Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani announced on his official Instagram account on Thursday that he "would like to participate" in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Team Japan. "Looking forward for the opportunity to face the best players around the world and to be able to play in front of the Japanese fans for the first time in over five years!!" Ohtani wrote. The 28-year-old pulled out of the most recent WBC in 2017 due to an ankle injury. He told reporters last month that he'd consider coming out of the bullpen for Team Japan if he played in next year's WBC. Ohtani had another phenomenal season for the Angels in 2022, hitting .273 with 34 home runs, 95 RBI, 90 runs and 11 stolen bases as the designated hitter while also going 15-9 on the mound with a 2.33 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 219 strikeouts in 166 innings over 28 starts.

The Seattle Mariners have inquired with the Milwaukee Brewers on the availability of second baseman Kolten Wong, who has one year left before reaching free agency, according to sources. Wong is a left-handed hitter and is coming off of a career-high 118 OPS+. Milwaukee picked up Wong's $10 million option for the 2023 season to bring him back for another year. The 32-year-old was very productive at the plate last season, finishing with a .251/.339/.430 slash line with a career-high 15 home runs, 47 RBI, 65 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 497 plate appearances over 134 games for the Brew Crew. He now has 29 home runs, 97 RBI and 29 stolen bases in his two years in Milwaukee.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara won the 2022 National League Cy Young award on Wednesday. He becomes the team's first-ever Cy Young winner after he tossed a league-high 228 2/3 innings this year, which is the highest total for a pitcher since Justin Verlander's 223 in 2019. The 27-year-old right-hander's six complete games were the most in baseball in six years and more than any other team in 2022. He threw eight or more innings in 14 of his 32 starts. Alcantara's ERA (2.28), expected ERA (2.92), strikeouts (207) and quality starts (24) all ranked in the top five in the NL. Alcantara was an absolute beast and continued to throw in the upper-90s with his fastball deep into his starts. He'll cost a pretty penny as a fantasy ace in 2023 drafts.

The Toronto Blue Jays designated outfielders Raimel Tapia and Bradley Zimmer for assignment on Tuesday while also releasing Foster Griffin. In corresponding moves, the team added Orelvis Martinez, Yosver Zulueta, Addison Barger and Spencer Horwitz to the 40-man roster. The Blue Jays acquired Tapia from the Colorado Rockies last March. The 28-year-old ended up playing in 128 games in Toronto last season, hitting .265/.292/.380 with seven home runs, 52 RBI, 47 runs scored and eight stolen bases in his 411 at-bats. Zimmer played 100 games for the Blue Jays and nine with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022. In his 100 games in Toronto, he hit just .101/.200/.213 with two home runs, five RBI, 14 runs scored and three stolen bases.

The Miami Marlins acquired relief pitcher JT Chargois in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. The Marlins dealt right-handed pitching prospects Marcus Johnson and Santiago Suarez to the Rays for Chargois and infielder Xavier Edwards. The 31-year-old pitched to a 2.42 ERA and a 4.28 FIP in 22.1 innings for the American League East club last season, striking out 17 batters compared to five walks allowed. He also posted the holds and a pair of pitcher wins. He'll give the Marlins another late-inning relief option alongside the likes of Dylan Floro, Tanner Scott, Tommy Nance, and Richard Bleier.

The Washington Nationals signed outfielder Derek Hill to a minor league deal on Tuesday that includes an invite to spring training, according to a source. Hill is a former first-round pick by the Detroit Tigers. He finished last season with the Seattle Mariners after they claimed him off waivers in August. The 26-year-old appeared in 31 games for Detroit in 2022, hitting .229/.270/.289 with one home run, three RBI, eight runs scored and three stolen bases in 92 plate appearances. Hill hasn't been able to get his bat going in three major-league seasons, but he's excellent defensively and will give the rebuilding Nationals some more outfield depth heading into the 2023 season. He's hit just .240/.291/.339 with four long balls, 17 RBI, 30 runs scored and nine steals in 95 games over three seasons with Detroit.

