The new range is burning vivid, with the commerce market displaying early exercise and a lot of noteworthy free brokers having already come off the board. The place are you able to flip for steerage amid this maelstrom of maneuvers?
Proper right here is the place. Chris Towers and I can be making the Offseason Tracker our house base for the subsequent few months, churning out content material because the information warrants. Right here, you may get a breakdown of all of the strikes that matter for Fantasy Baseball with out all of the fluff. (OK, possibly just a little fluff.)
Bookmark it. Learn it. Reside by it.
The Bronx chewed up and spit out Williams, heretofore a lockdown ace of a more in-depth, however certainly the opposite New York borough will makes for a gentler touchdown. Or … in no way. The truth is, this deal gives little in the best way of closure as a result of the Mets’ mountain of assets permits them to pursue one other big-dollar reliever, as much as and together with Edwin Diaz, who would in fact take priority over Williams within the ninth inning. However the Mets are paying Williams nearer cash — three years, $45 million, together with extra incentives — so for now, let’s presume he is their nearer.
Whereas we might have appreciated him to land in a lower-pressure locale, the one motive to quote New York as the reason for his struggles is as a result of there are not any extra apparent ones. His pitches all had the identical form and velocity. He missed bats at his standard elite charge. His 3.11 xERA and a pair of.68 FIP have been each a lot decrease than his 4.79 ERA. He was mainly the identical pitcher. The outcomes have been simply worse. Usually, you’d guess on a rebound in that situation, and I nonetheless assume that is the best transfer, which is why I rank him simply inside my high 12 relievers. However I might really feel higher had he signed some place else. –Scott White
Whereas some groups have been reportedly eyeing Helsley as a rotation candidate, the Orioles plan to make use of him as a more in-depth with Felix Bautista (shoulder) anticipated out for almost all of 2016. Helsley was an awesome nearer not so way back, registering 49 saves with a 2.04 ERA in 2024, however he was not so nice or perhaps a nearer when final we noticed him, placing collectively a 7.20 ERA in 22 appearances for the Mets following a midseason commerce from the Cardinals.
After attending to the basis of the issue, which was apparently a inform in his supply, he completed his Mets tenure with seven scoreless innings, and the Orioles evidently felt assured sufficient give him a two-year, $28 million deal. It is not the form of contract that an ace reliever who’s completely worry-free would get, however it’s a strong dedication nonetheless. With the Orioles anticipated again in playoff rivalry, you need to anticipate drafting Helsley within the 12-15 vary at reduction pitcher. He is has the potential to be high 5. –Scott White
$210 million is some huge cash for a pitcher coming off a 4.55 ERA. However as I wrote in my extra in-depth breakdown of the signing, that ERA does not come near telling the entire story with Stop. Sure, he is frustratingly inconsistent. He is additionally a real workhorse, taking the ball each fifth day and offering quantity and strikeouts. With ERA and WHIP threat, certain, however there’s clearly loads of upside there, too. He is going off the board in early drafts round eightieth total, because the twentieth SP off the board or thereabouts, and that looks as if an ideal high quality worth for a man together with his combination of upside and projectable quantity. There aren’t many pitchers whose absolute best-case situation is as attractive for Fantasy as Stop’s. –Chris Towers
The Crimson Sox have been anticipated to make a giant splash in both free company or within the commerce marketplace for a rotation improve, and this commerce is perhaps it. Grey struggled to a 4.28 ERA and 1.23 WHIP final season, however his underlying metrics have been extra indicative of a top-of-rotation arm, together with a 26.7% strikeout charge, 3.39 FIP and three.29 SIERA. The 36-year-old has seen his velocity decline in consecutive seasons, nonetheless, and his high quality of contact metrics took a giant step again in 2025, which is why his xERA was a extra pedestrian 3.90 mark. He is a stable pitcher, each for the Crimson Sox and for Fantasy, however I do not assume he is a needle-mover in both occasion at this level in his profession, even when the Crimson Sox may have the ability to get him of their pitching lab and squeeze some further worth out of him. There’s nonetheless room for the Crimson Sox to improve this rotation, in different phrases. –Chris Towers
In trade for Grey, the Cardinals acquired a few attention-grabbing youthful arms. Fitts is extra of a recognized amount, and he hasn’t given us a lot motive to be excited. He had a 5.00 ERA with even worse peripherals in 2025, so whereas he may slide into the Cardinals rotation, it’s going to largely be for a scarcity of higher choices. Clarke is the extra attention-grabbing long-term undertaking, with a fastball that may contact 100 mph and a slider that’s already a weapon. The remainder of the arsenal is a piece in progress. He walked 27 in simply 38 innings throughout two ranges of A-Ball in 2025, so this can be a actual undertaking. If all comes collectively, he may have the ability to hack it as a starter, however he seems to be extra like a Ryan Helsley-in-waiting kind of high-leverage bullpen arm in the long term.
