Blue Jays Make Offers To Hyun-Jin Ryu, Edwin Encarnacion

The Toronto Blue Jays have made competitive offers to starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion. The Jays are still looking to upgrade their rotation after adding Tanner Roark. Ryu has been flying under the radar despite going 14-5 with a 2.32 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 163 strikeouts in 182 2/3 innings […]

Blue Jays Sign Travis Shaw

The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with infielder Travis Shaw on Sunday, according to a source. The deal includes $675,000 in performance bonuses. Shaw hit 30-plus homers in 2017 and 2018 with the Brewers, but he tanked in 2019 and was demoted to Triple-A San Antonio in 2019, hitting .157 […]

C.J. Cron Heading To Tigers

The Detroit Tigers signed first baseman C.J. Cron to a one-year, $6.1 million deal on Saturday, according to a source. The 29-year-old will be the starting first baseman for the rebuilding Tigers in 2020 after recording a career-high 78 RBI while hitting .253 with 23 home runs and a .311 on-base percentage in 125 games […]

Blue Jays Interested In Edwin Encarnacion, Travis Shaw

The Toronto Blue Jays are interested in first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion. They've also monitored Travis Shaw, while Mitch Moreland and Eric Thames could also be options. Encarnacion isn't getting any younger -- he'll turn 37 in January -- but he still managed to hit .244/.344/.531 with 34 home runs, 81 runs and 86 RBI […]

Justin Smoak Signs With the Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers and free-agent first baseman Justin Smoak have agreed to terms on a one-year, $5 million contract. The deal comes with a team option for 2021 worth $5.5 million with a $1 million buyout, meaning Smoak will earn at least $6 million on the deal. He struggled mightily last season with the Blue […]

Early 2020 ADP Reflections - First Base

When a baseball season ends, the following season can’t come here soon enough for some fans, myself included. We start thinking about what we want to see from some players, which includes letdowns, bounce-backs, and even young prospects. Instead of letting them bounce off the brain walls, let’s put these musings into digits. This includes […]

Top 30 Prospects for 2020 Dynasty Leagues

It’s almost time to bid adieu to 2019 so it’s a great time to revisit the top dynasty prospects in baseball. The 2019 season saw a lot of stud prospects reach the Major Leagues, such as Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Peter Alonso, Yordan Alvarez… the list goes on and on. And as good […]

Freddie Freeman Doing Well After Surgery

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said that first baseman Freddie Freeman (elbow) is doing well after having arthroscopic surgery on his elbow. "Last time I talked to him he said it hadn't felt that good in a long time," Snitker said. Freeman has plenty of time to heal up and should be 100 percent for […]

Brewers Staying In Touch With Eric Thames

Milwaukee Brewers general manager David Stearns said that the team is staying in touch with first baseman Eric Thames, who was non-tendered by the Brewers. Thames was mostly a part-time player for the Brewers -- against right-handed pitchers -- and he was successful to the tune of a .247/.346/.505 slash line, 25 home runs and […]

Salvador Perez Could See Time At First Base

Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny said it's a realistic possibility that catcher Salvador Perez (elbow) sees significant playing time at first base in his return from Tommy John surgery in 2020. Perez is coming off a lost season in 2019 after having elbow reconstruction. But he should return to being one of the more […]

Cubs Not Working On Extension For Anthony Rizzo

The Chicago Cubs will not be offering first baseman Anthony Rizzo a contract extension this winter, according to Rizzo's agent, Marc Pollack. "Anthony has let his desire to be a Cub for life known to the organization. Although we do not know what the future holds, a deal to make that happen will not be […]

Barrel and Exit Velocity Batting Leaders: Statcast 2019 Review

The 2019 season saw more home runs hit than ever before in Major League history as 6,776 balls left ballparks across the league. The top-hitting club of them all was the Minnesota Twins with 307 big flies. Chief among them was none other than 39-year-old Nelson Cruz, who finished in a tie for seventh in […]

C.J. Cron Becomes Free Agent

The Minnesota Twins didn't tender a contract to first baseman C.J. Cron on Monday, making him a free agent, according to a source. Cron was productive in his lone season with the Twins, hitting .253/.311/.469 with 25 home runs, 51 runs and 78 RBI in his 458 at-bats. The power is nice -- he had […]

Marlins Claim Jesus Aguilar Off Waivers

The Miami Marlins claimed first baseman Jesus Aguilar off waivers from the Rays on Monday, according to sources. With a clear path to regular at-bats at first base in Miami, Aguilar could be in line for a bounce-back 2020 season after he struggled to a .236/.325/.389 line in Tampa with only four home runs and […]

Mariners Sign Patrick Wisdom

The Seattle Mariners signed corner infielder Patrick Wisdom to an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday. Sources indicated that the deal is a split minor league/major league contract. The 28-year-old spent most of 2019 at Texas' Triple-A affiliate in Nashville, slashing .240/.332/.513 with 15 doubles, 31 home runs and 74 RBI in 107 games. He went […]

