The new range is burning shiny, 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 will likely be making the Offseason Tracker our residence base for the following few months, churning out content material because the information warrants. Right here, you will get a breakdown of all of the strikes that matter for Fantasy Baseball with out all of the fluff. (OK, perhaps slightly fluff.)
Bookmark it. Learn it. Dwell by it.
Cody Ponce indicators with Blue Jays
After an unremarkable stint with the Pirates earlier within the decade, Ponce spent a number of years refining his recreation abroad, and it culminated with him incomes MVP honors within the Korean Baseball Group final 12 months. The award is simple to grasp given the numbers, however what’s behind these numbers? Apparently, he is added 2 mph to his fastball since we final noticed him in 2021, and he is additionally added a kick change (typically recognized as a splitter) that produces unimaginable tumbling motion with its minimal spin (typically beneath 1,000 rpm). Although he additionally has a sweeper, it is the fastball and changeup that primarily account for his 12.6 Okay/9, the best for any former MLB pitcher getting back from the KBO.
The Blue Jays are making a reasonable-sized dedication, too. Three years, $30 million, whereas having the potential to make him a cut price, is not stab-in-the-dark cash. They’re satisfied Ponce can maintain down a rotation spot for them, and I am satisfied he’ll at the very least be viable in Fantasy, along with his core elements suggesting even higher than that. Nonetheless, the 2026 beginning pitcher crop is deep sufficient in upside performs that I could not justify utilizing greater than a late-round choose on him. –Scott White
A former fourth-round choose of the Diamondbacks, Weiss wasn’t ok to achieve the majors earlier than departing for Korea in 2024, however after placing collectively spectacular numbers there in 2025 (see above), he’ll get an opportunity to compete for a spot within the Astros rotation on a one-year, $2.6 million deal. That is not an important monetary dedication, clearly, which suggests {that a} market didn’t develop for the soon-to-be 29-year-old. Between that and the shortage of clear explanations for Weiss’ breakthrough (past obscure references to improved command and a broader secondary arsenal), I am inclined to assume it was much less about Weiss himself than his competitors. He could have stretches when he is streamable, however barring some eye-opening efficiency this spring, he ought to go largely undrafted in Fantasy. –Scott White
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 … under no circumstances. In reality, this deal affords little in the way in which 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 after all 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’d have preferred him to land in a lower-pressure locale, the one purpose 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 normal elite price. His 3.11 xERA and a pair of.68 FIP have been each a lot decrease than his 4.79 ERA. He was principally the identical pitcher. The outcomes have been simply worse. Usually, you’d guess on a rebound in that state of affairs, and I nonetheless assume that is the suitable transfer, which is why I rank him simply inside my prime 12 relievers. However I might really feel higher had he signed some other place. –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 important 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 foundation 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 kind of contract that an ace reliever who’s completely worry-free would get, nevertheless it’s a sturdy dedication nonetheless. With the Orioles anticipated again in playoff competition, you must anticipate drafting Helsley within the 12-15 vary at aid pitcher. He is has the potential to be prime 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 would 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, positive, 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 fantastic worth for a man along with his combination of upside and projectable quantity. There aren’t many pitchers whose absolute best-case state of affairs is as engaging for Fantasy as Stop’s. –Chris Towers
The Pink 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 likely to be 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 price, 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 Pink 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 Pink Sox would possibly have the ability to get him of their pitching lab and squeeze some further worth out of him. There’s nonetheless room for the Pink Sox to improve this rotation, in different phrases. –Chris Towers
In change for Grey, the Cardinals bought a few attention-grabbing youthful arms. Fitts is extra of a recognized amount, and he hasn’t given us a lot purpose to be excited. He had a 5.00 ERA with even worse peripherals in 2025, so whereas he would possibly slide into the Cardinals rotation, it’s going to largely be for an absence of higher choices. Clarke is the extra attention-grabbing long-term venture, 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 venture. If all comes collectively, he would possibly have the ability to hack it as a starter, however he seems 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 might be choices for the 2026 rotation, although each have troublesome 2025 campaigns that would lead the staff 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 choose, appears prone to be extra of a midseason consideration after he threw simply 3 2/3 post-draft innings within the professionals, however he may completely be a quick riser early in 2026, too. –Chris Towers
