Brewers Sign Greg Jones to Minor-League Deal: The Milwaukee Brewers have signed infielder/outfielder Greg Jones to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training, according to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Jones, 27, is a switch-hitter who has spent nearly his entire professional career in the minors. Over six minor-league seasons, he has tallied 51 home runs, 172 stolen bases, and a .262/.346/.434 slash line across 1,677 plate appearances. He has appeared in the majors only briefly, totaling eight plate appearances. The Brewers are taking a look at Jones because of his athleticism and defensive versatility, particularly his ability to handle the outfield. While he's unlikely to break camp with the major-league club, it's hard not to root for a player who has worked this long and this hard to reach the Show. - as of Thu, 11 Dec 2025 21:06:38
Pete Alonso Meets With Cubs and Red Sox at Winter Meetings: The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox met with first baseman Pete Alonso at the Winter Meetings before he ultimately signed his five-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. While details of the discussions remain unclear, it's noteworthy that the Cubs sat down with the 31-year-old slugger. Chicago's current first baseman, Michael Busch, is coming off a career year in which he slashed .261/.343/.523 with 34 home runs, 90 RBI, 78 runs, and four stolen bases, good for a 140 wRC+. The one notable concern is his performance against left-handed pitching. Busch hit just .207 against southpaws last season and struck out 26 times in 95 plate appearances, raising the possibility that the Cubs may view him as a long-term platoon option. For fantasy managers, Busch's usage against same-handed pitching is something worth monitoring moving forward. - as of Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:27:32
Colin Holderman, Guardians Agree on One-Year Deal: Free-agent right-hander Colin Holderman has agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Cleveland Guardians, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. Holderman, 30, has a career 4.13 ERA with a 22.2% strikeout rate and a 1.40 WHIP across 161 1/3 innings. He endured a difficult 2025 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, posting a career-worst 7.01 ERA while dealing with multiple injuries. For Cleveland, Holderman is expected to serve primarily as extra bullpen depth, and for now, he carries no fantasy relevance. - as of Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:14:38
Lane Thomas Agrees to One-Year Deal With Royals: Free-agent outfielder Lane Thomas has agreed to a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Kansas City Royals, with an additional $1 million available through incentives, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. Thomas battled injuries last season and struggled at the plate, slashing .166/.245/.290 with five home runs and five stolen bases over 177 plate appearances with the Cleveland Guardians. The 30-year-old has yet to recapture his 2023 breakout form, when he hit 28 home runs, stole 20 bases, and posted a .268/.315/.468 slash line with a 109 wRC+. For the Royals, Thomas is expected to open the season as the starting left fielder and will likely slot into the lower part of the batting order. Fantasy managers can safely take a wait-and-see approach for now, but he's a name to monitor early in the season in case he rediscovers his previous level of production. - as of Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:07:40
Athletics in Agreement With Mark Leiter Jr. on One-Year Contract: The Athletics are in agreement with free-agent relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. on a one-year deal worth around $3 million, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Leiter Jr. will turn 35 years old in March 2026. Across 48 1/3 innings (59 games) with the New York Yankees last season, Leiter Jr. pitched to a 6-7 record with a 4.84 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts. Leiter Jr.'s 3.72 xERA and inflated .374 opponent batting average on balls in play could be indicators of poor luck and better results going forward. Still, Leiter Jr. also saw his strikeout rate drop from an excellent 33.6% in 2024 to 24.7% in 2025, his lowest mark since the 2018 season. Leiter Jr. has a tiny bit of closing experience, recording seven saves across two seasons with the Chicago Cubs in 2022 and 2023. With the Athletics, Leiter Jr. could have an outside chance at the closer role, but is more likely ticketed for middle relief. - as of Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:57:38
Yankees "Open-Minded" on Trading Jazz Chisholm Jr.?: New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he views second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. as "currently part of the solution," but that the team will be "open-minded" when asked about a possible trade, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. While it doesn't appear that the Yankees are actively shopping Chisholm Jr., it seems that the team may listen to the right offer. Across 531 plate appearances in the Bronx last season, Chisholm Jr. slashed .242/.332/.481 with 31 home runs, 80 RBI, 75 runs scored, and 31 stolen bases. He will play the entire 2026 season, his final year under club control, at 28 years old. If the Yankees don't view Chisholm Jr. as part of their long-term plans, they could look to move on. However, a Chisholm Jr. trade would leave what is presumably a win-now team with a hole at second base. Depending on how the rest of New York's offseason progresses, Chisholm Jr. could be a name to monitor. - as of Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:24:27
