2025 MLB Free Agent Tracker, Signings & Predictions

The 2024 MLB season was capped off with the Los Angeles Dodgers defeating the New York Yankees in the World Series. It's no coincidence that the Dodgers were anchored by key MLB free agent signings from the offseason, landing the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Teoscar Hernandez.

As all 30 teams begin their respective journeys to win the World Series, the signing of MLB free agents in 2025 will again make all the difference. Our 2025 MLB Free Agent Tracker will cover everything from breaking news, MLB signings and a list of the best available remaining 2025 MLB free agents, to MLB free agent predictions and the fantasy baseball impact of each move!

The class of MLB free agents for 2025 is absolutely loaded, with the likes of Juan Soto, Max Scherzer, Paul Goldschmidt, Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, Justin Verlander, Teoscar Hernandez, Corbin Burnes, Max Fried and more available to the highest bidder.

So, follow our 2025 MLB Free Agent Tracker for all of the news and MLB signings, big and small, from the first MLB free agent signings at the Winter Meetings all the way through the latest MLB signings in spring training. And, of course, for more in-depth coverage outside of our MLB free agent predictions for the 2025 fantasy baseball season, be sure to check out the upcoming Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide and/or chat with our analysts in the MLB Discord channels!

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, our 2025 MLB Free Agent Tracker!

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Mar 3, 2025

Jose Quintana, SP Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers have made a spring training addition, signing Jose Quintana to a one-year $4.25 million deal. Jose Quintana will slot in as the #5 starter in the Brewers rotation, at least to start the season. There is a chance he could find himself at the outside looking in or in the bullpen if things go well for other guys, but there is a good chance Jose Quintana keeps himself in the back end of the rotation for most of the year. He had another solid season with the Mets last year, posting a 3.75 ERA and 1.25 WHIP through 170.1 innings, his third straight season with a sub-4 ERA. The strikeout rate will remain very low, but he has a good chance to still post solid ratios through around 150 innings. However, the complete lack of strikeouts and little upside keep him from being worth much in fantasy, outside of being an innings-eater in very deep leagues. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 18, 2025

Justin Turner, 1B Chicago Cubs

The veteran hitter has certainly lost a step, but he can still be a productive hitter in the right environment. As a member of Toronto and Seattle last season, he slashed .259/.354/.383 with 11 home runs, 24 doubles, 59 runs scored, and 55 RBI across 139 games. His barrel rate has dipped in each of the last three seasons, and 2024 was his worst statistical season in recent memory. However, he's just one year removed from a season where he hit .276 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI, and he remains strong against LHP (.403 SLG vs. LHP in 2024). He likely will play first base against left-handed pitching for the Cubs, and could play third base in a pinch if something were to happen to rookie Matt Shaw. There's some intrigue heading to the Windy City, but he's going to play on the small side of a platoon, limiting his number of ABs overall, and thus, his fantasy value.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 14, 2025

Jakob Junis, SP Cleveland Guardians

Overall, Junis was solid in 2024 with Milwaukee and Cincinnati, posting a 2.69 ERA. and 0.85 WHIP across 67 IP. Cleveland will value his versatility, as he can serve as a starter, or multi-inning reliever, though he's pitched in more than 100 IP just once in the last five seasons. His strikeout rate from 2023 seems more like an outlier than a new norm, so expect him to be around 20-22 percent in that department in 2025. He commands the strike zone well, keeps himself out of trouble, and if he operates in a relief role, he can give your fantasy team decent ratios (sans strikeout rate). He'll likely be given a chance to win a rotation spot out of camp, but I think the majority of his innings come in a relief role in 2025, suppressing his fantasy value in most formats.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 13, 2025

Alex Bregman, 3B Boston Red Sox

Bregman finally signs a deal, and gets a big chunk of money to play for the Red Sox in 2025. He hardly strikes out, has great feel for the strike zone, and the move to Fenway Park is a nice home park upgrade for the veteran third baseman. The team has said that they plan to make Bregman its second baseman, a position he hasn’t played in the bigs since 2018. Despite not exceeding 30 home runs since his phenomenal 2019 season, Bregman has 20+ home runs and a .440+ SLG in three straight seasons, and his 25-ish HRs he’ll hit this season will be far more lucrative at 2B than 3B for fantasy managers, since those corner infielder spots typically carry bigger power numbers. His walk rate dipped to single digits in 2024 for the first time since 2017, so if that carries into 2025, his value in leagues that OBP may take a slight hit. However, a .260 average with 23-26 home runs, 85+ runs scored and 85+ RBI is quite productive for your fantasy team’s second baseman, considering that in 2024, Ketel Marte was the only second baseman to reach the aforementioned numbers.

Nick Pivetta, SP San Diego Padres

The signing with San Diego is great for Pivetta’s fantasy value. Pivetta gets a massive upgrade in terms of home park, as Petco Park is one of the most pitcher friendly environments in Major League Baseball. He made two starts before missing over a month with a flexor tendon strain, and he was really good before hitting the injured list. He struggled for most of the season after that, before closing out the year with a 2.54 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across his final five starts. Health willing, we’ll see 150+ IP from Pivetta in 2025, and going to Petco Park with a good defense behind him gives him a shot at a sub-4 ERA. If he can maintain the strikeout rate from the past two seasons and add a couple of percentage points to his ground ball rate, he’s a great value at his current ADP, with a chance for double-digit wins, a 3.90-ish ERA, and sub-1.25 WHIP.

Cal Quantrill, SP Miami Marlins

After posting a 4.98 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and 8-11 record with the Rockies last season, Quantrill heads to a better environment for pitchers, especially in terms of suppressing power. The veteran right-hander isn’t a big strikeout guy, and he doesn’t generate a ton of swings out of the zone. He’s a pitch-to-contact guy who will eat up innings for the Marlins, and another year of that splitter in his arsenal should help him out. NL-only managers should get about 140-160 IP from Quantrill this year with an ERA in the upper 4s, but a well below average strikeout rate doesn’t do him any favors.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 12, 2025

Clayton Kershaw, SP Los Angeles Dodgers

Kershaw only made seven starts for the Dodgers last season due to trips on the IL for shoulder and toe issues. When he was on the mound, he wasn’t effective, allowed a ton of hard contact and struggled to miss bats. His fastball is losing steam, and his usage of that pitch should continue to dwindle as he relies more on his slider, curveball, and maybe his splitter. Since the shortened 2020 season, Kershaw has yet to pitch in more than 135 IP in a single season, and at this point in his career, he’s guaranteed at least one trip to the IL. L.A. will go with a six-man rotation, and Kershaw figures to be one of the six guys in the rotation to begin the year. His name value is bigger than his fantasy value at this point, and if his ineffectiveness across a handful of starts last season carries over into 2025, he’s not going to be overly useful in drafts. He also won’t have a normal spring training as he had multiple surgeries in the offseason, and won’t be ready by Opening Day.

Ty France, 1B Minnesota Twins

France has been trying to recapture his 2021 and 2022 form in recent years, but in 2024, he slashed .234/.305/.365 with 13 home runs, 51 RBI, and 46 runs scored. His 2024 season featured the second-highest barrel rate of his career, and first time above a 40 percent hard hit rate since 2019. His strikeout rate pushed up past 21 percent, higher than recent years, and his 83.6 percent zone contact was the lowest of his career. France has shown to be a good hitter at the big league level, but a lower walk rate suppresses his value in leagues that value OBP, and his strikeout rate has increased each of the last two seasons. His versatility should give the Twins some options when setting the lineup, and he’ll play in a platoon in some sorts, getting some time on the right side of the infield and maybe some ABs at DH.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 11, 2025

Kenley Jansen, RP Los Angeles Angels

The Angels make another surprising move, signing veteran closer Kenley Jansen to a one-year $10 million deal. The most significant impact of this move is for any early Ben Joyce drafters who are now likely looking at having the 8th inning or high leverage role, with Jansen getting the 9th. Kenley Jansen has continued to be good as he enters his age-37 season, coming off another solid season with the Red Sox, where he saved 27 games with a 3.29 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP, though he did lose some time to injuries. Kenley Jansen should still be a solid closer for the Angels team, which may not win a ton of games but should be good enough to still get a fair amount of save opportunities. If you are worried about Jansen’s age or health, it may be wise to pair him with Ben Joyce while drafting, who may be the better pitcher of the two this season, even if he doesn’t steal the 9th from him. 

Kike Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers resign utility man Enrique Hernandez to a one-year $6.5 million deal. Enrique Hernandez is a solid real-life baseball player as someone who can play all over the field without being a complete negative at the plate, but there isn’t much fantasy juice there. His highest OPS over the last 3 seasons is .654 so there just isn’t much to love in his bat. He should get plenty of playing time on a great team filling in all around the diamond, and he is bound to have a couple of week stretch where he is one of the hottest hitters in baseball, but we have no idea when that will happen so I would stay away in fantasy. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 8, 2025

Connor Joe (1B/OF) and Jason Heyward (OF), San Diego Padres

A little two for one here, as these two figure to be the primary options in left field for the Padres in 2025. Joe has some added flexibility in that he can play first base if needed, and in 123 games with the Pirates last season, he slashed .228/.320/.368 with nine home runs and two stolen bases. Joe has been better against southpaws the last two seasons, and figures to be on the small side of a left field platoon. On the other hand, Heyward's offensive inconsistency has continued, and he hit just .211 with a .288 OBP last season. Heyward can't hit lefties, meaning nearly all of his ABs will come against RHP in 2025. The veteran outfielder will also be in a less hitter friendly environment in 2025, which reduces his projected power output. Heyward is likely a bit more appealing from a fantasy perspective in NL-only formats since he'll see more ABs, but neither guy should be overly productive for fantasy purposes in 2025.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 7, 2025

