The New York Yankees released outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and designated Greg Bird for assignment on Wednesday. Ellsbury, who hasn't played since 2017 due to various injuries, was let go with more than $26 million left on his $153 million, seven-year deal. The 36-year-old hit .264 with 39 homers, 198 RBI and 102 stolen bases in 520 games in his six years in pinstripes, but he may never make it back to the bigs again. Bird, 27, had plenty of power-hitting intrigue, but he, too, failed to stay healthy for the Yankees. He missed all of 2016 following surgery for a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Bird could never stay on the field for long stretches of time, and his numbers suffered as a result. He should be able to latch on with another team, but he'll have to earn a spot.]]>
In addition to the Mets, the Astros, Reds and Rangers are among the teams showing interest in catcher Robinson Chirinos, according to sources. The 35-year-old (36 in June of 2020) has hit 52 home runs in 315 games since the start of the 2017 season, so he has some ability with the bat and is also a solid defensive backstop. Chirinos can be streaky at the plate, though, and shouldn't be counted on as a strong No. 1 catcher in single-catcher leagues. Depending on where he lands, though, he should be a serviceable No. 2 with power potential at the weakest fantasy position in baseball.]]>
Former Washington Nationals outfielder Gerardo Parra has agreed to a contract with the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants in Japan. The 32-year-old, a two-time Gold Glove winner, hit .276 with 88 home runs and 522 RBI in 11 major league seasons. He served as a backup outfielder for the World Series champion Nationals last year. Parra hit .250 with eight home runs and 42 RBI in 89 games for Washington after spending the first 30 games of the season with the Giants.]]>
The New York Mets have shown interest in catcher Robinson Chirinos, according to an industry source. Chirinos will turn 36 next June and hit .238/.347/.443 while starting 106 games behind the plate for the Astros and playing strong defense in 2019. If the Mets keep Wilson Ramos, Chirinos could easily secure a better opportunity elsewhere on the open market. The Mets have also contacted 36-year-old Drew Butera, who began his career with the Mets as a fifth-round pick in 2005. Tomas Nido could be moving on from the Mets this offseason after hitting just .191/.231/.316 in 38 starts. Despite Chirinos' age, he can still be fantasy relevant with the bat in two-catcher leagues, but being the backup to Ramos wouldn't be good for his fantasy appeal.]]>
Pittsburgh Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez is facing 21 new charges after investigators found evidence of child pornography on devices they say he owned. The charges include 10 counts of child pornography, 10 counts of unlawful contact with a minor and a single charge of corruption of minors. The left-hander was already charged with having sexual contact with a teenage girl in Arizona. It's not looking good for Vazquez, who has been an All-Star closer for the Bucs. If convicted, he'll face deportation and would likely have a lengthy suspension from major league baseball. Pittsburgh could look outside the organization for another ninth-inning arm if Vazquez is out of the picture, but their best in-house option may be Keone Kela.]]>
The Washington Nationals could re-sign starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg before the winter meetings begin on Dec. 8 in San Diego. Strasburg opted out of the four years and $100 million remaining on his deal after winning World Series MVP, but the Nationals have expressed interest in bringing him back and haven't hesitated to start negotiating a new deal with the right-hander. The Padres, Strasburg's hometown team, likely don't have room in their budget to sign Strasburg. Washington might be the only team that considers Strasburg as their clear-cut No. 1 starting pitcher as long as Gerrit Cole remains available. Stras proved last year and into the playoffs that he's a high-end fantasy starter when he's healthy.]]>
New York Mets hitting instructor Endy Chavez posted a video on Instagram on Tuesday of outfielder Yoenis Cespedes (heels) taking batting practice. Cespedes hasn't played since July of 2018 due to multiple heel surgeries, and he's due $29.5 million. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen said that he does "not have enough information to predict when he's going to be back." Cespedes has a very intriguing power profile, but his uncertain status due to injury will cause him to go undrafted in most leagues. The Cuban played in only 38 games in 2018 and just 81 games in 2017. He hit .280 with 31 homers and 86 RBI in his last full season in 2016.]]>
