3 hours agoThe New York Mets agreed with relief pitcher David Robertson on a one-year, $10 million deal on Thursday, according to a source familiar with the contract. The Met got significantly better on Thursday evening, also re-signing center fielder Brandon Nimmo to a monster eight-year, $162 million deal. The 2022 season with the Philadelphia Phillies was his first full year since having Tommy John surgery in 2021. The 37-year-old veteran reliever with 157 career saves had a combined 2.40 ERA (3.58 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP, 20 saves and 81 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings for the Phillies and Chicago Cubs. Edwin Diaz is cemented in the Mets' closer role, but Robertson will be a strong setup option with plenty of high-leverage experience. He will have plenty of value in holds leagues.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan

3 hours agoThe New York Mets agreed to re-sign outfielder Brandon Nimmo to an eight-year, $162 million deal on Thursday, according to sources familiar with the deal. The Mets keep their on-base machine of a center fielder, and the biggest payroll in baseball only gets bigger. The former first-rounder will remain the team's leadoff man with a career .385 on-base percentage in his seven major-league seasons with the Mets. Nimmo doesn't have a ton of pop (career-high 17 home runs in 2018), but he's an excellent table-setter and is a great target in OBP and runs scored in fantasy. In a career-high 151 games in 2022, the 29-year-old hit .274/.367/.433 with an .800 OPS, 16 homers, a league-high seven triples, 64 RBI, 102 runs scored and three stolen bases.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan

5 hours agoThe Miami Marlins acquired outfielder Jake Mangum as the player to be named later in the trade with the New York Mets that involved Jeff Brigham and Elieser Hernandez. Mangum wasn't one of the Mets' top 30 prospects, and he was left unprotected in this week's Rule 5 draft. Mangum is strong defensively and has a .760 career OPS in the minors in 209 games. The 26-year-old switch-hitter slashed a strong .306/.363/.441 with an .804 OPS, four home runs, 35 RBI, 43 runs scored and 14 stolen bases in 72 games at the Rookie League, Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse in 2022. He'll be looking to compete for a utility role in Miami at spring training next year.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Christina De Nicola

6 hours agoThe Cincinnati Reds signed right-hander Silvino Bracho to a minor-league deal on Thursday with an invitation to major-league spring training. Bracho appeared in the big leagues in 2022 for the first time in two years, giving up three earned runs on three hits while walking one and striking out four in only 4 1/3 relief innings over three outings for the Atlanta Braves. The 30-year-old also pitched in the minors for the Boston Red Sox and had a 2.83 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings over 38 appearances (five starts) for Triple-A Gwinnett and Triple-A Worcester. In 94 relief innings at the big-league level over six seasons, Bracho has a 4.88 ERA (5.03 FIP), a 1.29 WHIP, one save and 98 strikeouts.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Reds Twitter

6 hours agoThe Miami Marlins signed catcher Austin Allen and shortstop Alex De Goti to minor-league deals and also claimed right-hander Nic Enright off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians. Allen played in five games for the Oakland Athletics last season and went 1-for-14 with a walk, a run scored and nine strikeouts. The 28-year-old was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in August. He hit a combined .287/.365/.472 with an .837 OPS, seven home runs, 40 RBI and 24 runs scored in 55 minor-league games. De Goti, 28, spent all of 2022 with Triple-A Sugar Land in the Houston Astros organization, slashing .253/.352/.377 with nine home runs, 69 RBI, 77 runs scored and eight stolen bases in 135 games played.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com

6 hours agoTampa Bay Rays right-hander J.P. Feyereisen (shoulder) had right shoulder surgery on Wednesday that was described as a "general cleanup of the rotator cuff and labrum." The goal is for Feyereisen to resume throwing in four months, so he will miss at least the start of the 2023 season. Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin believes that Feyereisen will make a post All-Star break return to game action. In his first full season with the Rays in 2022, he allowed an unearned run on seven hits while walking five and striking out 25 in 24 1/3 innings. The 29-year-old missed the final four months of the year due to the pinched nerve in his shoulder. Once healthy in the second half next year, Feyereisen should have a high-leverage relief role in Tampa's bullpen.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin

11 hours agoThe San Francisco Giants acquired catcher/outfielder Blake Sabol from the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations and a player to be named later. It was a busy day for Sabol, as he was selected by the Reds in the Rule 5 draft from the Pittsburgh Pirates before being dealt to San Francisco. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter batted a combined .284/.363/.497 with an .859 OPS, a career-high 19 home runs, 75 RBI, 74 runs scored 10 stolen bases in 123 games with Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis in 2022. Sabol will give the Giants some positional versatility as he attempts to stick on their MLB roster next season.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: NBC Sports Bay Area - Alex Pavlovic

11 hours agoThe Arizona Diamondbacks signed free-agent right-hander Austin Brice to a minor-league deal. Brice will head to the desert after spending the 2022 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He posted a 4.04 ERA (2.96 FIP), a 1.05 WHIP and five strikeouts in just 6 2/3 relief innings. At Triple-A Indianapolis, he went 3-4 with a 5.56 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, six saves and 53 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old has pitched in seven big-league seasons for the Pirates, Miami Marlins, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox and sports a career 5.12 ERA (5.06 FIP), a 1.29 WHIP and 160 strikeouts in 168 2/3 innings over 144 appearances (one start). Brice will represent relief depth for Arizona in 2023.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MiLB Transactions

