Baltimore Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers, who as acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins last year, was sent to Triple-A Norfolk after four mostly ineffective starts with his new club. It was a big fall for Rogers, who had a 3.17 ERA in his final nine starts with the Marlins. He had a 7.11 ERA in his four starts for the O's. Rogers was an All-Star as a rookie in 2021 but admits he was overwhelmed in his move to Baltimore in 2024. The veteran lefty did have a 2.96 ERA with 28 K's and six walks in 24 1/3 innings in his final four starts for Norfolk, though, and he is going to a player performance data-driven center this offseason for further evaluation to try and regain some velocity. Rogers averaged 94.5 mph on his fastball in 2021, but it was down to 91.9 mph in 2024. The 27-year-old is focusing on getting his lower half stronger as he looks to bounce back in 2025 with the O's.

The Kansas City Royals signed free-agent infielder Jordan Groshans to a minor-league deal on Tuesday, according to sources. Groshans, once a top prospect with the Toronto Blue Jays after they took him 12th overall in 2018 made his big-league debut with the Miami Marlins in 2022 and went 16-for-61 (.262) with a homer, two RBI and nine runs scored in just 17 games played. He spent all of 2024 toiling in the minors with the New York Yankees and Athletics, combining for a .235/.311/.318 slash line with a weak .628 OPS, four home runs, 34 RBI and 46 runs scored in 101 games with Double-A Midland, Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. At this point in his career, it's going to be an uphill battle for Groshans to return to the major-league level and have any kind of significant impact for the Royals.

Free-agent veteran right-hander Lance Lynn said that he has lost 20 pounds already since the end of last season, dropping from 280 to 260 pounds. Lynn battled knee issues in 2024 and was limited to 117 1/3 innings, his lowest total over a full season since missing all of 2016 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 37-year-old became a free agent when the St. Louis Cardinals declined his $12 million club option for 2025. He's nearing the end of his career, but Lynn ranks sixth in the majors with 2,006 1/3 innings pitched since debuting in 2011. The last time Lynn reached 30 starts and 200 innings was back in 2019, so fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting a sudden breakout for the veteran hurler. Knee issues dating back to 2021 and a lack of strikeout stuff will make Lynn an easy pitcher to avoid in shallow mixed fantasy leagues, regardless of where he's pitching.

Free-agent shortstop Willy Adames is drawing interest from the New York Yankees, who are expected to pursue him in the event they lose out on Juan Soto. While the Yankees are technically set at shortstop with Anthony Volpe, it is anticipated that either Volpe or Adames would have to make the move to another position if a deal gets done, with Volpe likely heading to the keystone to allow Adames to play short, or perhaps having Adames play third to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. elsewhere. Nevertheless, whether it is the Yankees or another team, whoever ends up with Adames will be getting a player who is coming off his highest WAR season to date (4.8) and finished in the top-15 hitters for fantasy last season after the 29-year-old posted a .251-32-112-93-21 line with a .342 wOBA and 119 wRC+. Though the right-handed hitter has cut down on his strikeout rate over the last few seasons, it is still well above-average (25.1%), which probably limits any potential improvement in batting average. But with all that other production while he's in his prime, Adames will cost much more in 2025 fantasy drafts than he did a season ago.

While the Yankees are still considered one of the four serious contenders to sign Juan Soto, they have been making alternative plans in the event they are unable to bring back the superstar outfielder. New York has been said to be interested in shortstop Willy Adames, but could also be willing to spend big on pitching, having recently conducted meetings with star pitchers Max Fried and Corbin Burnes. Left-hander Fried earned his second All-Star nomination in 2024, pitching to a 3.25 ERA (3.33 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with a 15.3% K-BB% in 29 starts. Right-hander Burnes, a Cy Young winner in 2021, made his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance in 2024, posting a 2.92 ERA (3.55 FIP) and a 1.10 WHIP with a 17.0% K-BB% in 32 starts. Either one would fortify a strong rotation that already has former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, 2x All-Star Carlos Rodon, and 2024 AL Rookie of the Year winner Luis Gil. Although neither pitcher averaged a strikeout per inning last season, both are capable of doing so and will still be some of the earliest pitchers off the board in 2025 fantasy drafts.