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According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed right-handed pitcher Jeff Hoffman to a three-year contract worth $33 million. Hoffman enjoyed a strong campaign in Philadelphia last summer as he posted a 2.17 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP across 66 1/3 innings of work. He tallied ten saves and 21 holds while being deployed as a high-leverage option out of the bullpen. Under the hood, the East Carolina product generated a 2.87 xERA and a .202 xBA which were both within the 90th percentile. In addition, Hoffman's 33.6% K rate and 35.3% whiff rate were significantly above the average marks. Earlier this offseason, the Athletic reported that several clubs viewed Hoffman as a potential starter. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during spring training. If he were to continue to operate as a reliever, he would compete for save opportunities with Chad Green.

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According to Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports, the Chicago Cubs have acquired right-handed pitcher Matt Festa from the Texas Rangers in exchange for cash considerations. In a corresponding move, the Cubs designated infielder Miles Mastrobuoni for assignment. Festa was initially designated for assignment by Texas earlier this week but will now look to compete for a spot on the Cubs Opening Day Roster. Last season, Festa posted a 5.70 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP across 23 2/3 innings of relief in the majors. Mastrobuoni was deployed as a depth option in the Chicago infield last season and held a .191/.245/.224 line across 50 games. If Festa were to earn a spot on the roster, he would likely see time as a low-leverage relief option.

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According to Alex Weiner of AZ Sports, the Arizona Diamondbacks have claimed catcher Rene Pinto off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. Pinto will now join a crowded catching room that consists of Gabriel Moreno, prospect Adrian Del Castillo, and Jose Herrera. Pinto has spent his entire major league career with the Tampa Bay Rays. Last season, Pinto appeared in 19 games and posted a .214/.292/.429 line with three doubles and two home runs. Across 83 career major league games, the 28-year-old holds a .231/.263/.404 line with ten home runs. Given the crowded state of the Arizona catcher room, this may suggest that Del Castillo may see time as a designated hitter this season, or another transaction is in the works. For now, fantasy managers should expect Moreno to see the majority of starts behind the dish.

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According to the team, the Baltimore Orioles have claimed starting pitcher Roansy Contreras off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. In a corresponding move, the Orioles designated infielder Livan Soto for assignment. Contreras has been claimed and released by several clubs this offseason. Last season, across 68 1/3 innings with Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, the right-hander held a 4.53 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He struck out 56 batters and served up 31 free passes. Under the hood, he generated a 4.94 ERA and .260 xBA. In addition, he allowed hard contact at a hefty 43.5% rate and barrels at a 9.7% rate, both of which were well below the average marks. Fantasy managers should not have Contreras on their radar heading into the 2025 season, given his lack of proven success at the major league level.

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According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, right-handed pitcher Colin Rea has signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs worth $6 million. Earlier this offseason, the Brewers declined Rea's option. The 34-year-old has spent the past three seasons with the Brewers. Last summer, Rea spent most of the season operating out of the starting rotation but will likely be deployed out of the bullpen in Chicago, given their depth at starting pitching. Across 167 2/3 innings of work, Rea held a 4.29 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He showed strong command with a 6.0% walk rate but struggled to generate strikeouts as he posted an underwhelming 18.9% clip. He also generated a poor 4.91 xERA and .272 xBA, both well below the average marks. Rea could eventually join the rotation later in the season but is best left as a streaming option in deeper NL-only formats.

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According to MLB.com, Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (elbow/forearm) is throwing off the mound and hopes to return early in the 2025 season. The 31-year-old underwent surgery to repair his right flexor in June of 2023 but faced a setback last season due to soreness. As a result, McCullers has not pitched in a major league game since 2022 but could be nearing a return. In 2022, the right-hander posted a 2.27 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP across 47 2/3 innings of work. During this stint, he struck out 50 batters and generated a solid 32.5% hard-hit and 50.4% barrel rates. During his last complete season in 2021, McCullers posted a 3.16 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP across 162 1/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers in deeper AL-only formats should continue to monitor his progression, as he could be a candidate to rejoin the rotation sometime in early 2025.

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Right-hander Clarke Schmidt and the New York Yankees agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million deal on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. Schmidt only made 16 regular-season starts for the Yankees in 2024 due to a right-lat injury, but when he was on the mound, he was great, posting a career-best 2.85 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP with 93 punchouts in 85 1/3 innings thrown. For his efforts, he'll receive a $1.57 million raise going into 2025. The Yanks added left-hander Max Fried to their starting rotation this winter, but Schmidt should still be a part of the team's Opening Day rotation. The 28-year-old is by no means a household name, but if he can build on his progress from last year before he got hurt, he could be an excellent value pick in 2025 fantasy drafts. Schmidt does an above-average job at avoiding contact and inducing weak contact.

