According to Mark Feinsand of the MLB Network, the Los Angeles Dodgers have signed free-agent outfielder Michael Conforto to a one-year, $17 million contract. The veteran outfielder enjoyed a solid campaign with the Giants last season from a power perspective, holding a .237/.309/.450 slash line with 20 home runs. This was his highest home run total since the 2019 season. Under the hood, the 31-year-old generated a strong .479 xSLG, 11.8% barrel rate, and 46.0% hard-hit rate, all well above the average marks. However, Conforto did carry a hefty 24.2% strikeout rate and a modest 8.6% walk rate. Moving to the Dodgers, fantasy managers should expect Conforto to see an uptick in his counting stats, especially in RBI. Fantasy managers should monitor his status during spring training, as he could be given an everyday role in the starting nine.

According to Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the Pirates have signed relief pitcher Hunter Stratton to a minor-league contract. Stratton spent all of last summer in Steele City but underwent surgery in his left knee in August. Stratton was facing a seven-to-ten-month recovery window at the time of the operation. Through 37 2/3 innings of relief, Stratton held a 3.58 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. He tallied one save while showing great command with a stellar 4.4% walk rate. He also generated a solid 3.29 xERA and a 31.3% hard-hit rate. He was typically deployed in the eighth inning as and tallied five holds. Fantasy managers should monitor his progression during Spring Training as he could face an uphill battle to be ready for Opening Day, given his tight recovery window.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Detroit Tigers have expressed interest in reuniting with free-agent starting pitcher Jack Flaherty. Flaherty opened the 2024 season with the Tigers but was eventually traded at the deadline to the Los Angeles Dodgers and played a crucial role in helping them win the World Series. However, the Tigers made an incredible run down the stretch and reached the postseason after selling at the trade deadline. Given their late-season success, the Tigers are interested in improving their roster to compete again in 2025. The 29-year-old enjoyed a nice bounce-back campaign last season, holding a 3.17 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 162 frames. These were his best numbers since the 2021 season. Even though the Tigers have one of the best starting pitchers in baseball leading their rotation in Tarik Skubal, Flaherty would be a strong No. 2 and put them in a good position to compete in the AL Central.

According to Mark Feinsand of the MLB Network, the Boston Red Sox intend to pursue free-agent outfielder Teoscar Hernandez if they do not sign Juan Soto. Feinsand noted that Boston is believed to have more interest in Hernandez than in another free-agent outfielder, Anthony Santander. In addition, Feinsand also stated the Blue Jays are in the mix for Hernandez but may prefer Santander. While Hernandez has hinted he prefers to stay with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a sizeable contract offer from Boston may change his mind. Last season in Los Angeles, Hernandez posted a solid .272/.339/.501 slash line with 33 home runs and 12 stolen bases. Under the hood, he generated a stellar 14.9% barrel rate and has continued to establish himself as one of baseball's best pure power hitters. The 32-year-old will be a popular pick in drafts this season simply off his power but may see a drop in RBI opportunities if he leaves the Dodgers.

The New York Mets have signed free-agent outfielder Edward Olivares to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring camp. The 28-year-old played the first half of last season for the Pirates before being optioned to Triple-A in July. He hit .263 with 12 home runs in 2023 for the Royals over 107 games, and while he hit .344 with three home runs over the first nine games in 2024, the right-handed hitter was unable to maintain that momentum over the course of the season. For his career, the Venezuelan has shown some better pop against left-handed pitching, with a .440 SLG and .199 ISO against them compared to a .389 SLG and .128 ISO versus righties, so he could fit into a platoon role were he able to make it back to the majors.

The Baltimore Orioles have signed free-agent catcher Gary Sanchez to a one-year, $8.5 million deal. Sanchez will back up frontline catcher Adley Rutschman, but could also DH if need be. The 32-year-old played for Milwaukee last season, slashing .220/.307/.392, including 11 home runs, with a .307 wOBA and 96 wRC+ in 280 plate appearances. The veteran backstop still has plenty of pop in his bat, registering a 10.5% barrel rate last season and a 15.4% rate with 19 home runs in 240 at-bats just two seasons ago in 2023. Coming to Baltimore brings him back to the AL East, the division in which he played in for his first several seasons up through 2021 as a member of the New York Yankees. Unless the Dominican gets regular at-bats, however, he won't be all that relevant for fantasy purposes.

