MLB Player News

Merrill gave San Diego a commanding six-run advantage in the third inning by hooking a two-run double down the right-field line off Pirates starter Mitch Keller as part of yet another multi-hit performance. The 21-year-old rookie sensation has shown a flair for the dramatic this season with a barrage of clutch hits and he certainly looks like a potential franchise cornerstone, and five-category fantasy superstar, until further notice. He’s batting .288 (120-for-416) with 60 runs scored, 17 home runs, 66 RBI and 13 stolen bases through 118 contests.

If Bieber didn’t think he would pass a physical, that could definitely explain why he surprisingly exercised a $16 million player option to stay with the Blue Jays. Hopefully, it’s not that bad, though. We probably won’t have much better of an idea until he starts tuning up for the Grapefruit League.

Finnegan returns to the Motor City after a dominant post-deadline stint in which he posted a microscopic 1.50 ERA (1.97 FIP) and a 34.8 percent strikeout rate across 18 innings over 16 appearances. That level of dominance is almost certainly a small-sample outlier compared to his larger career body of work, which includes a strong 3.66 ERA (4.17 FIP) and 108 saves across 329 1/3 innings for the Nationals over a six-year span since 2020. However, Detroit still offers his clearest path to a ninth-inning role — and, by extension, sustained fantasy relevance — as he enters his mid-30s. He’ll presumably have an opportunity to overtake incumbent stopper Will Vest as the Tigers’ primary closer and profiles as a top-20 range option at the position heading into next season.

The deal is now official. Schwarber returns to Philadelphia following a transcendent campaign where he batted .240/.365/.563 with a career-high 56 round-trippers, 132 RBI and 10 steals over 162 games, finishing second in NL MVP balloting. Fantasy managers can safely project the 32-year-old run-producing wrecking ball to finish in the 40-homer neighborhood as one of the premier four-category contributors in the entire landscape. He’ll be a late-second or early-third round selection in all fantasy drafts next spring.

Soto’s previous closing experience makes him an interesting pickup for the Pirates as he could excel in a high-leverage role for a couple months before netting them some prospects at the trade deadline if they’re out of playoff contention. The veteran southpaw, who turns 31 years old in February, recorded a solid 4.18 ERA (3.42 FIP), 1.43 WHIP and 70/24 K/BB ratio across 60 1/3 innings over 70 appearances between the Orioles and Mets. He’ll be in the mix with incumbent stopper Dennis Santana for the ninth-inning role in Pittsburgh.

Cabrera was a popular name at the trade deadline but wound up staying in Miami this past season, finishing with a 3.53 ERA (3.83 FIP) and 25.8 percent strikeout rate across 137 2/3 innings over 26 starts. The 27-year-old’s durability concerns figure to tamp down any potential return for the Marlins, but he makes plenty of sense as a trade target for teams unwilling to meet the astronomical prices for starters in free agency since he’s under club control for three more seasons. The Orioles are one of those clubs since they are looking to bolster their rotation behind Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers — especially after jettisoning former top prospect Grayson Rodriguez to the Angels a few weeks ago — while using their financial flexibility in free agency to pursue offensive upgrades.

The big surprise here is Seager since his name hasn’t come up at all in trade discussions this offseason. It’s abundantly clear that the Red Sox, who have a surplus of young big-league caliber pitching prospects to deal, are planning to upgrade at either second or third base this offseason since they’ve been active in trade discussions for multiple targets while also pursuing free agents Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette and Eugenio Suárez. Get your popcorn ready.

Ghiroli is the first with the exact financial terms of the deal after multiple reports surfaced that the two sides were in agreement on a two-year pact. It’s a bit unclear how Tampa Bay will deploy Matz since he was used exclusively as a reliever this past season with the Cardinals and Red Sox where he posted a respectable 3.05 ERA (3.46 FIP) and 59/11 K/BB ratio across 76 2/3 innings over 53 appearances. He’s been vocal about his desire to transition back to a starting role and it’s possible the Rays were willing to accommodate that request. There should be some clarity regarding his role once spring training kicks off.

Divish and Jude add that Polanco is seeking a four-year contract, while the Mariners are believed to have offered the switch-hitting 32-year-old second baseman a two-year deal. A reunion makes plenty of sense for both sides after he delivered a strong bounce-back last season, posting an .821 OPS with 26 homers and six steals across 138 games. Still, his checkered injury history makes it difficult to envision another club stepping up to meet his current asking price, leaving Seattle as the most logical landing spot unless the market shifts dramatically.

Counsell elaborated that Steele won’t be ready for Opening Day but believes he’ll make it back to Chicago at some point in the first half. The 30-year-old southpaw made just four starts before undergoing season-ending UCL surgery, not a full Tommy John reconstructive procedure, in April. He was able to resume throwing in late October and figures to be ramping up his throwing program by the time spring training rolls around.

Olson hit the injured list with a shoulder strain in late July and never made it back in time for Detroit’s postseason run. The 26-year-old received a PRP injection and was able to avoid undergoing offseason surgery. The hope is that he’ll be a full-go in time for spring training after posting a career-best 3.15 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 65/25 K/BB ratio across 68 2/3 innings over 13 starts this past season.