Yoan Moncada, 3B Los Angeles Angels

An adductor strain put Moncada on the IL for a big chunk of the 2024 season, and he appeared in just 12 games. Moncada had some notable fantasy seasons earlier in his career, but he just hasn't been the same guy. His hard hit rate has fallen off, and he has a career 29.2 percent strikeout rate. He's not a great defender by any means, and he should see a fair number of at-bats for the Angels between 3B and DH. There's not much fantasy value to be had all things considered, unless he has an insane bounce back campaign. He likely hits 10-12 home runs with a couple of steals and a .240-ish average. Deeper AL-only target at best.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 5, 2025

Tommy Pham, OF Pittsburgh Pirates

Pham played for three different teams last season, but didn't really make a significant splash in fantasy value with any of them. Back in 2023, he hit 16 home runs and stole 22 bases across 129 games, but a reduction in his hard hit rate and barrel rate pushed his average (both actual and expected) down. He's got a big arm in the outfield, but he's a below-average defender otherwise. His top-end exit velocity remains pretty solid, and he does a solid job staying in the zone, but going into his age-37 season, he's no longer the fantasy asset he once was. He could push for regular ABs in this Pittsburgh lineup, making him appealing in NL-only formats. He could be a member of the 10/10 club this year with enough ABs, but it would have to be a pretty deep mixed league to consider the veteran outfielder.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 5, 2025

Pete Alonso, 1B New York Mets

After a lengthy wait, Alonso ultimately returns to the Mets on a short-term deal where he is ultimately betting on himself, as he has an opt out after the 2025 season. Despite hitting .240 with 34 home runs and 88 RBI in 2024, it was a “down year” for te Polar Bear. He played in every game last year, but his 34 home runs were the lowest he's hit in his career (sans 2020), and the same goes for his RBI total (88), SLG (.459), and OPS (.788). His .240 average was better than his .217 mark in 2023, but a drop in his home run production can likely be explained by a career high ground ball rate (42%), and a sharp decline in his fly ball rate on non-fastballs. Juan Soto coming to the New York lineup should help everyone, Alonso included. He still makes a ton of hard contact, and I love the “prove it” year narrative. He's not cheap by any means, but he has a 30+ home run, 90+ RBI, and .235 average floor this year, with upside to hit 40 home runs for the fourth time in his career, and surpass the century mark in RBI. Think his 2022 season, but drop the RBI total closer to 100-110, and his average closer to .245.

Ben Gamel, OF Houston Astros

Houston decides to bring back Gamel after he slashed .259/.377/.362 in 20 games for the team last season. He'll give Houston another left-handed bat in a righty-heavy lineup, and there's a chance that he starts in the OF against right-handed pitching. He's never really been that productive for fantasy purposes outside of his 2017 campaign with the Mariners, and I wouldn't expect much to change here in 2025. In AL-only formats where OBP is a scored category, go for it in the very, very, very late rounds.

Harrison Bader, OF Minnesota Twins

Bader is coming off a 2024 campaign with the Mets where he hit 12 home runs and stole 17 bases while slashing .236/.284/.373 across 143 games. A below average walk rate is going to keep his OBP down, and he isn't exactly known for making a ton of hard contact (17th percentile exit velocity, and 24th percentile hard hit rate in 2024). He's displayed some reverse splits the past couple of seasons, hitting just .204 against lefties last year compared to .253 against right-handers, but the biggest noticeable split in 2024 was how his numbers took a nosedive after the All-Star Break. Before the break, Bader was hitting .273 with eight home runs and 13 stolen bases across 84 games. Over the next 59 games, he had just four home runs and four stolen bases with a .167 average. The veteran outfielder is an excellent defender, which Minnesota will certainly take advantage of when he's out there. He likely operates in some sort of platoon in the Minnesota outfield, but he could be an intriguing option for steals if he were to work his way into regular playing time.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 4, 2025

Randal Grichuk, OF Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks have re-signed Randal Grichuk to a one-year $5 million deal. The good thing about this signing is we don’t have to speculate on the role that Grichuk will have because it should be identical to last season. Grichuk thrived last season in a platoon role, getting to mostly face lefties. This role hurts his fantasy value in most formats because he won’t get much more than 250-300 plate appearances, but if you can get him late in a daily moves league where you can just utilize him on days he starts, then the limited plate appearances he does get should be productive. Even if he regresses some from the last season, I think he should still give you about 10 homers, a .260 average, and good runs and RBIs numbers. 

Ramon Laureano, OF Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles have signed Ramon Laureano to a one-year $4 million deal. Ramon Laureano was terrible to start the season with Cleveland but had a resurgence after going to Atlanta. He played 67 games in Atlanta, putting up 10 homers, 5 steals, and a .296/.327/.505 slash line. Laureano will certainly find himself in a strict platoon role in Baltimore with a lefty-heavy lineup. The signing likely hurts the playing time of Heston Kjerstad and Cedric Mullins the most, with them both potentially losing starts to Laureano with lefties on the mound. With him in a short-side platoon and the AL East not having many lefty starters, his playing time should be light, and I wouldn’t expect more than about 350 plate appearances. This will limit his value, especially in weekly leagues, but in a daily lineup format he could be productive enough in a good Baltimore offense to be worth considering as a bench outfielder with some upside when he does play. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Feb 3, 2025

Jack Flaherty, SP Detroit Tigers

Flaherty returns to the Tigers, the team he opened the 2024 season with and was excellent before being shipped out to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the MLB Trade deadline. Overall for the 2024 campaign, Flaherty went 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and his 162 IP were the most he logged in a regular season since 2019. He's increased the usage on his breaking pitches the past couple of seasons, and his curve (or knuckle curve) posted a 43.6 percent whiff rate and .164 BAA last season. Availability is the name of the game for Flaherty, and he showed what he can do when he stays healthy. Flaherty will step in as the SP2 for Detroit, and if he can stay healthy, he'll be a solid SP3 in fantasy, but that doesn't come without risk.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 30, 2025

Max Scherzer, SP Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed 40-year-old Max Scherzer to a one-year $15.5 million deal. Max Scherzer has finally started to show same age the last couple of years. The 3.77 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 152.2 innings he put up in 2023 is still very solid work, but not quite what we are used to out of Max Scherzer and then last year he missed most of the season to injuries only throwing 43.1 innings, and the innings he did get weren’t great. Still a 3.95 ERA and 1.15 WHIP which are reasonable but he saw the strikeouts plummet. Now I think he can still get some of those strikeouts back and when he is on the mound he should still give quality results at 40-years-old, but I am not sure how many innings you will get. I think the upside is about 130 innings with a mid-to-high 3s ERA, a decent WHIP, and about a strikeout an inning. That is still enough production to be perfectly viable in fantasy, but I don’t see there being a whole lot of ceiling left and the floor is either the health keeps him off the mound or his age sees the skills decline even more, but then again this is Max Scherzer so he could surprise me and I could be wrong. 

Carlos Estevez, RP Kansas City Royals 

The Royals want to ensure they have the late innings locked down, and giving Estevez $20.2M over the next two years could do just that. Estevez was solid for the Angels and Phillies last season, posting a 2.46 ERA for the entire year, and a 0.91 WHIP. He's not a big strikeout arm, but he's shown that he can be trusted as a full time closer. However, Kansas City also has Lucas Erceg in the mix, potentially paving the way for the two splitting ninth inning work. The Royals have a good chance to win a lot of games this year, and if your league values saves and holds, Estevez should be a fine RP2 to target for your teams.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 29, 2025

Elias Diaz, C San Diego Padres

In 12 games with the Padres to close out the 2024 season, Diaz hit just .190 with a .721 OPS. At best, he's the team's second catcher, but there likely won't be enough ABs for him to provide reasonable fantasy value, aside of an injury to presumed starter Luis Campusano. Despite spending a half decade in Colorado, he has a career OPS of just .692, and if he were to see regular ABs, a low-ish walk rate suppressed his value in leagues that value OBP.

Tommy Kahnle, Detroit Tigers RP 

This move is far better in reality than in fantasy, but it's not hard to fathom Kahnle setting a new career high for saves in a regular season. The most saves he's had in a single season is two, but he's never worked as a primary closer for any club. He's harnessed the walk rate a bit compared to his early years, but his strikeout rate has decreased in each of the last two seasons. There are some durability concerns here, but when healthy, Kahnle's changeup can wreak havoc on hitters (.157 BAA, 38.9% whiff rate in 2024), and he can be trusted in high leverage situations. Again, unless he's anointed as the team's closer, unless your league values holds, you likely won't be drafting Kahnle.

Ryne Stanek, RP New York Mets

Stanek wasn't great during his stint with the Mets last season, but his numbers were blow up by a bad outing or two. He had a sub-3.00 ERA over his final 12.1 IP with the club, and he should be an important part of the team's bullpen in 2025. Stanek won't be closing many games for the Mets, but he also has experience as an opener, so the team could deploy him that way on occasion. From a fantasy perspective, Stanek won't be someone on your draft board.

Ha-Seong Kim SS Tampa Bay Rays

With the Padres in 2024, Kim hit 11 home runs and stole 22 bases while slashing .233/.330/.370. His 2023 remains his best year as a professional, and while he doesn't make a ton of hard contact, he has a solid feel of the strike zone, and last year's 12.3 percent walk rate was the highest of his career. Kim will give the Rays some solid defense, and he should have an everyday role in this lineup that has some young talent, headlined by Junior Caminero and Josh Lowe. Even with a late start to the season, Kim could still exceed 25 HR+SB this year, and hit somewhere around .245, making him a nice value at ADP, especially in leagues that value OBP.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 28, 2025

Austin Hays, OF Cincinnati Reds

After Hays was traded to Philadelphia, he missed time due to a hamstring strain and kidney infection, but prior to the trade, he slashed .255/.316/.395 with three home runs and 13 doubles in 63 games. Hays had a nice stretch from 2021-2023 where he was productive from a fantasy standpoint, but he doesn't seem to have an everyday role in the Cincinnati outfield. It's a great hitter's park, and Hays has hit more fly balls in recent years, but a small-side platoon player isn't attractive outside of deeper NL-only setups.

