Minnesota Twins first baseman/outfielder Alex Kirilloff announced his retirement from professional baseball earlier on Thursday on his personal social media account. The 26-year-old emphasized how the numerous injuries he sustained as a professional athlete has taken on toll on him both "mentally and physically." In addition, he expressed that he can no longer give the game the "110%" it requires. Throughout his four-year MLB career with the Minnesota Twins, the former 15th-overall selection held a .248/.309/.412 slash line with 27 home runs, 116 RBI, and a 62:215 BB:K ratio.

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Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler is being traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange right-hander Griffin Canning according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Last season with both the Giants and Braves, Soler held a .241/.338/.442 line with 21 home runs, 64 RBI with a 68:141 BB:K ratio. Canning held an underwhelming 5.19 ERA, 1.40 WHIP with a 66:130 BB:K ratio across 171 2/3 innings of work. Soler should be expected to have a spot in the Opening Day lineup either serving as an outfielder or the designated hitter. Canning will likely compete for a spot in a crowded Atlanta rotation that will welcome back ace Spencer Strider who missed most of the 2024 season due to UCL damage in his throwing elbow.

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New York Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in their Game 5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chisholm hit his second home run of October in the opening frame directly after Aaron Judge hit a two-run shot which gave the Yankees an early three-run lead. However, the Bronx Bombers were unable to hold their lead as the Dodgers eventually tied the game in the fifth and took the lead in the eighth. Chisholm's other postseason long ball came in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Kansas City Royals. The former Miami Marlin joined the Yankees at the trade deadline and finished his postseason run with a disappointing .182/.250/.309 slash line.

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez extended his hitting streak to six games by tallying two hits in their series-clinching victory on Wednesday evening. Hernandez tallied two hits including the game-tying two-run double in the fifth inning which capped an impressive five-run inning for the Dodgers. This double scored outfielder Mookie Betts and first baseman Freddie Freeman. After struggling through most of the NLCS, Hernandez safely reached in every game during the World Series and tallied at least two hits in two of the games. Throughout all of the postseason, the 32-year-old posted a solid .250/.352/.417 line with three home runs and 12 RBI.

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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge went 2-for-3 with two walks and two RBI in their series-clinching loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Judge opening the scoring with a two-run shot in the first inning which also scored outfielder Juan Soto. This was his first round-tripper of the World Series and only third of the postseason. Later in the eighth inning, Judge hit a double to left field. Judge finished his postseason run with an underwhelming .184/.344/.408 slash line with just five extra-base hits and a 11:20 BB:K ratio.

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New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton went 1-for-4 with his seventh home run of the postseason in their Game 5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Stanton hit this solo shot off Dodger right-hander Jack Flaherty and at the time gave the Yankees a five-run lead. However, they were unable to hold it as the Dodgers pulled off the rally and won the series. Stanton was previously named the ALCS MVP and has been the most consistent bat in the Yankee lineup during October. In the postseason, the 34-year-old held an impressive .273/.339/.709 slash line with nine total extra-base hits and 16 RBI.

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Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Daniel Hudson announced his retirement shortly after the Dodgers won the World Series on Wednesday evening. Hudson stated that he "cannot make it another 162" and will instead opt to cap off his 15-year career with a championship. This season, Hudson operated in a high leverage role for the Dodgers and held a solid 3.00 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with ten saves across 63 innings of work. During October he allowed five earned runs in six innings of work. The now two-time World Series Champion ends his career with a cumulative 3.74 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 43 saves in 855 1/3 innings of work.

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler was tasked to record the final three outs in the Game 5 of the World Series. Buehler previously got the starting nod in Game 3 of the World Series but was available out of the bullpen on Wednesday. In the final frame, the 30-year-old got Anthony Volpe to ground out and then proceeded to strike out the next two batters, Austin Wells and Alex Verdugo en route to winning his second World Series. This postseason, Buehler logged 15 innings to the tune of a 3.60 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. During the regular season, the right-hander carried a 5.38 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.

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Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Daniel Hudson announced his retirement shortly after the Dodgers won the World Series on Wednesday evening. Hudson stated that he "cannot make it another 162" and will instead opt to cap off his 15-year career with a championship. This season, Hudson operated in a high leverage role for the Dodgers and held a solid 3.00 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with ten saves across 63 innings of work. During October he allowed five earned runs in six innings of work. The now two-time World Series Champion ends his career with a cumulative 3.74 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 43 saves in 855 1/3 innings of work.

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was down in the count 1-2 versus Yankees starter Gerrit Cole in the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday when he singled to center, driving in two runs in what would end up being a five-run inning for the Dodgers that would tie the game 5-5. Los Angeles would ultimately go on to win 7-6, securing their eighth World Series title, and Freeman would go on to win World Series MVP. The 35-year-old finished the series 6-for-20 (.300) with home runs in each of the first four games, striking out just once and walking twice, while adding 12 RBI along the way. It was the exclamation point on another fine season for the future Hall of Famer, and with an offseason of rest, he should be able to get his hobbled ankle back to full health for the 2025 campaign.

