Reacting to MLB Offseason Moves: Juan Soto, Yusei Kikuchi, Tommy Edman, Luis Severino, Max Fried and More
Morgan offers his thoughts on some of the MLB offseason moves we've seen so far.
The MLB offseason has been pretty fun so far, with several players changing teams already.
Today, I wanted to offer some thoughts on some of the biggest moves we’ve seen so far. Check back throughout the offseason for similar stories as we gear up for the 2025 fantasy baseball season.
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Signings
Juan Soto Lands with Mets
The biggest offseason move so far was Soto signing with the Mets. He signed a 15-year contract.
Soto was in a good fantasy spot with the Yankees, and while I think the move to the Mets is a bit less profitable for his fantasy outlook, I still think Soto is going to shine with them. Soto is a good enough hitter where he is going to be a good fantasy asset regardless of where he’s playing.
Soto will be one of the top draft picks going into the 2025 season.
Max Fried Signs with Yankees
Fried signed an eight-year contract with New York.
Fried should settle into the No. 2 rotation slot after Gerrit Cole. What fantasy value he might lose by pitching his home games in Yankee Stadium he should make up in wins because of the offense backing him.
His draft stock will probably rise as the season approaches, but Fried looks like a potential sleeper to me right now.
Nathan Eovaldi Back With Rangers
Eovaldi re-signed with Texas, signing for three years.
Right now, he looks like the team’s No. 1 starter again. The Rangers had a rough go of things in 2024, but if they can get back on track offensively in 2025, then Eovaldi should be in store for a better fantasy season.
He’s a pitcher to draft near the end of fantasy drafts as the 2025 season nears.
Tyler O'Neill Joins Orioles
O’Neill landed in a great spot, and should hit in the heart of a stacked Baltimore lineup.
As long as he can stay healthy, O’Neill should thrive as a fantasy player in Baltimore. A career season could be in the making.
Willy Adames Moves to San Fran
Adames signed a seven-year deal with the Giants.
He’ll likely be asked to be a big-time run producer, but I think the move from Milwaukee to San Fran is going to hurt Adames’ overall numbers. From some of the draft rankings I’ve seen so far, Adames might go into this season a bit overrated.
Shane Bieber Back with Guardians
Bieber is back in Cleveland on a one-year deal.
He was off to a fantastic start in 2024 before having to undergo Tommy John surgery. As a result, we don’t even know when Bieber might pitch.
Bieber was a must-start pitcher before the injury, and should at least start this season as that.
Clay Holmes Joins Mets
Holmes agreed to a three-year deal with the Mets. He’s expected to be a starter for the Mets.
That obviously gives Holmes some more fantasy value, but it remains to be seen if Holmes can find success as a starter. He’ll probably start the season as a waiver wire option in standard leagues, but is definitely a name to keep tabs on throughout spring training.
Luis Severino Headed to Athletics
Severino was a rare big free agent signing for the Athletics.
He is the clear No. 1 starter for the team right now, and I don’t expect that to change before the season. Severino is more of an inning-eater than a go-to fantasy starter, and the move to the Athletics probably means that stays the same in 2025.
Tommy Edman Re-Signs with Dodgers
Edman signed a five-year deal with Los Angeles. The versatile defender is expected to serve as the team’s center fielder at this point.
Edman found some late-season success with the Dodgers and turned that into a new deal. Anyone in that Dodgers’ lineup could be a fantasy asset, and I view Edman as a bit of a sleeper pick going into 2025.
Blake Snell also a Dodger
Snell joins a talented rotation in LA, but might still be the team’s opening day starter in 2025.
Having that loaded lineup behind him is only going to make Snell a better fantasy option. With a pretty normal offseason (compared to this past year), I expect Snell to start fast and enjoy a very productive fantasy season.
Yusei Kikuchi Joins Angels
Kikuchi was a sneaky good move for the Angels, and he is viewed as the team’s No. 1 starter right now.
It’s not exactly a fantasy pitcher’s paradise, but being an inning-eater and strikeout specialist, Kikuchi’s fantasy value should have a pretty safe floor anywhere he’s pitching. He’s probably a bit underrated going into the 2025 season.
Trades
Jake Burger Sent to Texas
Burger was moved from Miami to Texas - that alone should tell you he’s in a better fantasy situation.
He’ll probably hit near the bottom of the order, but in a pretty stacked lineup, I think Burger should be a better fantasy player with the Rangers. He’ll probably be worth a late-round fantasy pick once all the offseason moves are made across the league.
Andres Gimenez Now a Blue Jay
Gimenez was traded from Cleveland to Toronto.
Gimenez saw his numbers dip a bit last season, and now he gets a fresh start. He should be the Blue Jays’ second baseman and hit in the bottom half of the order. It’s not the best fantasy situation, but there’s enough talent in Toronto to expect some similar numbers to the ones he’s posted over the past couple seasons.
Brady Singer, Jonathan India Swap Teams
Singer and India were part of the same deal. India and Joey Wiemer will play for the Royals, while Singer joins the Reds.
I love this move for India. He joins a better lineup, and if he can earn a spot atop the lineup, his fantasy outlook will skyrocket compared to past seasons. I think India could be one of the bigger breakout players in 2025.
Singer gives the Reds a much-needed arm for their rotation. His spot inside the starting rotation should be pretty safe after the trade. Singer has between 150-180 innings and a 3.23-5.52 ERA over the past three seasons. We’ll see if the move to Cincy helps Singers pitch closer to the 3.23 and 3.71 ERAs he posted in 2022 and 2024 than the 5.52 ERA he had in 2023.
Jorge Soler Moved to Angels
Soler was one of the first offseason moves, being shipped from Atlanta to Los Angeles.
He should slot into the heart of the Angels’ lineup, which is a great play to be if Mike Trout and Luis Rengifo can stay healthy. The thing working against Soler as a fantasy player is that he’s a designated hitter - he might have outfield eligibility in your league.