The Toronto Blue Jays are showing interest in free-agent outfielder Brandon Nimmo, according to sources. The trade of Teoscar Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday has freed up a spot in the Toronto lineup for them to add the left-handed bat that they've lacked. Nimmo and his on-base skills would be a perfect fit for Toronto's potent lineup and make him even more attractive in fantasy. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter has a strong .385 on-base percentage in his seven major-league seasons, and he finished 2022 by hitting .274/.367/.433 with an .800 OPS, 16 home runs, league-leading seven triples, 64 RBI, 102 runs scored and three stolen bases in 673 plate appearances over a career-high 151 games.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper (elbow) will have UCL surgery on his right elbow next Wednesday. It's still unknown if it will be Tommy John surgery or not, so Harper's timetable for a return next year is still up in the air. Tommy John surgery would require a longer rehab, but it wouldn't mean that Harper would be lost for the entire 2023 season. Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani had TJ surgery on Oct. 1, 2018, and returned to serve as the designated hitter on May 7, 2019. The 30-year-old slugger was limited to DH duties all year after initially hurting his elbow in April, but it didn't slow him down at all at the plate. The seven-time All-Star remained a force with the lumber, slashing .286/.364/.514 with an .877 OPS, 18 home runs, 65 RBI, 63 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in 99 regular season games. Harper also missed valuable time with a fractured thumb.

The Toronto Blue Jays are acquiring reliever Erik Swanson and left-handed pitching prospect Adam Macko from the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday in exchange for outfielder Teoscar Hernandez. Swanson was a very reliable setup man for the Mariners last year, posting a 1.68 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, three saves, 14 holds, 70 walks and only 10 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old right-hander now moves to the tough American League East, where he'll be a setup man for closer Jordan Romano. Macko, 21, was ranked as Seattle's No. 8 prospect by MLB Pipeline before the trade. The young southpaw will be a long-term option for Toronto's rotation down the line. He made eight starts for High-A Everett in 2022, going 0-2 with a 3.99 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 60 strikeouts and 20 walks in 38 1/3 innings pitched.

The Seattle Mariners are expected to acquire outfielder Teoscar Hernandez from the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday in exchange for reliever Erik Swanson and left-handed pitching prospect Adam Macko, according to multiple MLB sources. Hernandez will effectively take over for Mitch Haniger, who will leave in free agency this offseason. The 30-year-old Dominican outfielder was an All-Star for the first time in 2021 and followed that up by hitting .267/.316/.491 with an .807 OPS, 25 home runs, 77 RBI, 71 runs scored and six stolen bases in 535 plate appearances over 131 games in Toronto. He'll be leaving one potent lineup for another and should remain very attractive in fantasy for his power RBI abilities with his new squad.

MLB.com's Jon Morosi reported Tuesday that the Seattle Mariners would be willing to trade either starting pitcher Chris Flexen or Marco Gonzales. Flexen is in the final year of his contract and Gonzales is under contract for another two seasons with a $15 million club option for 2025. Both were important pieces in the Mariners' rotation in 2022, with Flexen compiling a 3.73 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 16.1% strikeout rate over 137 2/3 innings and Gonzales posting a 4.13 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 13.2% strikeout rate over 183 IP. Regardless of where they land, both pitchers offer minimal fantasy upside due to high WHIP's and low strikeout rates.

The Tampa Bay Rays designated left-hander Ryan Yarbrough for assignment on Tuesday, and he'll likely be non-tendered by Friday's deadline, which would make him a free agent and able to sign with any team. Yarbrough ended his 2022 season on the injured list due to an oblique strain, and he struggled when he was healthy to the tune of a 4.50 ERA (4.77 FIP), a 1.37 WHIP, 61 strikeouts and 22 walks in 80 innings pitched over 20 appearances (nine starts). Yarbrough hasn't been as good in the last two seasons in Tampa, but he's mostly been an effective swing man in his five big-league seasons for the Rays. In his career, the 30-year-old southpaw has a 4.33 ERA (4.15 FIP), a 1.20 WHIP and a 467:131 K:BB in 579 2/3 innings over 127 outings (59 starts), all with the Rays.

The Colorado Rockies acquired infielder Nolan Jones from the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday in exchange for infielder Juan Brito. Jones was a former second-round pick and is listed as Cleveland's No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 24-year-old has had some of the best walk rates in the minors over the last couple seasons, and he finished the season at Triple-A Columbus by hitting .276 with nine home runs, 43 RBI, 44 runs, four stolen bases and 31 walks in 55 games. In his first 28 games at the big-league level, Jones hit .244 (21-for-86) with two homers, 13 RBI and 10 runs scored. The left-handed hitter has a chance to play a lot at the hot corner in Colorado in 2023. Brito, meanwhile, was listed as the Rockies' No. 30 prospect. The 21-year-old switch-hitter batted .286 with 11 home runs, 72 RBI, 91 runs and 17 stolen bases in 107 games for Single-A Fresno this year.