The Chicago Cubs are still unsure if shortstop prospect Nico Hoerner will open the 2020 season in the big leagues. Executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer both stressed at the general manager meetings last week that they are open-minded about the No. 24 overall pick in the 2018 draft. "We haven't figured that out yet," Epstein said. "I think you can make strong arguments on both sides, whether he should be part of the club on Opening Day or (get) a little bit more seasoning." Hoerner is the team's top prospect and is ranked No. 47 in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline. He held his own in 78 at-bats in the majors in 2019 and hit .292/.349/.403 with three homers and 22 RBI in 75 games at Double-A and Rookie ball. Hoerner is a better dynasty stash than he will be a redraft asset in 2020.]]>
Washington Nationals shortstop prospect Carter Kieboom, who is the team's top prospect and No. 20 overall in baseball, could be the natural replacement at the hot corner if Anthony Rendon departs in free agency this winter. Kieboom played shortstop, second base and third base with Triple-A Fresno last year, although he's a natural shortstop and made most of his starts there. If Rendon stays, Kieboom will also have a chance to compete for a full-time job at second. The youngster hit just .128 with 16 strikeouts in 43 plate appearances with Washington for a spell last year, but he was outstanding in the minor leagues and should play a role at the big league level regardless of what happens to Rendon in 2020. He hit .303 with 16 homers in 109 games with Fresno.]]>
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza Jr. (knee) posted a video on his Twitter account on Monday and said that he's running at 100 percent in Arizona. Souza suffered a devastating knee injury in spring training when he tore the ACL, LCL and PCL in his left knee, which caused him to miss the entire 2019 season. He'll turn 31 next April and is always a health risk, but his blend of speed and power should be useful to the D-backs in 2020 if he can stay on the field. Souza played in just 72 games for the Snakes in 2018 and hit just .220/.309/.369 with five home runs and 29 RBI. The year prior with the Rays, he slugged a career-high 30 homers and stole 16 bases. He won't be attractive in standard redraft leagues, but Souza could become a waiver option once the season gets underway.]]>
The Houston Astros signed first baseman Yuli Gurriel to a one-year, $8.3 million deal on Monday. The deal will contain $250,000 in award bonuses for 2020, and he'll have the right to declare free agency at the end of the year. The 35-year-old Cuban had by far his best season in the big leagues in 2019, slashing .298/.343/.541 with a career-high 31 home runs, 104 RBI, 85 runs scored and five stolen bases in 144 games for the 'Stros. Houston ultimately fell short in the World Series in seven games, but Gurriel was a force at the plate all season long. He's hit above .290 the last three seasons and has plenty of pop in this potent lineup, making him an attractive fantasy corner infielder even if some regression is on its way.]]>
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Brent Honeywell (elbow), who hasn't pitched in a game in two full seasons, is expected to start throwing in January. Honeywell would've been a key piece in the 2019 rotation, but a setback during his recovery from Tommy John surgery ended his season in June. The Rays are optimistic that their No. 5 prospect will have a spot in their rotation eventually, but it might not be until 2021. The 24-year-old right-hander had a 3.49 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 11.3 K/9 in 26 starts for Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham back in 2017. There is plenty of upside in his arm if he can stay healthy, and he'll be a watch candidate in dynasty/keeper leagues early in the 2020 season.]]>
The New York Yankees didn't extend a one-year, $17.8 million qualifying offer to shortstop Didi Gregorius and aren't expected to aggressively pursue re-signing him. The Yankees are comfortable with Gleyber Torres at shortstop and DJ LeMahieu at the keystone, but there's still the possibility that Gregorius returns at a discount price. Gregorius proved his health after coming back from Tommy John surgery in June, but he didn't exactly tear the cover off the baseball in the second half of the season. The Reds are already connected to the 29-year-old. The shortstop hit just .238 with a .276 on-base percentage in 2019, but he does have some pop at his position. Gregorius could bounce back next season if he's healthy, but his value will depend on where he lands. If he's back in the Bronx, he might not even have an everyday role.]]>
