2 hours agoSt. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said that the team's projected starting outfield for the 2024 season is
Lars Nootbaar,
Tommy Edman and
Jordan Walker, with
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2 hours agoThe Philadelphia Phillies gave manager Rob Thomson a contract extension through the 2025 season on Monday. Thomson was set to enter the final year of his two-year deal this year after taking over as interim manager on June 3, 2022, after the Phillies fired Joe Girardi. Since taking over, he's led the Phillies to back-to-back National League Championship Series and one NL pennant. Philadelphia went 90-72 during the 2023 regular season and finished second in the NFL East. Before Thomson became interim manager in 2022 and led the team to the World Series, he was on the verge of retiring. A lot has changed since then and he will remain the skipper of the team for at least two more seasons.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
3 hours agoSouth Korean star outfielder Jung Hoo Lee has been posted by the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization and will now have a 30-day negotiating window with major-league baseball teams through early January. The 25-year-old was the MVP of the KBO in 2022 and led the league in batting average (.349), hits (193), RBI (113) on-base percentage (.421) and slugging percentage (.575). He is known for his bat-to-ball skills and control of the strike zone, striking out 304 times and walking 383 times in 884 games in his seven seasons in the KBO. Lee missed most of the second half in 2023 due to an ankle injury, but he still hit .318/.406/.455 in 86 games. He has been linked to the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres so far.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Yonhap News - Yoo Jee-ho
3 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers infielder
Gavin Lux (knee) is expected to be the team's starting shortstop in 2024 when he returns from a right-knee injury that caused him to miss all of the 2023 campaign. Manager Dave Roberts said that
Mookie Betts will be the regular second baseman next year as well, so Lux and Betts should be working together regularly up the middle in LA. General manager Brandon Gomes said earlier this offseason that Lux is on track to be their starting shortstop, and the words from Roberts basically just confirms it. The 26-year-old lacks the power needed to become a high-end fantasy option at the premium position, but he'll have plenty of value on a Dodgers team with a developing hit tool and some decent speed if he avoids injuries next year.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Alanna Rizzo
3 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that he expects free-agent left-hander
Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) to pitch in 2024. "He's on my to-do list. I'm going to reach out to Clayton on Thursday or Friday. I'm going to call and check in on him, his family, the kiddos and Ellen. I think it's fair to say he will pitch in '24. I think the timing is the question and with who," Roberts said. The future Hall of Famer will miss at least the first couple months of next season after already having surgery on his left shoulder this offseason. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw is expected to either return to the Dodgers or sign with the defending World Series-champion Texas Rangers. Kershaw has obviously become injury-prone toward the end of his career, but he's still managed to put up excellent numbers when he's been healthy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Matthew Moreno
3 hours agoLos Angeles Dodgers infielder/outfielder
Mookie Betts will serve as the everyday second baseman in the 2024 season, according to manager Dave Roberts. A natural second baseman, Betts saw time at the position again in the 2023 season and even logged 98 innings at shortstop. While he is a highly-regarded defender in right field, Betts playing second base opens up a spot in the Dodgers' outfield while
Gavin Lux (knee) is expected to play shortstop on an everyday basis in the 2024 season. Coming off his sixth Silver Slugger Award, Betts finished as the NL MVP runner-up to
Ronald Acuna Jr. after hitting .307 with 39 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and a .987 OPS across 152 games last season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network
4 hours agoThe Milwaukee Brewers and left-hander
Wade Miley have agreed to a one-year, $8.5 million deal to bring him back to the club for the 2024 season. The deal also includes a limited no-trade clause and a mutual option for the 2025 season. Miley spent the 2023 campaign in Milwaukee where he tossed a healthy 3.14 ERA across 23 starts. His peripheral metrics weren't as positive, however, as he also posted a 4.69 FIP, 5.04 SIERA, and a tiny 16.1% K%, all of which suggest regression could be on the horizon next season. Nonetheless, the veteran has long out-pitched his underlying metrics and has largely been a reliable starter since the 2018 season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
4 hours agoFree-agent pitcher
Joe Ross has agreed to a major-league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, pending a physical. It's been some time since the right-hander saw a big-league mound, as Ross hasn't appeared since the 2021 campaign when he had a solid 4.17 ERA across 108 innings with the Washington Nationals, his only MLB team, while also producing a rather solid 16.3% K-BB%. Unfortunately, Ross underwent his second Tommy John surgery in June of 2022, which cost him his 2023 campaign as well. Through 98 MLB appearances, 76 of which were starts, Ross has worked to a 4.26 ERA and 13.7% K-BB% while going 26-28. His fantasy value is limited at the moment, but he could be a decent waiver-wire look should he replicate his work from the 2021 season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: MLB Transaction Tracker
5 hours agoFree-agent pitcher