Free-agent starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi declined the Boston Red Sox's one-year, $19.65 million qualifying offer on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the situation. Eovaldi is free to sign with any team this offseason despite dealing with multiple injuries throughout the year that limited him to 20 starts in 2022. The 32-year-old right-hander ended up going 6-3 with a 3.87 ERA (4.30 FIP), a 1.23 WHIP, 103 strikeouts and 20 walks in 109 1/3 innings over his 20 starts a year after being an All-Star for the first time in his career. Eovaldi still has appealing strikeout upside, but he's not getting any younger and has never reached the 200-inning mark in his 11 years in the big leagues.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson accepted the team's one-year, $19.65 million qualifying offer on Tuesday to return to the team in 2023, according to a source. Pederson and Rangers left-hander Martin Perez were only two of 14 players given the qualifying offer to accept it this offseason. Pederson made the All-Star team for the second time in 2022 in his first year in the Bay Area, slashing .274/.353/.521 with an .874 OPS, 23 home runs, 70 RBI, 57 runs scored and three stolen bases in 433 plate appearances over 134 games. The 30-year-old will continue to be a nice source of power in fantasy leagues, but he'll also lose some playing time against left-handed pitchers. In 57 plate appearances against them last year, he hit .245 with only two of his 23 home runs against them.

The New York Yankees are re-signing first baseman Anthony Rizzo on Tuesday, according to a source. MLB Network's Jon Heyman is reporting that it's a two-year deal for around $17 million a year. Rizzo rejected the team's one-year, $19.65 million qualifying offer, but he'll be back on a multi-year deal. The 33-year-old and his left-handed power stroke is a perfect fit for the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium. In his first full year in the Bronx, Rizzo hit .224/.338/.480 with an .817 OPS, 32 home runs, 75 RBI, 77 runs scored and six stolen bases in 548 plate appearances over 130 regular season games. Staying in a potent Yankees offense with an excellent home park, Rizzo will once again be a great source of power, RBI and on-base percentage in 2023.

The Los Angeles Angels agreed with free-agent starting pitcher Tyler Anderson on a three-year, $40 million deal on Tuesday. Anderson will stay in town after spending 2022 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he had a career year. The 32-year-old veteran left-hander was an All-Star for the first time in his seven-year career while going 15-5 with a 2.57 ERA (3.31 FIP), a 1.00 WHIP, 138 strikeouts and only 34 walks in 178 2/3 innings over 30 appearances (28 starts). Anderson turned down the $19.65 million qualifying offer from the Dodgers in order to test the open market after his strong season. He'll be a much-needed rotation addition for the Halos, but it remains to be seen if he can duplicate his strong 2022 campaign.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Martin Perez officially accepted the team's one-year, $19.65 million qualifying offer on Tuesday, according to a source. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw's 2022 season was one of the bigger surprises among starting pitchers. He went 12-8 and made the All-Star team for the first time in his 11th major-league season. Perez had a career-best 2.89 ERA (3.26 FIP), a 1.26 WHIP, a career-high 169 strikeouts and 69 walks in 196 1/3 innings over his 32 starts in his first season with the Rangers. Whether he can do it for a second season in a row is another story. Perez has a career 4.43 ERA (4.35 FIP), a 1.45 WHIP and a 909:470 K:BB in 1,299 innings over 253 appearances (223 starts).

According to a tweet from MLB Network's Jon Morosi on Tuesday, the Seattle Mariners are reportedly "willing to move Jesse Winker." Morosi tweeted: "#Mariners have discussed trade possibilities with multiple teams in recent days. Sources say they are willing to move Jesse Winker and either Chris Flexen or Marco Gonzalez. To this point, they are not including Winker and a starter in the same trade proposal. @MLBNetwork @MLB." Acquired by Seattle in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds last offseason, Winker hit .219 with a .344 on-base percentage in 547 plate appearances in his first season in the Pacific Northwest. He also added 14 home runs in those 547 plate appearances. In addition to Winker, Seattle's other outfield options on the 40-man roster include Julio Rodriguez, Sam Haggerty, Taylor Trammell, Jarred Kelenic, Kyle Lewis, ... [More]

The New York Mets have claimed pitcher Stephen Ridings off waivers from the New York Yankees, the Mets announced in a tweet on Tuesday. Ridings, a 27-year-old right-hander, last appeared in the Majors during the 2021 campaign, allowing four hits, two walks, and an earned run in five innings while striking out seven batters. He'll provide the Mets with some depth on the 40-man roster heading into spring training and the 2023 regular season. As of now, New York's current bullpen options include the likes of Jose Butto, John Curtiss, Yoan Lopez, Bryce Montes De Oca, Stephen Nogosek, Taylor Saucedo, Drew Smith, and closer Edwin Diaz among others.