Right-hander Clarke Schmidt and the New York Yankees agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million deal on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. Schmidt only made 16 regular-season starts for the Yankees in 2024 due to a right-lat injury, but when he was on the mound, he was great, posting a career-best 2.85 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP with 93 punchouts in 85 1/3 innings thrown. For his efforts, he'll receive a $1.57 million raise going into 2025. The Yanks added left-hander Max Fried to their starting rotation this winter, but Schmidt should still be a part of the team's Opening Day rotation. The 28-year-old is by no means a household name, but if he can build on his progress from last year before he got hurt, he could be an excellent value pick in 2025 fantasy drafts. Schmidt does an above-average job at avoiding contact and inducing weak contact.

Right-handed closer Devin Williams and the New York Yankees agreed on a one-year, $8.6 million deal on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. The Yankees acquired Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason, and he will be their undisputed closer to begin the 2025 campaign. The 30-year-old did miss the entire first half of last season while recovering from back surgery, but when he returned, he was the same lights-out closer for the Brewers to finish the year. The former second-round pick by the Brewers in 2013 has been one of the most dominant closers in baseball the last three years, posting a combined 1.66 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 65 saves, 221 strikeouts and 69 walks in 141 relief innings. There may be some injury concerns surround Williams, but he's a no-doubt top-five fantasy closer with the Yankees.

The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration with right-hander Zac Gallen on Thursday by settling on a one-year, $13.5 million deal. In addition to Gallen, the D-backs also agreed to one-year deals with right-handers Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson, left-handers Joe Mantiply, Kyle Nelson and A.J. Puk, and infielders Josh Naylor, Geraldo Perdomo and Pavin Smith. The 29-year-old Gallen will be Arizona's No. 2 starter in 2025 after they signed Corbin Burnes in free agency. Gallen missed time with a hamstring injury in 2024 and finished with a 3.65 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 156 strikeouts and 54 walks in 148 innings pitched. He's a very strong major-league pitcher but comes short of being an elite fantasy ace because of his 26.6% career strikeout rate. Gallen needs to return to his pinpoint control of the strike zone to deliver value as a second fantasy starting pitcher.

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (wrist) broke his right wrist in just the fourth game last year and had surgery in October to help alleviate lingering swelling, but he's now swinging a bat without any issues and should be a full-go for the start of spring training next month. "I'm full-go," Jung said. "I don't know if Dr. Shin waved some magic fairy dust over my wrist or what, but so far we've been able to feel like a normal human. Hopefully we can continue that." Jung missed four months and played in only 46 games in 2024. It's great news that the 26-year-old will be a full-go for spring training, and if he can avoid any setbacks or other injuries, he'll be in line for a bounce-back campaign for the Rangers and fantasy managers alike. He hit 23 home runs in 122 games in his rookie year in 2023 while also missing around si weeks with a thumb injury. Jung is a risk/reward power threat in fantasy drafts with plenty of upside.

The New York Yankees are trying to trade right-hander Marcus Stroman this offseason and are willing to pay down his $18 million salary in 2025 to make it happen, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman. The Yankees would love to trade Stroman so that they could add an infielder. While the Yankees have talked about trading for San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez, nothing is close on that front. Signing free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman or trading for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado might not be in the cards, either, but free-agent infielder Jorge Polanco could be a possibility. If they cannot trade Stroman, they'd still have money to sign someone like Brendan Rodgers or Paul DeJong. As things stand right now, ... [More]

According to league sources, free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso's representatives have offered the New York Mets a three-year deal with opt-outs, and the deal is only available to the Mets right now. However, no deal is imminent, and Alonso's agent, Scott Boras, declined to comment on the situation. Many teams have already found their answer at first base this offseason, but Alonso remains on the open market and hasn't gotten any long-term offers to his liking. At this point, a return to New York, even though the Mets signed superstar outfielder Juan Soto, is the most likely outcome. The 30-year-old right-handed slugger known as the Polar Bear had a down year offensively by his standards in 2024 with 34 home runs, 88 RBI and a .788 OPS, which were all career-lows. However, he's been extremely durable and remains a good bet for 30-plus homers again in 2025, regardless of where he's playing.