Adam Frazier, 2B Pittsburgh Pirates

In 294 plate appearances with the Royals last season, Frazier slashed .202/.282/.294 with a massive 20.1 percent strikeout rate. For a frame of reference, his previous high in the last decade was 16.3 percent in 66 games in 2016! He's really struggled against southpaws the last couple of seasons, and some of his best years as a pro came early in his career with the Pirates. Even so, those years weren't all that lucrative for fantasy purposes, and Frazier won't be someone you'll be targeting in 2025 drafts.

Dylan Carlson, OF Baltimore Orioles

Dylan Carlson signed a one-year $975,000 deal to go to a loaded Baltimore Orioles team. Carlson is coming off a rough season between the Cardinals and the Rays where he slashed only .291/.299/.316 with 3 homers and 2 steals in 96 games. Part of his deal includes a $25,000 bonus if he gets to 200 plate appearances, and that should tell you about how much he will play for this team, which is not much. The Orioles have Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser, and Tyler O’Neill locking up the outfield with Heston Kjerstad able to be in the mix as well and with Ryan Mountcastle and Ryan O’Hearn locking down the first base and DH spots most of the time Dylan Carlson isn’t going to be anything more than a 4th outfielder type with limited playing time. I was a big fan of Dylan Carlson as a prospect, but I just don’t see the upside anymore and he has no business being much of a consideration in any fantasy format. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 23, 2025

Jurickson Profar, OF Atlanta Braves

The Braves have had a pretty quiet off-season so far, though it isn’t like their team has a lot of holes to fill outside of improved health. They changed that today signing Jurickson Profar to a three-year $42 million deal. We had been waiting for Jurickson Profar to break out for over a decade as a previous top prospect who never really got things going after his debut in 2012. He has had a couple of decent seasons, but 2023 is a clear outlier. When a guy has a breakout season at 31, you can usually expect him to regress and come back down, and I certainly wouldn’t bet on him to repeat his 2024 all-star season. I do believe in the talent; he has great plate skills and can still provide both power and speed, but I am concerned about the playing time with the Braves. You have Acuna in right field (assuming he can stay healthy), Michael Harris in center, and Ozuna holding down the DH spot. Profar figures to be the everyday left fielder, but they also have outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz on the team, who could steal some playing time from him. Profar can also play some infield, but it isn’t like the Braves have any holes there either outside of injuries or occasional rest days. There is obviously a possibility of Profar repeating what he did last season and being a great fantasy asset, but there are enough questions about both the production and the playing time that it is probably something I will let someone else enjoy if he ends up being great on the Braves this season. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 22, 2025

Paul Sewald, RP Cleveland Guardians

Paul Sewald joins a crowded bullpen in Cleveland after signing a one-year $7 million contract with the Guardians. Sewald is moving to Cleveland after serving as the Diamondbacks closer last season, but lost a lot of the season due to injuries. His best season came in 2023 when he served as both the Mariners and then Diamondbacks closer where he saved 34 games and went on a World Series run with the Diamondbacks. Not only do the Guardian’s have arguably the best closer in baseball with Emmanuel Clase they also have some great arms in waiting behind him with Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis. This will leave Sewald far down in the hierarchy in the Guardians bullpen keeping his fantasy pretty non-existant, but he does give the Guardians some extra depth for a team that has relied heavily on its bullpen over the last couple seasons. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 22, 2025

Kirby Yates, RP Los Angeles Dodgers

The rich get richer. At the young age of 37, Yates converted 33-of-34 save opportunities with the Rangers, all while posting a 1.17 ERA, career-best 0.83 WHIP, and 35.9 percent strikeout rate. His fastball-splitter repertoire wreaked havoc on opposing hitters all season long, and he can miss bats with both pitches, leading to a 94th percentile whiff rate, and 98th percentile strikeout rate. After pitching just 11.1 IP from 2020-2022, Yates has fired 60+ IP in each of the last two seasons, and he’ll be a key piece of a stacked Los Angeles bullpen in 2025. The team just dished out a big contract to Tanner Scott, and money talks, so I’d expect Scott to see the majority of the save chances. However, with the surplus of talent Los Angeles has in the pen, they could also just play matchups, because they have at least three guys they would be more than comfortable with in closing out games. While this signing with the Dodgers doesn’t elevate Yates’ fantasy value the most, he should post excellent ratios and prove to be quite valuable in “solds” leagues (saves + holds).

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 20, 2025

Anthony Santander, OF Toronto Blue Jays

Santander will stay in the American League East, but join forces with the Toronto Blue Jays. The former Baltimore slugger cashes in after a career high 44 home runs and 102 RBI last season, and he's now swatted 28 or more home runs in three straight seasons. In fact, from 2022-2024, Santander is sixth in all of baseball in home runs (105), and 19th in ISO (.234), He'll get a nice upgrade in his home park, and he'll still get to enjoy the hitter friendly confines of other parks in the MLB (a la Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium). The latter half of the Toronto lineup has some questions, but Santander will hit in the heart of the order with guys like George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero, and Bo Bichette around him. While I don't think Santander gets to 40+ home runs again, I like him to be in the mid-to-upper 30s here, but a regression to the mean in terms of BABIP should push his batting average up a few points. No reason to believe that Santander can't give fantasy managers a .245-.255 average with 33-38 home runs, and 90+ RBI in 2025.

Tanner Scott, RP Los Angeles Dodgers

The rich [continue] to get richer. Scott has been lights out the last two seasons, and 2024 was his best work yet, posting a 1.75 ERA (2.92 FIP) with nine wins, 22 saves, and 11 holds across 72 IP. His 28.6 percent strikeout rate was his first year below 30 percent since 2021, but he still posted a healthy 15.8 SwStr% last season, not to mention 145 Stuff+. Scott is getting a ton of money, but I don’t necessarily think that it means the Dodgers just give him all the save opportunities. We could be looking at a two- or three- or four-headed monster in terms of the ninth inning work, where the team prioritizes matchups. Scott is an elite bullpen arm, and the talent is there, but his save total may end up in the low-to-mid twenties, compared to being 30+ if he landed somewhere where he was the clear-cut ninth inning man.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 17, 2025

Roki Sasaki, SP Los Angeles Dodgers

The rich get richer. The inevitable happens, and Roki Sasaki signs with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Others held out hope that he may still sign with a small market team, but this always seemed like the most likely landing spot. The innings should keep your overall expectations in check as the Dodgers will not push him, and coming over from Japan, where they only pitch once a week, the max you can hope for from Sasaki is about 150 innings, but realistically, it could be even less. Besides the innings, Sasaki's ceiling is sky-high. Steamer is a big believer in him, projecting him for a 3.20 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and an over 31% strikeout rate. I think he could run into more struggles than that transitioning to the major leagues in his first season, but I believe he has the talent to be a top pitcher in the league long term. The arm talent is legit, and if you can account for the lower inning totals, don’t be afraid to pay up for some shares of Sasaki. Just understand that while the ceiling is high, he does come with more risk than most of the other pitchers being drafted around him. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 17, 2025

Jose Leclerc, RP Athletics

The Athletics added even more pitching, signing Jose Leclerc to a one-year $10 million deal. Jose Leclerc is coming off a rough season with the Rangers posting a 4.32 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with only one save despite entering the season as the favorite to be the closer for Texas. He has a great chance to bounce back and be a solid set-up guy for Oakland, but the only opportunity for him to get any saves this season is if there is an injury to Mason Miller. He likely should remain undrafted as he doesn’t have a clear path to saves outside of injuries, and there are plenty of relievers out there who should post better ratios than you will get out of Leclerc. In real life, this adds to the depth of the Athletics bullpen and should be of help to this up-and-coming team. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 17, 2025

A.J. Minter, RP New York Mets

The New York Mets add a strong lefty arm to their bullpen on a 2-year $22 million deal. A.J. Minter has had an excellent career so far with the Atlanta Braves. He isn’t going to find himself in a closer role with Edwin Diaz in New York, and even if Diaz goes down as the best lefty in the pen, there is a decent chance that he isn’t first up to get the 9th inning every time out. Minter provides consistently excellent ratios, though, and in a Save + Hold league, he is a very reliable option on a team that could provide him with plenty of hold opportunities. He doesn’t provide much fantasy value outside of that but does provide a lot of value to this New York Mets team as an extremely reliable lefty to be a staple in their bullpen for the next two seasons. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 16, 2025

Jesse Winker, OF New York Mets

Jesse Winker is returning to the Mets on a one-year $8 million deal. Winker had a bounceback season after signing a minor league deal with the Nationals after missing most of the 2023 season due to injuries. He slashed .257/.374/.419 with 11 homers and 14 steals in 101 games for the Nationals before being traded to the Mets. He slowed down a bit with the Mets but ended the season strong. He should be the regular DH for the Mets; with the outfield being crowded in New York, he likely won’t be an everyday player but should be able to put together about 500 PA again. While he isn’t going to give you a ton of production anywhere, he can be a bit of an accumulator on a good team that is available late in drafts. I don’t know if he will repeat the 14 steals since before 2024 his career high was 1 and he quit stealing once he joined the Mets last year. Still, if he plays consistently, he shouldn’t kill you in any category as a late option in deep leagues or draft champions, even if the upside isn’t that high. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 11, 2025