According to Alex D'Agostino of Sports Illustrated, free-agent relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge could be a good fit for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 34-year-old operated as the go-to setup man for Ryan Helsley in St. Louis last season. Across 70 2/3 innings of work, the veteran right-hander posted a 2.80 ERA and 1.13 WHIP and tallied 37 holds. He held a modest 23.3% strikeout rate and showed great command with a 7.0% walk rate. In addition, he generated a 45.5% ground-ball rate and a 27.8% whiff rate, which was also slightly above the average marks. With Arizona lacking a proven ninth-inning option, Kittredge could provide a veteran presence in the bullpen and may eventually find himself in a ninth-inning role. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should monitor where he signs in free agency, as he could be a solid target for saves if he becomes a true closer.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Devin Williams is still in trade conversations. With Williams projected to earn $7.7 million in his final year of arbitration before becoming a free agent, the Brewers may opt to move off the superstar closer due to their minimal payroll flexibility. With Clay Holmes agreeing to a $38 million contract with the New York Mets, Williams could be in store for a massive payday, given his elite production throughout his career. The 30-year-old missed the first half of the season due to back fractures but returned to his typical ninth-inning role in the second half and posted a 1.25 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 14 saves. Under the hood, he generated a near-perfect .143 xBA with a 43.2% K rate. Even with the possibility of a trade, fantasy managers should view Williams as a top relief pitcher in all formats heading into the 2025 campaign.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the San Francisco Giants have signed free agent shortstop Willy Adames to a seven-year contract worth $182 million. This is the largest contract in their team's history and the third-largest guaranteed contract earned by a Dominican-born player. The 29-year-old enjoyed an excellent campaign last season with Milwaukee as he posted a strong .251/.331/.462 line with 32 home runs and 21 stolen bases. He added a career-high 121 RBI and 33 doubles. Under the hood, Adames generated an excellent 12.0% barrel rate with a .461 xSLG which was both significantly above the average marks. In addition, he posted a 10.2% walk rate, which placed him in the top 80th percentile among hitters. Fantasy managers should expect the power-hitting shortstop to bat in the heart of the San Francisco lineup, which should provide him with ample RBI opportunities. Given his ability to contribute to all five standard categories, fantasy managers should see him as a high-end shortstop entering the 2025 campaign.

The San Diego Padres re-signed infielder Mason McCoy to a minor-league deal on Friday that includes a non-roster invite to big-league spring training, according to sources. McCoy was non-tendered by the Padres in November but will now return to the organization and will get a chance to compete for an Opening Day roster spot in spring training. The 29-year-old got a short run as the Padres' starting shortstop late in the season when Ha-Seong Kim (shoulder) was injured, but he was a short-term stopgap at the position and hit just .204 (10-for-49) with no homers, three RBI, seven runs scored and 19 strikeouts in his 57 plate appearances over 19 games. McCoy has played in just 25 big-league games since debuting in 2023 with Toronto and has a .200/.273/.240 slash line with a .513 OPS. He'll represent infield depth for the Friars again in 2025 and is off the fantasy radar.

Free-agent right-hander Adrian Houser signed a minor-league deal with the Texas Rangers on Saturday. Houser will head to the American League after spending the 2024 campaign with the New York Mets. Houser appeared in 23 games (seven starts) for the Mets but wasn't very effective on the mound, going 1-5 with a career-worst 5.84 ERA (4.93 FIP), a 1.53 WHIP, his first career save and a 45:32 K:BB in his 69 1/3 innings pitched before he was cut in late July. The 31-year-old veteran latched on with the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs after that but didn't make it back to the majors in the second half of the season. The former second-round pick by the Houston Astros in 2011 wasn't much better in seven starts in the minors, posting a 6.37 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 35 1/3 frames. Houser will most likely open the 2025 season at Triple-A Round Rock as pitching depth for Texas.

ESPN's Buster Olney writes that the St. Louis Cardinals are working from a limited list of options of third baseman Nolan Arenado's preferred teams as they consider their trade possibilities for the future Hall of Famer. The Cardinals are shifting their plans this offseason with an eye more toward the future while playing most of their youngsters in 2025, so the 33-year-old Arenado is being shopped this winter. Even though he's still one of the best defensive third basemen in the game, Arenado is willing to shift to first base in 2025 to create more roster flexibility for a contending team that might be interesting in acquiring him. Some teams that could make sense for Arenado include the Red Sox, Dodgers, Astros, Yankees, Mariners and Blue Jays. Offensively, Arenado has been on the decline since he came to St. Louis, and he had just 16 homers in 2024. In addition, he had career-worst marks in average exit velocity (86.3 mph), hard-hit rate (31.6%) and barrel rate (3.2%).

The Chicago Cubs announced on Saturday that shortstop Dansby Swanson (core) had successful surgery on his core in early October with Dr. Bill Meyer. Swanson isn't expected to miss any time as the result of his offseason surgery and should be ready to go for the start of spring training in mid-February. The 30-year-old wasn't quite as good in his second year in Chicago as he was the previous two seasons when he was an All-Star, as he slashed .242/.312/.390 with a .701 OPS, 16 home runs, 66 RBI, a career-high 19 stolen bases and 82 runs scored in 593 trips to the plate and 149 games. If not for a late-season surge, Swanson would have had a terrible 2024, as he hit just .219/.291/.346 with nine homers in his first 99 games. Despite his resurgence from a poor start, Swanson's career-high 49.9% ground-ball rate doesn't pound to a rebound in the power department going forward.

