The Boston Red Sox and closer Kenley Jansen agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal on Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the deal. Jansen is no longer the closer that made three straight All-Star teams with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016-18, but he'll be a much-needed boost to a Red Sox bullpen that was pretty bad in 2022. The 35-year-old right-handed reliever was solid in his only season as the Atlanta Braves closer in 2022, going 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA (3.21 FIP), a league-high 41 saves (48 chances), a 1.05 WHIP and 85 strikeouts in 64 relief innings. Jansen finished a league-high 54 games and will move to Boston as their primary closing option to begin the 2023 campaign. He has 391 career saves and should add stability to the back end of Boston's 'pen.

The St. Louis Cardinals and catcher Willson Contreras agreed to a five-year, $87.5 million deal on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the deal. There were reports earlier on Wednesday that the two sides were closing in on a deal, and now it's official as the Cardinals find their replacement for the retired Yadier Molina. Contreras was the top offensive catcher on the open market this offseason, and he'll give an already strong Cardinals lineup an added boost at the catcher position. The 30-year-old three-time All-Star hit .243/.349/.466 with an .815 OPS, 22 home runs, 55 RBI, 65 runs scored and four stolen bases in 113 games in 2022 with the Cubs. Contreras has a .256/.349/.459 slash line with an .808 OPS in seven big-league seasons. Moving to St. Louis will make him even more attractive as a high-end fantasy catcher.

The New York Mets and left-hander Jose Quintana agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal on Wednesday, according to sources. Jacob deGrom left the Mets for a five-year deal with the Texas Rangers, but New York has moved quickly to replace him with American League Cy Young winner Justin Verlander and Quintana. The 33-year-old southpaw turned heads in 2022, recording a 2.93 ERA (2.99 FIP), a 1.21 WHIP, 137 strikeouts and 47 walks in 165 2/3 innings over 32 starts with the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals. He was even better in 12 starts with St. Louis with a 2.01 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. Quintana isn't much of a strikeout artist for fantasy purposes, but he should be serviceable as the team's No. 3 starter behind Verlander and Max Scherzer.

The New York Yankees signed free agent superstar outfielder Aaron Judge to a nine-year, $360 million contract. The 30-year-old ultimately will remain with the Yankees after Jon Heyman of the MLB Network reported that the slugger would sign with the Giants on Tuesday. Heyman later retracted his report. The star outfielder also met with the Padres Tuesday, but the Yankees bumped their offer Wednesday morning to keep him in New York. Judge had an incredible 2022 campaign, slashing .311/.425/.686 with 62 home runs, 131 RBI, 133 runs, and 16 stolen bases over 157 games with the Yankees. He set the American League home run record and was named the AL MVP last year. Judge is expected to be a top-five fantasy pick in upcoming 2023 fantasy drafts.

The New York Yankees signed free agent superstar outfielder Aaron Judge to a nine-year, $360 million contract. The 30-year-old ultimately will remain with the Yankees after Jon Heyman of the MLB Network reported that the slugger would sign with the Giants on Tuesday. Heyman later retracted his report. The star outfielder also met with the Padres Tuesday, but the Yankees bumped their offer Wednesday morning to keep him in New York. Judge had an incredible 2022 campaign, slashing .311/.425/.686 with 62 home runs, 131 RBI, 133 runs, and 16 stolen bases over 157 games with the Yankees. He set the American League home run record and was named the AL MVP last year. Judge is expected to be a top-five fantasy pick in upcoming 2023 fantasy drafts.

Free-agent left-hander David Price will not pitch in 2023, according to his long-time agent Bo McKinnis. Price isn't using the retirement word, but if this ends up being it for him, he'll finish his major-league career with a 157-82 record and a 3.32 ERA over 2,143 2/3 innings in 14 seasons. The five-time All-Star and 2013 American League Cy Young winner mostly worked as a reliever the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, posting a 3.47 ERA (4.11 FIP), a 1.33 WHIP, three saves and 95 strikeouts in 114 innings pitched over 79 appearances (11 starts). The 37-year-old was better in 2022 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 37 K's in 40 1/3 relief innings. If Price does return in 2024, it'll likely be in a limited relief role.