Jorge Lopez, RP Washington Nationals

The Nationals are starting to assemble what looks like a sneaky-good team, but their biggest weakness on paper is their bullpen. They get a little help in this department by signing Jorge Lopez to a one-year $3 million contract. Jorge Lopez’s career has been a bit of a roller coaster, with his best season coming in 2022 when the Baltimore Orioles moved him from their rotation into the bullpen; he threw 48.1 innings with a 1.68 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 19 saves before being traded to the Minnesota Twins and immediately running into struggles to end the year. He followed that up with a nightmare 2023, pitching 59 innings for three different teams and posting a 5.95 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. Last season, it looked like more of the same with the New York Mets, but things turned around after landing on the Chicago Cubs, where he posted a 2.03 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and most importantly, finally had the strikeouts return with 31 strikeouts in 26.2 innings. The closer's job will likely be his to lose in Washington to start the year. If he can keep the improvements he made in Chicago, he should hold it and could be a steal late in drafts, but that’s a big if. The ceiling is a top-10 closer, but the floor is him imploding your ERA and WHIP and getting cut from the team (go look at his numbers with Miami in 2023), and the floor is much more likely to happen than the ceiling. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 11, 2025

Jeff Hoffman, RP Toronto Blue Jays

Ever since getting away from Colorado and Cincinnati, Hoffman's career has taken a turn for the better. In two seasons with the Phillies, he posted a 2.28 ERA (2.54 FIP), 33.4 percent strikeout rate, and 0.94 WHIP. In 2024, he logged 10 saves and 21 holds, and he's going to have the opportunity to be the primary closer for the Blue Jays in 2025. His slider is phenomenal, registering a 44+ percent whiff rate in each of the last two seasons, and interestingly enough, there are incentives in his contract about innings pitched, so if he or the team decides to stretch him out (something Hoffman has expressed interest in), he stands to benefit from that. Toronto may not be the best team in baseball, but you don't need to be the closer for a great team to rack up saves and provide fantasy managers with a great return on investment. Hoffman is someone you want to target in drafts this year, as he should hold the closer role for most of the season, and provide excellent ratios. Even if he decides to move out of the pen and get stretched out as a starter, there's a lot to like with Hoffman's profile. However, it is worth noting that Baltimore reportedly backed out of a contract with Hoffman due to concerns over his shoulder. Do with that what you will.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 10, 2025

Andrew Kittredge, RP Baltimore Orioles

Kittredge's career has really taken a turn since he entered his 30, and I mean that in a good way. Over the last four seasons, he's posted a 2.48 ERA (3.62 FIP), and he logged career highs in holds (37) and saves (7) in 2024. Despite a lower strikeout rate than you'd expect, his arsenal jumps off the Stuff+ page, and he gets a ton of swings out of the zone (39% O-Swing% last season). The veteran righty does a great job getting ahead of hitters, and his slider posted an impressive 41.3 percent whiff rate in 2024. Again, in a perfect world his strikeout rate would be in the upper-twenties, but he'll boost your team's ratios, and if anything were to happen to Felix Bautista, Kittredge would get the majority of the save chances for a very good Baltimore team. 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 9, 2025

Amed Rosario, 2B Washington Nationals

Rosario was a member of three clubs last season, but his most notable fantasy numbers came when he was with the Rays, hitting .307 with nine stolen bases across 76 games. The train came off the rails a bit with the Dodgers and Reds, but the Nationals could be a nice landing spot for the veteran infielder. His versatility should benefit Washington, and help his chances of getting regular (or semi-regular) at-bats. He could be a part of a platoon at third base with Jose Tena, or maybe even see some time in the outfield on occasion. He doesn't figure to be a regular in the Washington lineup to begin the year, which obviously hurts his fantasy value a bit, but even in a regular role, he doesn't hit for much power, and he'll provide a little bit of speed and hit around .260. Perhaps he becomes a waiver wire pickup a few weeks into the season, but heading into fantasy baseball drafts, he's not someone who needs to be prioritized by any means.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 7, 2025

Justin Verlander, SP San Francisco Giants

Verlander logged just 90.1 IP last year in his age 41 season, posting a 5.48 ERA (4.78 FIP), 18.7 percent strikeout rate, and 1.38 WHIP. His WHIP and strikeout rate were his worst marks in those departments since 2014, and his fastball velocity continues to trend down. His slider is still an incredibly effective pitch (.195 BAA), but the whiff rate on it dropped significantly last season, and there was a slight dip in his spin rate. Heading to San Francisco, he’ll enjoy a great pitcher’s park, but he’s not getting younger, and he’s spent time on the IL in each of the last three seasons. I hate to say it, but this isn’t the prime Verlander who was a dominant fantasy force, so be careful pushing him up in drafts on name value alone. That’s not to say there isn’t a potential buying opportunity on Verlander, but understand what he is at this point, and that’s a veteran right-hander with an ERA in the low-to-mid 4s with an 18-22 percent strikeout rate and average ratios, assuming he can stay healthy.

Chris Martin, RP Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers found more help for their bullpen by signing the 38-year-old Chris Martin to a one-year $5.5 million deal. Chris Martin is coming off another solid season as the set-up man for the Boston Red Sox, where he posted a 3.45 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with decent strikeout numbers but only threw 44.1 innings. Currently, it looks like Chris Martin would be the Texas Rangers closer, but considering both Kirby Yates and David Robertson are free agents, it seems much more likely the Rangers bring back one (or both) of those two to take the closer role rather than relying on the 38-year-old who has never held the closing job in his career. He could be worth drafting late on the chance the Rangers decide to give him the job, but I will be surprised if he is the Ranger’s closing pitcher at the start of the season.
 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 6, 2025

Michael Lorenzen, SP Kansas City Royals

Michael Lorenzen is reuniting with the Kansas City Royals on a one-year $7 million deal after finishing last season with them when he was traded there from the Texas Rangers. Michael Lorenzen had a quietly fantastic season last year with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP, and he was even better in his final 28.1 innings with the Royals, posting a 1.57 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. The question is, did the Royals help him unlock something and take a step forward or was this just a good stretch of innings to end the year? There is also a decent chance that Lorenzen is jumping between the rotation and the bullpen at times, which could make owning him in fantasy frustrating. The lack of strikeouts also keeps his upside very limited. While you should probably expect more of a mid-high 4’s ERA, there is a path to him posting another sub-4 ERA, so if you need an innings eater who won’t kill your ratios at the end of the draft, Lorenzen could be a decent fit.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Jan 3, 2025
 

Hyeseong Kim, 2B Los Angeles Dodgers

Last year in the KBO, Kim hit a career high 11 home runs with a .132 ISO and .458 SLG. He also posted at least 25 stolen bases and a .300 average in four straight seasons, while posting an excellent strikeout rate. Reports are that he’s a solid defender, so while he may not provide much at the dish outside of a solid batting average and some speed, there’s a chance he opens the year as the regular second baseman for this team. Hitting in the bottom-third of the order may impact his volume of ABs, but if he can get on base at a high clip like he did in the KBO, he’ll be on base for the likes of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Co. Should he hold a regular role, he could be a nice value in drafts, but again, I don’t envision much power potential with him in his first year in the MLB.

Charlie Morton, SP Baltimore Orioles

Morton's 8-10 record last year in Atlanta was the first time since 2014 he posted a losing record as a pitcher! Across his four seasons as a member of the Braves, Morton posted a 3.87 ERA (3.92 FIP), 1.25 WHIP, and 17.3% K-BB%. While his 23.8 percent strikeout rate last year was his lowest in a season since 2015, he remained above one strikeout per inning, and his curveball remains excellent (.200 BAA, 34.2% whiff rate). So long as he can continue to generate a healthy number of ground balls, he can survive some of the AL East offenses and home parks. He'll have a good squad backing him, paving the way for 10+ wins, an ERA in the low-4s, and right around one strikeout per inning yet again in 2025.

Josh Rojas, 3B Chicago White Sox

In 143 games with the Mariners last season, Rojas slashed .225/.304/.336 with eight home runs, 10 stolen bases, and was an above-average defender. He enjoyed a nice uptick in his barrel rate (5.6%) and hard hit rate (37.6%), while posting the second-lowest O-Swing% rate of his career (21.9%). His .133 average and 15 wRC+ against southpaws last season likely places him in a platoon in the Chicago infield, but last year’s career high fly ball rate could be intriguing in his new home park, which is a better hitting environment for LHH. The lineup around him won’t be as good, but in deeper AL-only formats, there should be enough ABs to make Rojas at least somewhat useful.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 30, 2024

Josh Bell, 1B Washington Nationals

Bell hit 14 home runs and posted a .394 SLG in 104 games with the Marlins, but his numbers increased across the board once he went to Arizona (.279/.361/.436 with 5 HR in 41 games). While his batted ball profile remained largely similar, other than a massive jump in his ground ball rate when the joined the Diamondbacks, most of his numbers across the board increased. The switch-hitter was more productive as a RHH last season (104 wRC+ as RHH vs. 93 wRC+ as LHH), and he’ll continue his switch-hitting ways in the heart of the order for the Nats in 2024. The Washington lineup has potential, so there’s some optimism for Bell’s counting stats, but he can’t carry over his 60+ percent ground ball rate from Arizona to this year. While he doesn’t carry the prototypical power of a corner infielder, he should provide a solid average, be serviceable in OBP formats, and provide something around 18-22 home runs against this season in a near everyday role as a 1B/DH.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 28, 2024

Corbin Burnes, SP Arizona Diamondbacks

In Burnes' lone year with the Orioles, he posted a career high 15 wins to go along with a 2.92 ERA (3.55 FIP), 23.1 K%, and 1.10 WHIP. His strikeout rate was the lowest of his career last season, and it marked the fourth straight season in which his strikeout rate declined. He's still generating swings out of the zone, but his Z-contact metric has increased in four straight seasons. His Stuff+ is still solid (120 in 2024), and while he regressed a little bit in the second half (3.69 ERA in second half versus 2.43 ERA in first half), Burnes is an excellent signing for Arizona and adds another top arm to the rotation. His workload and win potential will keep him inside the top-10 fantasy arms this draft season, but a dwindling strikeout rate minimizes his room for [fantasy] error, and eats into his ceiling a bit.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 27, 2024

Teoscar Hernandez, OF Los Angeles Dodgers

In Hernandez's first year with the Dodgers he slashed .272/.339/.501 with 33 home runs, 99 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. The veteran slugger crushed southpaws to the tune of a .931 OPS and 154 wRC+, and he posted a .902 OPS in the second half of the season. He'll be an everyday presence in the Los Angeles lineup, and there's not really much in his batted ball profile that screams outlier, regression, or anything of the sorts! His stolen base total could dip below 10 in 2025, but this a great lineup and home park should lend itself to another season with 30+ home runs. Even if his average is closer to .255-.260, the power production and counting stats should be solid for Hernandez yet again.

