Major League Baseball’s offseason continues to wind down, with just a few weeks remaining until pitchers and catchers report to camps in Florida and Arizona. This, then, is the ideal time for clubs to apply the finishing touches to their roster. Below, CBS Sports has compiled all of Tuesday’s most notable news, moves, and rumors in one place for your convenience. Let’s get to it.
Dodgers nearing deal with Yates
The Dodgers, fresh off signing lefty reliever Tanner Scott over the weekend, are working toward an agreement with right-hander Kirby Yates, according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.
CBS Sports ranked Yates as the 36th-best free agent on the market entering the winter. Here’s what we wrote at the time:
We figure that Yates’ market will be limited by his durability and his command. He’s thrown 60 innings in consecutive seasons, but he had previously missed most of three seasons because of injury woes. Additionally, he’s walked nearly five batters per nine over the last two years. Mind you, Yates has succeeded despite the free passes by excelling at managing contact — both in terms of quality and frequency. He has a two-pitch approach: 93 mph fastballs up and to the glove side, and trapdoor splitters low. Each pitch generated a whiff rate over 30% and a batting average against under .115 in 2024. It’s possible that Yates’ body breaks down again, or that he loses just enough stuff to render him less effective. That risk, however, ought to limit his market to short-term deals that could make him one of the best relief bargains of the winter.
Yates, 37, posted a 1.17 ERA (340 ERA+) in 61 innings last season. If a deal is reached, he’ll join a bullpen that’ll include Blake Treinen, Scott, and Michael Kopech, among others.
Blue Jays, Astros interested in Profar
Count the Blue Jays, Astros, and Padres among the teams with interest in free-agent outfielder Jurickson Profar, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. Feinsand adds that the Padres, though enamored with Profar, may not have the financial means to hash out a reunion.
Profar, 31, is coming off a breakout season. CBS Sports ranked him as the No. 25 free agent entering the winter. Here’s what we wrote at the time:
How much do you believe? You can run the numbers. You can watch the tape. You can consult with projection systems. You can chat with an oracle. Ultimately, player evaluation is a test of faith. No matter how you reached your conclusion, the whole thing reduces down to this: how much conviction do you hold in it? Are you willing to be wrong? If not, you’re already lost. All of this is relevant to Profar, a fascinating study case. The former No. 1 prospect finally made good on that billing, notching his first star-caliber season at the plate at age 31. The underlying measures all pointed in the right direction: he hit the ball with greater authority; he walked more; he struck out less. If he were five years younger, he’d be in line for a handsome payday. He’s not, though, so his marketplace reception hinges on how teams answer this capsule’s first question.
The Blue Jays have already added one outfielder this week, inking Anthony Santander to a long-term deal. The Astros, meanwhile, could use an outfielder to help offset the loss of Kyle Tucker, traded to the Cubs earlier this winter.
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