Despite still dealing with lower-back issues, Colorado Rockies outfielder/first baseman Kris Bryant (back) said he's not considering retirement this offseason, according to Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. "I wish I had better things to tell you," Bryant said. "It's not in the best shape, and that's pretty disheartening for me. It's exhausting for me waking up and hoping to feel (better). I can't tell you the last time I woke up feeling I'm in a good spot." The 33-year-old former MVP and four-time All-Star hasn't played in over 80 games in any of his four seasons in Colorado, and he is still under contract for three more years, with the Rockies owing him $81 million. Bryant has been doing Pilates three times a week, hoping it will alleviate the pain in his back. He turns 34 on Jan. 4 and has been diagnosed with lumbar degenerative disc disease, which means he's fighting an uphill battle to be a productive baseball player again, especially at his age.

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New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole (elbow) threw off a bullpen mound at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. The previously stated plan is for Cole to "de-load" after a few weeks before meeting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache this offseason. Manager Aaron Boone said he's hoping to see Cole "face live hitters during camp." The 35-year-old former Cy Young winner and six-time All-Star is making progress from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, but he's not expected to be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season. The good news, though, is that Cole isn't expected to be out long early in the season before making his debut. Fantasy managers are going to have questions as to whether Cole can regain his pre-injury form at his age after making only 17 starts in 2024 and not pitching at all in 2025.

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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will start on the mound in Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday at the Rogers Centre against the hosting Toronto Blue Jays, the team announced. Ohtani will be pitching on short rest in the winner-take-all game. The Japanese superstar started the Game 4 loss in Los Angeles, going six innings and giving up four earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out six. In Ohtani's first three career postseason starts this year as a starting pitcher, he's allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits (one homer) while walking five and fanning 25 in 18 innings pitched. He's gone exactly six innings in each of his three starts versus the Phillies, Brewers, and Blue Jays, although he's likely to come short of that on Saturday on Saturday as the Dodgers look to piece things together as they go for back-to-back World Series championships.

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Updating a previous report, X-rays on Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk's left hand came back negative and "showed no fractures," according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Kirk will be ready to play in the deciding Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday night at the Rogers Centre against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 26-year-old Mexican backstop was lifted for a pinch-runner in the top of the ninth inning in the Game 6 loss on Friday night after he was hit by a pitch from right-hander Roki Sasaki, but he avoided any fractures in his hand and should start in Game 7. It's great news for the Blue Jays as they seek their first World Series championship in over 30 years, as Kirk has gone 6-for-21 (.286) with two home runs and six RBI in six games during the Fall Classic. He has five long balls and 13 RBI in 17 total postseason games this year.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed right-hander Dugan Darnell (hip) off waivers from the Colorado Rockies on Friday and placed him on the 60-day injured list, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. Darnell made his major-league debut in Colorado in 2025 and pitched to a 3.86 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with seven walks and five strikeouts in just 11 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for the Rockies. The 28-year-old had a 3.19 ERA in 53 2/3 innings at Triple-A Albuquerque. Darnell mixes in a four-seam fastball that averaged 93.7 mph this year and also uses a slider and splitter. His 2025 season was cut short by a torn labrum in his left hip in late August. It's unclear if Darnell will be ready for spring training in mid-February, but when he's healthy, he'll be competing for a middle-relief role in Pittsburgh.

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MLB.com's Keegan Matheson reports that Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (hand) will head for X-rays on his left hand after he was hit by a pitch on Friday night in the Game 6 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The good news is that the X-rays sound precautionary, according to manager John Schneider. Kirk was hit by Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki in the bottom of the ninth inning and was lifted for a pinch-runner. The pitch didn't appear to hit him squarely in the hand, but the Blue Jays want to make sure the starting catcher doesn't have a fracture in his hand. If Kirk is unable to play in Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday night, Tyler Heineman would get the nod behind the dish. Kirk has been a big part of Toronto's postseason success this year, hitting .242 (16-for-66) with five homers and 13 RBI, and he's gone 6-for-21 with two homers and six RBI in the Fall Classic.

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The Cincinnati Reds outrighted infielder Santiago Espinal off their 40-man roster and to Triple-A Louisville on Friday, according to Charlie Goldsmith. Espinal will now have the option to elect free agency this offseason and sign with any team. The 30-year-old Dominican played in 114 games in 2025 in his second year with the Reds and went 73-for-301 (.243) with no home runs, 16 RBI, 25 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 328 plate appearances. It was a pretty disappointing showing for Espinal, who was an All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays back in 2022, when he hit .267/.322/.370 with seven homers and 51 RBI in a career-high 135 games played. For fantasy purposes, Espinal isn't much to look at as a utility infielder without much power. It remains to be seen where he'll be hanging his hat in 2026, but at best, Espinal will be a utility bench option in deeper fantasy leagues.

