As usual, the MLB offseason has moved at a glacial pace. While the key free agents in football, hockey and basketball are scooped up in the initial few days of their availability, we are two months into baseball free agency and still have outstanding players such as Framber Valdez and Eugenio Suárez waiting to find a team.
Still, even though they came in a trickle, there have been major signings and trades that have shifted the needle for important players in the fantasy baseball landscape. And managers can be forgiven if they missed some of the headlines while trying to keep up with the NFL, NBA and NHL seasons.
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Here is a one-stop guide to the biggest changes in player values over the past two months.
Value Up
Kyle Tucker (OF, Los Angeles Dodgers): Signing with the Dodgers should maximize the value of Tucker’s considerable skill set, thanks to their homer-happy venue and high-scoring offense. This situation is so favorable that Tucker will maintain his status as a Round 1 option, even after a down year.
Willson Contreras (1B, Boston Red Sox): Contreras could have his best season now that he is the expected cleanup hitter for a team with a good lineup and a hitter-friendly home park. Managers can expect him to eclipse his career-best marks in homers, RBI and runs scored.
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Kazuma Okamoto (1B/3B, Toronto Blue Jays): The top arrival from Japan this offseason, Okamoto will get regular playing time (primarily at third base) in a strong lineup. He had outstanding on-base skills and six 30-homer seasons during his career in Japan. Managers can expect 20 long balls, 75 RBI and a respectable batting mark.
Luis Robert Jr. (OF, New York Mets): Finally freed from the White Sox’s grueling rebuild, Robert must now show he hasn’t lost the skills that led to 38 homers in 2023. Joining a talented Mets squad is a good situation for the 28-year-old to get his career back on track.
Adolis García (OF, Philadelphia Phillies): Like Robert, García is looking to bounce back from a pair of underwhelming seasons. The 32-year-old will be easy to acquire in the late rounds of drafts and still has 25-homer, 15-steal potential.
Cedric Mullins (OF, Tampa Bay Rays): Mullins avoided becoming a part-time player by signing with a Rays organization that plans to make him their center fielder. The 31-year-old has a fantasy-friendly skill set and should produce 15 homers and 25 steals.
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Harrison Bader (OF, San Francisco Giants): Bader is in a similar situation to Mullins, as signing with the Giants has ensured him a full-time role. He has a long injury history but has stayed healthy the past two years and could hit the 15 mark in both homers and steals.
Owen Caissie (OF, Miami Marlins): Formerly the Cubs’ best prospect, Caissie could earn a regular role with the Marlins. This prospect has power, and his contact skills will determine his rookie-year success.
Nolan Arenado (3B, Arizona Diamondbacks): If Arenado has anything left for his age-35 season, the D-backs are his best chance to unlock it. After all, Arizona has outscored every other team over the past two seasons.
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Luisangel Acuña (2B, Chicago White Sox): Although Acuna will start the season on waivers in most leagues, he’s someone for roto managers to monitor now that he has a path to a full-time role. The 23-year-old has 35-steal upside.
Konnor Griffin (SS/OF, Pittsburgh Pirates), JJ Wetherholt (2B/3B/SS St. Louis Cardinals), Kevin McGonigle (SS, Detroit Tigers): The Pirates improved their roster but kept the shortstop spot open for Griffin. The Cardinals cleared room in their infield by trading away Contreras and Arenado. And the Tigers elected not to add a veteran shortstop over the winter.
All three of these elite prospects have a clear path to debut on Opening Day, or by May at the latest. They are all draftable in standard formats.
MacKenzie Gore (SP, Texas Rangers): Gore has shown flashes in recent seasons and could finally put together a breakout campaign now that he is on a competitive team with a pitcher-friendly home park. The lefty could tally 200 strikeouts but needs to lower his WHIP before becoming a significant fantasy option.
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Tatsuya Imai (SP, Houston Astros): Imai is the top pitching arrival from overseas, having posted a 1.92 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP last season. He joins a Houston franchise that typically has success with its starters, and he can be valued as an SP5 with upside in 12-team leagues.
Mike Burrows (SP, Houston Astros): Burrows showed potential with the Pirates (3.90 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) and is locked into the rotation on a solid team with a strong track record of developing pitchers. He’s an exciting late-round option.
