Of the teams that could use free-agent third baseman Matt Chapman, the San Francisco Giants know him as well as anyone. President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi was with the Oakland Athletics for Chapman's first two seasons, and new manager Bob Melvin was for all five of Chapman's seasons in Oakland. Third base coach Matt Williams, who was with the A's in 2019 and '19, is an admirer of Chapman's. The 30-year-old would help the Giants' shortage of power while also providing an everyday anchor and stability on the left side of the infield. However, he's also just a year younger than Evan Longoria when he arrived in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays in December of 2017. Longo had an OPS+ just three percent above league average in his five seasons in San Fran. Chapman is a four-time Gold Glover but hit just .205 with a .659 OPS after April 30, although his hard-hit and exit-velocity numbers for 2023 were among the best in MLB, suggesting a bounce-back season could be coming.

The New York Yankees and free-agent pitcher Marcus Stroman reportedly have mutual interest. Stroman has reached out to the club and has let them know he is interesting in signing with them, but there has not been a contract offer from the Yankees at this time. The veteran remains one of the better free-agent starting pitching options available on the open market but is a tier below the likes of reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell and former Yankee Jordan Montgomery. Stroman is coming off a solid season that saw him post a 3.95 ERA across 27 outings (25 starts), while he is the owner of a career 3.65 ERA in 231 appearances in the majors. The Yankees are looking to add to their rotation behind ace Gerrit Cole, who won the AL Cy Young Award in 2023.

Free-agent outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and the Los Angeles Dodgers have reached an agreement on a one-year, $23.5 million contract. ESPN's Jeff Passan notes that the corner-outfield market is tough, and Hernandez opted for a big one-year deal over other multiyear offers. The Toronto Blue Jays traded Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners last offseason, and he put together an up-and-down campaign overall in 2023. The 31-year-old two-time Silver Slugger slashed .258/.305/.435 with 26 home runs, 93 RBI, 70 runs scored, and seven stolen bases over 678 plate appearances in 160 games last year. The Dodgers could be a favorable landing spot for fantasy purposes, but L.A.'s loaded lineup may also force Hernandez to frequently occupy the lower-third of the batting order against right-handed pitching. With David Peralta remaining unsigned, however, Hernandez still looks set to be the primary left fielder at Chavez Ravine for 2024.

Free-agent left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea has signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the New York Mets. The deal includes an opt-out after the 2024 season as well. The 31-year-old lefty was solid with the San Francisco Giants last season, finishing with a 4.44 ERA (3.90 FIP), 1.241 WHIP, and 128:42 K/BB over 117 2/3 innings (37 appearances, 10 starts). The Mets will likely use him out of the bullpen and in spot-starting/opener situations. This is a pretty low-risk deal with New York that could end up paying off after Manaea showed significant improvement with his velocity after a down year in 2022 with the Padres.

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (ankle) is healthy heading into the 2024 season, according to manager Derek Shelton. "He's healthy. He's moving around. That's a really encouraging sign for everybody who's a Pirates fan," Shelton told reporters. The 25-year-old shortstop fractured his left ankle back in April of the '23 season and missed the entire year as a result. It's been a long road to recovery but he's now looking primed for the 2024 campaign. Cruz has as much upside as anyone at the SS position but injuries have plagued him so far early in his career. He has a .237/.302/.449 batting line to go along with 19 home runs, 61 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in 410 plate appearances over three seasons. He's an intriguing fantasy player due to his blend of power and speed but the hype could get out of control if he remains healthy and has a solid spring training.