The Pittsburgh Pirates have stayed aggressive in their pursuit of a bat this offseason and are among the teams that have inquired about Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Lowe will make $11.5 million in 2026 after Tampa picked up his option. The Pirates were also pursuing designated hitter Kyle Schwarber before he re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for five years and $150 million. Lowe, 31, hit .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs, 83 RBI, and 79 runs scored in 134 games in his eighth big-league season in 2025. The oft-injured left-handed-hitting second baseman had his best season since 2021. Lowe has plenty of pop from the left side, but his fantasy ceiling is limited because of his inability to hit left-handers and his lengthy injury history. But Lowe would be an upgrade for a Pittsburgh team looking to bolster its offense as they look to compete with a young and dominant pitching staff.

The Baltimore Orioles have had talks with free-agent left-hander Framber Valdez, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Despite agreeing to a five-year, $155 million contract with first baseman Pete Alonso on Wednesday, the Orioles remain engaged with the top end of the starting pitching market this offseason. Baltimore has reportedly been discussing a potential trade for Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore, too. Valdez, 32, is expected to be too expensive for Houston's taste as they search for younger, controllable starting pitchers. The veteran southpaw isn't a big strikeout guy, instead leaning on inducing ground balls, but he's been one of the most consistent starters in baseball since 2020. He's also one of just five pitchers to throw 900 innings in the last four years. A move to the AL East wouldn't be ideal for Valdez's fantasy value, but his penchant for keeping the ball on the ground would certainly help.

The New York Mets never made a formal offer to try and bring first baseman Pete Alonso back, a source told MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. It became clear to the Mets that the bidding for Alonso "was heading to places they weren't interested in going." The Baltimore Orioles landed the 31-year-old All-Star for five years and $155 million on Wednesday. It's been a rough week for the Mets, as they also lost former closer Edwin Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Alonso had a strong 2025 season in his last year in Queens, slashing .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and 126 RBI in a full 162 games. The Polar Bear is an elite source of power for fantasy managers, as he's clubbed 264 round-trippers in seven seasons since entering the league in 2019. We shouldn't expect Alonso to hit for average again in 2026 in Baltimore, but he's a pretty good bet for 30-plus homers and 100-plus RBI with the O's if he stays healthy.

The Baltimore Orioles have had steady communication about Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore, sources told Jon Morosi of MLB Network. There is no indication that a deal is close, though. The Orioles have yet to complete a trade with the Nationals since the franchise moved to D.C. ESPN's Buster Olney reportedly recently that there is a perception among several front offices that the Nationals will definitely trade Gore this offseason. The 26-year-old southpaw was heading for a breakout 2025 campaign in the first half before fading in the second half while missing time due to ankle and shoulder injuries. He finished with a 5-15 record, 4.17 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 185 strikeouts, and 64 walks in 30 starts (159 2/3 innings) in his fourth MLB season. It would be quite a splash for the O's, who just signed superstar first baseman Pete Alonso to a five-year, $155 million deal.