MLB Player News

It was an eventful year for the 22-year-old left-hander, who pitched to a 3.57 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 108/56 K/BB ratio in 75 2/3 innings at Double-A. The White Sox were pretty aggressive in monitoring his workload after he started to wear down following a strong start to the year. His velocity fluctuated throughout the spring, and then the White Sox gave him a break near the end of May to work on his biomechanics. The upside is still there for Smith, and he could even begin the 2026 season at Triple-A, but it will be important to see if his velocity can hold through this AFL season.

While it doesn’t completely rule out the Royals making a splash on the trade market, it doesn’t sound promising that anything is actually going to happen. Both Duran and Donovan have been generating plenty of buzz on the trade front and it sounds like the Royals just won’t have the right pieces in place to get a deal done.

The 32-year-old southpaw is the top remaining free agent pitcher on the market, with the Giants and Mets among the other teams that are vying for his services. It seems like the Orioles are intent on adding at least one additional starter to their rotation before the 2026 season begins. They have also been linked to Justin Verlander should they fail in their pursuit of Valdez.

The 28-year-old outfielder was a fifth-round selection by the Rangers from the 2019 draft class and spent the first seven years of his minor league career there. In 2025, he slashed .242/.347/.344 with eight homers, 40 RBI, 32 stolen bases and a 91/59 K/BB ratio across 429 plate appearances at Triple-A Round Rock. He’ll add outfield depth for the Astros.

No word yet on the financial terms of the deal, but the two sides have reached an agreement rather than going to an arbitration hearing. The 27-year-old right-hander had requested $900,000 from the Nationals when figures were exchanged while the club countered at $825,000. Expect the agreement to land near the midpoint. Cavalli is expected to open the 2026 season in the Nats’ rotation and is becoming a popular late-round breakout option for fantasy purposes.

Pressly blossomed into one of the premier postseason relievers of his generation, converting 14 of 15 playoff save opportunities, while posting a microscopic 2.01 FIP across 45 1/3 innings for the Astros from 2018-2024. The 37-year-old stopper split the first 12 seasons of his career between the Twins and Astros before spending his final campaign with the Cubs last year. He made the leap from pedestrian middle reliever to upper-echelon closer almost immediately after arriving in Houston at the 2018 trade deadline. He hangs up his spikes after recording 117 career saves to go along with a sparkling 3.33 ERA — 3.27 FIP — 1.18 WHIP and 721/207 K/BB ratio across 691 1/3 innings over 667 appearances from 2013-2025.

Gott last pitched for the Nationals from 2016-2018 and returns to the organization to compete for a bullpen spot during spring training. The 33-year-old journeyman holds a serviceable 4.65 ERA — 4.24 FIP — 1.31 WHIP and 222/88 K/BB ratio across 243 2/3 innings over 255 career appearances since 2015. He hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since the 2023 campaign when he made 64 appearances between the Mets and Mariners. He spent last year pitching at the Triple-A level while working his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Ríos fortifies Chicago’s bullpen depth entering spring training after making just a handful of appearances in the Mets’ system last year. The well-traveled 32-year-old veteran last appeared in the majors back in 2023 but he’s made 92 career appearances at the highest level dating back to 2017. He’s merely an emergency depth addition at this stage of his journeyman odyssey.

“It’s kind of the first offseason I’ve had to actually train and not be rehabbing,” McLain said Friday. “It feels like a fresh start.” The 26-year-old former top prospect struggled in his return from shoulder surgery last season, striking out at a near-30 percent clip while producing a pedestrian 40.7 percent hard-hit rate that ranked 153rd out of 251 qualified hitters. McLain still offers an enticing power/speed foundation for fantasy purposes, and the combination of added muscle and being further removed from surgery offers a plausible path to more consistent hard contact.

Robertson spent last season at the Triple-A level between the Astros and Royals, posting a pedestrian 5.10 FIP and 23.3 percent strikeout rate across 52 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old hurler made 27 relief appearances in the big leagues between the Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals and Blue Jays from 2023-2024. He’s back with the Dodgers again after being selected by the club in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB Draft.

Song suffered the injury during a recent batting practice session and will be shut down from baseball activities until mid-February, which coincides with the Padres kicking off spring training in Arizona. The 29-year-old Korean infielder is expected to occupy a versatile multi-position role in his San Diego debut and offers some appeal in deeper fantasy formats. He’s expected to be a full go early in camp, but the recurring nature of oblique injuries makes this a developing situation worth monitoring for fantasy managers.