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Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (hernia) had surgery on Friday to fix a sports hernia on his left side, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Torres is expected to be cleared for baseball activities in four weeks, so he'll be ready to go for the start of spring training in February and the regular season in 2026. The 28-year-old Venezuelan infielder played through his sports hernia in the final month of the regular season and during the playoffs. Torres was an All-Star for the third time in his career in 2025 in his first year in Motown, slashing .256/.358/.387 with a .745 OPS, 16 home runs, 74 RBI, 79 runs scored, and four stolen bases in his 628 plate appearances. He only signed a one-year deal with the Tigers last offseason, though, so he might be one and done with the Tigers, unless they decide to re-sign him.

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Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (knee) said he's not expecting to need offseason surgery on his knee, according to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith. Bichette suffered a sprained PCL in his left knee in early September and wasn't available for the Blue Jays until Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday. Although the All-Star shortstop has been available to the Blue Jays during the Fall Classic, he hasn't been moving around the same and has been limited to the designated hitter role and second base. However, he has somehow managed to go 5-for-16 (.313) at the plate with three RBI, a run scored, two walks, and two strikeouts in five games versus the Dodgers. Undergoing knee surgery this offseason would be very notable for a high-profile player who is set for free agency this winter. Barring a setback with his knee, Bichette should be ready for the start of the 2026 season, but it's unclear if that will come back in Toronto or with a new team.

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If necessary, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer will take the ball to start Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Rogers Centre on Saturday, according to Rob Longley of the Toronto Star. A deciding Game 7 would be necessary if the Blue Jays cannot close things out on Friday night in Game 6. Scherzer, 41, took a no-decision in his first start of the Fall Classic on Monday night in Los Angeles, allowing three runs in 4 1/3 innings pitched while giving up two home runs, walking only one, and striking out three. The veteran hurler has only made two starts in the postseason this year for Toronto, with his other outing coming in the American League Championship Series, when he gave up two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings for a win over the Mariners. Scherzer had an ERA over 5.00 during the regular season and made only 17 starts due to injuries, but he's the type of veteran bulldog pitcher that would love nothing more than to take the ball in a deciding Game 7 of the Fall Classic.

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Los Angeles Dodgers struggling shortstop Mookie Betts is being moved from the two-hole in the batting order to cleanup for a must-win Game 6 of the World Series on Friday night in Toronto against the Blue Jays and right-hander Kevin Gausman. Catcher Will Smith will occupy the No. 2 spot behind Shohei Ohtani. Although Betts managed 20 homers during the regular season, he hit just .258 (152-for-589), a stark dropoff after he batted .289 in 2024. The 33-year-old eight-time All-Star and former MVP has hit only .234 (15-for-64) in 15 postseason games this year and is still searching for his first home run. In five World Series games against Toronto, he's gone just 3-for-23 with no extra-base hits, a run, three walks, and five K's. The Dodgers will be hoping the lineup shakeup will get Betts going. In 54 career at-bats against Gausman, Betts has hit a strong .296 with three homers, a double, and eight RBI.

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Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (side) is back at DH and as the leadoff hitter on Friday night for Game 6 of the World Series against Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Springer injured his right side on a swing late in the loss on Monday night in Game 3 of the Fall Classic, and he was held out of the team's wins in both Game 4 and 5. With an off day on Thursday, Springer is feeling better and will return as the club's leadoff hitter as they seek their first World Series title in over 30 years on Halloween. It's definitely a boost to Toronto's lineup, as the veteran outfielder/DH has four homers and an .884 OPS through 14 postseason games this October. Yamamoto has been one of the toughest pitchers to hit in this year's playoffs, although Springer did go 1-for-3 against him with a double and a run scored in Game 2 of this series last Saturday.

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The Baltimore Orioles announced on Thursday that they re-signed infielder Luis Vazquez to an undisclosed one-year major-league contract for the 2026 season. Vazquez will return to Baltimore next year after playing in 32 games with the O's in his second major-league season. In 53 plate appearances with Baltimore, he went just 8-for-50 (.160) with his first career home run, three RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases. In his first MLB season the year prior with the Chicago Cubs, Vazquez went 1-for-12 with an RBI in just 11 games played. The Puerto Rican middle infielder looked better at the plate in his time at Triple-A Norfolk last year, but he'll be nothing more than infield depth for the O's in 2026 and will probably begin the regular season back in the minors.