The Chicago Cubs and free-agent starting pitcher Jameson Taillon agreed to a four-year, $68 million deal on Tuesday night, according to sources. It was reported earlier on Tuesday night that the Cubs were making a final push to bring Taillon into their starting rotation, and now it's official. The 31-year-old's 2022 season may not have finished as strong as it started, but he still had a solid year for the New York Yankees, going 14-5 with a 3.91 ERA (3.94 FIP), a 1.13 WHIP and a 20.7 percent strikeout rate in 177 1/3 innings over a career-high-tying 32 starts. Taillon will have a weaker lineup behind him in Chicago, but he'll also be leaving the tough American League East for a much weaker division overall in the National League Central.

The San Diego Padres had a high level of disappointment when shortstop Trea Turner chose to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday for 11 years and $300 million, according to multiple sources. The precise terms of the Padres' offer to Turner weren't known, but two people not directly involved but familiar with the dealings said the Padres offered Turner more than the Phillies. San Diego drafted Turner 13th overall in 2014, only later to trade him to the Washington Nationals in a three-team deal that brought Wil Myers to the Friars. Turner and his wife were said all along to prefer the East Coast since they're both from Florida. A team source said Monday that the Padres are no longer in the market for a shortstop and were always really only in it for Turner, who since the start of 2016 has led baseball in steals (228) and ranked ninth in batting average (.303).

The Los Angeles Dodgers are among the teams talking to long-time Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner. The Miami Marlins have also reached out. Turner became a free agent when the Dodgers declined his 2023 option for $16 million. The 38-year-old looked more his age last year in his ninth year in LA. He still hit a respectable .278 with a .350 on-base percentage in 532 plate appearances (128 games), but his power was down considerably with only 13 home runs after clubbing 27 in 2021. Turner drove in 81 runs and scored 61 runs for the Blue. The two-time All-Star is transitioning to more of a designated-hitter role at the tail end of his career, but he could return to the Dodgers for another year. The Marlins are desperately in need of more hitting.

The San Francisco Giants are believed to have offered in the neighborhood of $360 million to free-agent outfielder Aaron Judge, but the assumption/belief among rivals is that the New York Yankees remain the favorites to re-sign the record-breaking slugger. MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported earlier on Tuesday that Judge appeared headed to the Giants before backtracking on his report. There's still a chance that the Giants could lure the 30-year-old American League MVP away from the Bronx, even after signing outfielder Mitch Haniger on Tuesday. Judge could make his decision before the Winter Meetings conclude this Thursday. He set the AL home run record with 62 home runs last season while also driving in 131 runs and scoring 133.

The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly close to a two-year, $15 million deal with free-agent relief pitcher Matt Strahm, the Athletic's Matt Gelb reported Tuesday. The left-hander had a successful 2022 season out of the bullpen for the Red Sox, posting a 3.83 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 26.9% strikeout rate with 12 holds and four saves in 50 appearances. While the Phillies did cycle through several options at closer last season, it seems unlikely that Strahm would fill a significant high-leverage role, limiting his fantasy value.

The Houston Astros are interested in free-agent outfielders Michael Conforto and Andrew Benintendi as potential options to play left field, per MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. Both are left-handed hitters and would complement the host of right-handed hitters in the Astros' current lineup. Conforto did not play in 2022 due to shoulder surgery, but he compiled a .255/.356/.468 slash line in seven seasons with the New York Mets. Benintendi had a decent season with the Royals and Yankees, slashing .304/.373/.399 with five home runs, 51 RBI and eight steals. While neither offers a ton of upside from a fantasy perspective, either player's value would certainly be higher if they held an everyday role in the Astros' lineup.

The Chicago Cubs are "closing in on" a deal with free-agent starting pitcher Jameson Taillon, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported Tuesday. The Cubs also finalized a one-year deal with first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger earlier in the day. Taillon had an excellent first half of the 2022 season with the Yankees before tapering off and ended with a 14-5 record and a 3.91 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 20.7% strikeout rate in 32 starts. While it does look like the Cubs are attempting to bolster their roster overall, this would not be an ideal landing spot for Taillon from a fantasy perspective, as the Cubs had a middling lineup last season.