The Colorado Rockies are in the market for a second baseman this winter, and according to a source, one name to monitor is free-agent infielder Thairo Estrada. After moving on from Brendan Rodgers finally, the Rockies signed Kyle Farmer already this offseason, but he projects better as a utility infielder than an everyday starter at the keystone. Prospect Adael Amador isn't quite ready, so Colorado is looking for more of a stop-gap option. In addition to Estrada, free-agent options include Gleyber Torres, Ha-Seong Kim, Jorge Polanco, Jose Iglesias, Adam Frazier and ... [More]

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Chicago Cubs are "determined" to trade either outfielders Cody Bellinger or Seiya Suzuki. While Bellinger's name has been on the trade block earlier this offseason, Suzuki's name has yet to enter the conversation. Suzuki has spent each of his first three MLB seasons with the Cubs and has posted an overall .278/.354/.470 line. Last season, he hit a career-high 21 home runs and swiped a career-high 16 bags. Under the hood, he generated a stellar 49.2% hard-hit and 11.5% barrel rates. Given Chicago's surplus of young outfielders such as Pete Crow-Armstrong, Owen Caissie, Kevin Alcantara, and even top-hitting prospect infielder Matt Shaw, the Cubs may opt to ship one of these MLB bats to improve another position on their roster, which will open a spot for one of their budding prospects.

According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty is drawing trade interest. Baty was drafted by the Mets with the 12th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. Baty made his major league debut in 2022 but has never been able to find his footing at the big league level as he holds an underwhelming career .215/.282/.325 line with just 15 home runs. However, in Triple-A, Baty has shown solid upside as he sits with an overall .272/.368/.531 with 26 long balls across 94 games. Given his young age, Baty is an intriguing option for rebuilding teams to target, as he has dropped in trade value, given his struggles in the majors. In addition, given Mark Vientos' emergence this past season, Baty may face an uphill battle to find consistent playing time in Queens in 2025. Fantasy managers in dynasty formats should continue to monitor Baty's status during the offseason, as he could be worth looking into if he finds a full-time role with a new club.

MLB.com's Steve Gilbert wonders if the Arizona Diamondbacks would consider turning shortstop Blaze Alexander into a Chris Taylor-type of multi-positional player moving forward. Alexander has appeared at shortstop, second base and third base at the major-league level, but he has yet to play the outfield. The 25-year-old is an above-average athlete that can run, and he also possesses a strong arm, so he shouldn't have a ton of issues learning the outfield. Using Alexander at other positions in the outfield would make him much more valuable and give manager Torey Lovullo a lot more options in game. An 11th-round selection in 2018, Alexander made his big-league debut in 2024 for the Snakes and saw extensive action, appearing in 61 games and slashing .247/.321/.343 with a .664 OPS, three home runs, 21 RBI, three steals and 19 runs scored in 185 plate appearances.

The Arizona Diamondbacks will likely look at right-hander Drey Jameson (elbow) as a reliever in his first season back from Tommy John surgery in 2025. Jameson is one of the team's top prospects, but he had Tommy John surgery in September of 2023 and will be ready to go in spring training in February. He threw only 68 2/3 innings between Triple-A Reno and the majors before having surgery in 2023 and obviously didn't pitch at all in 2024, so he'll be on a strict innings limit in his return next year. If that's the direction the Snakes go in, Jameson will lack fantasy upside in 2025, but he could still be an extremely valuable piece out of Arizona's bullpen. The 27-year-old made 15 big-league appearances (three starts) for the D-backs in 2023 and had a 3.32 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP, one save, 37 strikeouts and 18 walks in 40 2/3 innings.

As the St. Louis Cardinals transition this offseason, they are focused on letting most of their youngers players play regularly in order to evaluate their roster for the coming seasons. Infielder Nolan Gorman is one such young player set to play regularly in 2025, and the Cardinals would like to see him get close to 600 at-bats next year, according to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak. In addition to Gorman, outfielder Jordan Walker should have a bigger role without the threat of being sent back to the minors. Other young players that should have key roles include Lars Nootbaar, Alec Burleson, Pedro Pages and Ivan Herrera. Gorman, the 19th overall pick in 2018, regressed in 2024, hitting .203/.271/.400 with a career-low .671 OPS, 19 home runs, 50 RBI and six steals in 107 games. The 24-year-old spent the final five weeks in the minors but should have an everyday role, either at second or third, in 2025.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal suggests that free-agent first baseman Christian Walker, who is from the eastern part of Pennsylvania, could be an ideal fit for the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team looking for upgrades on offense. However, many other teams will be interested in Walker this offseason, including both New York teams if they lose out on superstar free-agent outfielder Juan Soto. The Pirates expect outfielder Bryan Reynolds to play some first base in 2025, but ideally, the Bucs are looking to add a first baseman and a corner outfielder this offseason. The 33-year-old Walker turned down the Arizona Diamondbacks' $21.50 million qualifying offer, so if Pittsburgh signs him, they'll give up draft compensation. Walker has been a model of power consistency in recent seasons, although an oblique injury hampered him down the stretch in 2024. A move to Pittsburgh wouldn't be ideal for fantasy, but he'll still be a decent target at the position once the elite names come off the board.