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Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (side) came close to starting in the Game 5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series on Wednesday night, according to manager John Schneider. The skipper added that Springer has "checked every box physically so far." Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling writes that it "sounds like a strong possibility" that Springer returns to the lineup for Game 6 back in Toronto on Halloween night on Friday, "if he continues trending the way he has." The 36-year-old veteran injured his right side on a swing in the Game 3 loss on Monday night in L.A., causing him to miss Games 4 and 5 of the Fall Classic. If Springer returns to the lineup on Friday at the Rogers Centre, it will push infielder Bo Bichette back to the keystone. Springer has been a key offensive force for the Jays all year and has hit .246 (14-for-57) with four homers and nine RBI in 14 postseason games this year.

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Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller (elbow) said he doesn't expect to need surgery for a right-elbow injury that kept him out for half of the 2025 season. The same can be said for right-handed starters George Kirby (shoulder) and Logan Gilbert (elbow), who also missed around two months each in the first half of the season. Miller added that he has a follow-up exam with Dr. Keith Meister early this offseason to determine his next steps for a small bone spur in his right elbow. The 27-year-old had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his elbow in early June and didn't return to the rotation until Aug. 19, making eight starts over the final eight weeks of the regular season. Miller may receive a cortisone injection early in the offseason, and then maybe another one at the start of spring training. But barring a setback, Miller should be ready for the start of 2026. Fantasy managers shouldn't forget that he ranked among the American League leaders in 2024 with a 2.94 ERA and 180 1/3 innings over 31 starts.

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The Baltimore Orioles announced on Thursday that they re-signed right-hander Rico Garcia to an undisclosed one-year major-league deal for the 2026 season. The Orioles will have Garcia back next year after he finished up the year strong with Baltimore, posting a 2.84 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 20 strikeouts and six walks in 19 innings pitched over 20 appearances (one start). He also pitched with the New York Mets and New York Yankees in 2025, posting a combined 0-2 record, 3.15 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 38:10 K:BB in 34 1/3 big-league frames. The 31-year-old veteran will report to spring training next February, looking to win a middle-relief role for the O's out of spring training. Garcia is not on the fantasy radar at all and holds a career 5.27 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in his 70 big-league innings over five seasons.

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Blue Jays' SP Trey Yesavage recorded 12 strikeouts in 7 innings with the win in a 6-1 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitching prospect Rhett Lowder (forearm, oblique) missed the entire 2025 big-league season due to a right-forearm strain and a left-oblique strain, but he has been pitching for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League and has a 3.00 ERA with no walks and six strikeouts through six innings, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. The former first-round pick in 2023 gave up an earned run on two hits over two innings in his outing last Saturday. Lowder made his major-league debut at the end of the 2024 season and looked great, posting a tidy 1.17 ERA over his first six MLB starts. If he is fully healthy for spring training in 2026, the Reds will be hoping to put him in their Opening Day starting rotation. Lowder has four adequate pitches in his arsenal, but it wouldn't be a surprise if they take their time with him and start him in the minors to begin 2026, either.

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The San Diego Padres interviewed future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols on Tuesday for a second time for their vacant managerial position, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Pujols, who was unable to agree on a deal to become the next manager of the Los Angeles Angels this offseason, is now one of the finalists for the Padres' job, along with pitching coach Ruben Niebla and bench coach Brian Esposito. The Padres are looking for new leadership after previous manager Mike Shildt stepped down following the team's loss to the Chicago Cubs in the National League wild-card series in early October. Pujols has no managerial experience, but he will serve as the manager for the Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

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Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (side) is out of the starting lineup again on Wednesday night for Game 5 of the World Series against the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers and left-hander Blake Snell. Although Springer has reportedly made good progress since injuring his right side on a swing in the loss in Game 3 on Monday night in L.A., he will miss his second straight game. Infielder Bo Bichette is the DH and will bat third for Toronto, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa will start at the keystone and hit in the eight-hole against Snell as the Blue Jays look to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Springer will be available off the bench for the second straight game, but it remains to be seen if he'll be able to play again in the World Series. Bichette has gone just 2-for-11 in his career against Snell, while Kiner-Falefa is 0-for-3 with a walk and two K's against the lefty.

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