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According to Chris Cotillo of Mass Live, the Red Sox could look to target left-handed Timer Mayza in free agency. With Justin Wilson potentially considering a return, the Red Sox could look to sign Mayza to fill his role. Last season, the left-hander logged only 16 2/3 innings of work as he was sidelined for most of the campaign due to a left lat strain. During this brief stint, he split time with the Pirates and Phillies, posting a 3.78 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP. He struck out 15 hitters. In 2024, the southpaw logged 42 2/3 innings with the Yankees and Blue Jays, posting a high 6.33 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. While Mayza could fill a low-leverage role in the Boston bullpen, managers should not expect him to compete for any high-leverage opportunities, given his recent struggles, if he were to sign there. Aroldis Chapman remains the clear-cut ninth-inning option, while Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten remain the top targets for holds.

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The Chicago Cubs remain interested in improving their third base position and continue to show interest in top infield free agents Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette. As initially reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Cubs expressed interest in Bichette in hopes of upgrading at third base. However, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that Bregman could also fill that role and remains linked to the club. However, Rosenthal and Sammon noted that if the Cubs were to acquire either Brgman or Bichette in free agency, it could result in a trade of second baseman Nico Hoerner and a move of Matt Shaw to the keystone. While the Cubs have not "fully explored" Hoerner's trade market, the Cubs could look to further bolster their rotation even after acquiring Edward Cabrera on Tuesday. Both Bregman and Bichette remain two of the top hitters on the free agent market and have been linked to several suitors. Bregman is coming off a strong debut season in Boston, where he held a .273 AVG with 18 home runs, while Bichette enjoyed a massive bounce-back campaign, posting a stellar .311 AVG with an .840 OPS.

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The Kansas City Royals have shown interest in acquiring Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan, according to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic. The Cardinals have shopped Donovan all offseason but have struggled to find a trade partner. While he is under club control for another two seasons, the Cardinals are looking for a sizeable return for Donovan, who the team views as a high-end player. This offseason, the Royals did not make many major additions to their starting lineup, which means Donovan could fill a super-utility role, playing time at second base and the outfield, as he has done in St. Louis. Last season, the 28-year-old posted a career-best .287 AVG with 32 doubles, 10 home runs, and three stolen bases. He showed an elite eye at the plate, striking out at just 13.0% of the time. Donovan could see an uptick in counting stats if he joins Kansas City, batting alongside Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, and Salvador Perez.

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Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitcher Lyon Richardson was sent to Triple-A after passing through waivers. Richardson has spent his entire professional career with the Reds, since joining them in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Richardson made his MLB debut during the 2023 campaign, but logged his highest workload this past summer. In 2025, the Jensen Beach HS product posted a 4.54 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP across 37 2/3 innings. He struck out 30 hitters but served up a hefty 21 free passes. Through 32 innings with Triple-A last season, Richardson held a similar 4.22 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP. Managers should expect Richardson to operate in a relief role at Louisville to open the season and contend for a low-leverage role in the major league bullpen.

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The Colorado Rockies have claimed right-handed pitcher Keegan Thompson. The 30-year-old right-hander signed a contract with the Reds earlier this offseason but was designated for assignment in late December. Thompson began his MLB career with the Chicago Cubs and was selected in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Auburn. During his debut season, Thompson posted a 3.38 ERA with a 1.48 WHIP across 53 1/3 innings. This past season, Thompson enjoyed his most productive campaign, posting a strong 2.67 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP across 30 1/3 innings of relief. He added two saves as well. Given his solid production last summer, managers should expect Thompson to carve out a role in Colorado, serving as a middle relief option or potentially in a high-leverage situation.

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The Chicago Cubs have claimed left-handed pitcher Ryan Rolison off waivers from the Colorado Rockies, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Rolison, a former first-round pick, made his MLB debut with the Rockies last summer. Across his first 42 1/3 innings in the big leagues, the southpaw posted a hefty 7.02 ERA with a 1.77 WHIP. During this stint, he tallied just 25 pinchouts and allowed 20 walks. While he generated groundballs at a promising 48.6% rate, he posted a high 5.74 xERA with a 9.5% barrel rate. Through 115 career innings at Triple-A, Rolison has posted a 5.32 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. Given his struggles in the majors last season, managers should not expect Rolison to have a significant role in the Chicago bullpen if he can crack the Opening Day roster.

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Free-agent right-hander Michael Lorenzen and the Colorado Rockies agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract on Wednesday evening that includes a $9 million club option for the 2027 season, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. The 34-year-old Lorenzen will serve as a starter for the Rockies this year. After a disappointing 2025 campaign with the Kansas City Royals, Lorenzen's fantasy appeal will dip even further in 2026 with the move to one of the worst teams in the league in one of the worst pitchers' parks in Coors Field. The veteran right-hander went 7-11 this past season with a 4.64 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts with 39 walks in 141 2/3 frames over a career-high 26 starts. The one good thing going for Lorenzen with his move to Denver is the fact that he should have a long leash in Colorado's starting rotation. He improved his strikeout and walk rates in KC, but he struggled with home-run allowance, something that will need to change quickly in 2026 if he's going to be a matchup-based streaming option for fantasy managers.

