Spencer Howard, Yomiuri Giants Agree to Contract: Right-hander Spencer Howard is signing with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball, according to Yakyu Cosmopolitan. Howard pitched in NPB last year, but before that, he spent five seasons in MLB. In 2025 for the Rakuten Eagles, Howard was limited to just nine starts due to injury, though he still posted a strong 2.22 ERA across 48 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old was once a top prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, but he has struggled to find consistent success in the major leagues, finishing his five MLB seasons with a 7.00 ERA, 136 strikeouts, and a 1.736 WHIP over 144 innings. The hope is that Howard can refine his skills overseas and potentially earn another opportunity with an MLB club in the future. - as of Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:24:40
Blue Jays, Josh Winckowski Agree on Two-Year Minor-League Deal: The Toronto Blue Jays have signed free-agent right-hander Josh Winckowski (elbow) to a two-year minor-league contract, according to Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors. Since debuting in 2022 with the Boston Red Sox, Winckowski has logged 242 1/3 innings, posting a 4.20 ERA, 195 strikeouts, and a 1.47 WHIP. Winckowski has made 21 career starts but has spent the bulk of his time coming out of the bullpen. The former 15th-round draft pick by the Blue Jays in 2016 has always done a good job of keeping the ball on the ground, but after being moved to the bullpen in 2022, his fastball velocity ticked up by roughly 2 mph, and his strikeout rate climbed to a career-high 22.3%. The 27-year-old was limited to just 11 2/3 innings in 2025 due to an elbow injury and is currently rehabbing from internal-brace surgery, with hopes of returning late in the 2026 season. Once healthy, the Blue Jays plan to transition him into a starting role. For now, Winckowski carries no fantasy relevance. - as of Thu, 01 Jan 2026 10:44:34
Angels Showing Interest in Nolan Arenado: The Los Angeles Angels have shown interest in St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Arenado's performance has steadily declined over the past few seasons, and the Cardinals appear to be entering a rebuild. St. Louis has already moved on from veterans such as right-hander Sonny Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras. In 2025, Arenado slashed .237/.289/.377 with 12 home runs, 52 RBI, and 48 runs scored across 436 plate appearances. His 84 wRC+ was the lowest mark of his career outside of his 2013 rookie season. The 34-year-old also missed time with a shoulder injury, limiting him to just 107 games. For a trade to be possible, Arenado would need to waive his no-trade clause, and it remains unclear whether he would be willing to do so to return to his native Southern California. Earlier this week, the Angels restructured the contract of oft-injured third baseman Anthony Rendon, thus making a trade for Arenado more plausible. While Arenado is no longer the elite offensive force he once was, he remains an above-average defender with solid contact skills. If traded to Los Angeles, he would likely play every day and hit in the middle of the lineup. From a fantasy perspective, Arenado currently carries an ADP of around 580, making him essentially free in drafts. That price makes him a reasonable late-round flyer as a corner infielder or bench bat in 15-team leagues. If Arenado is moved, then the Cardinals' top prospect, J.J. Wetherholt, would have a greater chance of making the club out of spring training. Keep Wetherholt on your fantasy radar for 2026. - as of Thu, 01 Jan 2026 10:04:40
Jarred Kelenic Joins White Sox: Free-agent outfielder Jarred Kelenic is signing a non-roster deal with the Chicago White Sox, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The 26-year-old spent the last couple of years with the Atlanta Braves after originally being a first-round pick by the New York Mets back in 2018. Kelenic was once one of the Seattle Mariners' top prospects, but he has never been able to put it all together at the plate and has a career .658 OPS in five big-league seasons. He'll have a better shot to make the big-league roster in Chicago, but Kelenic is coming off his worst season as a pro, slashing .167/.231/.300 with a .531 OPS, two home runs, two RBI, and 23 strikeouts in 65 plate appearances in 24 games for Atlanta. He wasn't much better at Triple-A Gwinnett, hitting .213/.286/.309 in 95 games. At best, Kelenic will probably be hoping for a platoon role with the White Sox in 2026. - as of Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:07:46
