 2026
The Minnesota Twins have agreed to a deal with free-agent catcher
Victor Caratini on Friday. They've agreed on a two-year, $14 million deal, according to Robert Murray. At first glance, this seems like an odd fit given the Twins already have
Ryan Jeffers. There's still a scenario that the rebuilding Twins trade Jeffers and use Caratini as the starting catcher. The 32-year-old has posted back-to-back strong campaigns with the Houston Astros. Last season, Caratini slashed .259/.324/.404 with 12 home runs and 46 RBI across 114 games. It seems unlikely that Caratini would play over 100 games in Minnesota, assuming Jeffers remains in the picture. His fantasy value will be dependent on his playing time, but Caratini isn't likely to be a strong fantasy option anyway.
--Andy WebbSource: Robert Murray
January 16, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher
Brad Keller has decided to join Team USA for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. This should pretty much round out the pitching staff, but it's always possible that someone drops out. This is a nice addition to the roster as Keller experienced a breakout season with the Chicago Cubs in 2025. He posted a 2.07 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 75/22 K/BB ratio across 68 games. That performance earned him a two-year, $22 million deal with the Phillies this offseason. The 30-year-old will now get a chance to shine for his country.
--Andy WebbSource: World Baseball Classic
January 16, 2026
According to Marc Topkin, newly acquired infielder/outfielder
Gavin Lux is going to primarily play second base with the Tampa Bay Rays. It sounds like Lux is going to step in and fill the void left by
Brandon Lowe. Rays' president of baseball operations Erik Neander sounds confident in Lux being an everyday option at the keystone. Lux spent most of his time in left field or as the designated hitter during his time with the Cincinnati Reds last season. He did play full-time at second base during his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, so it's not an unfamiliar position to him. Last season, Lux slashed .269/.350/.374 with five home runs and 53 RBI in 140 games with the Reds. The loss of power at the position is significant because Lowe smacked 31 homers with the Rays last season. The front office clearly sees something in Lux, so maybe they can tap into some hidden potential.
--Andy WebbSource: Marc Topkin
January 16, 2026
The Houston Astros have signed free-agent pitcher
Cody Bolton to a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training. Bolton only pitched in one game for the Cleveland Guardians last season. That was his lone big league appearance in 2025, but he did pitch 17 games with the Seattle Mariners in 2024. Bolton is a former sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates from the 2017 draft. He began his career as a starter, but has converted into a bullpen arm. He'll likely serve as organizational depth and start the season in Triple-A.
--Andy WebbSource: Garrett Greene
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