The Baltimore Orioles announced on Monday that they agreed to terms with left-hander Cionel Perez on an undisclosed one-year deal for the 2024 season with a club option for 2025 to avoid salary arbitration. Perez was seeking $1.4 million in arbitration for the 2024 season, and the Orioles had countered at $1.1 million. The 27-year-old southpaw from Cuba posted a 3.54 ERA (3.84 FIP) and 1.56 WHIP with a career-high three saves, 27 walks and 44 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings over 65 relief outings in 2023 in his second year in Baltimore. In six major-league seasons since debuting in 2018 with the Houston Astros, Perez has gone 13-6 with a decent 3.56 ERA (4.15 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with four saves and a 21.3 percent strikeout rate over 161 2/3 relief innings.

The New York Mets have expressed interest in free-agent relievers Aroldis Chapman and Hector Neris this offseason, according to league sources. Neris might be a better fit for the New York Yankees, but his asking price of one or two years at $7-11 million per year would fit the Mets' budget. The Mets have also spoken to left-hander Wandy Peralta as they look to upgrade their bullpen. Chapman seems more likely to find a better fit elsewhere, and Adam Ottavino, who declined a $6.75 million option for 2024, is a possibility to return to the Mets on a new deal. Edwin Diaz, who missed all of 2023 due to a knee injury, is returning as the club's primary closer this year, so any relief pitcher that the Mets sign between now and the start of the regular season will operate in more of a late-inning setup role out of the bullpen.

The St. Louis Cardinals announced an undisclosed two-year deal with second baseman Tommy Edman on Monday to avoid salary arbitration. The two-year deal will buy out Edman's final two remaining years of arbitration eligibility. The 28-year-old infielder is rehabbing from wrist surgery and isn't expected to be ready to go for the start of spring training next month. It means that he might not be fully ready for the start of the 2024 regular season, but when healthy, Edman should serve as St. Louis' everyday second baseman. Despite a bad year for the Cardinals in 2023, Edman did his thing with a .248/.307/.399 slash line in 137 total games played with 13 home runs, 47 RBI, 27 stolen bases and 69 runs scored. He also has the ability to play shortstop and the outfield, and his positional versatility is pretty much his selling point for fantasy managers.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada would not name a closer when reporters asked him over the weekend at the team's FanFest. This is notable as the Astros just signed closer Josh Hader to a record-breaking contract. Ryan Pressly, who locked down 31 saves for Houston last season, was the clear incumbent before the Hader signing. Conventional wisdom says that Hader will eventually be given the job given his pedigree and contract situation. The 29-year-old southpaw finished the 2023 season with a 1.28 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 85:30 K/BB ratio to go along with 33 saves over 56 1/3 innings with the Padres. Pressly could shift into a setup role once Hader established himself so he should still hold fantasy value in NSVH leagues.

Free-agent relief pitcher Ken Giles will throw a bullpen session for interested teams on Friday, Jan. 26 in Phoenix, Arizona, according to Jon Heyman. Due to injury, the 33-year-old has appeared in just nine games over the last three seasons, so he wants to prove to teams that he is finally healthy and ready to contribute. His last full season came back in 2019 with the Blue Jays, when he put up a dominant 1.87 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 83:17 K/BB over 53 innings of relief to go along with 23 saves. It will be interesting to see how much velocity "100 miles Giles" has lost over the years, but if he puts on a good performance next Friday, he should get a spring-training invite from a club.