11 hours agoThe Los Angeles Dodgers signed free-agent outfielder Jason Heyward to a minor-league deal on Thursday. The Chicago Cubs granted Heyward his unconditional release in November, and now he'll move his talents to LA. The 33-year-old came up with the Atlanta Braves in 2010 as one of the top outfielder prospects in the game. He was an All-Star in his rookie year and spent his first five seasons in Atlanta. After a year in St. Louis, Heyward, signed an eight-year, $184 million deal with the Cubs, but he was mostly a disappointment in his seven years with the club, hitting .245/.323/.377 with 62 homers, 289 RBI, 335 runs scored and 32 stolen bases in 744 games. In the last two seasons, he's been way worse, slashing .211/.280/.326.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: FanSided - Robert Murray

11 hours agoThe New York Mets are talking to free-agent right-hander Trevor Williams about a reunion. The 30-year-old is a pitcher to keep an eye on, and the Mets aren't the only team in on him this offseason. Williams went 3-5 with a 3.21 ERA (3.88 FIP), a 1.23 WHIP, 84 strikeouts and 23 walks in 89 2/3 innings for the Mets in 2022 in 30 outings (nine starts). If he returns to Queens, he could operate once again in a valuable swing-man role for the Mets' rotation/bullpen. In seven major-league seasons, Williams has a 4.27 ERA (4.40 FIP), a 1.34 WHIP and a 590:231 K:BB in 715 1/3 innings pitched over 159 appearances (118 starts) for the Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: SNY - Andy Martino

23 hours agoThe Atlanta Braves acquired right-handed reliever Joe Jimenez from the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday evening in exchange for outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and left-hander Jake Higginbotham. The Braves need some more bullpen reinforcements after closer Kenley Jansen left in free agency to sign with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Jimenez had a solid year in Detroit last year, posting a 3.49 ERA (1.09 WHIP), a 1.09 WHIP, two saves and 77 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings pitched. With Jansen gone in Atlanta in 2023, Raisel Iglesias figures to open the year as the set closer for the Braves, with Jimenez operating in more of a middle-relief role in his new digs. MLB Pipeline is already listing Malloy as the Tigers' No. 7 prospect. The 22-year-old started the year at High-A and finished at Triple-A and clubbed 17 home runs in the Braves farm system in 2022.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Braves Twitter

23 hours agoThe San Diego Padres agreed to an 11-year, $280 million deal with free-agent shortstop Xander Bogaerts on Wednesday night. It comes after Trea Turner scored an 11-year, $300 million deal from the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday. Bogaerts has been an All-Star in three of the last four seasons and was extremely productive yet again in 2022 for the Boston Red Sox, slashing .307/.377/.456 with an .833 OPS, 15 home runs, 73 RBI, 84 runs scored and eight stolen bases in 150 games. The power drop from 23 to 15 homers has to be a bit concerning, though, as he enters his 30s. He'll have plenty of chances to drive in and score runs in a loaded Padres lineup, however. The addition of Bogaerts officially means the Padres are prepared to move star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. to the outfield.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: New York Post - Jon Heyman

1 day agoThe Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox are among the teams that have shown the most interest in free-agent shortstop Dansby Swanson so far this offseason. Swanson's hometown Atlanta Braves are also in the mix to re-sign him if he so chooses. The Twins and Red Sox are probably interested as a fallback option in case they can't re-sign Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts, respectively. It's likely that Swanson won't sign with a team until after Correa and Bogaerts do. The 28-year-old is considered inferior offensively to both Correa and Bogaerts, but Swanson has clubbed 52 home runs and driven in 184 runs in the last two years in Atlanta while slashing .263/.321/.448. He's no slouch with the bat in his hands.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman

1 day agoSix teams still need a shortstop and are all talking to free-agent shortstop Xander Bogaerts at the Winter Meetings in San Diego this week. The Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs are among them. Bogaerts opted out of the final three years of his deal with Boston, but they've had some momentum in trying to re-sign him on a day in which they also added veteran closer Kenley Jansen and Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida. Keeping the 30-year-old All-Star shortstop would be a huge win for the Red Sox after the division-rival New York Yankees re-signed Aaron Judge to a nine-year, $360 million mega deal on Wednesday morning. Bogaerts was impressive again in 2022 and remains one of the best all-around shortstops in baseball after hitting .307 with 15 home runs, 73 RBI, 84 runs and eight steals in 150 games.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Heyman

1 day agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates selected left-hander Jose Hernandez from the Los Angeles Dodgers with the third overall selection in Wednesday's Rule 5 draft. The rebuilding Pirates will give Hernandez a shot to stick on the club's active big-league roster in 2023. The 24-year-old southpaw pitched at High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa in 2022, going a combined 4-4 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 69 strikeouts and 25 walks in 59 2/3 innings over 51 appearances (two starts). Hernandez could be used in a different role with his new organization, but he's most likely to be stashed in the bullpen as a long-reliever next year.--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Pirates Twitter