Guardians traded Josh Naylor for Slade Cecconi and I’ve to imagine Slade Cecconi is aware of the place the our bodies are buried. Nothing else is smart. I’d fortunately say Josh Naylor was too costly for the Guards, however he was the same-ish as newly signed Carlos Santana. What’s [five minutes after downing ayahuasca] happening? That is such a weird transfer I’m not computing, want extra of the reality peyote. So, nailed Josh Naylor being a sleeper final yr! Excessive 5 me! No? Why? Oh, as a result of he solely had a stable season as a result of all the first basemen round him weren’t nice? Okay, honest sufficient. Final yr, Naylor went 31/6/.243 and that was the third greatest 1st baseman on the Participant Rater. [bugs eyes] Oh boy. He misplaced virtually forty factors on xBA and gained Ks. Whereas they had been nonetheless good, they went up. Possibly that’s why the Guards deserted him. I don’t know. Right here’s to him determining how he can stave off additional losses and put to mattress any issues, like he places to mattress the imaginary child he rocks as he rounds bases on a homer. 2025 Projections: 81/28/95/.261/7 in 559 ABs Anyway, right here’s what else I noticed this offseason for 2025 fantasy baseball:
PSYCHE! My 2025 fantasy baseball rankings are all on Patreon. Don’t anticipate the rankings to return out subsequent month. Anyway II, the roundup:
Slade Cecconi – Traded to the Guards. By the best way, after I was attempting to assume why the Guards would need Cecconi and Santana over Naylor, I did take into account Cecconi is healthier than I believe. I shortly deserted that idea. He does have nice command, however his 6+ ERA relays a number of info with how onerous he will get rocked. Possibly they will unlock one thing, however I’ve huge doubts.
Carlos Santana – Signed by the Guards as a result of it had been virtually 4 years since he was there they usually missed him. Aw, candy. If I’m them, I modify the crew identify to the Cleveland Supernaturals. So, Santana goes 23/4/.240 yearly, roughly and, if something, I’d count on much less as he’s 39 in April. 2025 Projections: 61/20/72/.227/3 in 519 ABs
Christian Walker – Signed with the Astros. First, Jon Singleton is suspended for hotboxing the batter’s field and now he’s bumped to the bench for a Christian. Y’all and your Puritanical values. Let my man smoke balls and joints! Balls ‘n Joints can be the identify of my very unhealthy mechanic. “Seems to be like you will have a…” Lengthy pull off a joint. “…automobile drawback.” So, Christian Walker’s batted ball profile seems higher final yr vs. the yr earlier than (when he was on the floor higher), and I belief the Astros as a lot as any crew. Till the Astros make a horrible signing that doesn’t work out, I’m on board. Being for actual: You gotta belief one thing on this lil’ snow globe we name the world. Have a look at Walker’s HardHit% and solely that from 2023 to 2024: 40.4% to 48%. Yeah, final yr wasn’t a foul yr, and I presently see him being drafted at a pleasant low cost. 2025 Projections: 83/34/95/.254/3 in 579 ABs
Paul Goldschmidt – Signed with the Yankees, which felt inevitable. There’s nothing the Yanks like greater than a very past-his-prime nook infielder. Brian Cashman, “Nah, I don’t assume he’ll be Anthony Rizzo, Luke Voit, DJ LeMahieu, Chris Carter or Greg Chicken. Suppose we would be capable to get a 2022 Matt Carpenter yr out of Paul Goldschmidt.” Off different folks’s seems, “Ya know, when he was good for, like, 50 video games.” So, I don’t assume Yankee Stadium or their lineup goes to assist him sufficient to revitalize his profession. His peripherals have the usual look of the fading star. He is perhaps good for counting stats, and gained’t be as unhealthy as Rizzo. 2025 Projections: 76/20/83/.247/8 in 581 ABs
Jose Trevino – Traded to the Reds. He faces lefties and lefties solely and–properly, what’s a LOOGY referred to as for batters? A BOOGY? So, Trevino’s a BOOGYman? Effectively, not precisely. What’s a BOOGYman if they will’t hit lefties? How about we name him an OOGA-BOOGA? It’s not an acronym for something, it’s definition is a scary factor that jumps out at you. Like his platoon splits. 2025 Projections: 28/9/31/.221/2 in 223 ABs
Patrick Sandoval – Signed with the Pink Sox. He’s going to want no less than a half a season to return from Tommy John surgical procedure, then who is aware of how lengthy to overlook all the things he realized with the Angels.
