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Free-agent left-hander Anthony Kay and the Chicago White Sox agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract on Wednesday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. Kay, a former first-round pick by the New York Mets in 2016 out of the University of Connecticut, will make a return to the U.S. after a two-year stint in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Yokohama Bay Stars. The 30-year-old veteran southpaw posted a 2.53 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 249 strikeouts and 94 walks in 291 2/3 frames over the last two years in Japan. He was exceptional this past season, with a 1.74 ERA and a 57.8% ground-ball rate. Kay should have a decent chance to open the 2026 season in Chicago's starting rotation, and he'll be looking to show that he's a different pitcher after recording a 5.59 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and 22.4% strikeout rate in his first five MLB seasons. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues will have better starting options to choose from.

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The Miami Marlins have a glaring need at first base going into next season, but MLB.com's Christina De Nicola writes that as of now, the team doesn't plan to give catcher Agustin Ramirez reps there. However, that could change if he doesn't show progress as a defender behind the plate. The 24-year-old Dominican backstop hit only .231 (124-for-537) in his first major-league season in 2025, but he impressed with 21 long balls, 67 RBI, 72 runs scored, and even 16 stolen bases in 136 games played. Another thing that could change the Marlins' mind with Ramirez playing some first base is if catching prospect Joe Mack, the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, forces their hand and wins the starting catching job on Opening Day. With the glove, Ramirez was one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball last year, so he's going to need to continue to hit to keep a spot in the starting lineup regularly.

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Free-agent All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker visited the Toronto Blue Jays training facility in Florida on Wednesday, according to Robert Murray of Fansided.com. The Blue Jays have already signed free-agent right-hander Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract and right-hander Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million contract, but apparently, they are not done adding after coming up just short in the World Series. Tucker is the biggest free agent on the market, and he is projected to land an 11-year, $418 million contract. Last year for the Chicago Cubs, the four-time All-Star hit 22 home runs with 91 runs, 73 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in 597 plate appearances. The biggest concern with Tucker is his inability to stay on the field, but because of that, fantasy managers can now scoop him up in the second round of most drafts.

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The Cleveland Guardians agreed to a major-league deal with free-agent right-hander Connor Brogdon on Wednesday, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Brogdon, 30, has had limited success in his six seasons in the majors, posting a 4.36 ERA with a 15.3 K-BB% across 192 innings. However, with the Los Angeles Angels last year, he pitched to a 3.86 SIERA with a 24.6% strikeout rate while averaging 95.5 miles per hour on his fastball in 47 innings. For Cleveland, Brogdon is just another arm in the bullpen, but he could help fantasy managers who play in leagues that count holds as a category.

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Veteran infielder Miguel Rojas and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal on Wednesday, according to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. The World Series hero will spend another season in Dodger blue as a backup utility infielder. Last year, Rojas filled in as needed and slashed .262/.318/.397 with seven home runs, 35 runs, 27 RBI, five stolen bases, and a 100 wRC+ across 317 plate appearances. Once he retires, he's expected to remain in the organization and move into the player-development department. From a fantasy perspective, Rojas is only viable in the deepest of leagues or as a short-term injury replacement for your middle or corner infielders.

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The Cincinnati Reds re-signed closer Emilio Pagan on a two-year, $20 million deal on Wednesday, according to Ken Rosenthal and C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. Pagan, 34, took over the closer role for a struggling Alexis Diaz early last season and never looked back. Pagan finished the year with 32 saves while pitching to a 2.88 ERA (3.18 SIERA) and a 30% strikeout rate. The veteran right-hander is expected to open 2026 as the Reds' primary closer again, with Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft also contributing in the back end of the bullpen. Hats off to those fantasy managers who drafted him at his current 185.09 ADP, because he is quickly going to move up draft boards now that he's officially back in Cincy to close games.

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Free-agent outfielder Cedric Mullins and the Tampa Bay Rays agreed on a one-year deal on Wednesday, pending a physical, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Mullins, 31, struggled last year with the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets, posting a .216/.299/.391 slash line with 17 home runs, 58 runs, 59 RBI, 22 stolen bases, and a 94 wRC+ over 498 plate appearances. Mullins had a career-low .209 xBA, while his 24.1 strikeout rate was the highest it has been since the 2020 season. For Tampa Bay, the left-handed hitter figures to be the everyday starting center fielder, and since the Rays led the league in steals last year by a wide margin, he should have the green light on the base paths quite often. For fantasy managers, Mullins may drag down your batting average, but he can still hit up to 15 home runs while collecting 20-plus steals. At his current ADP (400.13), he is a viable late-round flier.

