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The Boston Red Sox are acquiring first baseman Willson Contreras in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. In return, the Cardinals will receive right-hander Hunter Dobbins along with right-handed pitching prospects Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, St. Louis will also cover a substantial portion of the $40.5 million remaining on Contreras' contract. Boston had previously pursued Pete Alonso and was rumored to be in on a few other sluggers, but the club now appears to have found its first baseman. Contreras is coming off a season in which he hit 20 home runs while slashing .257/.344/.447 across 563 plate appearances. With the Cardinals in the middle of a rebuild, the organization did not view Contreras as part of its long-term future. The 33-year-old former catcher is expected to take over for Triston Casas at first base, who struggled to a .580 OPS in 112 plate appearances last season. Casas is often hurt and has missed significant time over the years. Overall, this move is a net positive for Contreras' fantasy value, as he joins a more potent offensive lineup in a substantially better hitting environment.

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The Seattle Mariners remain interested in re-signing free-agent third baseman Eugenio Suarez, according to Mariners general manager Justin Hollander, who spoke on MLB Network Radio. Last season, Surez tied his career high with 49 home runs, 13 of which came as a Mariner. Seattle's top offseason priorities were re-signing first baseman Josh Naylor and infielder Jorge Polanco, but with both now off the market, attention has shifted back to Surez. Despite maintaining a 14.3% barrel rate, Surez has become a below-average defender and continues to strike out nearly 30% of the time. The 34-year-old slugger is projected to earn a two-year, $45 million contract. With an ADP of 112, it appears the market believes he has another productive season in him. Although that is very possible, the strikeouts are a concern, and hitting at T-Mobile Park isn't helping him if he ends up back in Seattle. Unless he slips significantly on draft day, he may be someone to pass on, especially with the Giants' Matt Chapman going about 60 picks later.

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Free-agent right-hander Paul Blackburn and the New York Yankees have agreed to a one-year deal worth $2 million, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. After being released by the Mets last year, Blackburn signed with the Yankees and made eight appearances, posting a 5.28 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 15 1/3 innings. Over the past two seasons, the 32-year-old has dealt with injuries to various parts of his body, including his shoulder, knee, spine, and hand. Blackburn hasn't posted an ERA below 4.28 since his rookie season in 2017. For the Bronx Bombers, he will most likely serve as just another bullpen arm and currently holds no fantasy relevance.

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The Detroit Tigers have designated outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy for assignment to clear room for reliever Kyle Finnegan on the 40-man roster, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Malloy, 25, slashed .221/.346/.308 with one home run, 17 RBI, 15 runs scored, with zero stolen bases across 127 plate appearances in 2025. The former sixth-round pick out of Georgia Tech just has not been able to find his footing as a big-leaguer. Although he has a good eye at the plate, he is a below-average defender and has posted a .137 ISO with a 32.8% strike out rate over his 357 career plate appearances. For 2026, fantasy managers can safely remove Malloy from their radar until further notice.

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The Cleveland Guardians have designated left-hander Justin Bruihl for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for reliever Shawn Armstrong, the team announced Saturday night on their X account. Cleveland acquired Bruihl for cash considerations on Wednesday after the Toronto Blue Jays designated him for assignment. The 28-year-old was initially drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021 and has spent time with four teams over his five-year career. Over those years, he has posted a 4.72 ERA, 69 strikeouts, and a 1.372 WHIP across 89 2/3 innings. At this point, Bruihl has no fantasy relevance for 2026.

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The Toronto Blue Jays are showing interest in free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. Bregman just opted out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox and is looking for a multi-year deal. In 2025, Bregman missed 59 games due to a strained quadricep, yet still hit 18 home runs with 62 RBI and 64 runs scored while slashing .273/.360/.462 across 495 plate appearances. For fantasy purposes, the 31-year-old re-signing with Boston would be ideal given his pull-heavy approach and the Green Monster. That said, the Blue Jays had the fourth-best offense last year, and Rogers Centre is one of the most home-run-friendly ballparks in MLB. Right now, he's the eighth third baseman off draft boards, but he still has top-five upside.