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The Baltimore Orioles designated outfielder Jhonkensy Noel for assignment on Wednesday to make room on the 40-man roster after claiming outfielder Marco Luciano off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Noel didn't last long with Baltimore after being claimed off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians earlier this week. The 24-year-old right-handed Dominican slugger has plenty of raw power in his large 6-foot-3, 250-pound frame. Noel clubbed 19 home runs in 136 games in his two seasons with the Guardians, but he also hit under .200 with 115 strikeouts and only 17 walks in 351 plate appearances at the big-league level. Big Christmas will need to prove he can make more contact with the lumber before he's given another extended chance in a corner-outfield spot in the majors.

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The Chicago White Sox are in the market for another pitcher on a one-year deal, and they expressed interest in free-agent right-hander Griffin Canning (Achilles) in late December, league sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon. Shane Smith, Davis Martin, and Sean Burke are already locked into the team's starting rotation for next season. The Pale Hose have added lefties Sean Newcomb and Anthony Kay this offseason, but Canning would give them another starting option. The 29-year-old Canning was pitching well for the New York Mets in 2025 before rupturing his left Achilles tendon in late June. He had a 3.77 ERA (4.04 FIP) in 76 1/3 innings over 16 starts. Before his injury, Canning was using his cutter and slider more often while keeping the ball in the yard. His Achilles injury will likely keep him from starting the season on time, which means he'll be off the draft radar in standard-sized leagues.

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The Los Angeles Angels claimed outfielder Wade Meckler off waivers on Tuesday afternoon from the San Francisco Giants. Meckler made his MLB debut last summer with the Giants. During his brief 20-game stint in the big leagues, Meckler held a .232/.328/.250 line with just one double, no home runs, and a 25:6 K:BB. Under the hood, the former eighth-round pick generated a .265 xwOBA with a low 22.6% hard-hit rate. However, at the Triple-A level, Meckler posted a .287/.390/.370 line with 21 doubles, one home run, with 11 stolen bases across an 87-game stint. Given his production at the Triple-A level, Meckler could be in line to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster in Los Angeles.

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According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, right-handed pitcher Brusdar Graterol has avoided arbitration with the Dodgers and signed a one-year contract worth $2.8 million. Graterol was on the shelf during the 2025 season while recovering from the labrum surgery he underwent in 2024. During that season, he logged only 7 1/3 innings with the Dodgers and posted a 2.45 ERA. However, in 2023, he was a reliable high-leverage option in the Los Angeles bullpen, posting a 1.20 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, with a 48:12 K:BB across 67 1/3 innings. He tallied a career-best seven saves as well. While the 27-year-old does not project to see many save opportunities in 2026 with Edwin Diaz now in the bullpen, he could find value in deeper leagues that reward holds, pitching for the two-time reigning World Series Champions.

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According to Will Sammon, the deal to send right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs has been finalized. In return, the Cubs are sending prospects Owen Caissie, Cristian Hernandez, and Edgardo DeLeon to Miami. Cabrera is coming off the largest workload of his career as he tossed a season-best 137 2/3 innings during the 2025 season. This was the first time he eclipsed the 100.0 inning mark in a campaign. Across this workload, the right-hander posted a 3.53 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP. He struck out 150 batters but showed modest command, posting an 8.3% BB%. His 3.99 xERA suggests he could take a bit of a step back, but his 47.5% ground-ball rate should play well with an elite Chicago defense behind him. While his workload concerns do make him a risky fantasy asset, when healthy, he has flashed high strikeout upside and should be in a great position to win games on a competing Cubs team.

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Chicago Cubs top outfield prospect Owen Caissie was the centerpiece in the trade that sent right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera to the Cubs on Wednesday afternoon. In addition, prospects Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo DeLeon were also included in the package. Before the trade, Caissie was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Cubs system on MLB.com and the No. 47 overall prospect in the sport. The former second-round pick made his MLB debut late last summer and struggled in his brief stint, posting a .192/.222/.346 line with just one double and one home run across 12 contests. However, through 99 games with the Iowa Cubs, the 23-year-old flashed high upside, posting a .286/.386/.551 line with 22 long balls. While he has high raw power, Caissie had a high 28.0% K%, which raises some concern in his profile. Managers should expect the young outfielder to be in serious contention to earn a spot in the Opening Day lineup.

