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According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, outfielder Kyle Tucker and the Chicago Cubs could not come to a settlement on a salary for 2025. As a result, both sides will now exchange arbitration figures. Tucker was acquired by the Cubs earlier this offseason in a blockbuster trade that sent top prospect Cam Smith, third baseman Isaac Paredes, and right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski to the Houston Astros. Tucker is one of the best outfielders in the sport, as he posted a stellar .289/.408/.585 slash line with 23 home runs and 11 stolen bases across 78 games last season. Tucker missed time due to a shin fracture. Under the hood, the 27-year-old generated a stellar .400 xwOBA with a strong 16.5% strikeout rate and a 15.9% walk rate. Given his elite bat and speed, Tucker is viewed as a consensus first-round pick in all formats.

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According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, the Arizona Diamondbacks and first baseman Josh Naylor have agreed to a one-year $10.9 million contract to avoid arbitration. The Diamondbacks acquired Naylor earlier this offseason via a trade with the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi. Last season in Cleveland, Naylor posted a .243/.320/.456 line with 31 home runs and six stolen bases. He also tallied an impressive 108 RBI. This was his second straight campaign tallying at least 97 RBI. He generated a solid .335 xwOBA and a .443 xSLG. With Christian Walker now in Houston, fantasy managers should expect Naylor to operate as the everyday first baseman in Arizona. He should continue to be viewed as an elite option for RBI, as he will now bat behind Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll.

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According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Toronto Blue Jays and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. agreed on a one-year contract worth $28.5 million to avoid arbitration. The 25-year-old enjoyed a fantastic campaign last summer, posting a stellar .323/.396/.544 slash line with 30 home runs and two stolen bases. Under the hood, he generated a .408 xwOBA, .321 xBA, and a .567 xSLG, which placed him in the 98th, 100th, and 98th percentile, respectively, in each statistic. He also posted an excellent 54.9% hard-hit rate and showed an elite eye at the plate with a 13.8% K rate. Guerrero's eventual contract extension remains a top priority for the Blue Jays as he will enter free agency next winter. Heading into 2025, fantasy managers should view Guerrero as the top first baseman on the board, given his elite hitting profile and power upside.

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According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, the Los Angeles Angels and outfielder Jo Adell have settled on a one-year $2.1 million contract to avoid arbitration. Adell has spent his entire professional career with the Angels after being drafted by them with the tenth overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. Last summer, Adell caught fire in April, posting a stellar .327/.379/.615 line with four home runs and five stolen bases but struggled the rest of the season with a .190/.266/.368 line. However, he was able to hit a career-high 20 long balls and swipe 15 bags last season. He continued to hit the ball hard with an 11.7% barrel rate and a 44.7% hard-hit but held a hefty 27.9% K rate. Adell should be viewed as a decent target for power and speed that comes with risk given his lack of contact skills.

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According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Baltimore Orioles have signed relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge to a one-year deal worth $10 million. Kittredge spent the entire 2024 season pitching in St. Louis and operating as the setup man for closer Ryan Helsley. With Felix Bautista expected to reclaim the closer role in 2025, Kittredge will likely be deployed in a setup role once again. Last season, the veteran posted a 2.80 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 70 2/3 innings of work. He generated a solid 45.5% ground-ball rate and showed strong command with a 7.0% walk rate. He struck out batters at a modest 28.3% clip and generated whiffs at a 27.8% rate. Fantasy managers in leagues that score holds should view Kittredge as one of the top options, as he should be given ample opportunities to pitch with a lead on a competing Baltimore team.

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According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Houston Astros and starting pitcher Framber Valdez have agreed to a one-year contract worth $18 million to avoid arbitration. The southpaw is expected to be among the top free agents following the 2025 season. Last summer, the 31-year-old posted a 2.91 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP across 176 1/3 innings of work. Valdez has made at least 28 starts over the past three seasons and logged at least 175 innings in each campaign. Last summer, Valdez generated a stellar 61.7% ground-ball rate, which placed him in the 99th percentile among qualified pitchers. He also limited hard contact with an excellent 5.3% barrel rate. Despite his modest strikeout production, Valdez remains one of the safest pitchers in fantasy baseball, given his ability to log a high total of innings each year and produce strong ratios.

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According to the team, outfielder Jarred Kelenic and the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a one-year contract worth $2.3 million to avoid arbitration. The former top prospect spent the entire 2024 campaign with the Atlanta Braves. While he performed well at times, he struggled to find consistency as he held an overall .231/.286/.393 slash line with 15 home runs and seven stolen bases. During the first half, he held a solid .255 AVG and a .418 SLG but saw his production drop considerably in the second half to a mere .182 AVG and a .343 SLG. The 25-year-old generated a modest 45.2% hard-hit rate and a 9.9% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should expect Kelenic to operate as the everyday left fielder in Atlanta in 2025 but could be given a shorter leash given his late-season struggles in 2024.

