1. Astros 40-man roster coming:
The Astros are reportedly signing a right-hander Ryan Weiss to a Major League deal, bringing him over from the Korea Baseball Organization. The Astros have a full 40-man roster, so they will have to make a move to accommodate their new addition. The most common way to accomplish that is simply to designate a player for assignment, but it’s also possible that Houston could try to work out a trade that frees up 40-man cap space instead. That could be a small trade for a low-level player on the 40-man, but a bigger deal is also possible considering Houston is reportedly getting interest in outfielders Jake Meyers and Jesus Sanchez on the trading market.
2. Fairbank’s next step?
Former Rays right-hander Pete Fairbanks was a somewhat unexpected addition to this year’s free agent market after the Rays declined their $11 million club option on his services for the 2026 season. He has since received a lot of interest in recent weeks, with the Tigers, Marlins and Blue Jays among a number of teams known to be involved in his market at least on some level. The relief market has been moving faster than the rest of this winter’s free agent class, with names like Raisel Iglesias, Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley and Phil Maton has already left the board with notable contracts. Could Fairbanks be the next domino to fall?
3. What’s next for the Jays?
The Blue Jays reportedly reached an agreement with the right-hander Cody Ponce yesterday, adding a second starter to a rotation that was already bringing in Dylan stops earlier this winter. Of Kevin Gausman, Shane BieberAnd Jose Berrios already in place from last year plus top prospect Trey Yesavage and depth options such as Eric Lauer, Yariel RodriguezAnd Bowden Francisthe addition of Ponce creates a plethora of rotation options. Perhaps a pivot to the trade market could make sense to leverage that depth, but it’s also worth noting that the star shortstop Bo Bichette still unsigned and the Jays, as previously mentioned, remain involved in the market for Fairbanks and other high-end utility arms.
#opener #Astros #Fairbanks #Blue #Jays