Kirby Yates Inks One-Year Deal With Angels: Free-agent right-handed reliever Kirby Yates and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal on Tuesday, pending a physical, a source told Ari Alexander. Yates will stay in L.A. after spending the 2025 campaign with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, where he went 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA (4.76 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, three saves, 52 strikeouts, and 17 walks in 41 1/3 innings out of the bullpen during the regular season. It was a disappointing year for the 38-year-old veteran after he recorded a 1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 33 saves the year prior with the Texas Rangers. Yates is no spring chicken, but he could bounce back to better results in 2026 and will be in the mix for more saves next season in an Angels bullpen that lost Kenley Jansen in free agency. Yates' primary competition for saves next season will come from the oft-injured Robert Stephenson and veteran lefty Drew Pomeranz. - as of Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:44:44
Marlins Acquire Esteury Ruiz From the Dodgers: The Miami Marlins are acquiring speedy outfielder Esteury Ruiz from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday in exchange for Cuban right-hander Adriano Marrero, sources told Francys Romero. Marrero had signed with the Marlins for a $350,000 signing bonus on Jan. 15 of last year. Ruiz, 26, led all of baseball with 67 stolen bases back in 2023 with the Athletics, but he couldn't replicate that success with the A's in 2024 and was eventually cut. The Dominican outfielder latched on with the Dodgers last year but ended up playing in only 19 games at the big-league level, going 4-for-21 (.190) at the plate with a homer, two RBI, and four steals. Ruiz, despite his electric wheels, has not been an asset defensively and has slashed only .241/.296/.343 in his four seasons in the majors. While he could start 2026 in the minors, Ruiz has a much better shot to return to the big leagues and stick around now that he's in Miami. - as of Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:25:45
Reds, JJ Bleday Agree on Contract for 2026: The Cincinnati Reds have agreed to a contract with free-agent outfielder JJ Bleday, according to MLB insider Robert Murray. Bleday is just one year removed from a strong 2024 season in which he slashed .243/.324/.437 with 20 home runs, 60 RBI, 74 runs scored, a 19.5% strikeout rate, and a 10.4% walk rate across 642 plate appearances. The 28-year-old struggled to replicate that success in 2025, posting a 26.5% strikeout rate and a 90 wRC+ over 98 games, and was optioned twice to Triple-A Las Vegas by the Athletics. While the Reds were rumored to have interest in trading for outfielder Luis Robert Jr., it appears they've pivoted to Bleday instead. The left-handed-hitting Bleday can play all three outfield spots for Cincinnati, but he'll likely see most of his time in left field, pushing Will Benson to the bench. From a fantasy perspective, unless you're in a 15-team league or deeper, he can be ignored on draft day. That said, his power and patience could play very well at Great American Ball Park, so keep an eye on his early-season performance to see if he's worth a waiver-wire pickup. - as of Sat, 27 Dec 2025 11:39:57
Luken Baker Agrees to Minor-League Deal With Diamondbacks: The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed free-agent first baseman Luken Baker to a minor-league deal, per Just Baseball Media's Aram Leighton. Baker became a minorleague free agent at the end of last season and decided to test the open market instead of staying within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Since 2023, Baker has played in just 73 major-league games, posting a .655 OPS with four home runs, 22 RBI, 15 runs scored, and one stolen base across 189 plate appearances. The Diamondbacks currently have Pavin Smith set as their primary first baseman with Tim Tawa backing him up. In 2025, Smith slashed .258/.362/.434 with eight home runs and a 31.9% strikeout rate across 288 plate appearances, while Tawa posted a 72 wRC+ in 225 plate appearances. With Arizona shopping All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte, it looks like the team is trying to shed payroll while rebuilding. Although it's unlikely, if Baker makes the roster, he'd serve as first-base depth for 2026. For now, you can safely leave him off your fantasy radar. - as of Fri, 26 Dec 2025 11:32:38