MLB Player News

Bradford last appeared in the majors back in 2019 with the Mariners. The 32-year-old righty signed a minor league contract with the Braves last year and wound up posting a solid 3.42 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 45/12 K/BB ratio across 52 2/3 innings (36 appearances) at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Arcia will compete for a spot on Minnesota’s season-opening roster during spring training after splitting last year between the Braves and Rockies, batting .202/.238/.291 with three homers across 214 plate appearances over 76 games. A combination of his declining offense and overabundance of quality options at the shortstop position have erased any semblance of fantasy relevance he possessed previously. However, he’s still only 31 years old and represents a worthwhile zero-risk gamble for the Twins as a backup infielder capable of handling virtually every position on the infield dirt.

All signs pointed to a muted market for Takahashi this offseason, and that belief only strengthened when fellow Japanese righty Tatsuya Imai landed what was essentially a series of one-year deals with the Astros earlier this week. The 28-year-old righty, who had until later this weekend to reach an agreement with a major-league club, will return to Japan without one. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand adds that Takahashi received offers from three teams but opted to return to Japan instead. He lacks the requisite strikeout upside to envision a scenario where he would be a mixed-league relevant fantasy option but he’s a name to know in the event that he makes some changes and unlocks something in the future.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports it’s a four-year, $60 million contract that includes a $5 million signing bonus that doesn’t contain any opt-outs. Okamoto lands with the reigning American League champions shortly before his signing deadline later this weekend. The 29-year-old international star was also linked to linked to the Pirates, Red Sox, Padres, Mariners and Angels as a potential corner infield option. He’s the overwhelming favorite to start at third base for Toronto next season, while also occasionally heading out to patrol left field, and projects as a versatile 20-homer threat with a respectable batting average. He doesn’t offer much from a stolen base perspective, but dropping into one of the most explosive offenses in baseball provides a definite boost to his fantasy appeal as an intriguing late-round dart throw in drafts this spring.

Brown added that the club still views Matthews as a second baseman primarily, but he’ll get some time in the outfield moving forward after hitting .167 (7-for-42) with four homers and one steal during a brief 13-game late-season cameo with the Astros. The 23-year-old former first-round pick will increase his defensive versatility to battle for a bench role with the Astros in camp. He’s shown some flashes of power/speed combo upside, which makes him interesting from a fantasy perspective, but an inflated 27.9 percent strikeout rate across 498 plate appearances at the Triple-A level this past season suggests that he’ll battle some serious contact issues at the highest level.

Feinsand adds that Okamoto has been linked to the Pirates, Red Sox, Padres, Mariners and Angels as a potential corner infield option. He has until 5:00 p.m. ET on December 4 to reach an agreement with a major-league team. The Athletic’s Will Sammon adds that Okamoto’s limited experience in left field could make him a potential fit for the Blue Jays. The 29-year-old projects as a potential 20-homer threat with a respectable batting average in his impending stateside debut but he’s unlikely to chip in more than a handful of stolen bases. There should be a definitive update regarding his long-term future by the conclusion of the weekend.

Ort impressed for a time in 2024, but he opened 2025 on the shelf with a strained oblique and finished in there with elbow inflammation. In between, he had a 4.89 ERA and a 49/27 K/BB in 46 innings. There’s the chance he’ll bounce back and be an interesting sixth- or seventh-inning option, but that he’s 33 and out of options has the Astros moving on. Since he does make the minimum, we’d expect some team to pick him up off waivers.

The deal includes opt outs after 2026 and 2027. Imai is guaranteed $18 million each year of the contract, with $1 million bonuses for 80, 90 and 100 innings. Those bonuses automatically carry over to the next season once he achieves each mark, so he’ll be locked in at $63 million guaranteed if he throws 100 innings next season. However, if he performs well and stays healthy, he’ll almost certainly opt for free agency, which could prove considerably more lucrative since the 15-20 percent posting fee will no longer be attached to him. Obviously, major-league teams shared some skepticism about Imai. Maybe it’s partly because of his unusual slider or his history of control issues, though he’s gotten much better in that department the last two years. The Astros, though, have historically done a great job of getting the most from pitchers, and while we were pretty skeptical about Imai being a mixed-league factor next season, the landing spot definitely ups his stock some. He joins Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. in the projected Houston rotation, with Mike Burrows favored over Spencer Arrighetti and Jason Alexander for the last spot.

Given his first big opportunity at age 27, Wagaman hit .250/.296/.378 in 514 plate appearances for the Marlins last season. More encouraging, though, were hit 46.5% hard-hit rate and 19.5% strikeout rate. So, there probably is the potential for more offense here. Still, Wagaman is below average at third and in the outfield and probably needs to be mostly limited to first base. The Twins figure to use him there or at DH against lefties, assuming that he makes the team. One imagines he’ll be competing with Kody Clemens, Edouard Julien and Mickey Gasper for two roster spots. Wagaman and Gasper both have options remaining, whereas the other two do not.

Bragg, 24, had a 2.94 ERA and an 82/31 K/BB in 67 1/3 innings of relief work at three levels of the Twins system last season, topping out in Double-A. He lacks big-time velocity and is not viewed as a top relief prospect, but he could definitely surface in the Marlins pen at some point, perhaps as soon as 2026.

The 31-year-old Fitzgerald hit .196/.302/.457 with four homers and just eight strikeouts in 53 plate appearances in his major league debut, but that wasn’t enough to keep him on the 40-man. Given his age, there’s a good chance he’ll clear waivers, and he could stick around as a non-roster player in camp.