Value Down
Ranger Suárez (SP, Boston Red Sox): Although Suárez should continue to be useful, it’s worth noting that his new home park is tough on left-handed pitchers. And with mediocre contributions in the strikeouts and WHIP categories, he needs a low ERA in order to make an impact.
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Alex Bregman (3B, Chicago Cubs): Bregman’s situation is similar to that of Suárez — he should continue to be productive but by switching home parks, he has created a more challenging situation for himself.
Munetaka Murakami (3B, Chicago White Sox): Murakami could hit his share of homers during his debut season, but he would have helped his fantasy value by signing with a high-scoring team. The rebuilding White Sox aren’t there yet.
Brandon Lowe (2B, Pittsburgh Pirates): Lowe’s fantasy value is typically more dependent on his ability to stay off the IL than any other factor. Still, his upside was capped when he was traded to baseball’s lowest-scoring team.
Matt Shaw (3B, Chicago Cubs): The addition of Bregman pushed Shaw to a utility role, which will limit his opportunities on a deep Cubs roster. Previously a sleeper who logged an .839 OPS in the second half of his rookie year, he’s now undraftable in mixed leagues.
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Triston Casas (1B, Boston Red Sox): Any chance of Casas returning from a ruptured patellar tendon to serve as Boston’s starting first baseman flew out the window when the team acquired Contreras. Unless he is dealt, Casas can stay off draft lists.
More Fantasy Baseball analysis
Jordan Lawlar (2B/3B/SS, Arizona Diamondbacks): A clear path to playing time was blocked when Arenado was acquired to play third base. Lawlar will now enter Spring Training without a position, unless the team opts to use him heavily in the outfield.
Jonah Tong (SP, New York Mets): By adding Freddy Peralta, the Mets have at least six starters ahead of Tong on the depth chart. He should spend plenty of time in Triple-A and on the waiver wire in fantasy leagues.
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Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Ronny Maurico (New York Mets): The additions of Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien will leave these three youngsters to fight for DH and backup responsibilities, which makes them all waiver wire fodder in standard formats.
Coby Mayo, Ryan Mountcastle, Tyler O’Neill (Baltimore Orioles): Similar to the situation in New York, the acquisitions of Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward will leave these three players with limited opportunities, which negates most of their fantasy appeal.
Closer Chaos
Edwin Díaz (Los Angeles Dodgers): Díaz was already being treated as the No. 1 fantasy closer by some analysts and is now even more appealing as the ninth-inning man on baseball’s best team.
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Ryan Helsley (Baltimore Orioles): After succeeding as the Cardinals closer, Helsley faltered down the stretch as a setup man with the Mets. He is back in a ninth-inning role and should be valued as a second-tier option.
Devin Williams (New York Mets): The Mets believe that Williams still has the skills that made him a dominant closer with the Brewers. However, his struggles with the Yankees are enough reason to keep the righty out of the top tier at the position. Like Helsley, Williams becomes an option once 5-6 relievers are off the board.
Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suárez (Atlanta Braves): After getting his season back on track in the second half of 2025, Iglesias re-signed with the Braves. He is expected to pitch in the ninth inning while former Padres closer Suárez works the eighth frame.
Emilio Pagán (Cincinnati Reds): Pagán returned to the Reds on a two-year deal, which was the best possible news for his fantasy value. The veteran has the trust of manager Terry Francona and will get every opportunity to remain in the closer’s role.
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Pete Fairbanks (Miami Marlins): Fairbanks switched teams within the state of Florida. The relocation shouldn’t impact his first-half value, but it’s easy to see how the Marlins could trade away a closer who is on a one-year deal if they fall out of the race by July.
Kenley Jansen, Kyle Finnegan (Detroit Tigers): Jansen converted 29 of 30 save chances with the Angels last year, which should be enough to get him the first opportunity in Detroit. Although manager A.J. Hinch will likely give a few chances to Finnegan and Will Vest, Jansen is expected to lead the committee and therefore is the only Detroit reliever worth drafting.
Kirby Yates (Los Angeles Angels): It’s hard to believe that just two years ago, Yates produced dominant ratios (1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP) and 33 saves. The veteran struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness last year, but if healthy, he could lead the Angels in saves.
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Seranthony Domínguez (Chicago White Sox): Domínguez jumped back onto the fantasy radar when the White Sox signed him to a two-year deal. The right-hander is now the saves favorite on one of baseball’s worst teams, which is good enough to make him a late-round pick in deep roto leagues.