The Philadelphia Phillies signed free-agent right-hander Taijuan Walker to a four-year deal worth $72 million on Tuesday, according to sources. Walker will join the division-rival Phillies after spending the last two seasons with the New York Mets. He was an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2021 but he actually pitched better in 2022, going 12-5 with a 3.49 ERA (3.65 FIP), a 1.19 WHIP, 132 strikeouts and 45 walks in 157 1/3 innings pitched over 29 starts. The 30-year-old should become the Phillies' No. 3 starter heading into the 2023 season behind Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. Walker's fantasy value won't change all that much heading into next year while staying in the National League East division.

The San Francisco Giants and free-agent outfielder Mitch Haniger agreed to a three-year, $43.5 million deal on Tuesday, according to sources. Signing Haniger doesn't take the Giants out of the running for superstar free-agent slugger Aaron Judge. The Giants have been pursuing both Haniger and Judge on the open market. San Fran was able to land Haniger at a pretty decent cost because of a long list of injuries early in his career. The 31-year-old managed to play in only 57 games in 2022, hitting .246/.308/.429 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI and 31 runs scored in 247 plate appearances. Haniger can be a real fantasy contributor if he stays healthy, as evidenced by a 2021 season in which he slashed .253/.318/.485 with an .804 OPS, aa career-high 39 home runs, 100 RBI and 110 runs scored in 157 games.

The Chicago Cubs and free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger agreed to a one-year, $17.5 million deal on Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the deal. The Los Angeles Dodgers chose to non-tender the 2019 National League MVP after he hit just .210/.265/.389 with 19 home runs, 68 RBI, 70 runs scored and 14 stolen bases in 550 plate appearances over 144 games in 2022. That was after he batted .165 with 10 homers and 36 RBI in 95 games in 2021. The 27-year-old is hoping to reset his value with a much better 2023 campaign, and he figures to be an every-day starting center fielder for the rebuilding Cubs. The Colorado Rockies were discussing a one-year deal with Bellinger before he chose the Cubs, while the Toronto Blue Jays were also interested.

The Texas Rangers signed free-agent left-hander Andrew Heaney to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday, according to a source. Heaney already had a few three-year offers on the open market, but he was pushing for a fourth year. It's unclear if he got that with Texas after throwing 75 innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022. The Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants were also interested in the 31-year-old southpaw. Starting pitching has been a priority for Texas this offseason, as they've already traded for Jake Odorizzi and signed Jacob deGrom to a five-year deal. Injuries limited Heaney to just 16 outings (14 starts) in 2022 for the Dodgers, but he had a strong 3.10 ERA (3.75 FIP), a 1.09 WHIP and 110 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings when he was on the mound.

Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase was named the 2022 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award on Tuesday. Clase is a first-time recipient of the award, and the 24-year-old was also named an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2022. He had a sparkling 1.36 ERA and led the majors with 42 saves for the Guardians. His 77 appearances were tied with Toronto Blue Jays reliever Adam Cimber for the most by any player, and Clase's 67 games finished were 13 more than any other pitcher. In the last two seasons, Clase has posted a 1.33 ERA in 148 outings while racking up 77 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings. Clase has become one of the most attractive closers in fantasy.

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz was named the 2022 recipient of the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award on Tuesday. Diaz won the American League version of the away back in 2018 with the Seattle Mariners, and he joins Craig Kimbrel as the only players to win the award in each league. The hard-throwing right-hander had a ridiculous 118 strikeouts in just 62 innings last season, resulting in an average of 17.1 strikeouts per nine innings. It's the highest single-season rate by any pitcher in major-league history with at least 60 innings pitched. The Mets should be one of the better teams in baseball again in 2023, making Diaz an elite fantasy closer.

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez broke out last season by hitting .323 with 25 home runs, 95 RBI and a .966 OPS while climbing three levels of the minors. He became the team's top prospect and finished the year with six games at Triple-A Indianapolis. There's little doubt he'll reach the big leagues in 2023, but manager Derek Shelton said his exact role is still to be determined. Rodriguez played 75 of his 125 games at catcher last year but also saw time at first base, second base and left field, in addition to designated hitter. The 22-year-old is extremely athletic and versatile, making him even more intriguing as a long-term fantasy asset. It's still possible Rodriguez settles in as an every-day catcher at the next level.