Jack Flaherty is being eyed by the Pittsburgh Pirates for a short-term deal should he be unable to land a longer deal on the open market. The right-hander burst onto the scene with a 3.34 ERA across 28 starts as a 22-year-old in the 2018 season, but injuries and underperformance have been constant in recent seasons. He split the 2023 campaign between the Cardinals and Orioles, working to a 4.99 ERA across 29 appearances (27 starts) but was also tattooed for a 6.75 ERA across seven starts and nine appearances following a trade-deadline deal from St. Louis to Baltimore. Still just 28 years old and with a nice track record of success earlier in his career, Flaherty should have a solid market in free agency, whether it be for the short or long term.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Jeff Jones
5 hours agoBaltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that "we're going to take a long look at him in spring" when referring to top shortstop prospect
Jackson Holliday. MLB Pipeline's top overall prospect turns 20 years old on Monday but is already getting close to contributing at the major-league level for an Orioles team that won the American League East in 2023. The first overall pick in the 2022 draft hit an impressive .323/.442/.499 with a .941 OPS, 12 home runs, 30 doubles, nine triples, 75 RBI, 24 stolen bases and 113 runs scored in 125 games over four minor-league stops in 2023. He made it all the way up to Triple-A Norfolk, where he played in 18 games. Holliday should already be rostered in all dynasty/keeper leagues and is going to be a popular redraft pick in 2024 as well.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports - Steve Melewski
5 hours agoThe San Diego Padres are reportedly interested in acquiring right-hander
Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers. Adding pitching is one of the Padres' top priorities of the offseason with the team moving on from
Nick Martinez,
Michael Wacha,
Seth Lugo and National League Cy Young winner
Blake Snell. Burnes won the 2021 NL Cy Young. San Diego is intent on adding several starting pitchers this offseason, even if they don't end up trading outfielder
Juan Soto. The 29-year-old Burnes would essentially be replacing Snell and would still give the Padres a formidable trio of starters alongside
Yu Darvish and
Joe Musgrove. The Padres could also choose to re-sign Lugo, although his price tag is probably a little too rich after a breakout season in 2023 as a full-time starter.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
5 hours agoThe Toronto Blue Jays have intensified their talks with the San Diego Padres for outfielder
Juan Soto and are now considered the favorites to trade for him this offseason, perhaps this week in Tennessee at the winter meetings. Negotiations between the Padres and New York Yankees have stalled due to the prospects package the Padres are asking for. Right-hander
Alek Manoah, an All-Star in 2022 who struggled mightily in 2023, would likely be part of the package, but the Blue Jays have several other high-end pitching prospects that San Diego would likely try to pry away, too. Already one of the most talented all-around hitters in baseball, the 25-year-old Soto's fantasy value would be through the roof if he were to move to hitter-friendly Rogers Centre and the American League East.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Hector Gomez
6 hours agoMLB Network's Jon Morosi doesn't think the Atlanta Braves are getting enough attention in the sweepstakes for two-way superstar free-agent
Shohei Ohtani. The Braves have had some talks with Ohtani's camp, according to sources, and he has not ruled them out as he seeks his next team on the open market. Because of the Braves' winning tradition, they have appeal to the Japanese star and are in the running along with clubs like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays. Having this year's MVPs Ohtani and
Ronald Acuna Jr. on the same team for years to come would be an amazing victory for Atlanta, but it's probably more of a long shot, especially after Atlanta just traded for outfielder
Jarred Kelenic on Sunday night.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network - Jon Morosi
6 hours agoTop outfield prospect
Jackson Chourio's record-breaking deal with the Milwaukee Brewers became official on Sunday after he passed a physical. The deal will guarantee eight years and $82 million with two club options that can have a maximum value of $142.5 million, according to sources. Chourio is only 19 years old, and it's the biggest deal in MLB history for a player that has yet to even reach the big leagues. He should be considered a favorite to start for the Brewers on Opening Day now in 2024 after he impressed with a .282/.338/.467 slash line, 22 home runs, 91 RBI, 43 stolen bases and 88 runs scored at Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A Nashville this past season. Chourio is ranked second in all of baseball behind the Orioles'
Jackson Holliday on MLB Pipeline's prospect rankings.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
6 hours agoThe Seattle Mariners acquired pitchers
Jackson Kowar and
Cole Phillips from the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night in exchange for outfielder
Jarred Kelenic, left-hander
Marco Gonzales, and first baseman
Evan White. Kowar, a former top prospect, was traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Braves last month. The 27-year-old right-hander has struggled to a 9.12 ERA and 2.09 WHIP with 51 walks and 75 strikeouts in 39 appearances (eight starts) over 74 innings pitched with KC since the 2021 season. Kowar will most likely begin 2024 in the minors in Seattle's farm system. Phillips is only 20 years old and had Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2022. When healthy, the former second-round right-hander has a live arm and has the ability to reach triple digits with his heater.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
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