Nippon-Ham Fighters plan to post Hiromi Itoh

Keller saw his ERA jump to 5.29 and his strikeout rate shrink to 18 percent in 22 starts before going on the IL last season. It’s the fourth straight year that his ERA has been over 4.00, and the third straight in which his strikeout rate has declined. The Pirates are hopeful he’ll turn things around as he enters the fourth year of a five-year, $77 million contract, but it just doesn’t seem like that’s a lot to be optimistic about.

Pagán, who has a 3.07 ERA and 57 saves the last two years, gets a slight raise after turning down a $10 million player option to stay with the Reds. He steps in as the current favorite to save for the Tigers, though it certainly sounded like they intended to add more than one reliever.

The hard-throwing Lagrange was moved to the pen in Triple-A in June in the hopes that he could help as a reliever in the second half, but he went down in a shoulder sprain at the beginning of July and returned for just one appearance in September. Control issues make him a big question mark as a starter, but he is a big-time talent. The Yankees could always shift him back to the pen if he fails to progress.

Weiss had his $5 million club option declined by the Astros at the end of October, and he didn’t take long to find a new club. The right-hander was atrocious in 2026 with a 7.62 ERA and 30/20 K/BB ratio over 26 innings before being designated for assignment. He’ll likely be handed a middle-inning role to begin 2027, but it’s worth noting that Bass does have an option left so he’s not a lock to make San Diego out of spring training.

So, there was a little more to the Giants shutting down Rodríguez after three appearances in his return from Tommy John surgery. It also explains why Posey doesn’t want to count on Rodríguez as a closer to begin next year. It sounds like the Giants remain optimistic that Rodríguez will be ready to go in the spring.

He’ll get a $700,000 salary with a $300,000 signing bonus. Watson, 29, was added to a 40-man roster for the first time in July, when the Tigers opted to protect him instead of letting him leave for an opportunity elsewhere. However, they never called him up afterwards, and neither did the Mariners after they claimed him off waivers in August. He ended up with a 3.14 ERA in 80 1/3 innings in the minors, and the Mariners outrighted him earlier this month, clearing the way for his move to Asia.

Judge was limited to 66 games last season, is losing range in right field and is turning 35 in April, so, yeah, it’s probably time for the Yankees to start DHing him at least once a week or so. The Yankees are looking at getting Giancarlo Stanton back next season, but it’s hard to pencil him in at this point. They finished last season with Luis García Jr. at first base and Ben Rice at DH against righties. If Stanton is out of the picture, they could go with Judge at DH and Heliot Ramos in right field versus lefties next year.

Jacob Young is off the table after agreeing to a contract extension, so now that league is after the Nationals’ younger outfielders. Crews is more likely than Lile to be traded, and it helps his value that there just aren’t many quality right-handed-hitting outfielders available in free agency. The Nationals can give James Wood and Lile time at DH, so they don’t need to move an outfielder, but they’re always on the lookout for more young pitching.

He is “fired up and on a mission,” according to the general manager. Atkins, though, did say that he didn’t see Guerrero’s recent LASIK surgery being a big deal going forward, calling it a comfort decision on Vlad’s behalf that wouldn’t significantly improve his eyesight.

Adames has five years and $140 million left on his deal, and the Jays will certainly expect the Giants to eat a portion of that if they pursue a deal. Adames also has a full no-trade clause, so he controls his own destiny. We assume he’d be more of a fallback possibility for Toronto if some other middle infield options don’t work out.