Pirates Hire Derek Shelton As Manager

The Pittsburgh Pirates hired Derek Shelton as their new manager on Wednesday. It will be his first managerial job after he spent the last two seasons as the Twins bench coach. Shelton was also a quality control coach for the Blue Jays in 2017 and was the hitting coach for the Rays for seven years. […]

Rays Acquire Brian O'Grady, Cut Jesus Aguilar

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired first baseman/outfielder Brian O'Grady from the Reds on Wednesday in exchange for a player to be named and cash. In a corresponding move, first baseman Jesus Aguilar was designated for assignment. O'Grady, 27, hit .280 with 28 home runs, 77 RBI and 20 stolen bases with Triple-A Louisville, although he […]

White Sox Extend Jose Abreu

The Chicago White Sox have signed first baseman Jose Abreu to a three-year, $50 million contract extension. Abreu recently signed the team’s qualifying offer, but the club decided to reward the slugger with an extra two years. The White Sox have first baseman Andrew Vaughn rising up the ranks in their farm system and Abreu […]

Yankees Release Jacoby Ellsbury, DFA Greg Bird

The New York Yankees released outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and designated Greg Bird for assignment on Wednesday. Ellsbury, who hasn't played since 2017 due to various injuries, was let go with more than $26 million left on his $153 million, seven-year deal. The 36-year-old hit .264 with 39 homers, 198 RBI and 102 stolen bases in […]

Astros Sign Yuli Gurriel To One-Year Deal

The Houston Astros signed first baseman Yuli Gurriel to a one-year, $8.3 million deal on Monday. The deal will contain $250,000 in award bonuses for 2020, and he'll have the right to declare free agency at the end of the year. The 35-year-old Cuban had by far his best season in the big leagues in […]

Cody Bellinger Named NL MVP

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger was named the National League MVP for the 2019 season on Thursday night. He beat out Christian Yelich, the NL MVP in 2018. The 24-year-old Bellinger hit .305/.406/.629 with 47 home runs and 15 stolen bases in his breakout season, and he became the first Dodgers position player […]

Jose Abreu Accepts Qualifying Offer

Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu accepted the one-year, $17.8 million qualifying offer on Thursday, according to sources. Barring an extension, Abreu will be a free agent after the 2020 season. The 32-year-old Cuban quietly led baseball with 123 RBI in 2019 and also slugged 33 home runs, hit .284 and scored 85 runs […]

Marlins Like Jose Abreu

The Miami Marlins are interested in first baseman Jose Abreu, although losing a draft pick in order to acquire him could dissuade them from pursuing him. The expectation is that Abreu will re-sign with the White Sox, where he hit .284/.330/.503 with 33 home runs, 85 runs and 123 RBI in 2019. Abreu has had […]

Blue Jays Discussing Mike Moustakas

The Toronto Blue Jays have discussed adding third baseman Mike Moustakas this offseason, as well as Japanese hitters Yoshitomo Tsutsugo and Shogo Akiyama. Toronto is looking to add a bat at second base, first base and center field. Moustakas, a left-handed hitter, can play first, second or third base and would offer the most offensive […]

Howie Kendrick Drawing Interest From Marlins, Rays

Free-agent infielder Howie Kendrick is drawing a lot of early interest on the free-agent market, most notably from the Rays and Marlins. He's from Florida but lives in the Phoenix area in the offseason. Coming off an extremely productive season and winning the World Series, Kendrick is likely looking for just a one-year deal on […]

Eric Thames Becomes Free Agent

The Milwaukee Brewers declined the 2020 $7.5 million option on first baseman Eric Thames on Monday, making him a free agent. Milwaukee paid him a $1 million buyout instead, but general manager David Stearns said the team is open to bringing him back. If Thames goes elsewhere, Ryan Braun could see even more time at […]

Cubs Pick Up Anthony Rizzo's Option

As expected, the Chicago Cubs picked up first baseman Anthony Rizzo's $16.5 million option for the 2020 season on Sunday, according to a league source. 2019 was Rizzo's second straight season with under 30 home runs -- he previously had four straight seasons with 30-plus round-trippers -- but he was otherwise consistent for fantasy owners […]

Ryan Zimmerman, Yan Gomes Become Free Agents

The Washington Nationals declined their 2020 options on first baseman Ryan Zimmerman ($18 million) and catcher Yan Gomes ($9 million), making them both free agents. The Nats expect to work something out to re-sign Zimmerman, who was the team's first-round pick in 2005, but the same can't be said for Gomes. Zimmerman has dealt with […]

Nationals Decline Option On Matt Adams

The Washington Nationals declined a $4 million mutual option for 2020 on backup first baseman Matt Adams, making him a free agent. He'll receive a $1 million buyout. The 31-year-old hit just .226 but did slug 20 home runs and drove in 56 runs in 111 games as a part-time player. Adams had just four […]

Mets Hire Carlos Beltran As Manager

The New York Mets hired former All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran as their new manager on Friday. He'll receive a three-year deal with an option for a fourth season. The nine-time All-Star played for New York from 2005 to 2011, but this will be his first gig as a manager in the big leagues. Beltran spent […]