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With interest in right-hander Freddy Peralta so significant this offseason, the Milwaukee Brewers are now considering "cracking the door open" for trade discussions, a person briefed on the team's situation told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. If the Brewers get a strong enough offer for Peralta, they think the presence of veteran Brandon Woodruff and their other options will give them enough rotation firepower to contend in the National League Central. Peralta's trade value is considerable since he's 29 and is set to make only $8 million in his final season before free agency. If the Brewers were to trade Peralta, they'd likely be looking for a major-league-ready starting pitcher in return. If Peralta is dealt, Woodruff, Jacob Misiorowski, and Quinn Priester would be the team's top three starters. Candidates to fill out the rotation would be Robert Gasser, Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson, and Tobias Myers.

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The Cincinnati Reds are serious about signing free-agent outfielder/designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Schwarber, who grew up around 35 miles north of Cincinnati in Middletown, is interested in a possible homecoming, according to people briefed on his thinking. Schwarber is projected to receive a five-year, $145 million deal on the open market, and Rosenthal writes that the problem for the Reds is that the Philadelphia Phillies "almost certainly" will offer him more money as they try to re-sign him. The Reds are expected to have around $20 million to spend, but Schwarber, who is coming off a career-best 56 home runs, will cost much more than that annually. Unless Cincy makes an exception for Schwarber, it doesn't make sense financially for a player who isn't expected to give the Reds a hometown discount. The San Francisco Giants have been mentioned as a possible suitor, and big-market teams like the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox could also get involved.

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The Chicago Cubs announced on Tuesday that they signed free-agent infielder Scott Kingery to a minor-league deal with an invite to major-league spring training, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. Kingery played in 19 games with the Los Angeles Angels this past season in the big leagues for the first time since his final season with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022. He went 4-for-27 (.148) at the plate in Anaheim with a stolen base, 11 strikeouts, and three runs scored at the plate. The 31-year-old veteran will most likely serve as infield depth for the Cubbies next year if he remains in the organization, and Kingery is likely to begin the year at Triple-A Iowa. In 344 MLB games since his debut with Philly in 2018, Kingery has slashed .227/.278/.382 with 30 homers, 96 RBI, and 26 stolen bases. Nineteen of his career long balls came in his second season in 2019.

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The Houston Astros agreed to an undisclosed deal with free-agent right-hander Ryan Weiss on Tuesday, a source told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Weiss, 28, will come over to the United States after pitching the last two years in Korea, and he's expected to pitch in a starting role. He made 46 starts for the Hanwha Eagles and had a 3.16 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 305 strikeouts in 270 1/3 innings pitched the last two seasons. Weiss pitched in independent ball in 2023. The soon-to-be 29-year-old hurler had a 2.87 ERA with 207 strikeouts and 56 walks in 178 2/3 innings over 30 starts for the Eagles this past season. Weiss has never appeared in a big-league game, so he'll be more of a long shot to open the 2026 campaign in Houston's starting rotation.

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Free-agent right-hander Alek Manoah and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to a one-year, $1.95 million deal on Tuesday, a source told Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 27-year-old became a free agent after he was non-tendered by the Atlanta Braves following the 2025 season. He will now head back to the American League on a fully guaranteed big-league deal. Manoah worked his way back from right-elbow surgery that he had in June of 2024 and didn't pitch at all in the big leagues. In 33 1/3 innings (seven starts) at Triple-A Buffalo, Manoah had a decent 2.97 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 30 strikeouts and 18 walks. The former 11th overall pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 out of West Virginia finished third in the AL Cy Young voting in 2022 after going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 180:51 K:BB in 31 starts. Injuries and mechanical issues caused Manoah to fall off a cliff since then, but the Halos are hoping this low-risk investment will pan out and he'll contribute to a rotation that was a huge liability in 2025.

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Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte has been rumored as a trade candidate this offseason, but The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro thinks it's more likely that the team's trade options involve outfielders Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy, who are both arbitration-eligible. If the D-backs trade one of Thomas or McCarthy away, they have options to replace them with the likes of Jorge Barrosa, Tim Tawa, Blaze Alexander, and potentially even Jordan Lawlar. For fantasy baseball purposes, McCarthy is the more attractive player, although he played in only 67 games in 2025 and hit .204 (42-for-206) with four home runs, 20 RBI, 18 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his fifth year in the league. If McCarthy were ever to win a full-time job in Arizona or elsewhere, though, his speed would make him interesting in fantasy. McCarthy had three straight 20-steal seasons from 2022-24.

