Free agent right-hander Merrill Kelly, after being dealt by the Diamondbacks to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline last season, is returning to Arizona on a two-year, $40 million deal, sources confirmed to ESPN amid multiple media reports.

In just over a month, pitchers and catchers will begin reporting to sunny Arizona and Florida for the start of spring training, but before that happens there is a lot of roster reconstruction still to take place this offseason.

One might recall that a few days ago, the Blue Jays signed third baseman Kazuma Okamoto out of Japan. Though there could still be a fit for free agent Bo Bichette if the two sides wanted it bad enough, that might be off the table at this point. The Athletic reports that "a reunion with Bichette appears increasingly unlikely."

Ethan Salas is the only player from the top five of the last list to fall off, and his 2026 season will be key to seeing whether he is going to recover to his early career projections. Billy Carlson, Johnny King and Alfredo Duno are among the top pros to just miss.

The Houston Astros are losing their ace in Framber Valdez. However, the Astros were able to sign the top Japanese starting pitcher, Tatsuya Imai. The agreement

Swanson’s legacy on the field is just as meaningful as his work off of it, highlighted by two All-Star selections and two Silver Slugger Awards. His MLB journey began in 2016 with the Atlanta Braves, where he spent the majority of his first seven seasons.

Here's what we're hearing about Ketel Marte, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette and much more as the hot stove heats back up.