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The Kansas City Royals are willing to move left-hander Kris Bubic (shoulder) to shed some payroll. Bubic is projected to earn $6 million in arbitration, and the Royals are looking to add a bat. Royals have been linked to Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran and Cardinals second baseman/outfielder Brendan Donovan. Bubic is coming off a strong year in which he posted a career-low 2.55 ERA (3.15 xERA) with a 24.4% strikeout rate and a 1.18 WHIP across 116 1/3 innings. He missed most of the second half of the season with a left rotator cuff strain, but is expected to be ready by the time pitchers and catchers report. The 28-year-old southpaw has a 211.85 ADP and could move up draft boards if he is traded to a winning team.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired second baseman Brandon Lowe, left-hander Mason Montgomery, and outfielder Jake Mangum. In return, the Tampa Bay Rays received right-hander Anderson Brito and outfielder Jacob Melton. The Houston Astros acquired right-hander Mike Burrows. Lowe will give the Pirates some much-needed pop in their lineup. The 31-year-old hit 31 home runs last year with a .256/.307/.477 slashine, good for a 114 wRC+. Montgomery projects as a serviceable middle reliever with nasty stuff, while Mangum should immediately rank among the Pirates' better defensive outfielders. The Rays add more upper-level prospect depth to their farm system in Brito and Melton. Meanwhile, the Astros acquire an up-and-coming right-hander in Burrows, who has less than a year of service time and still has an option remaining.

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The Kansas City Royals traded right-hander Jonathan Bowlan to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for left-hander Matt Strahm. Strahm returns to Kansas City, the organization that originally drafted him in 2012. The 34-year-old has spent the last three seasons in Philly, posting a 2.71 ERA with 257 strikeouts across 212 2/3 innings. In Kansas City, Strahm projects as a high-leverage lefty and should be most valuable in leagues that count holds as a statistic. Bowlan, 29, is coming off his first full season in the majors. Last year, the 29-year-old pitched to a 3.86 ERA and a 25.6% strikeout rate across 44 1/3 innings. At this point, it's unclear whether Bowlan will make the major league roster out of spring training. Overall, the move is widely viewed as a salary dump by the Phillies, as Strahm is set to earn $7.5 million next season while Bowlan remains pre-arbitration eligible.

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The Baltimore Orioles acquired right-hander Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for four prospects, outfielders Slater de Brun and Austin Overn, right-hander Michael Forret, catcher Caden Bodine, plus a Competitive Balance Round A draft pick (No. 33 overall), sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Baz, 26, is an electric young arm that just hasn't been able to take the next step in his career. Last year for the Rays, Baz posted a 4.87 ERA (3.85 xERA) with a 15.8 K-BB% and a 1.33 WHIP across a career-high 166 1/3 innings. On the bright side, he was able to pitch nearly the entire season for the first time in his career. The 6-foot-3 hurler joins Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, and Tyler Wells in the revamped O's rotation. Fantasy managers should welcome the change of scenery for Baz, even if Camden Yards isn't as pitcher-friendly as Tropicana Field.

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The San Diego Padres re-signed right-hander Michael King on a three-year, $75 million deal on Thursday night, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The deal includes a $12 million signing bonus, and then salaries of $5 million next year, a $28 million player option in 2027 ($5 million buyout), and a $30 million player option in 2028 (no buyout). It will either be worth $22 million for one year, $45 million for two seasons, or $75 million for three years. The 26-year-old was excellent in his first year in SD, sporting a 2.95 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with a career-high 201 strikeouts in 30 regular-season starts (173 2/3 frames). However, right-shoulder and knee injuries limited him to just 15 starts in 2025. King demonstrated in 2024 that he has the stuff to be a high-end fantasy starter in a good spot in SD, but that was also his only full season in the big leagues. It makes him a high-risk, high-reward pitching target in fantasy in 2026.

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Free-agent left-hander John Means (Achilles) announced on his Instagram account on Thursday that he suffered a ruptured Achilles earlier this week, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Means also said that he was close to signing with a team before suffering the devastating injury that will almost certainly knock him out for the entire 2026 season. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw had his second Tommy John surgery in June of 2024 and didn't pitch at all in the big leagues in 2025. He was set to be fully recovered by Opening Day before his unfortunate Achilles injury. Means has had terrible injury luck recently and has made only 10 starts since the start of 2022. In 26 2/3 innings during his rehab in the minors with Cleveland this year, Means had a rough 6.41 ERA. Means will now be fighting an uphill battle for a big-league roster spot when he's able to return in 2027.