Gleyber Torres, 2B Detroit Tigers

This one doesn’t feel like as big of a loss for the Yankees when you lose Juan Soto in the same off-season, but the Yankees will also lose Gleyber Torres who has been their 2nd baseman for the last 7 seasons. Gleyber had a pretty disappointing season after two relatively strong seasons in the previous years. He still played a full 154 games but with only 15 homers, 4 steals, and a .257 average. He still piled up a respectable 80 runs scored getting to lead off in front of Soto and Judge for a decent chunk of the season, but overall was a disappointment in fantasy. He is still a strong OBP guy and should slot right into the top of an improving young Tigers lineup. He looked much better in the second half of the season, slashing .292/.361/.419 after the all-star break. While the ceiling isn’t super high, I still think we could see a bounce-back season from Gleyber with the Tigers, and he could provide decent value as an accumulator as a later-round MI pick.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 23, 2024

Sean Manaea, SP New York Mets

Sean Manaea is returning to the Mets on a 3-year $75 million deal. Manaea had the best season of his career last year with the Mets throwing 181.2 innings and posting a 3.47 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and earning 12 wins. Sean Manaea made it clear that he didn’t like the role he had the previous year with the Giants in the pen and he earned the starting spot in the rotation the Mets gave him last year. The Mets decided to bring him back for 3 more seasons and be a staple of this new Juan Soto centered team. Manaea hs the stuff to easily be a top 50 starter. While I wouldn’t expect quite as great of ratios as he posted last season he should still be a great strikeout pitcher and be in line for plenty of wins on this increasingly good Mets team.
 

Walker Buehler, SP Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox added Walker Buehler to their rotation, signing him to a one-year $21 million deal. Walker Buehler returned to the mound last season after missing most of 2022 and all of 2023. It was a shaky return for Buehler, who posted a 5.38 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 75.1 innings. He did, however, look much better in the postseason, throwing 15 innings with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP, as well as being a World Series hero and earning a save in the World Series-clinching win. The Red Sox will hope that Buehler continues how he finished the season and can return to his success before his injury. In 2021, he threw over 200 innings and finished 4th in the NL Cy Young voting. He is a great upside pick, as we have seen him be an ace before. I am unsure if he ever gets back to the strikeout numbers he had before, but the Buehler can still be an excellent pitcher and has a path to winning plenty of games on this Red Sox team.

Joc Pederson, OF Texas Rangers

Joc Pederson is heading to a new team signing with the Texas Rangers on a 2-year $37 million deal. He just put together a fantastic season with the Diamondbacks slashing .275/.393/.908 with 23 homers and a career-high 7 steals. Joc Pederson will continue to platoon as he likely will still never start against lefties. However, even in that platoon he managed to play in 132 games last season and pile up 449 plate appearances. That is likely the max playing time you will get out of him, but the chances he did good should be plenty productive. The park move should be a good one for him as well as both are good parks to hit in for lefties but Texas is a much better home run park for lefties than Arizona so we could see his home run numbers jump up even more.

Andrew McCutchen, OF Pittsburgh Pirates

Andrew McCutchen is returning to the Pittsburgh Pirates on a one-year $5 million contract. Andrew McCutchen is well past his prime at this point entering his age 38 season, but he still managed to be a slightly above-average hitter last season with a 105 wRC+ in 120 games for the Pirates. He should continue to find decent playing time with the Pirates and while I am glad he gets to continue his career with them as he is cemented as a Pirates legend at this point, but I think we are well past seeing fantasy relevant seasons from Andrew McCutchen. He is no longer a batting average booster and on a weak offense with likely mid-teens homers and a few steals, there just isn’t enough juice for him to be a real consideration outside of extremely deep leagues.

Joe Ross, RP Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies are signing Joe Ross to a one-year $4 million deal. Joe Ross started his career as a starter in Washington but has been jumping around between the rotation and bullpen for the last few years. He mad 10 starts last season and had 15 appearances out of the bullpen. Considering the Phillies have a rotation now of Zack Wheeler, Christopher Sanchez, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez, and Jesus Luzardo and they have players like Mick Abel and Andrew Painter looming in the minors I don’t see the path to Joe Ross escaping the bullpen this year. He will likely remain a long relief type guy for the Phillies and I don’t see much of a path to him bring any fantasy relevance in 2025.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 21, 2024

Paul Goldschmidt, 1B New York Yankees

The 37-year-old first baseman will head to the Bronx after spending the past six seasons with the Cardinals. It appears that Father Time is catching up to Goldschmidt, as last year's .245 average, .302 average, and .414 slugging percentage were all career lows. He'll be joining a solid New York lineup, but he's past his prime at this point in his career. He should provide half-decent pop, as Baseball Savant says that Yankee Stadium is a significant boost for right-handed power compared to Busch Stadium, and some of the counting stats should be solid as well, thanks to the pieces around him. I wouldn't expect too much running from Goldschmidt, but this is a good landing spot for the veteran first baseman.

Carlos Santana, 1B Cleveland Guardians

After trading Josh Naylor to Arizona, the Cleveland Guardians signed 39-year-old veteran Carlos Santana to a one-year $12 million deal for his third stint with Cleveland in his career. The move of Josh Naylor had looked to open up more playing time for Kyle Manzardo and Jhonkensy “Big Christmas” Noel; I think unless Carlos Santana starts to underperform, he will be playing most days either at 1st or DH, with the others falling into more of a platoon. The 39-year-old can still provide some surprisingly good late-round value at 1st. He hit 23 homers each of the last two seasons and even threw in 6 and 4 steals. While he isn’t quite the OBP monster he used to be with decreased walk rates, he still is even more valuable in OBP or points leagues. Playing for what appears to be a worse than last year's Guardians offense, there is minimal upside for the almost 40-year-old, but don’t be surprised if he puts together another fantasy-relevant season in deeper leagues.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 20, 2024
 

Christian Walker, 1B Houston Astros

The Houston Astros fill a big hole at 1B, signing 33-year-old Christian Walker to a 3-year $60 million deal. Christian Walker has established himself as one of the best-hitting first basemen in the MLB over the last few years with the Diamondbacks. After hitting 36 and 33 homers in the previous two seasons, he only hit 26 last year, but this was primarily due to missing time due to injury, and if he had gotten to the 660 PA mark like he did the previous two years, he would have paced to 31 HRs and 100 RBIs. The park move should be a net gain for Walker. While Chase Field has a slightly higher overall park factor for righties than Minute Maid Park, most of its value comes from doubles and triples. It is in the bottom 10 for homers for righties, while Minute Maid Park is in the top 10 with the Crawford Boxes that should play into Walker’s strengths and help him return to the 30-35 HR mark this season. The Astro's offense might not be at the level it has been for the last handful of years with the departure of Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, but the top of the lineup should still be potent enough for Walker to push toward the 100 RBI mark and keep him worth a top-100 pick in fantasy.

Patrick Sandoval, SP Boston Red Sox

Patrick Sandoval found a home to finish his rehab from Tommy John, with the Boston Red Sox giving him a 2-year $18.25 million deal. Sandoval underwent TJ back in June, so he shouldn’t be expected to return to the mound until July at the earliest, and even that might be a stretch. This deal is 2026-oriented as he will only be paid $5.5 million this year, with the remaining $12.75 million to be paid in 2026. The last thing to come back for pitchers returning from TJ is usually the command, and as a guy with already high walk rates (Career 10.1 BB%), I don’t see him being viable in fantasy this season outside of potentially being a streamer you pick off the waivers in September.

Gio Urshela, 3B Athletics

Oakland continues to spend, and this time it’s veteran infielder Urshela. As a member of the Tigers and Braves last season, Urshela slashed .250/.286/.361 with nine home runs and a 0.7 WAR. He’s an average defender at best, and while his strikeout rate has actually swindled over the years, his quality of contact is diminishing, and last year’s 86.4 mph average exit velocity was the lowest of his career. Oh, he also posted a 20th percentile barrel rate and eighth percentile hard hit rate. Urshela figures to be the primary 3B for Oakland to begin the season, and would make for a logical trade candidate in the summer if he plays well through the first couple months. Those in AL-only formats could be intrigued by Urshela, but don't get too, too excited.

Hoby Milner, RP Texas Rangers

In 2023, Milner was dominant, to the tune of a 1.82 ERA (3.13 FIP) ad 0.96 WHIP. In 2024, the surface numbers were far worse, most notably his 4.73 ERA. However, take a look under the hood, and you’ll see his 3.14 FIP, 3.15 xERA, 1.19 WHIP, and his 2.7 percent barrel rate was one of the lower marks in his career. He posted a career best 51.9 percent ground ball rate, his 103 Stuff+ was the best of his career, and outside of his 2021 season, he’s never been a massive strikeout guy, so don’t look too much into a low SwStr%. No fantasy value here though, as he's likely an injury or two away from save opportunities in Texas.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 19, 2024

Max Kepeler, OF Philadelphia Phillies

After a decade in Minnesota, Kepler heads to Philadelphia on a one-year deal. Kepler played in just 105 games last season, hitting eight home runs, driving in 42 runners, and slashing .253/.302/.380 across 399 plate appearances. While he was pretty decent against southpaws in 2024, he’s only a career .221 hitter with a 78 wRC+ against lefties. Kepler figures to play on the large side of a platoon in a corner outfield spot (likely LF) in Philadelphia, and while the overall park factor doesn’t signify a massive upgrade for Kepler, if you solely look at the home run column over on Baseball Savant, it’s a huge jump for Kepler. If he can stay healthy, we could see some productive numbers in a good lineup and home park, but availability has proven to be a challenge for Kepler (121 or fewer games in 3 of last 4 seasons).