The opposite factor price noting right here is that, with Grey out of the image and Miles Mikolas leaving by way of free company, there are a number of holes within the Cardinals rotation proper now. Prospects Quinn Mathews and Tink Therefore have expertise within the excessive minors and may very well be choices for the 2026 rotation, although each have troublesome 2025 campaigns that would lead the workforce to need to see extra success at Triple-A earlier than they make that decision. For Fantasy, these are each names to know heading into spring coaching in case they will steal rotation spots. Liam Doyle, a 2025 first-round decide, appears prone to be extra of a midseason consideration after he threw simply 3 2/3 post-draft innings within the professionals, however he might completely be a quick riser early in 2026, too. –Chris Towers
The Mets and Rangers continued the early offseason pattern of buying and selling main leaguers for different main leaguers in an trade of two growing older ones with a number of years remaining on their offers. Nimmo, who’s 32, has proven solely faint indicators of decline, if even these, persevering with to make worthwhile contributions in house runs and stolen bases with massive run and RBI manufacturing. He is becoming a member of a worse lineup that performs in a worse venue, however any modifications to his manufacturing could be slight, presuming good well being.
Semien, who’s 35, has seen his manufacturing nosedive the previous two years, however this commerce could serve to gradual and even reverse the decline given the park improve. Statcast estimates he’d have a dozen extra house runs throughout that very same two-year span if he had performed each recreation at Citi Discipline. That is my largest takeaway from this commerce, however Chris Towers has written an entire breakdown of it, which you will discover right here. –Scott White
Iglesias re-ups for one 12 months at precisely the identical charge ($16 million) because the earlier three. Clearly, the Braves have been searching for continuity, and that makes the evaluation right here reasonably simple. He is the nearer once more for an anticipated contender and a close to lock for 30 saves, supplied he stays wholesome. He missed that quantity by one in 2025, largely due to some early-season struggles. As soon as he reduce on his slider, although, he was clearly again to kind, compiling a 1.25 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 10.0 Ok/9 in his ultimate 45 appearances. That’ll play, all proper, and positions Iglesias to be one of many first 12 relievers off the board in 2026. –Scott White
What a fall for Rodriguez, who was regarded a pair years in the past as one of many recreation’s burgeoning aces after a multi-year run as a top-10 total prospect. Now, the Orioles have dealt him away for one 12 months of some 32-year-old outfielder who simply hit .228. That is not completely truthful to Ward, who additionally linked for 36 house runs in 2025, however most projections have him regressing to 25-30 in 2026. He is additionally becoming a member of a workforce that is loaded with solid-but-less-than-All-Star-worthy nook bats. There already wasn’t room within the lineup for all of Dylan Beavers, Samuel Basallo, Coby Mayo, Tyler O’Neill and Ryan Mountcastle. Now, there’s room for one fewer. It will not be Ward, however does that imply we’ll have to attend even longer for Basallo to contribute in Fantasy? If that’s the case, that is a bummer.
However the true story right here is Rodriguez, who Angels GM Perry Minasian says is predicted to be prepared for spring coaching after lacking all of 2025 with lat and elbow points. The lat has been a recurring downside, additionally costing Rodriguez time in 2024 and as a minor leaguer in 2022, and the elbow required debridement surgical procedure in August. The Orioles solely made this deal as a result of they could not belief him to remain wholesome, however having mentioned that, he would not be the primary pitcher to beat a multi-year damage pattern and nonetheless go on to satisfy his potential. Now we have no proof that his stuff has diminished with this newest rash of accidents, so I am nonetheless inclined to rank him as a high 75 beginning pitcher for 2026. This commerce is bound to present some drafters pause even at that late stage, although. –Scott White
Grisham’s determination to just accept the qualifying supply is a curious one provided that he simply had far and away his greatest season, homering 34 instances as the first heart fielder for the Yankees. Some main shops have been projecting him to obtain a four- or five-year deal for the same annual worth because the qualifying supply, however his agent in all probability has a greater learn in the marketplace.