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According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the New York Yankees and infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. have agreed to a one-year contract worth $5.85 million to avoid arbitration. The 26-year-old began the 2024 season with the Miami Marlins but was eventually traded to the New York Yankees during the stretch run. Across 147 games last summer, Chisholm held a .256/.324/.436 line with 24 home runs and 40 stolen bases. However, in 46 games with the Yankees, Chisholm performed very well as he held a .273/.325/.500 line with 11 home runs. The 26-year-old was deployed primarily at the hot corner during his short tenure with the Yankees last season but could move to the keystone as the Yankees are actively trying to add another infielder to their roster. Chisholm carries an elite combination of power and speed and should be viewed as a high-end third baseman in standard category leagues.

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According to Mandy Bell of MLB.com, the Cleveland Guardians and outfielder Steven Kwan have agreed to a one-year contract worth $4.175 million to avoid arbitration. In 2024, Steven Kwan enjoyed the best season of his career as he posted a .292/.368/.425 line. He launched a career-best 14 home runs. He also swiped double-digit bags for the third straight campaign. This was a nice bounce-back compared to the .268/.340./.370 line he held in 2023. Last summer, he generated an impressive .284 xBA, which placed him in the 94th percentile among qualified hitters. In addition, the 27-year-old showed a great eye at the plate with a 9.4% K rate, 8.2% whiff rate, and 19.2% chase rate, which placed him within the 96th percentile among qualified hitters. Despite his lack of power, Kwan remains a top pick for batting average, given his elite contact skills.

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According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Seattle Mariners and outfielder Randy Arozarena have agreed on a one-year contract worth $11.3 million to avoid arbitration. Arozarena opened the 2024 campaign with the Tampa Bay Rays but was eventually shipped to Seattle during the second half. The outfielder had a down year to his standards as he held a .219/.332/.388 line across 154 games. This was a stark drop to the .254/.364/.425 line he held during the 2023 campaign. However, he did hit 20 home runs and swiped 20 bags. Under the hood, he generated a solid 43.5% hard-hit rate but struggled at the plate with a hefty 29.7% whiff rate and a 26.1% K rate, which were both significantly below the average marks. Fantasy managers should expect Arozarena to operate as the everyday left fielder in Seattle in 2025.

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According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the San Diego Padres and right-handed pitcher Michael King did not come to an agreement prior to the deadline. As a result, they will now exchange arbitration figures. King performed very well in his first season as a full-time starter. Despite his slow start in April, the right-hander posted a 2.95 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP across a career-high 173 2/3 innings. He struck out batters at a strong 27.7% rate and generated hard contact at an elite 30.3% clip. He also generated an above-average 3.59 xERA and a .226 xBA. Fantasy managers should expect King to continue to have a role in the starting rotation in 2025. Given his impressive second half, where he posted a strong 2.15 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, fantasy managers should view King as a high-upside SP2 in all formats.

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The Houston Astros and utility man Mauricio Dubon settled on a $5 million deal for the 2025 season on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. Dubon will have one more year of arbitration eligibility. The 30-year-old veteran is currently recovering after having surgery to fix a torn UCL in his left thumb in October, but barring a setback, he should be ready for Opening Day in 2025. The Honduras native slashed .269/.296/.361 with a .657 OPS, only four home runs, a career-high 47 RBI, three stolen bases and 45 runs scored in 137 games in his second full season with the Astros in 2024. Dubon's game on offense is based on putting the ball in play, but he doesn't hit the ball very hard and has limited power, making him a low-upside commodity in AL-only leagues mostly. His biggest draw in those fantasy leagues is his positional versatility, as he can basically play anywhere on the diamond.

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Right-hander Kutter Crawford and the Boston Red Sox settled on a one-year, $2.75 million deal on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration. In his fourth year with Boston in 2024, Crawford made a career-high 33 starts (183 2/3 innings ) and went 9-16 (most losses in the league) with a 4.36 ERA (4.65 FIP), 1.12 WHIP, 175 strikeouts, 51 walks and a league-high 34 home runs allowed. The 28-year-old was an innings-eater for the Red Sox last year but struggled with a career-high workload. His strikeout percentage (23.1 percent) and hard-hit rate (36.3%) regressed last year with more innings under his belt. The BoSox added left-hander Garrett Crochet and right-hander Walker Buehler to their starting rotation this offseason, so there's no guarantee Crawford will open 2025 in the rotation in Beantown. At worst, though, he could be a valuable swingman for Boston's pitching staff.