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San Francisco Giants right-handed pitcher Logan Webb announced on Thursday that he will join Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in 2026. Webb enjoyed a strong 2025 campaign, posting a 3.22 ERA (3.58 xERA) with a career-high 20.8 K-BB% and a 1.24 WHIP across 207 innings. The 29-year-old veteran struck out 26.2% of all hitters he faced while maintaining a 53.2% ground-ball rate. Webb joins Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, Joe Ryan, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, and Matthew Boyd in the United States' potential starting rotation.

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The San Diego Padres have agreed to a minor-league deal with free-agent right-hander Triston McKenzie. McKenzie will also receive an invite to spring training. The 28-year-old has pitched just 97 innings over the last three seasons due to shoulder and elbow injuries. Last season, McKenzie allowed seven earned runs on seven hits and walked seven batters in 5 2/3 innings before being optioned to the minors. The long-time Guardian is determined to replicate his 2022 form, when he posted a 2.96 ERA (3.54 xERA) with a 25.6% strikeout rate and a 0.95 WHIP across a career-high 191 1/3 innings. Although it's a great story to see him back on the mound, it is unlikely he will make the team out of camp.

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The Toronto Blue Jays and free-agent relief pitcher Jorge Alcala have agreed to a minor-league deal, which includes an invite to big-league camp in spring training. Alcala pitched for the Twins, Red Sox, and Cardinals last year, posting a 6.22 ERA (4.54 xERA) with a 12.1 K-BB% and a 1.75 WHIP across 55 innings. If the 30-year-old Dominican right-hander does make the team, he will be nothing more than an extra bullpen arm. At this point, Alcala is not fantasy-relevant.

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The Cleveland Guardians and right-handed reliever Shawn Armstrong have agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal with a mutual option. Armstrong was one of the best relievers last season with the Texas Rangers. The 35-year-old righty pitched to a 2.31 ERA (2.96 xERA), 26.1% strikeout rate, and 0.81 WHIP while collecting 12 holds across 74 innings. For 2026, Armstrong is expected to be used in high-leverage situations and could take over the closing role if there is an injury to Cade Smith. For now, Armstrong will be most helpful in leagues that count holds as a category.

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The Atlanta Braves made a five-year proposal to reliever Edwin Diaz before he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Castillo went on to say that none of the financial information was leaked, but the Braves were serious about landing the star closer. Ultimately, Diaz signed with the Dodgers, while the Braves signed Robert Suarez and brought back Raisel Iglesias. Most notably, Iglesias will start as the primary closer in Atlanta, but if he falters, Suarez will be right there to take his job.

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Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal announced on X Thursday afternoon that he will join Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in 2026. Skubal is coming off another Cy Young season, and now he will demonstrate his dominance on the world stage. Last year, the 29-year-old pitched to a 2.21 ERA (2.72 xERA) with a 32.2 K-BB% and a 0.89 WHIP across a career-high 195 1/3 innings. Skubal joins National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes to create the best 1-2 punch the world has ever seen. Team USA's first game is on March 6 at 8 p.m. EST against Brazil.

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The Cleveland Guardians announced on Wednesday that they designated outfielder Jhonkensy Noel for assignment to make room on the roster for left-hander Justin Bruihl, who was acquired for cash via the Toronto Blue Jays. Noel, 24, gets booted off Cleveland's 40-man roster this offseason after struggling to a .162/.183/.297 slash line in 153 plate appearances over 69 games played in his second year in the majors. He had six home runs, 13 RBI, and 19 runs scored after hitting .218 (39-for-179) with 13 homers, 28 RBI, and 25 runs scored in 67 games in his rookie campaign. Big Christmas is big and powerful at 6-foot-3, 260 pounds, but he has posted an ugly 32.8% strikeout rate and a low 4.8% walk rate in his two seasons in the Show. The high-end power should make it easy for him to latch on with another club going into the 2026 season, but he'll merely be battling for a roster spot in spring training.

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New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Nolan McLean will pitch for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, according to Brian Murphy of MLB.com. Per MLB Pipeline, McLean is the No. 11 prospect in the game heading into next season. The 24-year-old looked the part after making his MLB debut this past season, posting a 2.06 ERA with 57 strikeouts over 48 innings (eight starts). He'll be joining a Team USA rotation that will be headlined by Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes. In addition to McLean, the team announced that Mets right-hander Clay Holmes and Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan will pitch for USA in the WBC. The 24-year-old former two-way player has a diverse arsenal and plenty of different ways to generate swings and misses. McLean isn't going to crack the 200-inning mark in his first full year in the big leagues, especially after pitching in the WBC, but he's got one of the highest ceilings of any young arm in the game.

From RotoBaller