Griffin Canning, SP New York Mets

Canning logged a career high 171.2 IP last year with the Angels, but he also posted a 5.19 ERA (5.26 FIP), career low 17.6 percent strikeout rate, and a 1.40 WHIP. Lefties had his number last year, and his swinging strike rate has dropped in each of the last two seasons. He doesn't grade out well in the Stuff+ department, and he dropped the usage of his slider last season, and that was his best pitch the last couple of years in terms of whiff rate. He boasts a pretty good changeup, all things considered, so if the Mets can tweak his pitch mix a bit and keep him healthy, perhaps they can get a steal with Canning for 2025. They'll give him an opportunity to compete for a back-end rotation spot, but only fantasy managers in NL-only formats will likely be keeping close tabs on Canning through spring training.

Mike Soroka, SP Washington Nationals

Mike Soroka signed a one-year $9 million with the Washington Nationals. He will get a chance to land a spot in their rotation after spending most of last season in the bullpen for the Chicago White Sox, though he did still make 9 starts. The 27-year-old is now 5 seasons removed from his last quality season, where he made 29 starts for the Atlanta Braves, throwing 174.2 innings with a 2.68 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Even in that season, the fantasy value was limited beyond the good ratios, as it came with a 20.3% strikeout rate. He then only threw 13.2 innings in 2020 before missing the rest of that season and all of 2021 and 2022. He has had poor results in his return, putting up 112 innings of a 5.22 ERA and 1.41 WHIP over the last two seasons. The Nationals are spending $9 million on a reclamation project that they hope can find some of his previous results and fill a spot in the back end of their rotation, but I am not expecting him to provide any fantasy value any time soon

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 18, 2024

Bryse Wilson, RP Chicago White Sox

Wilson made 34 appearances (9 GS) for the Brewers last year, posting a 5-4 record with a 4.04 ERA (5.09 FIP), and 1.27 WHIP. He continues to increase the usage of his cutter, and last year, that pitched posted a .230 BAA and 26.3 percent whiff rate. He has a chance to earn a spot in the team's rotation, and in his nine starts last year, he was mediocre, posting a 4.75 ERA, .330 wOBA, and 1.44 WHIP. The White Sox are lacking options in its rotation, but Wilson is a veteran presence who can provide some innings, albeit innings that aren't overly productive for fantasy managers.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 16, 2024
 

Tomoyuki Sugano, SP Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles have signed the 35-year-old Tomoyuki Sugano from Japan to a one-year $13 million deal. Sugano may be 35, but he is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, where he threw 156.2 innings with a 1.67 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and won the 3rd MVP of his career. His 3rd MVP didn’t come with many strikeouts, with only an 18.3% strikeout rate, and while the NPB is more contact-heavy, I wouldn’t expect any big strikeout jumps from him moving to the MLB. He isn’t going to overpower anymore, but he has fantastic control and a solid 5-pitch mix with an excellent slider and splitter that should translate well. Also, keep your innings projections in check as I wouldn’t expect him to push much past the 150-inning mark he hit last season. That said, Sugano has the ability to be a solid 4-5 starter for the Orioles. Pitching for a good team, he could provide good ratios and wins and be a decent later-round pick in fantasy if his price stays in check.

Bryan De La Cruz, OF Atlanta Braves

De La Cruz spent time with the Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates last season and finished the year hitting .233 with 21 homers, 61 runs, 63 RBI and five stolen bases. He doesn’t offer much in the way of batting average or on base percentage but he does have some pop and likely finds himself in a left/right platoon situation in Atlanta this season.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 13, 2024
 

Carson Kelly, C Chicago Cubs

While Miguel Amaya may have the inside track for the starting catcher spot, this is a quality signing by Chicago to bring in a veteran presence behind the dish. He has a strong arm behind the dish, and overall, was an above-average defender last season. In 91 games in 2024, he hit nine home runs with a .374 SLG, but his numbers took a bit of a hit after being sent over to Texas. Looking at numbers from last season, Miguel Amaya really struggled against LHP (.163 AVG, .205 wOBA), whereas Kelly excelled in that department (.302 AVG, .357 wOBA). He may find himself on the small side of a platoon behind the dish, but if he can push his fly ball rate north of 40 percent, he could be in a good spot for some power production in the Windy City.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 11, 2024

Jonathan Loaisiga, RP New York Yankees

Loasiga went under the knife back in April to repair his torn UCL, and when he’s healthy enough to return, he figures to slot in as a quality piece to the New York bullpen. His sinker is a ground ball machine, but he isn’t exactly a big strikeout guy. Injuries derailed his 2022 and 2023 seasons, but the Yankees will be ecstatic if he can recapture his 2021 form (2.17 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 70.2 IP). If he were to be healthy and ascend to ninth inning work as the year goes on, he could be intriguing in fantasy formats, but a dearth of strikeouts otherwise limits his fantasy appeal.

Jacob Webb, RP Texas Rangers

In 60 appearances for the Orioles in 2024, Webb posted a 2-5 record with two saves, 14 holds, a 3.02 ERA (3.52 FIP), and 1.18 WHIP. He upped the usage on his sweeper, a pitched he introduced in 2023, and while it only induced a 20.2 percent whiff rate, it resulted in a .243 wOBA and measly 83.9 mph average exit velocity. Texas lacks a true closer in its bullpen at the moment, and if Texas doesn’t bring anyone else in, which I’d find hard to believe, Webb could be the frontrunner for save opportunities. Keep Webb’s name on your radar, especially if Texas doesn’t make any significant addition to the pen.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 10, 2024
 

Max Fried, SP New York Yankees

The Yankees make their first move since losing out on Juan Soto. They pivot their attention to the mound and give Max Fried an 8-year $218 million contract. Max Fried will be entering his age-31 season and has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for a while now. He has the 3rd-lowest ERA in baseball over the last 5 seasons behind only Clayton Kershaw and Brandon Woodruff (he has also thrown almost 200 innings more than both of them in that time). Gerrit Cole may still be considered the ace of the Yankees, but don’t be surprised if Max Fried supplants him this season and is the Yankee's best pitcher and continues to be one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. He threw 174 innings with a 3.25 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 160 strikeouts. Expect more of the same going forward with decent, but far from elite strikeout numbers, with elite rations and the chance for plenty of wins. Not a bad consolation prize for New York.
 

Nathan Eovaldi, SP Texas Rangers

Nathan Eovaldi signs a deal to stick with the Texas Rangers with a substantial 3-year $75 million deal. Eovaldi was one of the lone bright spots in a disappointing 2024 for the Rangers after winning the World Series. He threw 170.2 innings with a 3.80 ERA and a career best 1.11 WHIP. The Rangers will hope Eovaldi won’t have to be their ace this season with the return of Jacob deGrom but he will be a strong SP2 for them. This was Eovaldi’s 5th straight season with a sub-4 ERA. He has been a top-35 starter in fantasy for each of the last two seasons with the Texas Rangers, and even if he regresses some, he should remain as a top-50 arm.

Yimi Garcia, RP Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are bringing Yimi Garcia back on a two-year $15 million deal. He is coming off a decent, albeit short, season where he threw 39 innings with a 3.46 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and even got 5 saves while Jordan Romano was out. As it stands right now, Garcia could be in the mix with Chad Green and Erik Swanson for save opportunities, but considering the 5 he got last season was the second-highest save total of his career, I wouldn’t bet on Garcia becoming the 9th inning guy even if the Blue Jays don’t sign someone else to be the closer, which is very possible. He should be a solid setup guy, but likely not fantasy-relevant outside of a SV+HLD league.

Mike Tauchman, OF Chicago White Sox

In 109 games with the Cubs last season, Tauchman slashed .248/.357/.366 with seven home runs, and six stolen bases. He posted a .357 or higher OBP in each of his two full seasons with the Cubs, and has shown that when given the opportunity, he can hold his own against LHP. Given the state of affairs in this ghastly White Sox lineup, Tauchman very well could be the everyday leadoff guy for the White Sox. Sure, the counting stats won't be great, especially if/when the team deals Luis Robert, but he can run a little bit, and he gets a nice boost in OBP formats with his propensity to draw walks.

Thairo Estrada, 2B Colorado Rockies

Thairo Estrada heads to Colorado as the Rockies give him a one-year $3.25 million deal with a mutual option for 2026. It was a lost season in 2024 for Thairo Estrada with the Giants. He had multiple stints on the IL and may have spent some time playing through injury. He hit .217 and still managed 9 homers in 96 games but only stole 2 bases. The Giants sent him down to AAA to end the season, but in a promising spin, he did end the season strong there and slashed .333/.390/.493 in 19 games. Getting healthy and playing half his games at Coors Field could bode well for a bounce-back season for Thairo Estrada. His deal is exactly the same as Kyle Farmer’s, so there is no clear indication of who will be the favorite to win the 2nd-base job, but I wouldn’t expect either to get everyday playing time.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 9, 2024

Jordan Romano, RP Philadelphia Phillies

This is a lower-risk, high reward signing for Philadelphia, as Romano has proven to be an above-average closer at the MLB level when healthy. However, the last part is the key term, as injuries limited him to just 13.2 IP last season, and he's served in IL stints in more seasons than he hasn't. It's tough to glean much from last year's numbers, and determine whether age is starting to catch up to him, because again, His heater is losing a little steam, but he still has an effective slider that can miss bats, and from 2021-2023, he posted a 2.37 ERA while converting 95-of-106 save opportunities. If healthy, he'll be the primary ninth inning man for Philadelphia, which should lead to ample save chances. Albeit with some risk, he's an upside selection at a rather fickle position in fantasy baseball.