According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, the Arizona Diamondbacks and first baseman Josh Naylor have agreed to a one-year, $10.9 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. The Diamondbacks acquired Naylor earlier this offseason via a trade with the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi. Last season in Cleveland, Naylor posted a .243/.320/.456 slash line with 31 home runs and six stolen bases. He also tallied an impressive 108 RBI. This was his second straight campaign tallying at least 97 RBI. He generated a solid .335 xwOBA and a .443 xSLG. With Christian Walker now in Houston, fantasy managers should expect Naylor to operate as the everyday first baseman in Arizona. He should continue to be viewed as an elite option for RBI and will now bat behind Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Toronto Blue Jays and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. agreed on a one-year contract worth $28.5 million to avoid arbitration. The 25-year-old enjoyed a fantastic campaign last summer, posting a stellar .323/.396/.544 slash line with 30 home runs and two stolen bases. Under the hood, he generated a .408 xwOBA, .321 xBA, and a .567 xSLG, which placed him in the 98th, 100th, and 98th percentile, respectively, in each statistic. He also posted an excellent 54.9% hard-hit rate and showed an elite eye at the plate with a 13.8% K rate. Guerrero's eventual contract extension remains a top priority for the Blue Jays as he will enter free agency next winter. Heading into 2025, fantasy managers should view Guerrero as the top first baseman on the board, given his elite hitting profile and power upside.

According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, outfielder Kyle Tucker and the Chicago Cubs could not come to a settlement on a salary for 2025. As a result, both sides will now exchange arbitration figures. Tucker was acquired by the Cubs earlier this offseason in a blockbuster trade that sent top prospect Cam Smith, third baseman Isaac Paredes, and right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski to the Houston Astros. Tucker is one of the best outfielders in the sport, as he posted a stellar .289/.408/.585 slash line with 23 home runs and 11 stolen bases across 78 games last season. Tucker missed time due to a shin fracture. Under the hood, the 27-year-old generated a stellar .400 xwOBA with a strong 16.5% strikeout rate and a 15.9% walk rate. Given his elite bat and speed, Tucker is viewed as a consensus first-round pick in all formats.

According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, the Los Angeles Angels and outfielder Jo Adell have settled on a one-year, $2.1 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. Adell has spent his entire professional career with the Angels after being drafted by them with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft. Last summer, Adell caught fire in April, posting a stellar .327/.379/.615 slash line with four home runs and five stolen bases but struggled the rest of the season with a .190/.266/.368 line. However, he was able to hit a career-high 20 long balls and swipe 15 bags last season. He continued to hit the ball hard with an 11.7% barrel rate and a 44.7% hard-hit but held a hefty 27.9% strikeout rate. Adell should be viewed as a decent target for power and speed that comes with risk given his lack of contact skills.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Baltimore Orioles have signed relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge to a one-year deal worth $10 million. Kittredge spent the entire 2024 season pitching in St. Louis and operating as the setup man for closer Ryan Helsley. With Felix Bautista expected to reclaim the closer role in 2025, Kittredge will likely be deployed in a setup role once again. Last season, the veteran posted a 2.80 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 70 2/3 innings of work. He generated a solid 45.5% ground-ball rate and showed strong command with a 7.0% walk rate. He struck out batters at a modest 28.3% clip and generated whiffs at a 27.8% rate. Fantasy managers in leagues that score holds should view Kittredge as one of the top options, as he should be given ample opportunities to pitch with a lead on a competing Baltimore team.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Houston Astros and starting pitcher Framber Valdez have agreed to a one-year contract worth $18 million to avoid arbitration. The southpaw is expected to be among the top free agents following the 2025 season. Last summer, the 31-year-old posted a 2.91 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP across 176 1/3 innings of work. Valdez has made at least 28 starts over the past three seasons and logged at least 175 innings in each campaign. Last summer, Valdez generated a stellar 61.7% ground-ball rate, which placed him in the 99th percentile among qualified pitchers. He also limited hard contact with an excellent 5.3% barrel rate. Despite his modest strikeout production, Valdez remains one of the safest pitchers in fantasy baseball, given his ability to log a high total of innings each year and produce strong ratios.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the New York Yankees and infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. have agreed to a one-year contract worth $5.85 million to avoid arbitration. The 26-year-old began the 2024 season with the Miami Marlins but was eventually traded to the New York Yankees during the stretch run. Across 147 games last summer, Chisholm held a .256/.324/.436 line with 24 home runs and 40 stolen bases. However, in 46 games with the Yankees, Chisholm performed very well as he held a .273/.325/.500 line with 11 home runs. The 26-year-old was deployed primarily at the hot corner during his short tenure with the Yankees last season but could move to the keystone as the Yankees are actively trying to add another infielder to their roster. Chisholm carries an elite combination of power and speed and should be viewed as a high-end third baseman in standard category leagues.