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda would like to remain in the team's starting rotation for an entire season. Maeda, who often starts the year in the rotation before moving to a relief role late in the season and postseason, has told the team that he's unhappy with his role as a swing man late in the year. His agent, Joel Wolfe, reiterated Maeda's feelings to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman this week. The Japanese right-hander continues to be effective in both roles, so the Dodgers don't have a ton of incentive to change things up. That could especially be the case if they land a big-name starter on the free-agent market this winter like Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg. Maeda went 10-8 with a 4.04 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 169 K's in 26 starts and 11 relief outings. Especially on this good Dodgers team, Maeda has value in all fantasy leagues when he's starting regularly.]]>
The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to hammer out a contract extension for catcher J.T. Realmuto this offseason, according to multiple sources. However, an extension with the All-Star backstop might not come before the new year, and it might not even come before the start of spring training. Realmuto won both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in 2019 and has been one of, if not the best, at his position the last couple of seasons. It's possible the Phillies sign him to a one-year deal this winter and then finalize a separate multi-year extension that would start in 2021. Realmuto, 29 in March, is expected to get an extension of four or five years with an average annual value of $20 million or more. He'll once again be one of the first catchers off the board in fantasy in 2020.]]>
San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (back) appears to be on track in his rehab and is scheduled to resume baseball activities in December. Tatis' rookie season came to an end in the middle of August when he suffered a stress reaction in his back. The talented youngster also missed time earlier in the year with a hamstring injury. But when he was on the field, the 20-year-old was electric, hitting .317/.379/.590 with 22 home runs, 53 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 334 at-bats. The speed and power combination is as good as it gets for a young player at his demanding position. Tatis has one of the highest fantasy ceilings for a middle infielder. He should be ready to go for spring training, barring a setback.]]>
Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez has already started negotiations on a potential long-term contract extension with the team, according to sources. The two-time All-Star and MVP runner-up in 2018 is more likely to reach an extension with the team than third baseman Kris Bryant. While he wasn't quite as good as he was in 2018, Baez was plenty useful to fantasy owners in 2019 by slashing .281/.316/.531 with 38 doubles, 29 home runs, 85 RBI, 89 runs and 11 stolen bases in 138 games. There is some long-term volatility because of his high rate of swings and misses and lack of true plate discipline, but you can't find a much higher ceiling for a young stud shortstop.]]>
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger was named the National League MVP for the 2019 season on Thursday night. He beat out Christian Yelich, the NL MVP in 2018. The 24-year-old Bellinger hit .305/.406/.629 with 47 home runs and 15 stolen bases in his breakout season, and he became the first Dodgers position player to win the MVP since Kirk Gibson in 1988. Bellinger also won the Gold Glove in right field. He became the first player in franchise history to win a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and MVP in the same season. He also won the Rookie of the Year in 2017 before slumping in 2018. Bellinger put himself back on the map in a big way in 2019. He'll be a force for years to come.]]>
The Texas Rangers and pitcher Edinson Volquez are working on a deal now that Volquez has changed his mind on retiring. Volquez made 11 appearances (four starts) for Texas last year and was not effective, posting a 6.75 ERA, 2.00 WHIP and 5.6 K/9 in his 16 innings. It's unlikely that he's making starts in Texas in 2020 if he's in the big leagues. Expect his deal to be a minor league pact. The veteran right-hander won't have much fantasy appeal if he's pitching for Texas next season.]]>
The San Diego Padres have interest in Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray, who is among a select group of controllable starters who could be traded this offseason. The 28-year-old went 11-8 with a 3.84 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 25 starts for the Rockies last season. A broken foot cost him the final month and change of the season. Gray has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining. The right-hander has plenty of upside remaining and is more attractive heading into 2020 after bouncing back after a troubling 2018 campaign. He should be owned in all leagues despite pitching half his games at hitter-friendly Coors Field, but he's always more attractive when pitching on the road. A move to San Diego would improve his outlook considerably.]]>