Blake Treinen, RP Los Angeles Dodgers

After missing all of the 2023 season, Treinen was dominant for the Dodgers in 2024, posting a 1.93 ERA (3.00 FIP), 30.4 K%, and 0.94 WHIP across 50 appearances. His regular season success carried into the playoffs, and he posted a 2.19 ERA, two wins, and three saves during the team's October run. The Dodgers have multiple ninth-inning options heading into 2025, and at least to begin the year, it wouldn't be surprising to see a closer by committee unless, or until, someone separates themselves from the pack.

Alex Cobb, SP Detroit Tigers

Detroit adds a veteran presence to its otherwise young rotation, and with Cobb being on a one-year deal, the hope is that he can bounce back after an injury plagued 2024 campaign. Then, like the Tigers did with Jack Flaherty last year, flip him at the deadline. I wouldn't expect Flaherty-esque numbers from Cobb in 2025 by any means, but when healthy he's an innings-eater who minimizes damage and keeps the ball on the ground. In 2022 and 2023, he posted a 59.4 percent ground ball rate, 6.3 percent walk rate, and 1.31 WHIP. His strikeout rate is dwindling, but perhaps a move to the AL Central can help keep that mark in the 18-20 percent range, which is still not all that profitable for fantasy purposes. This is a better move for the Tigers in reality than us folks in fantasy formats, but if healthy, he's a fine target in deeper formats, as he has a locked-in spot in this Detroit rotation to begin the year.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 8, 2024

Juan Soto, OF New York Mets

Well, there you have it. $765M for Soto, and he heads to the New York Mets, with an opt out after five years. In his lone year with the Yankees, Soto slashed .288/.419/.569 with career-bests in home runs (41), runs scored (128), and ISO (.281), amongst other categories. He's a superstar, and while he gets a slight park downgrade, there are numerous divisions in the NL East that are good parks for power from the left side. Sure, half of his games will be played in less than ideal conditions for a LHH, but Soto is an elite offensive talent who will put up numbers regardless of the situation. While he may not hit 40+ home runs again in 2025, he should be in the low-to-mid thirties in this department, while contributing across the board. Elite talent, and if the Mets can get production from the guys around Soto, it'll be another Soto-like season, IE 30+ home runs, excellent OBP, and good counting stats.

Michael Conforto, OF Los Angeles Dodgers

After a couple of seasons in San Francisco, Conforto will stay out west, but join the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers. Conforto's .212 ISO was his best mark since 2019, and his quality of contact metrics were excellent compared to year's past. You'd like to see his ground ball rate be below 40 percent, but he should enjoy a park upgrade by going to Dodger Stadium compared to Oracle Park. For $17M in 2025, Los Angeles figures to give Conforto a shot to be the everyday left fielder, especially he can handle LHP like he did last season (.284 AVG, 145 wRC+). Fantasy managers know that everyday ABs in this lineup tend to be profitable, regardless of spot in the order, and this signing should likely move Conforto up draft boards a bit.

Gary Sanchez, DH/C Baltimore Orioles

After a few years away from the American League East, Sanchez returns, but this time with the Baltimore Orioles. In 89 games with the Brewers last season, Sanchez was advertised, hitting 11 home runs with a .171 ISO, albeit with a 27.1 K% and .220 batting average. He'll serve as Adley Rutschman's backup, and while ABs may not be regular for Sanchez, maybe he'll enjoy the new ballpark dimensions a time or two in 2025. Sanchez could see some ABs as the team's DH, especially against LHP (.212 ISO vs LHP in 2024), but again, he's far from a regular in this lineup.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 7, 2024

Wily Adames, SS San Francisco Giants

Willy Adames finds a new home in San Francisco with the Giant’s largest deal in franchise history, giving him a 7-year $182 million deal to be their new shortstop. Adames is coming off a season with a career-high 32 homers and 112 RBIs. The move to San Francisco will be interesting as it has a similar overall ballpark factor for righties but is a considerable drop in home run factor. The Giants offense is also a bit of a downgrade from the Brewers, so I would project him to be back around the 25-homer range with around 80-90 RBIs, but the new ballpark could help him keep the AVG and OPG gains we saw in 2024 to hopefully hold around the .250/.350/.450 mark, even if he sees a decrease in counting categories. If the move to San Francisco sees his ADP move down, I (Henry Wilson) will be buying in as I believe he can still easily be a top 10 SS and contribute to all categories, even with the park change.

Tyler O’Neill, OF Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles got their replacement for Anthony Santander in Tyler O’Neill, who shifts teams in the AL East, signing a three-year $49.5 million deal with an opt-out after the first season. Tyler O'Neill had a strong season with the Boston Red Sox, hitting 31 homers in 113 games. Camden Yards isn’t nearly as great a place to hit as Fenway, but it does help that they are moving the left field wall in to make it a bit more friendly to righties this season. He should be hitting in the heart of the order in a fantastic offense in Baltimore; if he can manage to stay healthy, he should be able to put up great numbers in Baltimore. I don’t believe he will be in danger of being platooned, but given the depth that Baltimore has and his injury history, I wouldn’t project him for much more than 500 plate appearances, but they should be extremely productive.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 6, 2024

Clay Holmes, SP New York Mets

The Mets signed Holmes to a three-year, $38M deal with the plans of converting him to a starter. Holmes blew 13 saves for the Yankees last season, but still had 20+ saves in his final three years with the Yanks. From 2022-2024, Holmes posted a 2.85 ERA (2.84 FIP), 74 saves, a 25.7 percent strikeout rate, and a 1.17 WHIP. Now, for 2025, the expectation is that Holmes fills a void in the Mets' rotation, but he hasn't started a big league game since 2018, and he hasn't pitched more than 100 innings in a year since 2018 (101.1 IP in Minors, 26.1 IP in MLB). He's primarily a sinker/slider combo, but he implemented a sweeper with the Yankees, and threw it a career-high 20 percent of the time last year, resulting in a .172 BAA and 38 percent whiff rate. That gives some optimism to him not trying to be a two-pitch starter, but like most relievers converting to starters, questions about the workload he'll be able to handle will likely sap some the draft day excitement with Holmes. He's a ground ball pitcher getting a park upgrade, and he can post a respectable strikeout rate, but where does his workload end up? I would say projecting anything north of 130-140 IP is quite bold.

Danny Jansen, C Tampa Bay Rays

Jansen stays in the American League East, and heads to Tampa Bay on a one-year deal with a mutual option for a second season. Jansen is a solid defensive backstop, but his offensive profile took a hit last season. After posting a .246+ ISO in 2021, 2022, and 2023, that mark plummeted for .142 last year, his lowest in any of his seven big league seasons. To no surprise, his hard hit and barrel rates were significantly down, and he seems to have sacrificed quality of contact for more quantity (first time since 2019 posting an 80+ percent contact rate). Tampa Bay is hoping for a bounceback season from Jansen, and he figures to make the lion's share of the starts behind the dish, with Ben Rortvedt serving as the team's second catcher. Jansen should bounce back a bit in 2025, something to the tune of a .220-.230 batting average and a home run total in the 10-14 range.

Shane Bieber, SP Cleveland Guardians

Rumor has it that Bieber turned down more money elsewhere to stay in the city where he's spent his entire big league career to date. Bieber underwent Tommy John surgery in April, and the usual 12-15 month recovery timeline puts his return likely at the mid-point of the 2025 season. He only made two starts last season, but he was flat out dominant in those starts. Injuries have plagued numerous seasons for Bieber, but when healthy, he's an above-average fantasy arm and in reality, a frontline starter. Staying in the AL Central is obviously good for his fantasy value, but missing half of the season will keep his draft price suppressed come draft season. If your league has IL spots, you can afford to stash Bieber, and hope that the velocity is there upon his return, and his breaking stuff has its normal bite.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 5, 2024
 

Luis Severino, SP Athletics

In a stunning move, the Athletics got their SP1 in Luis Severino. Luis Severino declined the Qualifying Offer from the Mets, which paid off as he secured a 3-year $67 million deal with the Athletics (almost $5 million more than their entire 2024 payroll). Severino is coming off a bounce back season with the Mets, where he threw 182 innings with a 3.91 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and 161 strikeouts. This move will hurt Severino's value a bit as he moves to a worse team and has to make the move from Citi Field, a pitcher's park, to Sacramento, which will be a much more hitter-friendly park. I see Severino as a low-ceiling and low-floor guy at this point in his career. He can still be a stable late-round SP that will eat innings with a mediocre strikeout rate and decent ratios, but there will be plenty of risk with a guy who has struggled with homers before and has to pitch his home games in a AAA ballpark.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 3, 2024

Aroldis Chapman, RP Boston Red Sox

There's a very real possibility that Chapman leads Boston in saves this season. Liam Hendriks is in the mix, but there just might be more questions than answers regarding Hendriks' right arm. Chapman logged 14 saves and 22 holds with Pittsburgh last season, and continued to miss bats at an elite rate (37.0 K%). The walk rate has remained elevated the last couple of seasons, and a 4-run blowup against Washington really inflated his numbers from an otherwise dominant final month of the season. Hendriks and Chapman are the front-runners for save chances in Boston,

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Dec 2, 2024

Frankie Montas, SP New York Mets

Montas was one of my (Colby Conway) guys last season, but it didn't quite pan out. Over 150.2 IP as a member of the Reds and Brewers, he amassed a 4.84 ERA, 22.6 K%, and 1.37 WHIP. The rebound in his strikeout rate was nice, and he maintained a 40+ percent ground ball rate. Once he got to Milwaukee, he dropped the usage on his four-seamer, and while he still managed only a 4.55 ERA with the Brewers, he enjoyed a jump in his strikeout rate with Milwaukee up to 28.7 percent. Citi Field leans a bit more pitcher-friendly, so that should help Montas, but the key for him will continue to be generating ground balls, and keeping that strikeout rate in the mid-twenties. If he can do that, with a good offense backing him, he could be a nice value yet again for fantasy managers in 2025. I'm not sure he's worth $17M per year, but in today's economy, I get it, you have to overpay for starting pitching.