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Right-handed closer Devin Williams and the New York Yankees agreed on a one-year, $8.6 million deal on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. The Yankees acquired Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason, and he will be their undisputed closer to begin the 2025 campaign. The 30-year-old did miss the entire first half of last season while recovering from back surgery, but when he returned, he was the same lights-out closer for the Brewers to finish the year. The former second-round pick by the Brewers in 2013 has been one of the most dominant closers in baseball the last three years, posting a combined 1.66 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 65 saves, 221 strikeouts and 69 walks in 141 relief innings. There may be some injury concerns surround Williams, but he's a no-doubt top-five fantasy closer with the Yankees.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration with right-hander Zac Gallen on Thursday by settling on a one-year, $13.5 million deal. In addition to Gallen, the D-backs also agreed to one-year deals with right-handers Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson, left-handers Joe Mantiply, Kyle Nelson and A.J. Puk, and infielders Josh Naylor, Geraldo Perdomo and Pavin Smith. The 29-year-old Gallen will be Arizona's No. 2 starter in 2025 after they signed Corbin Burnes in free agency. Gallen missed time with a hamstring injury in 2024 and finished with a 3.65 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 156 strikeouts and 54 walks in 148 innings pitched. He's a very strong major-league pitcher but comes short of being an elite fantasy ace because of his 26.6% career strikeout rate. Gallen needs to return to his pinpoint control of the strike zone to deliver value as a second fantasy starting pitcher.

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Kansas City Royals first baseman Jac Caglianone, the team's top-ranked prospect and No. 17 on MLB Pipeline's top-100 list, has been invited to big-league camp at spring training next month. The 21-year-old left-handed slugger was taken sixth overall in last year's MLB draft out of Florida. In addition to Caglianone, top hitting prospects Blake Mitchell (No. 2) and Carter Jensen (No. 5) will also be in major-league camp with the Royals. The Royals haven't invited a top prospect to spring training since Alex Gordon in 2006, and general manager J.J. Picollo said it's a testament to Caglianone's ability and the way the game has evolved. Caglianone was the best two-way player in college, but he will focus solely on hitting in 2025 with a bat that wields elite raw power. He won't break camp with the big-league team and will likely start at Double-A, but Caglianone will likely be on the fast track to the bigs if he stays healthy.

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Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (wrist) broke his right wrist in just the fourth game last year and had surgery in October to help alleviate lingering swelling, but he's now swinging a bat without any issues and should be a full-go for the start of spring training next month. "I'm full-go," Jung said. "I don't know if Dr. Shin waved some magic fairy dust over my wrist or what, but so far we've been able to feel like a normal human. Hopefully we can continue that." Jung missed four months and played in only 46 games in 2024. It's great news that the 26-year-old will be a full-go for spring training, and if he can avoid any setbacks or other injuries, he'll be in line for a bounce-back campaign for the Rangers and fantasy managers alike. He hit 23 home runs in 122 games in his rookie year in 2023 while also missing around si weeks with a thumb injury. Jung is a risk/reward power threat in fantasy drafts with plenty of upside.

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According to league sources, free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso's representatives have offered the New York Mets a three-year deal with opt-outs, and the deal is only available to the Mets right now. However, no deal is imminent, and Alonso's agent, Scott Boras, declined to comment on the situation. Many teams have already found their answer at first base this offseason, but Alonso remains on the open market and hasn't gotten any long-term offers to his liking. At this point, a return to New York, even though the Mets signed superstar outfielder Juan Soto, is the most likely outcome. The 30-year-old right-handed slugger known as the Polar Bear had a down year offensively by his standards in 2024 with 34 home runs, 88 RBI and a .788 OPS, which were all career-lows. However, he's been extremely durable and remains a good bet for 30-plus homers again in 2025, regardless of where he's playing.

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The New York Yankees are trying to trade right-hander Marcus Stroman this offseason and are willing to pay down his $18 million salary in 2025 to make it happen, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman. The Yankees would love to trade Stroman so that they could add an infielder. While the Yankees have talked about trading for San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez, nothing is close on that front. Signing free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman or trading for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado might not be in the cards, either, but free-agent infielder Jorge Polanco could be a possibility. If they cannot trade Stroman, they'd still have money to sign someone like Brendan Rodgers or Paul DeJong. As things stand right now, DJ LeMahieu is the top option at the hot corner and will be given a chance to win the job in spring training.

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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.

From RotoBaller