MLB Player News

All three home runs were two-run shots, and Butler now has nine big flies on the season in just 64 games. Butler was demoted in May after posting just a .192/.256/.306 triple-slash line with six homers and three steals in 250 plate appearances in the big leagues over his first two years. However, Butler has been great since being recalled, going 13-for-41 (.317) with seven home runs, 10 runs scored, 14 RBI, and two steals in 12 games. Throughout his minor league career, Butler always posted much better stats in his second go around at a level, so it’s possible that the 24-year-old is starting to get a bit more comfortable at the MLB level. Given his power/speed upside and spot as the leadoff hitter in Oakland, he should be added in most formats at least to see if he can keep this up.

Bird came over from the Rockies at the deadline and was brutal for the Yankees, allowing seven runs (six earned) on four hits in two innings. He has shown the ability to miss bats during his years in Colorado, so he remains an intriguing arm in the middle relief for the Yankees.

The 26-year-old hurler found an opportunity to play overseas, so the Nationals granted him release. Lao will ink a one-year pact with the Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan’s Nippon Proessional Baseball.

The 26-year-old utilityman had a brutal season offensively in 2025, slashing a cringe-inducing .224/.266/.293 with zero home runs, 14 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 219 plate appearances for the Rangers. He’ll continue to function in a super utility role for the Rangers in 2026 and can be safely ignored for fantasy purposes.

The agreed upon amount comes in slightly under the $3.5 million that Burger was projected to earn by MLBTradeRumors.com. His first season with the Rangers didn’t go according to plan, as the 29-year-old slugger slashed a meager .236/.269/.419 with 16 round trippers and 53 RBI in 376 plate appearances. He’s still locked in as the team’s starter at first base though and should be a popular bounce-back candidate heading into 2026 fantasy drafts.

Fermin, who was arbitration eligible for the first time as a Super Two player, had been projected to earn $1.8 million through arbitration by MLBTradeRumors.com. The 30-year-old backstop hit .251/.297/.339 with five homers and 26 RBI in 347 plate appearances between the Royals and Padres during the 2025 season. Even if he does open the season as the Padres’ starting catcher, the only fantasy value that he provides comes from a solid batting average.

No word yet on the financial terms of that deal, but Sears had been projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $3.5 million via arbitration. The 29-year-old southpaw posted an uninspiring 5.04 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and a 117/36 K/BB ratio over 135 2/3 innings between the Athletics and Padres in 2025.

Adam secures a nice pay raise over the $4.8 million that he took home in 2025. The 34-year-old hurler delivered another dominant season in his first full year with the Padres, compiling a 1.93 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a 70/25 K/BB ratio over 65 1/3 innings before a ruptured quad tendon ended his season prematurely at the beginning of September. He’ll function in a setup capacity in front of Mason Miller once again in 2026, limiting his overall fantasy appeal.

The 27-year-old flamethrower was arbitration eligible for the first time as a Super Two player. He had been projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $3.4 million in the arbitration process, so he appears to have done very well for himself here. With Robert Suarez out of the picture, Miller should have the ninth inning to himself in 2026 and will be one of the first closers plucked off of the board in all fantasy drafts.

He had been projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $2.7 million via arbitration. Wells looked electric in four starts in September following a return from Tommy John surgery, registering a 2.91 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and an 18/2 K/BB ratio across 21 2/3 innings. Now that he’ll have a full healthy off-season under his belt, it should be all systems go for the 31-year-old hurler heading into 2026.

Nelson had been projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $3.3 million via arbitration, so this seems like an equitable solution for both sides. He was terrific in a swingman role for the Diamondbacks in 2025, registering a 3.39 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and a 132/41 K/BB ratio over 154 innings in 33 appearances (23 starts). He should be locked into the team’s rotation heading into 2026 and makes for a strong mid-round option for fantasy purposes.