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The New York Mets have signed veteran pitcher Chris Devenksi to a minor league deal with an invite to camp next season. Devenski began 2024 with the Tampa Bay Rays but was released and picked up by Seattle, spending time from mid-July through the end of the season with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate, posting a strong 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 22.6% K-BB% over 23 innings of relief. The 33-year-old was an All-Star back in 2017 with Houston and has a career 3.98 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 18.6% K-BB%.

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Cincinnati Reds first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand was activated off the 60-day IL on Monday. With Encarnacion-Strand playing in the Arizona Fall League, he was initially on a rehab assignment but with it expiring he needed to be put back on the active roster as he continues to play in the AFL. The 24-year-old hit 32 home runs in 2022 in the minors, then hit another 33 between Triple-A and the majors in 2023, but was limited to just 29 games this season due to a wrist injury that eventually required surgery. Hopefully he can get back on track during the fall and will be ready to fortify the Reds lineup in 2025. Unfortunately for Amed Rosario, the veteran utility player was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Despite hitting .307 in 76 games to start the season for the Rays, Rosario was acquired by the Dodgers and then by the Reds, now having played for five different teams since 2020. The 28-year-old will be a free agent heading into the offseason.

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Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain was starting in center field on Tuesday for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. While the 25-year-old hit a home run in the contest, the fact that he was playing the outfield was perhaps the more intriguing development. He missed all of 2024 with injuries, but when he last played for the Reds in his rookie season of 2023, the former first-round draft pick played only second base or shortstop. As the AFL is where a lot of top talent goes to get some extra reps and potentially work on some specific skills, it seems the Reds are seeing if this gives them some flexibility in how McLain is deployed, as they already have plenty of infield talent including Elly De La Cruz, former NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India, and more. When last healthy, McLain put up a .290-16-50-65-14 line in just 89 games in 2023, so the added versatility could be another way to get his bat in the lineup in 2025.

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The Chicago White Sox have hired Will Venable as their new manager. Grady Sizemore had served 45 games as interim manager, finishing out the 2024 season after Pedro Grifol had been let go amid a campaign of futility. The 42-year-old Venable played nine seasons in the majors and was with the Rangers as associate manager under Bruce Bochy prior to joining Chicago. The Sox are coming off a record-setting 121-loss season in 2024, so Venable has an uphill challenge in front of him to get the team winning consistently again.

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New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in Game 2 of the World Series. Stanton would tally his lone hit in the final inning which scored outfielder Juan Soto. This hit began to spark a late rally for the Bronx Bombers but they were unable to finish the job. Stanton has now tallied 14 RBI throughout October and is carrying a five-game RBI streak. During the postseason, the 34-year-old has been one of the most important bats in the Yankee lineup as he posted an excellent .279/.354/.744 line with six home runs and a 5:9 BB:K ratio. Stanton remains a top pick in DFS formats given his elite power and RBI potential.

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon stumbled in Game 2 of the World Series and was handed his second loss of the postseason. Rodon held the Dodgers scoreless in the opening frame but ran into trouble early in the second as Tommy Edman hit a lead-off solo shot. Then, in the third inning with two outs, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez would hit a two-run blast. The next batter, Freddie Freeman would also go on to take Rodon deep to extended the Dodger lead. The southpaw was able to log only three 1/3 innings of work with six total hits allowed and three runs. He struck out three and did not allow a free pass. During October, Rodon now sits with an underwhelming 5.60 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. DFS players should select Rodon with caution if he is able to make another start in the World Series.

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New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Game 2 of the World Series. Soto was able to tie the game in the third inning as he took Dodger right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto deep. The star outfielder has now tallied at least one hit in each of the past four games and has gone deep three times in this span. Throughout October, the 26-year-old has held an impressive .350/.460/.700 with four home runs, nine RBI, and a 9:7 BB:K ratio. Soto will remain a top pick in DFS for the remainder of the series in any matchup.

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Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Tommy Edman went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run in Game 2 of the World Series. Edman has now tallied at least one hit in each of the past eight games and tallied at least two hits in each of the past five. Throughout October, Edman has been one of the most consistent bats in the Dodger lineup as he currently holds a stellar .365/.358/.577 slash line with two home runs, 13 RBI, and four stolen bases. His impressive 11 RBI during the NLDS earned him MVP honors in that series. The veteran utility man will continue to be a popular pick in DFS contests given his incredible stretch on Monday evening when he faces Yankee right-hander Clarke Schmidt.

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Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Game 2 of the World Series. Hernandez went deep for the third time this postseason off Yankee left-hander Carlos Rodon in the third frame. Since going hitless for five straight games, Hernandez is now carrying a three-game hitting streak. In this span, he has tallied multiple hits in two games. Overall, during October, the 32-year-old and posted a .229/.345/.417 line with 10 RBI, three home runs, and a 9:13 BB:K ratio. Hernandez will continue to be a popular target in DFS given his upside for power and potential for scoring opportunities batting in the top half of the lineup.

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Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman went 1-for-4 with a solo shot in Game 2 of the World Series. After hitting the game-winning grand slam in Game 1, Freeman continued to showcase his power, and now holds a two-game home run streak. The 35-year-old did not go deep earlier in the playoffs and only tallied one RBI and no extra-base hits. However, in the first two games of the World Series, the infielder has brought in five runs with three extra-base hits. Freeman will be a popular pick in DFS on Monday evening when he is expected to face Clarke Schmidt who holds a 3.86 ERA during October.

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