If nothing else, you might say he is betting on himself with this transfer, hoping to re-enter the market subsequent offseason with out the stigma of being a one-hit surprise, however now comes the exhausting half: doing it once more. You may assume the return to Yankee Stadium will assist, provided that he is a left-handed batter, however he truly hit two-thirds of his house runs on the street. If the Yankees are severe about giving Jasson Dominguez common enjoying time subsequent 12 months and likewise bringing again Cody Bellinger, Grisham could also be combating for at-bats once more. The Yankees nonetheless make for a greater touchdown than a variety of golf equipment, however you may perceive why drafters may strategy Grisham with some skepticism in 2026. –Scott White
A modest displaying by Torres in 2025 led him to just accept the Tigers’ qualifying supply reasonably than testing the free agent market, and also you may assume a return to Comerica Park is a nasty transfer for his Fantasy worth given its fame. However it truly performed nicely for right-handed hitters in 2025, and Torres batted .285 with a .449 slugging proportion there in comparison with .223 and .327 on the street. On steadiness, he carried out nicely beneath his .271 xBA and .452 xSLG, having delivered his greatest common exit velocity in three years and a few of his greatest stroll and strikeout numbers ever, so some higher luck would go a good distance towards redeeming him in Fantasy. He is not a surefire top-12 selection, although, even at a place as skinny as second base. –Scott White
One thing tells me that if Woodruff hadn’t gone into the offseason nursing a lat damage, he would not have needed to settle for the Brewers’ qualifying supply, as an alternative pursuing a multi-year deal. However now, he is again in prove-it mode after already overcoming a extra vital shoulder damage in close to miraculous vogue. Although the shoulder capsule surgical procedure that he underwent in 2023 took 3 mph off his fastball — usually a career-ender for a pitcher, notably one so fastball-reliant — he mainly picked up the place he left off statistically, even delivering the most effective strikeout charge of his profession. A brand new cutter is essentially to credit score for saving him, and his fortunes rose and fell with its utilization. He’ll be loads motivated now that he is pitching for a contract once more, however he would have been price choosing among the many high 36 beginning pitchers both means. –Scott White
The Cubs’ determination to say no Imanaga’s three-year, $57.5 million choice after the season makes extra sense now that we see the best way all the pieces performed out. They in all probability suspected he’d settle for the $22.025 million qualifying supply, which he did, so now they nonetheless have him however with out the multi-year dedication.
The maneuver would appear to alleviate suspicions that he is cooked, which have been price entertaining provided that a lot of key metrics fell off throughout his sophomore season, specifically his Ok/9 charge (from 9.0 to 7.3) and his swinging-strike charge (from 14.5 % to 11.9 %). It is form of deceptive to name it his sophomore season provided that he is 32, and his age contributed to these fears of decline as nicely. Nonetheless, he was efficient when wholesome, remaining a standout for WHIP particularly. Nobody will mistake him for an ace in 2026, however he ought to be drafted within the center rounds. –Scott White
Usually, a hitter signing with the Mariners would not be probably the most favorable final result given T-Cellular Park’s fame as a pitcher-friendly venue. However Naylor did not have any issues there after coming over in a midseason commerce with the Diamondbacks, batting .360 (32 for 89) with 5 homers and a 1.015 OPS within the Mariners’ house video games.
Furthermore, the Mariners appeared to unlock the base-stealer in him. His 11 stolen bases in 93 video games with the Diamondbacks have been shocking sufficient, however then he had 19 in simply 54 video games with the Mariners. Given his third percentile dash pace, another workforce may need put a cease to that, however the Mariners do not appear to care. He was succeeding, in spite of everything. It is uncertain he steals 30 once more, which is why he stays solely eighth in my first base rankings, however a return to the Mariners improves Naylor’s probabilities of remaining a base-stealer in some capability. For extra, take a look at Chris Towers’ full-length article. –Scott White
