MLB Player News

The deal, which was agreed to earlier this week, is now official. Kikuchi appeared to unlock something last season after being shipped to the Astros at the trade deadline as Houston’s pitching apparatus immediately got him to cut back on his curveball, and lean much more heavily on his slider, which led to a stellar 2.70 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 76/14 K/BB ratio across 63 innings (10 starts). The lackluster supporting cast in Los Angeles limits his win potential and makes the move a slight downgrade overall for fantasy purposes relative to other potential destinations. However, the 33-year-old southpaw still represents a borderline top-50 range fantasy starter heading into 2025 drafts.

Last week Ken Rosenthal mentioned that the Blue Jays were preparing to offer Burnes a “monster deal” and with the Red Sox seemingly balking at the price tag, it might be down to the Blue Jays and Giants for the 30-year-old right-hander. Nightengale mentioned that Burnes’ contract should be larger than the one Max Fried got from the Yankees and there’s a “possibility that Burnes’ deal could soon be agreed upon.” So while the Giants may be in the driver’s seat now, there could be time for the Blue Jays to sweep in and land an ace.

Witnessing a trade between the two longtime rivals is a bit like seeing a shooting star. It doesn’t happen very often. However, the Yankees had a surplus with five catchers on their 40-man roster and the Red Sox needed to fortify their depth after shipping top prospect Kyle Teel to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet blockbuster. Narváez got into six contests last year for New York and figures to open next season as emergency depth at Triple-A Worcester.

The interesting wrinkle here is the international bonus pool money, which could factor into the impending Roki Sasaki sweepstakes. Rodriguez-Cruz was a fourth-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft and has yet to pitch above High-A. He’s a lottery ticket for the Yankees.

Valdez looked like a potential impact contributor for the Red Sox during his rookie campaign back in 2023 when he posted a .764 OPS with six round-trippers across 149 plate appearances. The 25-year-old’s offensive production fell off a cliff last year and he’s always been a liability defensively. With top prospects like Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell on the doorstep of the majors it was time for the Red Sox to move on.

Loáisiga returns to New York where he’s been a key component of the Yankees’ relief mix since breaking into the majors back in 2018. The 30-year-old righty, who holds a strong 3.44 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 207/72 K/BB ratio across 219 2/3 innings (163 appearances) at the highest level, underwent elbow surgery back in April to address a right flexor strain and made just three appearances last season. He’s expected to be ready to contribute at some point in the early stages of next year.

The landmark contract, which represents the largest financial commitment in professional sports history, is now official. Soto heads to the Mets to complement Francisco Lindor as their franchise cornerstones for at least the next half-decade. The 26-year-old generational talent isn’t immune to environmental factors as it’s worth noting that the move from Yankee Stadium to Citi Field might result in fewer round-trippers per season, but we’re comfortable locking in a 35-homer floor as his baseline until further notice. It’s possible last year’s 41-homer explosion was his career apex, but even baking in some regression, he’s among the most impactful five-category superstars in the entire fantasy landscape.

With Charlie Blackmon hanging up his spikes at the end of last year, the Rockies are planning to install the Doyle atop their lineup heading into next season. The 26-year-old speedster, who is coming off a breakthrough 23-homer, 30-steal campaign for Colorado, doesn’t possess the on-base skills of a traditional leadoff hitter, but the Rockies don’t exactly have anyone else on the lineup card that fits the mold. The biggest fantasy takeaway here is that Doyle should get a boost in the runs scored department.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias told reporters last month that he expects Bradish to return sometime around midseason. The 28-year-old righty was limited to just eight starts last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery in mid-June. He should be an option for fantasy managers at some point in the second half of next year.

Getz added that Thorpe is expected to have a normal offseason and be 100 percent for spring training after undergoing surgery back in September to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. The 24-year-old righty struggled to keep the ball in the yard last season in his first taste of the majors, but possesses one of the most electric changeups in the game. He’s a late-round dart throw in extremely deep mixed leagues.

McCaughan bolsters Minnesota’s relief depth heading into next season after struggling to a bloated 6.21 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 28/15 K/BB ratio across 42 innings (12 appearances, five starts) last year between the Marlins and Guardians. The 28-year-old righty has made 17 appearances (six starts) in the big leagues dating back to 2021.