Matthew Boyd, SP Chicago Cubs

Once he returned from injury, Boyd was fantastic for Cleveland, posting a 2.72 ERA, 27.7 K%, and 1.13 WHIP across eight starts. Increased usage of his changeup allowed that pitch to flourish, posting a 35.2 percent whiff rate, and a measly 84.3 mph average exit velocity. Albeit a small sample size, his ground ball rate diminished greatly last season, and more fly balls could become disastrous in the Windy City. He figures to be a back-end starter in this team's rotation, but keep in mind that elbow surgery caused him to get a late start on the 2024 season, and he hasn't pitched more than 100 innings since 2019. That's probably a big reason as to why he's outside of the top 450 overall in drafts.

Kyle Higashioka, C Texas Rangers

In his first year away from the Bronx, Higashioka hit a career high 17 home runs in 84 games with the Padres, while slashing .220/.263/.476 and playing above average defense. He displayed a solid .309 ISO against left-handed pitching, despite a .198 average against southpaws, and his power waned in the "second half" of the season. Higashioka will operate with Jonah Heim in a 1-2 punch behind the plate for the Rangers, One would figure that Heim sees the majority of the ABs behind the dish, seeing as he's played in 125+ games in three straight season, but Higashioka should provide a little bit of pop when he does get his ABs. He's not someone you need to prioritize on draft day by any means.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Nov 26, 2024

Blake Snell, SP Los Angeles Dodgers

Blake Snell gets a monster deal with the Dodgers after one year with the Giants where he posted a 3.12 ERA (2.43 FIP) across 20 starts. After a healthy 2023 campaign, he dealt with injuries in 2024, and has pitched in 130 or fewer innings in three of the last four seasons. I guess that means he'll fit right in with his new club! While it's a bit of a home park downgrade, Snell is elite at missing bats, and he went on an insane 14 start stretch to end his season where he posted a 1.23 ERA and 12.77 K/9 across 80.1 IP. We'd love for him to more regularly work deeper into games, but with an elite offense backing him, it's hard not to love this for his 2025 fantasy outlook.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Nov 25, 2024

Yusei Kikuchi, SP Los Angeles Angels

Kikuchi opened the year with a 4-9 record and a 4.75 ERA with the Blue Jays, but his season flipped once he was dealt at the deadline to the Houston Astros. In 10 regular season starts with Houston, Kikuchi posted a 5-1 record with a 2.70 ERA (3.07 FIP) and a 31.8 K% that would easily have been the highest mark of his career over a full season. Houston upped the usage on his slider, and as a member of the Astros, he generated more swings out of the zone, and a healthy 13.7 SwStr%. The Angels have some work to do offensively to give Kikuchi ample run support, but in terms of home park, it's not a massive upgrade or downgrade. Kikuchi would be best served to continue riding his slider, and aside from fantasy, good for him for getting $21M per year at age 33. The Angels needed some rotation help, and Kikuchi figures to serve as a top-of-the-rotation arm for them, however, don't expect him to be that for fantasy purposes. Another year with 170+ IP and an ERA in the upper-threes is more than doable with over one strikeout per inning for the veteran southpaw.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Nov 22, 2024

Kyle Farmer, SS Colorado Rockies

Can Coors Field boost another player with a relatively underwhelming offensive profile? Farmer did hit 30 home runs across his final two seasons in Cincinnati, but during his time in Minnesota (2023-2024), he hit just 16 home runs across 227 games. Last year, a .252 BABIP and 29.2 percent hard hit rate tanked his batting average to .214, and his .226 xBA wasn't much better. What could be encouraging as he heads to Coors Field is that he did post a career best 45.2 percent fly ball rate last season, but again, a dearth of hard contact saps any power "upside" he may have, even in the game's best hitter environment. To begin the year, Farmer projects as the everyday second baseman for the Rockies, and at his draft price, he could be a cheap source of ABs at Coors Field. However, don't go wild with expectations for him.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Nov 20, 2024

Jacob Stallings, C Colorado Rockies

Stallings' first season in the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field lent itself to his best offensive season since 2019 in Pittsburgh. Across 82 games, he hit a career-high nine home runs with a .263/.357/.453 slash line. There were no significant jumps in his batted ball profile, and believe it or not, his .827 OPS on the road was better than his .795 OPS at home! Again, he boasts an underwhelming offensive profile, but half of his games are played at Coors, and he's slated to be the primary catcher for Colorado in 2025, unless the team turns to Drew Romo. You likely won't be looking at Stallings outside of NL-only or 2-catcher setups.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Nov 18, 2024

Nick Martinez, SP Cincinnati Reds

It might not always be overly dominant or impressive, but Martinez just continues to produce. He went 10-7 across 142.1 IP last season, with a 3.10 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 6.44 K/BB ratio. He doesn't put himself in harm's way, and last year's 1.14 BB/9 was dazzling. Money talks, and Martinez got starter money with his deal ($21M), so expect the team to give him a chance to be a full-time starter for them in 2025. It is worth noting that his splits were better as a reliever last season, but a 3.84 ERA and 1.12 WHIP as a starter is nothing to scoff at. Of course, he could be a swing guy if needed, but he is a starter you can target to help your team's ratios, and his ability to limit hard contact should help him when pitching at home.

Austin Slater, OF Chicago White Sox

DFS players will know exactly how to deploy Slater, and that is against southpaws. The numbers didn't show it last year, but for his career, he's put forth a .271/.364/.429 with a .158 ISO and 121 wRC+ against southpaws. Expect him to slide into the small-side of a platoon in the Chicago outfield to begin the season.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Nov 14, 2024
 

Justin Wilson, RP Boston Red Sox

It was a rough season for the 37-year-old lefty posting a 5.59 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. The Red Sox will give him a chance to rebound on a 1-year $2.25 million deal to help fill their hole of lefty relievers. With the return of Liam Hendriks, the addition of Aroldis Chapman, and the emergence of Justin Slaten, even if Justin Wilson has a rebound season I don't see a path to it providing much fantasy relevance.

Kevin Newman, SS Los Angeles Angels

Newman is a solid bat-to-ball guy who is solid defensively at multiple infield spots. His 2019 season with the Pirates is more of an outlier than anything, and he's just versatility off the bench for the Angels this year. Should he walk into regular playing time, he doesn't carry much pop, he can hit for a little bit of average, and he's been known to swipe a bag or two. However, for fantasy purposes, he's more of a jack of all trades but master of none, but he doesn't really do a lot in any one particular statistical category. He can be ignored outside the deepest of AL-only formats, unless something happens to Anthony Rendon before the season even starts, which obviously is in the realm of possibility.
 

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Nov 12, 2024

Travis d’Arnaud, C Los Angeles Angels

d'Arnaud will serve as the backup catcher to Logan O'Hoppe, but he could easily step in as a DH whenever needed given the state of affairs in the Los Angeles lineup. The veteran backstop posted a .922 OPS last season against left-handed pitching, and he's a career .267 hitter against southpaws. It seems logical to maximize his ABs against left-handed pitching, though the Angels are pretty RHH heavy at this juncture. However, it's worth noting that O'Hoppe posted a .167 average and 32.4 K% against southpaws last year. If O'Hoppe were to get injured, d'Arnaud would be a regular in the Angels' lineup.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Nov 6, 2024

Austin Hedges, C Cleveland Guardians

Hedges returns to Cleveland and things will be the same as years past. He's a defense-first catcher whose best offensive days are behind him at this point. He's hit below the Mendoza line in six straight seasons, but he continues to have a home with his defensive prowess. He's off the radar for fantasy drafts, but he's great for the Cleveland pitchers.
 

Kyle Hendricks, SP Los Angeles Angels

The Angels signing Hendricks shouldn't come as much of a surprise at all. He's a veteran capable of eating up innings, and that is exactly what this Los Angeles rotation needs right now. Hendricks was underwhelming last season, posting a career-worst 5.92 ERA across 130.2 IP. Hendricks is more useful in reality than fantasy at this stage of his career, and he won't do much outside of provide innings for fantasy managers in 2025. His ERA will be in the mid-to-upper 4's, he won't strike many guys out, and best-case scenario, his WHIP is between 1.30-1.40.
 

Brent Suter, RP Cincinnati Reds

After a decent season in the bullpen for the Cincinnati Reds, posting a 3.15 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, the Reds decided to bring him back on another one-year deal for $2.5 million. Despite having a decent season in the bullpen, he really doesn't bring any fantasy relevance as the Reds will likely continue to deploy him outside of high-leverage innings again in 2025, and considering he only tallied 2 saves and 2 holds in 65.2 innings in 2024 we should expect more of the same in 2025.

Fantasy Baseball MLB Free Agent Tracker: Nov 3, 2024
 

Michael Wacha, SP Kansas City Royals

Wacha had his best season as a professional since his 2015 campaign as a member of the Cardinals. He compiled a 13-8 record with a 3.35 ERA (3.65 FIP), 21.2 K%, and 1.19 WHIP across 166.2 IP for the Royals in 2024, earning himself $17M per year over the next three. His 3.78 ERA on the road couldn't touch his 2.89 ERA at home, and he turned it on in the second half, posting a 2.79 ERA over his final 77.1 IP in 2024. His .290 BABIP was his highest in the past three seasons, and as a pitch-to-contact guy, it's hard to envision his striking out rate getting much higher than where it has been the last few seasons. At this point of his career, Wacha is what he is, but he can be serviceable for fantasy managers, especially if Kansas City can add some more pop around Bobby Witt