Pirates Acquire Jhostynxon Garcia From Red Sox: The Pittsburgh Pirates are acquiring outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia from the Boston Red Sox on Thursday in exchange for right-hander Johan Oviedo, left-hander Tyler Samaniego, and catcher Adonys Guzman, sources tell ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Pirates will receive another player in addition to Garcia, who should have a shot in spring training to win the starting left field job in Pittsburgh in 2026. The 22-year-old Venezuelan nicknamed The Password made his big-league debut in Boston this year and had a double in nine plate appearances with two walks and five strikeouts in just five games played. Garcia hit .267/.340/.470 with an .810 OPS, 21 home runs, 75 RBI, 79 runs scored, and seven steals in 114 games with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester in the minors before his call-up. The 6-foot, 163-pounder is listed as Pittsburgh's No. 6 prospect on MLB Pipeline and is known for producing high exit velocities and has the raw power to produce 25 to 30 homers a year as a full-time player for the Bucs. - as of Thu, 04 Dec 2025 22:12:29
Yankees Pushing Hard to Re-Sign Cody Bellinger: The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger remains the New York Yankees' No. 1 target this offseason. The two sides are not close to a deal yet for him to return to the Bronx, but the Yankees are making a big effort to try and re-sign him. If the Yanks can't lure the left-handed slugger back, the Mets, Phillies, Dodgers, and Angels are teams that could make a run at the 30-year-old former National League MVP. He became a free agent after declining his $25 million player option for next season. In his first and possibly only year with the Yanks, Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 with an .813 OPS, 29 home runs, 98 RBI, 89 runs, and 13 stolen bases in 152 regular-season games. Bellinger hit much better at Yankee Stadium, which might play heavily into his decision on whether to re-sign. If he signs elsewhere, his less-than-stellar batted-ball metrics could catch up to him in 2026 and beyond, even though he struck out only 13.7% of the time in 2025. - as of Thu, 04 Dec 2025 20:07:41
Cubs Have Renewed Interest in Alex Bregman: The Chicago Cubs have shown renewed interest in All-Star free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman this offseason after a failed bid to sign him last spring training, according to Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic. Pitching is the Cubs' primary focus this winter, but they are also looking to add a bat, with All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker fully expected to depart in free agency. Chicago's ownership group authorized president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to make Bregman a four-year, $115 million offer last year that included opt-out clauses after the second and third seasons. The 31-year-old veteran ultimately signed with Boston for three years and $120 million and opted out after 2025 following a 3.5 WAR season. Bregman, who still plays Gold Glove defense, is the type of two-way player the Cubs have repeatedly targeted. Bregman rebounded in 2025 after a career-worst .768 OPS in 2024, but he hit just 18 homers, and durability is a concern as he enters his age-32 season. Despite the obvious concerns for a player his age, Bregman still has some upside if he's playing in Chicago or Boston in 2026. - as of Thu, 04 Dec 2025 19:54:51
Agustin Ramirez Not in Line to Play First Base Next Year?: 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. - as of Wed, 03 Dec 2025 23:20:37
Jesus Sanchez Drawing Considerable Trade Interest: The Athletic's Chandler Rome writes that Houston Astros right fielder Jesus Sanchez is drawing considerable trade interest this offseason. However, Sanchez's dismal performance following his trade from the Marlins to the Astros might impact his value. Multiple sources believe the Astros' best avenue to acquire an established starting pitcher is via a trade, which could be Sanchez or center fielder Jake Meyers. Sanchez, 28, hit .256/.320/.420 with 10 homers, 36 RBI, 40 runs, and nine steals in 86 games with the Fish before being traded to Houston. With the Astros, he hit .199 (29-for-146) with four homers, 12 RBI, and 40 strikeouts in 48 games. Despite dropping his strikeout rate to 22.1% in 2025 while sporting a 43.4% hard-hit rate, 11.1% barrel rate, and 91.3 mph average exit velocity, Sanchez's OPS sat at just .699. His metrics point to more potential, but a breakout is unlikely to happen if he's not allowed to face left-handed pitching. - as of Wed, 03 Dec 2025 23:09:37
Kyle Tucker Visits With Blue Jays: 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. - as of Wed, 03 Dec 2025 20:54:29
Dodgers Re-Sign Veteran Infielder Miguel Rojas to One-Year Deal: 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. - as of Wed, 03 Dec 2025 19:30:37
Cedric Mullins, Rays Agree on One-Year Deal: 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. - as of Wed, 03 Dec 2025 19:02:34
Brewers Considering Trading Freddy Peralta: 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. - as of Wed, 03 Dec 2025 16:36:39
Reds Serious About Adding Kyle Schwarber in Free Agency?: 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. - as of Wed, 03 Dec 2025 16:20:36