MLB Player News

In spite of the loss, the Brewers still clinched the NL Central with the Cubs also losing today. Herrera was drilled in the arm in the bottom of the first in apparent retaliation for his backswing hitting William Contreras on Saturday. He then hit a 419-foot homer in his second plate appearance. Herrera is currently batting .281/.369/.455, which will obviously play anywhere. Still, it’d be nice if he could resume catching, at least occasionally, next year.

The trade is now official. Garcia’s path to an everyday role was blocked in Boston’s overcrowded outfield entering next season, but that obstacle disappears in Pittsburgh, where he should have a clear opportunity to play right away. “The Password” appeared in five games for the Red Sox this past season after batting .267/.340/.470 with 21 homers and seven steals across 114 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. He’s an intriguing fantasy prospect with real upside, despite some plate discipline question marks, and this move turbocharges his short-term relevance — though he’ll have to fight the realities of PNC Park, a notoriously unforgiving backdrop for right-handed pop. The 22-year-old power-hitting prospect could open next season as the Pirates’ starting left fielder and represents a potential late-round sleeper candidate in deeper fantasy formats.

Oviedo strengthens the back end of Boston’s rotation and still possesses the kind of mid-rotation upside that surfaces whenever he’s actually in the strike zone. The 27-year-old righty owns a respectable 4.24 ERA and 20.2 percent strikeout rate across 361 major-league innings since 2020. He represents a worthwhile gamble for the Red Sox since he’s under team control through 2027 and allows them to bolster their pitching staff without sacrificing any of their established big-league outfield depth. He could make a real leap if he throws strikes more consistently given the quality of his arsenal, but he’s unlikely to be rostered in most fantasy formats to open next season.

Samaniego heads to Boston just weeks after being added to Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster to shield him from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. The 26-year-old lefty has yet to pitch above Double-A, but he impressed across four levels last season with a 3.99 ERA and 44/11 K/BB ratio over 38 1/3 innings. He’ll likely open next year in the upper minors and could pitch his way to Fenway Park before season’s end if the command and swing-and-miss stuff continue to trend upward.

Guzman has a big-time arm behind the dish and profiles as a defensive specialist at the highest level. The 22-year-old backstop was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft but ended up playing just one game for Low-A Bradenton in his professional debut. He’s a long way from the big leagues but might have a chance to get there as a backup catcher thanks to his defensive abilities and rocket arm.

If Garcia is the clear headliner in the five-player swap then Travieso is the metaphorical scratch lottery ticket in the deal. The 18-year-old hurler has yet to throw a pitch above Low-A and is several hyperspace jumps from the majors. His fastball/slider combination would make him a decent relief prospect if he fails to make it long-term as a traditional starter.

Criswell loses his spot on Boston’s 40-man roster with the club acquiring pitchers Johan Oviedo and Tyler Samaniego from the Pirates. The 29-year-old righty has posted a respectable 4.00 ERA across 117 innings over 33 appearances (19 starts) for the Red Sox over the past two seasons. He figures to attract some interest on waivers as a serviceable emergency innings-eater in a swingman-type role.

There’s an opportunity for Conine to emerge as Miami’s starting first baseman next season, if he adapts to the position quickly since there’s virtually zero in-house competition. The 28-year-old corner outfielder missed most of this past season while recovering from surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder, but was able to make it back for a handful of late-September contests. He’s unlikely to be a fantasy-relevant option at the cold corner, but the situation is worth monitoring in deeper mixed leagues and NL-only formats.

The Red Sox are getting lefty Tyler Samaniego and catcher Adonys Guzman, with righty Jesus Travieso going to Pittsburgh — leaving Oviedo as the only established major leaguer involved in the trade. Garcia’s path to an everyday role was blocked in Boston’s overcrowded outfield entering next season, but that obstacle disappears in Pittsburgh, where he should have a clear opportunity to play right away. “The Password” appeared in five games for the Red Sox this past season after batting .267/.340/.470 with 21 homers and seven steals across 114 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. The deal makes a ton of sense for both sides as the Red Sox were able to bolster their starting rotation depth without sacrificing any of their major-league outfield depth while the Pirates swap some pitching depth for a high-upside, power-hitting corner outfield prospect.

Zeglin missed all of last season due to injury after posting a 0.95 ERA and 90/16 K/BB ratio across 66 innings over 25 appearances between Low-A Myrtle Beach and High-A South Bend. The 25-year-old reliever is a textbook definition of a lottery ticket arm. Meanwhile, the Cubs receive $250,000 in international bonus money to close out the rest of the signing period.

The deal is now official. Rojas returns as an extremely important utility specialist for the back-to-back World Series champions after playing a starring role during the most recent Fall Classic. The 36-year-old veteran gives Los Angeles a decent fallback option at second base and figures to play all over the infield next season. He can be safely ignored in all fantasy formats at this advanced stage of his career.