MLB Player News

Hicks, a Rule 5 pick from the Tigers, was a nice surprise for three months this year, but he’s hitting .210/.308/.261 during the second half. His exit velocity numbers are pretty bad, and it doesn’t really seems like there’s more power on the way. On defense, he looks good only in comparison to Agustín Ramírez. He shouldn’t be a big part of the Marlins’ plans for 2026. Maybe he could serve as a backup to a true starting catcher, but Ramírez hasn’t shown he’s that.

García is slated to replace Nick Castellanos as the Phillies’ right fielder, though Castellanos will remain on the roster until the team can find someone willing to take on a portion of his $20 million salary. It may or may not prove to be an offensive upgrade for the Phillies, but García has had the better OPS+ of the two three of the last four seasons (2024 was the exception) and he’ll be a big upgrade on defense. The ballpark switch should be big for García’s fantasy value, as Globe Life Park has really punished right-handed hitters the last couple of years. He’ll still likely be a liability in terms of batting average, but he could bounce back to 25-30 homers and make a run at 90 RBI.

Wendzel represents a depth addition for the Pirates heading into next season as a potential bench option. The 28-year-old got into 27 games for the Rangers back in 2024 and hit .251/.346/.428 with 13 homers in 98 games at the Triple-A level with Cincinnati this past season.

The deal is official. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that Kim turned down multi-year offers elsewhere to return to Atlanta, where he’ll serve as the club’s starting shortstop — pushing versatile Mauricio Dubón to a utility role — before re-entering free agency next winter in pursuit of a larger payday. The 30-year-old middle infielder, who turned down a $16 million player option last month to hit the open market, posted an underwhelming .234/.304/.345 slash line with five homers and six steals across 191 plate appearances split between the Rays and Braves this past season after working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. From a career-arc standpoint, Atlanta represents about as clean a runway as Kim could ask for to rebuild long-term value, offering everyday reps on a competitive roster without the immediate pressure of a long-term commitment. From a fantasy perspective, though, the bar at shortstop remains high enough that he profiles as more of a deeper mixed-league option with power/speed combo ceiling upside heading into next spring.

Well, that was quick. Bido’s stint with Atlanta lasted only a couple weeks as he loses his spot on the club’s 40-man roster with shortstop Ha-Seong Kim returning to the fold. The 30-year-old righty posted a calamitous 5.87 ERA — 6.07 FIP — across 79 2/3 innings over 26 appearances (10 starts) this past season for the Athletics. He figures to latch on somewhere as a versatile swingman heading into next season.

The deal, which was originally agreed to last week, is now official. Soto figures to operate in a setup capacity ahead of incumbent closer Dennis Santana for the Pirates after registering a respectable 4.18 ERA — 3.42 FIP — 1.43 WHIP and 70/24 K/BB ratio across 60 1/3 innings between the Orioles and Mets this past season.

The deal is now official. Jansen takes over as the Rangers primary backstop after the club decided to move on from Jonah Heim earlier this offseason. The 30-year-old backstop hit just .215/.321/.399 with 14 round-trippers across 337 plate appearances between the Brewers and Rays this past season. He’s no longer a relevant fantasy option at this stage of his career but it’s a decent landing spot if he’s going to put together a bounce-back campaign.

The deal is now official. Alexander provides the Rangers with a versatile swingman capable of soaking up innings as a traditional starter or versatile reliever. The 31-year-old posted an inflated 4.98 ERA — 3.64 FIP — 1.40 WHIP and 82/30 K/BB ratio across 97 2/3 innings over 52 appearances between the White Sox and Brewers.

It’s an extremely rare prospect challenge trade as the Nationals ship out a talented southpaw on the cusp of the big leagues as a back-end starter in exchange for Perales, who boasts triple-digit velocity and sky-high upside if he stays healthy and improves his control. The flame-throwing 22-year-old righty looked sharp in the Arizona Fall League after being limited to just three appearances this season in the upper minors while recovering from last year’s Tommy John surgery. If it all comes together, Perales has the raw stuff to become a legitimate impact arm for a rebuilding Nationals club.

Bennett qualifies as an interesting pickup for the Red Sox as the type of above-average extension pitching prospect their front office typically covets after posting a strong 2.27 ERA — 2.96 FIP — and 21.5 percent strikeout rate across 75 1/3 innings across three levels in Washington’s system this past season in his return from Tommy John surgery. The 25-year-old southpaw figures to arrive at Fenway Park at some point next season as a back-end rotation arm. He put together an extremely impressive performance in the Arizona Fall League earlier this offseason, piling up 25 punchouts over 20 innings of work.

Rogers provides Toronto with an elite setup specialist to help bridge the gap to closer Jeff Hoffman. The 34-year-old submariner is coming off the strongest campaign of his career where he recorded a microscopic 1.98 ERA — 2.88 FIP — and 16.1 percent strikeout rate across 77 1/3 innings over a league-high 81 appearances between the Giants and Mets. He’s been one of the most durable workhorse relievers in baseball, making a staggering 374 appearances over the past half-decade. The deal includes a $12 million vesting option for 2029 that converts after 110 appearances from 2027-2028 or 60 appearances in 2028.