Jesus Luzardo – Traded to the Phils for dynamic, however very younger prospects. Not unhealthy for a pitcher who was a high 20 starter two years in the past, and appeared headed for a good higher yr in 2024, till accidents derailed him. In actual fact! (Gray’s obtained extra.) After two straight years of promising outcomes, Luzardo had a season final yr that was maybe the worst factor God ever spit up. From flexor muscle pressure to lumbar stress response to, the worst of all, nonetheless having to pitch for the Marlins all season and never being traded. He was shut down in early August and I actually don’t know what to anticipate right here. He may very well be completely healed, and I belief the Phils to know that, so I really moved him up in my rankings after this commerce — all obtainable on Patreon. I believe at his draft worth, it’s definitely worth the flyer to see in case you get a bounce again, and what higher place for a flyer than Philly. 2025 Projections: 11-8/3.76/1.26/154 in 148 IP
Max Kepler – Signed with the Phils. That is a kind of strikes that doesn’t appear that thrilling for fantasy, however there’s gonna be a second in August whenever you’re like, ‘Ought to I bench JRod for Kepler? I actually ought to cease drafting JRod within the first spherical yearly as a result of he’s solely good in September.’ And I’m gonna say, ‘Positive, go together with Kepler,’ then JRod will hit six homers in three at-bats (don’t ask how) and also you’ll vow to by no means draft JRod once more till you draft him once more in 2026, however at a reduction, you rationalize. Any hoo! Kepler is ok if he’s sizzling on waivers. 2025 Projections: 44/16/51/.246/1 in 372 ABs
Griffin Canning – Signed by the Mets. Free eventually, free eventually, thank God almighty, somebody free Jo Adell now! Griffin Canning, your 2025 NL All-Star Recreation starter! I’m considerably kidding, nevertheless it doesn’t harm to accumulate as many 170+ IP pitchers as you may for actual baseball. Final yr, his stroll charge ballooned to three.5 nevertheless it was 2.6 BB/9 the yr earlier than, and if he can get again to that, that’s good. One thing I’d belief the Mets to tug off greater than the Angels. Canning might lastly obtain the success that has eluded him on the terribly-coached Angels. For 2025, I’ll give Griffin Canning projections of September 11/4.21/1.29/143 in 167 IP.
Chuckie Robinson – Traded from the White Sox to the Angels for money. That’s why they name him 5-Buck Chuck.
Nathaniel Lowe – Traded to the Nats. I’ve a bone to select with Nathaniel Lowe. Should you go from Nate to Nathaniel, it’s important to improve your homers, not clock in with 17 and be like, “I’m good right here.” Extra letters added for me to sort, the extra it’s important to make that price my whereas. By the best way, whenever you see the first basemen rankings — already on Patreon — oh man, you will have by no means seen so many 1st basemen who can’t hit 20 homers even with 600 ABs. It’s like the first basemen are all time vacationers from the Lifeless Ball Period. Skeets McCutty gonna lead the league with 11 homers, then die of consumption or what? 2025 Projections: 71/18/79/.266/2 in 531 ABs
Robert Garcia – Traded to the Rangers. This looks like a kind of strikes (Lowe for Garcia) the place the Rangers learn about a market effectivity (nice relievers and the way necessary they’re) and the Nats are like, “Wheeeeee! A 1st baseman!” This provides the Rangers and Nats new closers. (Although, Kyle Finnegan remains to be a free agent, so perhaps he returns.) Hesitant to do nearer projections till final minute, however Garcia could be a wonderful nearer (and low-cost for fantasy), if the Rangers go that means.
Gio Urshela – Signed with the Ath’s, which is how I see them abbreviated some locations, which is so humorous to me. Gonna begin calling them the Ath’s so when Google’s AI steals my content material they name them the Ath’s. Thall victories. Gio is undraftable within the high 500, so he will get no projections. Aw, thad emoji.
Rickey Henderson – RIP to the GOAT. A participant might common 70 stolen bases a season over 20 years and nonetheless fall in need of tying Rickey Henderson. It’s so uncommon when a participant is so relentlessly thrilling that it doesn’t matter what crew you rooted for, you had been a fan of Rickey Henderson, actually one in all a form. I’ll depart you with an excerpt from Mike Piazza’s autobiography about playoff shares (by the best way, think about being Piazza and admitting this):
