MLB Player News

Walker will come off the injured list to start Tuesday’s game against the Marlins. The 32-year-old has been out since near the end of June with right index finger inflammation. The Marlins make for a friendly first game back for the right-hander, but just keep in mind this is not an elite streaming option before adding him to your lineup.

Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com adds that it’s a one-year deal with a mutual option for the 2027 season, though the financial terms of the contract are not yet known. The 28-year-old hurler compiled a 4.96 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and a 123/56 K/BB ratio over 132 1/3 innings in 25 appearances between the Dodgers and Red Sox in 2025. He’ll add stability to a Cardinals’ rotation that has already dealt away ace Sonny Gray this offseason.

With the Cardinals in a full rebuild, moving Romero for anything they can get before he enters his final arbitration season makes plenty of sense. The Mariners have also checked in on Romero at some point this offseason. The 29-year-old southpaw posted a 2.07 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and a 55/29 K/BB ratio over 61 innings while notching eight saves for the Cardinals in 2025.

Rosenthal, Lin and Sammon add the Padres have expressed interest in the Mets’ trio of elite pitching prospects — Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat — while noting that franchise cornerstones Francisco Lindor and Fernando Tatis Jr. have not surfaced in trade discussions. Any deal involving those prospects would qualify as a blockbuster, though McLean’s inclusion would be especially surprising given that he’s been viewed as virtually untouchable since making his major-league debut late last season. New York remains in the market for an established front-line starter and an additional high-leverage reliever to pair with newly acquired stopper Devin Williams following Edwin Díaz’s departure to Los Angeles. While The Athletic notes that nothing appears imminent, this is a situation worth monitoring closely from a fantasy standpoint.

Detroit continues fortifying their high-leverage mix with Jansen joining Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest as ninth-inning options for manager A.J. Hinch. The 38-year-old veteran enters next season just 24 saves shy of the 500 mark after converting 29 chances to accompany a strong 2.59 ERA — 3.98 FIP — and 24.4 percent strikeout rate across 59 innings for the Angels this past season. It’s a phenomenal landing spot from a fantasy perspective as Jansen projects as the clear favorite to handle closing duties with Finnegan and Vest positioned as contingency plans rather than true competition.

Heyman is the first to report the financial terms of the agreement, which surfaced earlier this week. The move comes as a bit of a surprise since the Marlins are bringing Morel in with the expectation that he’ll play first base next season, something he hasn’t done before. The 26-year-old possesses an interesting blend of talent and raw power but he’s struck out just a shade over 30 percent of the time in 1,770 plate appearances in the majors since 2022. He’s the textbook definition of a low-probability lottery ticket for Miami as they search for a solution at the cold corner.

Rodríguez recoded an impressive 1.64 ERA – 3.82 FIP – and 28.4 percent strikeout rate across 44 innings over 39 appearances across three levels in the Athletics’ system this past season. The 24-year-old reliever will presumably open next season back at Triple-A Las Vegas but could be in line to reach the big leagues in short order.

Rodríguez heads overseas in an effort to rebuild his long-term value after posting a catastrophic 9.15 ERA – 8.47 FIP – and 18/7 K/BB ratio across 19 2/3 innings over seven appearances (two starts) between the Brewers and Orioles this past season. The 27-year-old finished the year in the Diamondbacks’ system before they decided to decline his club option for 2026. There’s a chance he returns to the majors at some point down the road.

Reynolds heads to Japan a couple weeks after being non-tendered by the Padres to attempt to bolster his long-term value after posting a serviceable 4.03 ERA – 4.14 FIP – and 27.7 percent strikeout rate over 38 innings across 28 appearances for San Diego over the last two seasons. The 27-year-old righty has pitched exclusively in relief since being drafted by the Marlins in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

Rosario returns to New York in a bench role after slashing .276/.309/.436 with six homers, 23 RBI and one steal in 62 games between the Nationals and Yankees this past season. The 30-year-old veteran offers ample defensive versatility, logging time between four different positions last year, but he’s strictly a lefty-mashing platoon option at this stage of his career. He’ll presumably split time at the hot corner with Ryan McMahon next season. There’s minimal mixed-league fantasy appeal, though he retains some usefulness in AL-only formats — particularly daily leagues where his matchups against southpaws can be exploited.

Polanco makes a ton of sense as a short-term first base and DH stopgap option for the Mets in the aftermath of losing middle-of-the-order force Pete Alonso to the Orioles earlier this week. Durability will always be the caveat — chronic knee issues have limited him at an average of just 118 games per season over the last four years — but last year’s resurgence with the Mariners was real, as he produced a robust .821 OPS with 26 homers and six steals across 138 games. With eligibility at second base, one of the thinnest positions in the fantasy landscape, Polanco quietly carries late-round intrigue thanks to his counting-stats upside in New York’s strong lineup.