According to the team, outfielder Jarred Kelenic and the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a one-year contract worth $2.3 million to avoid arbitration. The former top prospect spent the entire 2024 campaign with the Atlanta Braves. While he performed well at times, he struggled to find consistency as he held an overall .231/.286/.393 slash line with 15 home runs and seven stolen bases. During the first half, he held a solid .255 AVG and a .418 SLG but saw his production drop considerably in the second half to a mere .182 AVG and a .343 SLG. The 25-year-old generated a modest 45.2% hard-hit rate and a 9.9% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should expect Kelenic to operate as the everyday left fielder in Atlanta in 2025 but could be given a shorter leash given his late-season struggles in 2024.

According to Mandy Bell of MLB.com, the Cleveland Guardians and outfielder Steven Kwan have agreed to a one-year contract worth $4.175 million to avoid arbitration. In 2024, Steven Kwan enjoyed the best season of his career as he posted a .292/.368/.425 line. He launched a career-best 14 home runs. He also swiped double-digit bags for the third straight campaign. This was a nice bounce-back compared to the .268/.340./.370 line he held in 2023. Last summer, he generated an impressive .284 xBA, which placed him in the 94th percentile among qualified hitters. In addition, the 27-year-old showed a great eye at the plate with a 9.4% K rate, 8.2% whiff rate, and 19.2% chase rate, which placed him within the 96th percentile among qualified hitters. Despite his lack of power, Kwan remains a top pick for batting average, given his elite contact skills.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Seattle Mariners and outfielder Randy Arozarena have agreed on a one-year contract worth $11.3 million to avoid arbitration. Arozarena opened the 2024 campaign with the Tampa Bay Rays but was eventually shipped to Seattle during the second half. The outfielder had a down year to his standards as he held a .219/.332/.388 line across 154 games. This was a stark drop to the .254/.364/.425 line he held during the 2023 campaign. However, he did hit 20 home runs and swiped 20 bags. Under the hood, he generated a solid 43.5% hard-hit rate but struggled at the plate with a hefty 29.7% whiff rate and a 26.1% K rate, which were both significantly below the average marks. Fantasy managers should expect Arozarena to operate as the everyday left fielder in Seattle in 2025.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the San Diego Padres and right-handed pitcher Michael King did not come to an agreement prior to the deadline. As a result, they will now exchange arbitration figures. King performed very well in his first season as a full-time starter. Despite his slow start in April, the right-hander posted a 2.95 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP across a career-high 173 2/3 innings. He struck out batters at a strong 27.7% rate and generated hard contact at an elite 30.3% clip. He also generated an above-average 3.59 xERA and a .226 xBA. Fantasy managers should expect King to continue to have a role in the starting rotation in 2025. Given his impressive second half, where he posted a strong 2.15 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, fantasy managers should view King as a high-upside SP2 in all formats.

The Houston Astros and utility man Mauricio Dubon settled on a $5 million deal for the 2025 season on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. Dubon will have one more year of arbitration eligibility. The 30-year-old veteran is currently recovering after having surgery to fix a torn UCL in his left thumb in October, but barring a setback, he should be ready for Opening Day in 2025. The Honduras native slashed .269/.296/.361 with a .657 OPS, only four home runs, a career-high 47 RBI, three stolen bases and 45 runs scored in 137 games in his second full season with the Astros in 2024. Dubon's game on offense is based on putting the ball in play, but he doesn't hit the ball very hard and has limited power, making him a low-upside commodity in AL-only leagues mostly. His biggest draw in those fantasy leagues is his positional versatility, as he can basically play anywhere on the diamond.

Right-hander Kutter Crawford and the Boston Red Sox settled on a one-year, $2.75 million deal on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration. In his fourth year with Boston in 2024, Crawford made a career-high 33 starts (183 2/3 innings ) and went 9-16 (most losses in the league) with a 4.36 ERA (4.65 FIP), 1.12 WHIP, 175 strikeouts, 51 walks and a league-high 34 home runs allowed. The 28-year-old was an innings-eater for the Red Sox last year but struggled with a career-high workload. His strikeout percentage (23.1 percent) and hard-hit rate (36.3%) regressed last year with more innings under his belt. The BoSox added left-hander Garrett Crochet and right-hander Walker Buehler to their starting rotation this offseason, so there's no guarantee Crawford will open 2025 in the rotation in Beantown. At worst, though, he could be a valuable swingman for Boston's pitching staff.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, starting pitcher Kyle Bradish (elbow) and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a one-year, $2.35 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. The 28-year-old logged 39 1/3 innings in 2024 before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery. In this small stint, the right-hander posted a 2.75 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Under the hood, he generated a stellar 28.6% hard-hit rate and 56.0% ground-ball rate. He also struck out batters at an elite 32.5% rate. In 2023, Bradish posted a 2.83 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP across 168 2/3 innings of work in a breakout season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the season, as he may be eligible to return to the Baltimore rotation sometime during the second half of the 2025 campaign.