New York

Yankees

It’s unclear whether or not the 31-year-old southpaw will receive an invitation to major league spring training. Leibrandt made two appearances with the Reds during the 2024 season, compiling a cringe-inducing 9.95 ERA, 2.05 WHIP and a 5/2 K/BB ratio across 6 1/3 innings of work. He’ll add depth from the left side of the Yankees’ bullpen.

It was thought the two sides were working on a multiyear deal, but that hasn’t come to fruition, at least not yet. Boone’s Yankees reached the World Series last season, losing in five games to the Dodgers. His team is 603-429 in his seven years at the helm, but just 22-23 in six postseason appearances.

Hartlieb heads to New York as extra organizational relief depth following five relief appearances last year for the Rockies. The 30-year-old journeyman holds a lackluster 7.37 ERA, 1.87 WHIP and 76/55 K/BB ratio across 79 1/3 innings (64 appearances) in the majors since 2019.

There are a lot of moving parts here, but the biggest takeaway from Gleyber Torres hitting free agency is that New York could wind up shifting Chisholm back across the infield to his former defensive home if they’re unable to bring back Torres or find a suitable everyday option over the course of the offseason. The dynamic 26-year-old performed admirably in his first-ever professional stint at the hot corner and it’s possible he’ll wind up picking up second base eligibility for fantasy purposes next year.

Ellis got into 11 contests last year between the Yankees and White Sox. The 26-year-old speedster has been removed from New York’s 40-man roster, but will remain with the club as extra depth.

Passan adds that the two sides ultimately agreed to reunite on the existing four-year, $144 million pact — without adding any additional years or salary — after Cole opted out of his contract over the weekend. It’s a sudden reversal, but it sounds like the Yankees were unwilling to make any additional financial commitments and Cole decided he wanted to remain in New York. The 34-year-old right-hander looked sharp in the postseason, but there are some lingering durability questions here in the wake of last year’s elbow issues. The central question for fantasy purposes is whether the big-time strikeout totals are ever coming back. For the moment, Cole is staying with New York and remains a top-15 range starting pitcher for fantasy purposes heading into 2025 drafts.

It’s a mere formality at this juncture as Soto is the ultimate lock to decline the one-year pact and secure a gargantuan long-term contract on the open market as one of the most coveted free agents in recent memory. The 26-year-old generational superstar, who famously quipped following the Fall Classic that he’s available for all 30 teams, was phenomenal in his lone season with New York, recording a sublime .288/.419/.569 triple-slash line with 128 runs scored, 41 home runs, 109 RBI and seven steals in 157 games. He’ll be a first-round selection in all fantasy drafts next spring, regardless of where he winds up. All seven players who received a qualifying offer last year wound up declining it to test the open market and only 13 of the 132 players to receive a qualifying offer have accepted it since the system’s inception back in 2012.

There’s no word yet on what the return will be. The 27-year-old Trammell has been with four organizations since being the 35th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft. He hit .256 with 18 home runs and 20 steals in 106 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2024, so the Astros will hope to get something from his raw tools even though no other organization has yet succeeded in doing so consistently.

The dynamic 27-year-old outfielder appeared in five games for the Yankees early in the 2024 season, going 1-for-1 with a walk and a pair of runs scored. He’ll continue to serve as extra outfield depth for the Yankees heading into the 2025 season, most likely at the Triple-A level once again.

The Yankees had a few spots open on their 40-man roster and decided to protect a few players on Sunday. Escarra, 29, had a solid season across two minor league levels in 2024, slashing .261/.355/.434 with 12 homers, 64 RBI and a 68/55 K/BB ratio over 493 plate appearances.