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New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler said he's looking to develop a changeup or splitter this offseason to use below the strike zone against left-handed hitters, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Nothing has been decided yet, but pitching coach Matt Blake said a changeup is more likely. The 24-year-old had a highly successful first showing in the big leagues in 2025, posting a 2.96 ERA (3.74 FIP) with a 1.22 WHIP and 84 strikeouts in 73 innings over 14 starts. Schlittler really stood out in the Game 3 win over the division-rival Boston Red Sox in the Wild-Card Series, when he struck out 12 in eight scoreless innings. He mostly relied on his 98 mph four-seam fastball (55% usage) last year, while using a cutter 21% of the time and a curveball 15% of the time. Schlittler also has a sinker and a slider, but adding a changeup could make him more effective against lefties.

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The San Francisco Giants announced on Tuesday that infielder Casey Schmitt (wrist) had surgery to remove the carpal boss in his left wrist, according to Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com. Schmitt is expected to spend the next eight to 10 weeks rehabbing from his surgery. Although the 26-year-old might be eased into the start of spring training, he should be ready for Opening Day in 2026, barring a setback. The former second-rounder hit .237/.305/.401 with a .706 OPS, career-high 12 home runs, 40 RBI, and 34 runs scored for the Giants in 95 games played this past season in his third year in the big leagues. Schmitt filled in at third base when Matt Chapman missed time due to injuries, but he's primarily a second baseman and could be in the mix for the starting job, depending on whether the Giants add any competition at the keystone this offseason. Schmitt is primarily middle-infield depth in NL-only fantasy leagues.

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With outfielder Kyle Tucker expected to depart in free agency this offseason, the Chicago Cubs are projecting regular playing time for outfielder Owen Caissie, a consensus top-100 prospect whose name was prominently mentioned in trade talks last offseason, and again during the July 31 trade deadline. The 23-year-old left-handed slugger doesn't have anything left to prove at Triple-A Iowa after posting an .887 OPS and 277 strikeouts in almost 1,000 Triple-A plate appearances in the last two seasons. The Cubs want to see what they have in Caissie while letting him develop and improve at the big-league level. Caissie could be in a battle for regular playing time with fellow prospect Moises Ballesteros. In his first 12 major-league games in 2025, Caissie went 5-for-26 (.192) with a homer, four RBI, and 11 strikeouts. He has plenty of power upside, but the strikeouts are a concern.

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The St. Louis Cardinals are not necessarily looking to trade infielder Brendan Donovan, but ESPN's Jeff Passan reports that the "market for him is percolating." Several teams see Donovan as an option at second base, third base, or left field. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter gives teams options, as he can hit leadoff or bat in the middle of the order because of his elite bat-to-ball skills and gap power. He has two years of club control left and is very affordable in arbitration before he reaches free agency. The Cardinals are retooling under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, and almost nobody on the roster is off limits. For fantasy purposes, outside of Donovan's excellent contact and on-base skills and positional versatility, he doesn't bring much intrigue. The Dodgers, Mariners, Yankees, Red Sox, Pirates, Giants, Royals, and Guardians are teams that could come calling for Donovan.

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ESPN's Jeff Passan writes that "now is finally the time, it seems," for Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. to be traded. Robert had a career year in 2023, hitting .264/.315/.542 with an .857 OPS, career-high 38 home runs, 80 RBI, 90 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases in 145 games played. The White Sox hung onto him and were hoping to trade him at peak value in 2024, but he once again struggled to stay healthy and played in only 100 games. The 28-year-old Cuban has hit a combined 28 homers the last two years, and the combination of his last two down seasons and a hefty salary will limit the return for the Pale Hose on any potential deal. Robert is still in the 90th percentile or better for sprint speed, defensive range, and bat speed, but he's been injured and unlucky the last two years. Passan lists the Giants, Phillies, Mets, and Reds as potential landing spots for Robert if he's finally dealt.

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ESPN's Jeff Passan writes that the Boston Red Sox are valuing outfielder Jarren Duran more like the seven-win player of 2024 than the four-win version in 2025. The Red Sox "can hold out for a big return" because they don't have to trade him. Although the 29-year-old isn't the best defensive asset, he has plenty of trade value because he's still in his 20s and has three years of club control. Duran also has elite bat and foot speed, and a good arm. He has ranked third in baseball the last three years at plus-23 runs due to his elite baserunning skills. Duran might have had a bit of a down year in 2025, slashing .256/.332/.442 with 16 home runs, 84 RBI, 86 runs scored, and 24 steals in 620 at-bats, but he's still one of the top all-around position players in the league. Passan predicts a 50% chance Duran will be dealt this offseason, with the Tigers, Royals, Giants, Pirates, Phillies, Mets, Reds, and Diamondbacks all being potential suitors.

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