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The Seattle Mariners signed free-agent first baseman/third baseman Patrick Wisdom to a minor-league deal on Wednesday that includes an invite to spring training, sources told Aram Leighton of Just Baseball Media. The 34-year-old veteran spent last season in Korea with the Kia Tigers, where he hit an impressive 35 home runs on his way to a 126 wRC+. He has a 105 wRC+ in seven major-league seasons, but also an elevated 36.7% strikeout rate. Wisdom has hit .209/.291/.459 with the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Texas Rangers. In 2024 with Chicago, he slashed just .171/.237/.392 with eight home runs, 23 RBI, 16 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 75 games played. Wisdom still has some pop in his bat, but he'll be a long shot to carve out significant playing time for the M's in 2026.

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The Baltimore Orioles have claimed infielder/outfielder Marco Luciano off waivers, according to Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com. Luciano was designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates just two weeks after being claimed off waivers by them on Dec. 5. The 24-year-old was one of the top-ranked prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization a few years ago, but he has struggled in his big-league opportunities, holding a career slash line of .217/.286/.304 (68 wRC+) with a 35.7% strikeout rate in 126 plate appearances. Luciano also struggled during his time with Triple-A Sacramento in 2025, hitting .214 and striking out 30.6% of the time, but he at least flashed his power-speed skill set with 23 homers and 10 stolen bases over 555 plate appearances. He'll aim to establish himself in his new home in Baltimore.

From RotoBaller

The Chicago Cubs are finalizing a deal to acquire Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The teams have not yet confirmed the deal, and the return package is unknown at the moment. Cubs top outfield prospect Owen Caissie is rumored to be part of the haul, but nothing has been officially announced just yet. Cabrera will be entering his age-28 campaign fresh off the best season as a big-leaguer, pitching 137 2/3 innings with a 3.53 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 17.6% K-BB%. Cabrera still has three years of team control as he enters his first year of arbitration eligibility. It's a massive addition for a Cubs rotation that ranked 21st in strikeout rate (21.4%) and 25th in ground-ball rate (39.7%) last season, areas where the flame-throwing Cabrera excelled, ranking in the top 21 among pitchers with at least 130 innings.

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According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Toronto Blue Jays could be the "best option" on the market for free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker. Olney noted that the Blue Jays remain in high interest for the top remaining free agents, and if Tucker is looking for the largest contract possible, the Blue Jays would likely be the "best option" for him. The Blue Jays have already shown a willingness to spend money this offseason, as they signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year $120 million contract and infielder Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year $60 million contract last week. Last summer, Tucker had a bit of a down year by his standards as he posted a .266/.377/.464 line with 22 home runs and 25 stolen bases. However, in the first half he was on pace to enjoy an imrpsveseason, holding a .280/.384/.499 line but dealt with a lingering calf strain down the stretch, which likely affected his play. Tucker will continue to carry near top-5 upside at the outfield position heading into 2026.

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The New York Yankees and free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger have a "sizeable gap" in their current contract negotiations, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Bellinger enjoyed an impressive debut season in the Bronx but has been unable to come to an agreement with the Yankees on an extension. Last season, Bellinger posted a .272/.334/.480 line with 29 home runs and 13 stolen bases. His 29 home runs were the most since his 2019 breakout campaign, in which he launched 47 long balls. While he only generated a low .322 xwOBA under the hood, his left-handed swing is built for Yankee Stadium, and he should be able to carry 25+ HR upside if he were to return there in 2026. If the 30-year-old were to join a different club, the Yankees would likely rely on Jasson Dominguez, Trent Grisham, and Aaron Judge to cover the outfield on most days.

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Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports that it "seems inevitable" that either Ranger Saurez or Framber Valdez will sign with the New York Mets, given their current rotation. Olney noted that Suarez "makes a lot of sense" in New York, given that he has already pitched for a big-market team during his career. Before entering free agency, the southpaw has spent his entire eight-year MLB career with the Phillies. Last summer, Suarez turned in a strong campaign, logging 157 1/3 innings to the tune of a 3.20 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP. He generated a stellar 3.16 xERA with a 5.5% barrel rate and a 31.1% hard-hit rate, placing him in the 84th percentile or higher. However, his strikeout production remained pedestrian as he only tallied 151 during the campaign. If Suarez were to sign with the Mets, he should slide in near the top of the rotation and hold high-floor SP3 value in standard leagues.

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According to Joel Sherman of The New York Post, free agent right-handed pitcher Erasmo Ramirez is set to throw for interested clubs on Wednesday in Tampa Bay. Sherman noted that the 35-year-old pitcher has been training as a starting pitcher in the offseason and hopes to transition from being a primary relief option. Ramirez began his career as a starter but has been shifted to the bullpen for most of his last seven campaigns. In 2025, Ramirez logged 11 innings of relief with the Twins and held a 2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, with one save. Since 2022, he has only eclipsed the 65.5 inning mark in one season and has held a modest 4.24 overall ERA during this four-year stretch. Given that he has not been used as a full-time starter in several seasons, Ramirez will likely have to open the 2026 season in the minor leagues.

From RotoBaller