The Mets and Rangers continued the early offseason development of buying and selling main leaguers for different main leaguers in an change of two ageing 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 residence runs and stolen bases with huge run and RBI manufacturing. He is becoming a member of a worse lineup that performs in a worse venue, however any adjustments 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 sluggish and even reverse the decline given the park improve. Statcast estimates he’d have a dozen extra residence runs throughout that very same two-year span if he had performed each recreation at Citi Subject. That is my largest takeaway from this commerce, however Chris Towers has written an entire breakdown of it, which you could find right here. –Scott White
Iglesias re-ups for one 12 months at precisely the identical price ($16 million) because the earlier three. Clearly, the Braves have been in search of continuity, and that makes the evaluation right here moderately straightforward. He is the nearer once more for an anticipated contender and a close to lock for 30 saves, offered he stays wholesome. He missed that quantity by one in 2025, largely due to some early-season struggles. As soon as he in the reduction of on his slider, although, he was clearly again to type, compiling a 1.25 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 10.0 Okay/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 honest to Ward, who additionally linked for 36 residence runs in 2025, however most projections have him regressing to 25-30 in 2026. He is additionally becoming a member of a staff 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? In that 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 development and nonetheless go on to satisfy his potential. We’ve no proof that his stuff has diminished with this newest rash of accidents, so I am nonetheless inclined to rank him as a prime 75 beginning pitcher for 2026. This commerce is certain to provide some drafters pause even at that late stage, although. –Scott White
Grisham’s resolution to just accept the qualifying supply is a curious one on condition that he simply had far and away his greatest season, homering 34 occasions as the first middle 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 marvel, however now comes the arduous half: doing it once more. You would possibly assume the return to Yankee Stadium will assist, on condition that he is a left-handed batter, however he really hit two-thirds of his residence runs on the highway. If the Yankees are severe about giving Jasson Dominguez common enjoying time subsequent 12 months and in addition bringing again Cody Bellinger, Grisham could also be preventing for at-bats once more. The Yankees nonetheless make for a greater touchdown than loads of golf equipment, however you may perceive why drafters would possibly 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 moderately than testing the free agent market, and also you would possibly assume a return to Comerica Park is a foul transfer for his Fantasy worth given its repute. Nevertheless it really performed effectively for right-handed hitters in 2025, and Torres batted .285 with a .449 slugging share there in comparison with .223 and .327 on the highway. On steadiness, he carried out effectively 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 great distance towards redeeming him in Fantasy. He isn’t 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 principally picked up the place he left off statistically, even delivering the very best strikeout price 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 a lot motivated now that he is pitching for a contract once more, however he would have been price deciding on among the many prime 36 beginning pitchers both means. –Scott White
The Cubs’ resolution to say no Imanaga’s three-year, $57.5 million choice after the season makes extra sense now that we see the way in which every part 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 on condition that a lot of key metrics fell off throughout his sophomore season, specifically his Okay/9 price (from 9.0 to 7.3) and his swinging-strike price (from 14.5 p.c to 11.9 p.c). It is kind of deceptive to name it his sophomore season on condition that he is 32, and his age contributed to these fears of decline as effectively. Nonetheless, he was efficient when wholesome, remaining a standout for WHIP particularly. Nobody will mistake him for an ace in 2026, however he must be drafted within the center rounds. –Scott White
Usually, a hitter signing with the Mariners would not be probably the most favorable end result given T-Cell Park’s repute 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’ residence 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 staff 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 possibilities of remaining a base-stealer in some capability. For extra, try Chris Towers’ full-length article. –Scott White