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According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, catcher Jose Trevino and the Cincinnati Reds have settled on a one-year, $3.425 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. The Reds acquired Trevino from the New York Yankees in a trade earlier this offseason, which sent right-handed pitcher Fernando Cruz to the Bronx. Trevino should be expected to share catching duties with Tyler Stephenson. Last season, Trevino posted a .215/.288/.354 slash line with just eight home runs. Under the hood, Trevino generated a poor .267 xwOBA, a 5.3% barrel rate, and a 35.1% hard-hit rate. Trevino should only be targeted in deeper NL-only formats, as Stephenson should be expected to see the majority of starts behind the dish and because Trevino carries minimal offensive upside.

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Infielder Luis Arraez and the San Diego Padres settled on a $14 million deal for the 2025 season on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. Arraez will get a $3.5 million raise in his final year of arbitration eligibility. With the Padres looking to cut salary this year, they've explored trading Arraez to the New York Yankees, although no deal is close. The 27-year-old Venezuelan is the best contact hitter in the game and won the batting title for the third straight season while playing for the Padres and Miami Marlins. It's hard to believe his .314 average was a step back from 2023, and he also had surgery in October to fix a torn ligament in his left thumb. Arraez surely has a unique skill set, but his lack of defensive prowess and speed mostly make him a one-category contributor (average) in fantasy. If he stays in SD, Arraez should hit leadoff in a strong lineup.

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According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (elbow) and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a one-year $2.35 million contract to avoid arbitration. The 28-year-old logged 39 1/3 innings in 2024 before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery. In this small stint, the right-hander posted a 2.75 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Under the hood, he generated a stellar 28.6% hard-hit rate and 56.0% ground-ball rate. He also struck out batters at an elite 32.5% rate. In 2023, Bradish posted a 2.83 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP across 168 2/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the season, as he may be eligible to return to the Baltimore rotation sometime during the second half of the 2025 campaign.

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According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, left-handed relief pitcher A.J. Puk and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a one-year, $2.95 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. Puk began the 2024 campaign in the Miami Marlins rotation but struggled as he posted a 9.22 ERA and a 2.63 WHIP across four starts. He was then placed on the injured list with a shoulder injury and was moved back to the bullpen when he returned. Puk returned to form in the bullpen and was eventually shipped to Arizona to help them down the stretch. Across 57 2/3 innings of relief, the southpaw posted a stellar 1.72 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. He struck out batters at a strong 29.9% rate and generated an impressive 2.72 xERA and a .197 xBA, which were both within the 90th percentile among qualified pitchers. Fantasy managers should expect Puk to compete for save opportunities with Justin Martinez in the Arizona bullpen in 2025.

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Outfielder Leody Taveras and the Texas Rangers avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by settling on a one-year, $4.75 million deal. Taveras had a pretty disappointing 2024 campaign in his fifth year with the Rangers, slashing .229/.289/.352 with a below-average .641 OPS, 12 home runs, 44 RBI and 59 runs scored in a career-high 151 games, but he did manage a career-best 23 stolen bases. The 26-year-old switch-hitting Dominican outfielder also reached double-digit home runs for the second straight season, but Taveras could face more competition for everyday playing time and is in danger of becoming Texas' fourth outfielder unless he improves more offensively in 2025. Helping his cause is that he's solid defensively and can run. The health of Evan Carter could have a big impact on how much playing time Taveras sees next season.

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Right-handed reliever Michael Kopech and the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $5.2 million deal for 2025. Kopech began last season as the closer for the Chicago White Sox and struggled with a 4.74 ERA and 1.35 WHIP with nine saves, 59 strikeouts and 24 walks in 43 2/3 innings before he was traded to the Dodgers at the trade deadline. The hard-throwing 28-year-old turned things around when he got to LA and helped the team win the World Series in the fall. In his 24 appearances out of the bullpen for the Blue in the regular season, Kopech had a pristine 1.13 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, six saves, 29 strikeouts and 10 walks in 24 innings. With his full-time move to a relief role in 2024, Kopech's velocity predictably went up and he induced whiffs 34% of the time on his heater. Walks can be an issue, but he'll once again be in the mix for saves in 2025 on the best team in baseball.

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According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Detroit Tigers and starting pitcher Tarik Skubal settled on a one-year contract with $10.15 million to avoid arbitration. Skubal was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball last season en route to winning the American League Cy Young Award. Across 192 innings, which was a career-high, the southpaw posted a 2.39 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP with an 18-4 record. He generated a stellar 2.72 xERA and .208 xBA. He generated strikeouts at an elite 30.3% rate and whiffs at a 31.9% rate. He also limited hard contact at a solid 33.9% hard-hit rate. Fantasy managers should view Skubal as one of the top pitchers in baseball heading into the 2025 campaign. Given his elite strikeout ability and ability to limit hard contact, he is worthy of being viewed as the SP1 in all formats.

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