Hoby Milner Signing With Cubs: The Chicago Cubs are signing free-agent relief pitcher Hoby Milner, per Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation. Across 70 1/3 innings (70) games with the Texans Rangers in 2025, Milner recorded a 3-4 record with a 3.84 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 58 strikeouts. He will turn 35 years old in January 2026. Milner, a left-handed pitcher, specializes in getting out left-handed batters. Across 341 1/3 career big-league innings, lefty batters have slashed .221/.269/.339 against Milner, while righties have punished him to a .277/.343/.451 line. In Chicago, Milner profiles as a middle relief option who will be part of the bridge to projected Cubs closer Daniel Palencia. - as of Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:11:36
Raisel Iglesias to Remain the Braves Closer: Despite the recent addition of All-Star closer Robert Suarez on a three-year, $45 million deal, right-hander Raisel Iglesias will remain the Atlanta Braves' closer in 2026, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Suarez will open next season as Atlanta's high-priced, high-leverage setup man in front of Iglesias. The 35-year-old Cuban reliever got off to a rough start with the Braves last year, but he rebounded and had a sharp 1.96 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 51:12 after the start of June to finish with a 3.21 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 29 saves in 67 1/3 innings. His 85.3% save share was the third-highest among closers in baseball, although that figures to drop in 2026 with Suarez in the fold. In the final two months, Iglesias had a 0.38 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and a league-leading 16 saves. Iglesias still has the stuff to get the job done in the ninth, but he's on much shakier ground now that Suarez is an option to replace him if he struggles again at any point next year. - as of Thu, 11 Dec 2025 14:12:34
Robert Suarez Agrees on Three-Year Deal With Braves: Free-agent closer Robert Suarez and the Atlanta Braves are in agreement on a three-year, $45 million deal on Thursday, sources tell Jeff Passan of ESPN. It's a curious landing spot for Suarez after the Braves already re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias to a one-year, $16 million deal this offseason. Reports suggest that Iglesias will remain the Braves' primary closer in 2026, which means that the 34-year-old Suarez will serve in a high-leverage setup role in his new digs. Suarez has been one of the most dominant closers in recent seasons with the San Diego Padres, posting a 2.87 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 76 saves, 134 strikeouts, and 32 walks in 134 2/3 regular-season innings since the start of the 2024 campaign. He should continue to be useful for his strikeout rate and holds, but if Iglesias actually holds him off for closer duties, Suarez's overall fantasy value will take a hit in Atlanta. - as of Thu, 11 Dec 2025 13:03:29
Multiple Teams Interested in Acquiring Freddy Peralta: Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic report that the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Houston Astros are among the teams with interest in acquiring current Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta. The 29-year-old Peralta is coming off an excellent 2025 season in Milwaukee. Across 176 2/3 innings (33 starts), he recorded a 17-6 record with a 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 204 strikeouts. While the Brewers won 97 games in 2025 and appear to be in win-now mode, they could look to move Peralta, given that he has just one season left under team control. Peralta slightly outperformed his underlying metrics and could be in for some regression in 2026. Still, he's established himself as a front-end starting pitcher, sporting a career 3.59 ERA and 29.9% strikeout rate. While Rosenthal and Sammon report that "no deal appears close" and "talks are fluid," it appears as though Peralta has multiple potential suitors. It could just be a matter of time before a deal comes together. - as of Wed, 10 Dec 2025 21:53:34
Orioles Have had Talks With Framber Valdez: The Baltimore Orioles have had talks with free-agent left-hander Framber Valdez, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Despite agreeing to a five-year, $155 million contract with first baseman Pete Alonso on Wednesday, the Orioles remain engaged with the top end of the starting pitching market this offseason. Baltimore has reportedly been discussing a potential trade for Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore, too. Valdez, 32, is expected to be too expensive for Houston's taste as they search for younger, controllable starting pitchers. The veteran southpaw isn't a big strikeout guy, instead leaning on inducing ground balls, but he's been one of the most consistent starters in baseball since 2020. He's also one of just five pitchers to throw 900 innings in the last four years. A move to the AL East wouldn't be ideal for Valdez's fantasy value, but his penchant for keeping the ball on the ground would certainly help. - as of Wed, 10 Dec 2025 14:24:36