Fantasy baseball reactions to MLB offseason trades, signings

Tracking the offseason MLB trades and signings with fantasy baseball implications for the upcoming season, Eric Karabell and Tristan H. Cockcroft will analyze and provide an outlook for all of the key players involved.

With the World Series behind us, players were allowed to sign with new teams beginning Nov. 2, although typically things don't really start to heat up until the league's annual winter meetings. This year's meetings are scheduled to take place in San Diego from Dec. 7 to Dec. 9.

However, as the current collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, the 2027 season (as well as the financial rules that will govern it), players and teams alike might end up waiting until after the dust settles on negotiations and a potential lockout before inking any new deals.

In any event, as any contracts are signed or trades get agreed to, this is the place to find all of the fantasy fallout of those deals. Be sure to check back throughout the hot stove season for updates.

Below, you will find a list of some of the top free agents at each position. Players labeled with a (Q) have received a qualifying offer from their current team and have until Nov. 17 to accept it or decline and become a free agent. Players coming from Japan/Korea who were posted by their current team have a Dec. 1 deadline to reach a deal with an MLB club to play in the United States in 2027.

Note: Not every transaction warrants the attention of fantasy managers, but for those signings and trades that do merit analysis, you'll find them listed below. Players will be separated by position and then listed in chronological order of the move within each positional grouping, with the latest news coming first. Also included are links to any standalone analysis stories and/or videos regarding major free agent signings and trades. Players who end up re-signing with their previous team will not always be included.

Jump to:
Catcher | First base | Second base | Shortstop | Third base
Outfield | DH | Starting pitcher | Relief pitcher

Catcher

Some free agents: Carson Kelly, Ryan Jeffers (Q), Tyler Stephenson, Kyle Higashioka, Gary Sanchez, James McCann, Travis d'Arnaud, Austin Hedges

First base

Jake Bauers signs with Red Sox

Bauers, 31, comes off the best season of his journeyman career, posting an .873 OPS with 26 homers and 86 RBIs for the World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers. He admits that he considered retirement as recently as two years ago, but he stuck around for the health benefits. Good timing. Bauers gets a four-year deal with the Red Sox, where he and right-handed-hitting Willson Contreras should make for a formidable 1-2 punch in the middle of the lineup, while sharing 1B/DH duties.

While Bauers was a top-40 hitter in points formats and roto/categories leagues last season, fantasy managers probably shouldn't expect the same kind of production moving forward, even as he performs half the time at hitter-friendly Fenway Park. Bauers had never hit more than 12 home runs in any prior season and, even now, he remains a career .223 hitter with a 2.0 career WAR.

Maybe the solid 16.3% walk rate and .218 ISO will continue, but preliminary results in NFBC drafts have Bauers going just inside the top 150. Perhaps he gets a bump for heading to Boston, but likely only a modest one. -- Karabell (11/13)

Other free agents: Josh Bell, Ryan Mountcastle, Paul Goldschmidt, Nathaniel Lowe, Ty France

Second base

Some free agents: Gleyber Torres, Jeff McNeil, Luis Arraez, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jonathan India, Gavin Lux, Brandon Lowe (Q)

Shortstop

Some free agents: Ha-Seong Kim, J.P. Crawford, Mauricio Dubon, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Amed Rosario

Third base

Some free agents: Alec Bohm, Eugenio Suarez, Edmundo Sosa, Yoan Moncada, Si Hwan Roh (posted), Teruaki Sato (posted)

Outfield

Some free agents: George Springer, Trent Grisham, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki (Q), Randy Arozarena, Taylor Ward, Daulton Varsho, Adolis Garcia, Luis Robert Jr., Randal Grichuk, Myles Straw, Lane Thomas

Designated hitter

Some free agents: Joc Pederson, Dominic Smith

Starting pitcher

Some free agents: Tarik Skubal, Michael King, Sonny Gray, Robbie Ray, Brandon Woodruff, Zac Gallen, Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jack Flaherty, Jameson Taillon, Max Scherzer, Clay Holmes, Matthew Boyd, Nick Pivetta, Shane Bieber, Freddy Peralta, Trevor Rogers (Q), Nick Martinez, Tyler Mahle, Foster Griffin, Michael Soroka, Dustin May

Relief pitcher

RHP Emilio Pagan signs with Tigers

Pagan, 35, saved 57 games for the Cincinnati Reds over the past two seasons, although his 2025 numbers were rather ordinary (3.38 ERA, 25.9% K rate). Still, this is a franchise that desired Kenley Jansen and let him save 22 games last season even though there were better pitchers in the bullpen. Pagan produced nearly identical stats to Jansen. In other words, Pagan isn't so valuable -- but if all you care about are saves in a roto format, a healthy Pagan should provide at least 25 of them. -- Karabell (11/13)

RHP Evan Phillips signs with Braves

Phillips, 32, posted a 2.36 ERA over parts of six seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also accrued 42 combined saves during 2023 and 2024. He missed most of 2025 dealing with Tommy John surgery and returned last season to pitch 26 effective innings. Additionally, Phillips has never permitted a run over 18⅓ postseason innings. The Braves figure to turn to RHP Robert Suarez to close (because Raisel Iglesias is a free agent), but a healthy Phillips should accrue ample holds as well as occasional saves. -- Karabell (11/13)

Other free agents: Raisel Iglesias, Pete Fairbanks, Carlos Estevez, A.J. Minter, Blake Treinen, David Bednar (Q), Martin Perez, Gregory Soto, Kenley Jansen, Kaima Taira (posted), Hiromi Itoh (posted)