Fantasy Baseball
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Baseball
2024 Prospects: Top 10 at first base
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2024 Prospects: Top 10 at catcher
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Baseball
First mock draft for 2024
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Baseball
Early 2024 Rankings: Relief pitcher
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Stock up for six playoff standouts
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Early 2024 Rankings: Outfield
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Early 2024 Rankings: Shortstop
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Baseball
Early 2024 Rankings: Third base
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Baseball
Early 2024 Rankings: Second base
Player News
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Ryan Jensen SEA RP
Mariners' Ryan Jensen: Dropped from 40-man roster
2d agoJensen was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Wednesday.
Seattle had to free up a 40-man roster spot after acquiring both Seby Zavala and Carlos Vargas from the Diamondbacks on Wednesday in exchange for Eugenio Suarez. Jensen, 25, struggled to a 5.32 ERA and 1.82 WHIP in 64.1 innings of work this past year between Double-A and Triple-A. He's yet to appear in a major-league game.
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Luis Urias BOS 2B
Mariners' Luis Urias: In line for third base job
2d agoUrias is currently projected as the Mariners' starting third baseman following their trade of Eugenio Suarez, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Seattle acquired Urias from Boston last week and he's now at the top of the team's depth chart at third base, although it's possible the Mariners bring someone else in at the position this offseason. Urias had a dreadful 2023, posting just a .636 OPS with three homers in 52 games while spending a chunk of the year in the minors. He looked like a solid regular a couple years ago, though, and is just 26 years of age.
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Carlos Vargas ARI RP
Mariners' Carlos Vargas: Acquired by Mariners
2d agoThe Mariners acquired Vargas and Seby Zavala from the Diamondbacks in exchange for Eugenio Suarez on Wednesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Vargas posted a 5.79 ERA and 7:4 K:BB over 4.2 innings with Arizona and a 7.02 ERA and 36:32 K:BB across 42.1 frames at Triple-A Reno in 2023. While the control problems are worrisome, Vargas has a huge arm and could develop into a late-inning weapon if he can throw enough strikes.
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Eugenio Suarez SEA 3B
Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suarez: Lands with Diamondbacks
2d agoThe Diamondbacks acquired Suarez from the Mariners on Wednesday in exchange for Seby Zavala and Carlos Vargas, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Suarez stumbled to a .232/.323/.391 batting line this season in Seattle, although he did hit 22 home runs and drive in 96 runs. The 32-year-old is owed $11.3 million in 2024 and has a $15 million club option (or $2 million buyout) for 2025. Suarez should provide more stability at a third base spot which was a revolving door for Arizona in 2023.
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Seby Zavala ARI C
Mariners' Seby Zavala: Headed to Seattle
2d agoThe Mariners acquired Zavala from the Diamondbacks on Wednesday along with Carlos Vargas in exchange for Eugenio Suarez, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Zavala was a waiver claim by the Diamondbacks in September but made just four starts during his three and a half weeks with the team. The 30-year-old catcher has a career .622 OPS over parts of four major-league seasons spent mostly with the White Sox. He could open 2024 as Cal Raleigh's backup.
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Chadwick Tromp ATL C
Braves' Chadwick Tromp: Back with Atlanta
2d agoAtlanta re-signed Tromp to a minor-league contract Wednesday.
Tromp was non-tendered by Atlanta last week but will return to the organization. The 28-year-old catcher has put up a .640 OPS with five home runs over 102 plate appearances at the major-league level. He'll likely begin 2024 at Triple-A Gwinnett.
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Seby Zavala ARI C
Mariners' Seby Zavala: Headed to Seattle
2d agoThe Mariners acquired Zavala from the Diamondbacks on Wednesday along with Carlos Vargas in exchange for Eugenio Suarez, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Zavala was a waiver claim by the Diamondbacks in September but made just four starts during his three and a half weeks with the team. The 30-year-old catcher has a career .622 OPS over parts of four major-league seasons spent mostly with the White Sox. He could open 2024 as Cal Raleigh's backup.
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Chadwick Tromp ATL C
Braves' Chadwick Tromp: Back with Atlanta
2d agoAtlanta re-signed Tromp to a minor-league contract Wednesday.
Tromp was non-tendered by Atlanta last week but will return to the organization. The 28-year-old catcher has put up a .640 OPS with five home runs over 102 plate appearances at the major-league level. He'll likely begin 2024 at Triple-A Gwinnett.
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Garrett Stubbs PHI C
Phillies' Garrett Stubbs: Reaches agreement with Phils
6d agoStubbs avoided arbitration Friday with the Phillies on a one-year contract.
Stubbs slashed just .204/.274/.283 over 41 regular-season games in 2023 and drew only one postseason plate appearance, but the backup catcher figures to return to that role behind J.T. Realmuto in 2024.
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Chadwick Tromp ATL C
Chadwick Tromp: Hits open market
6d agoTromp was non-tendered by Atlanta on Friday, MLB.com reports.
With Sean Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud already on the depth chart, Atlanta doesn't need to carry a third catcher on the 40-man roster during the offseason. Tromp has a 31:1 K:BB in 102 MLB plate appearances and was below league average (84 wRC+) at Triple-A last season as a 28-year-old.
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Jacob Stallings MIA C
Jacob Stallings: Miami cuts ties
6d agoStallings was non-tendered by the Marlins on Friday, making him a free agent.
Stallings was a regular presence at catcher for Miami between 2022-23 and drew high praise for his defense, but he slashed just .210/.287/.290 over 660 plate appearances during that two-year stretch. The 33-year-old will probably have to accept a backup job somewhere for the 2024 season.
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Austin Nola SD C
Austin Nola: Non-tendered by San Diego
6d agoNola was non-tendered by the Padres on Friday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Nola moves into free agency after slashing just .146/.260/.192 with one home run over 52 major-league games (154 plate appearances) for San Diego in 2023. The 33-year-old will try to latch on somewhere else this winter as a No. 2 or No. 3 option behind the plate.
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Logan Porter KC 1B
Royals' Logan Porter: Back with KC on MiLB deal
6d agoPorter signed a minor-league contract with the Royals on Saturday.
After being non-tendered by the Royals on Friday, Carter will officially remain with the organization. The 28-year-old backstop spent most of his time at Triple-A Omaha last season, slashing .232/.339/.377 with 13 homers and 48 RBI.
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Dominic Smith WAS 1B
Dominic Smith: Non-tendered by Nats
6d agoSmith was non-tendered by the Nationals on Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
The 28-year-old was designated for assignment Tuesday and is now officially a free agent. He showed a lot of promise in 2019-20 with the Mets but has slashed just .242/.316/.350 in 211 major-league games (738 plate appearances) since the beginning of the 2022 campaign.
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Logan Porter KC 1B
Logan Porter: Cut loose by Kansas City
6d agoPorter was non-tendered by the Royals on Friday.
Porter was designated for assignment earlier this week and is now officially a free agent. The 28-year-old catcher has appeared in only 11 career games at the MLB level.
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Rowdy Tellez MIL 1B
Rowdy Tellez: Dropped by Milwaukee
6d agoTellez became a free agent Friday after being non-tendered by the Brewers, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Tellez slashed just .215/.291/.376 over 105 games (351 plate appearances) in 2023 and was left off the roster for the Brewers' NL Wild Card Series matchup against the Diamondbacks. He popped 35 home runs in 2022 and is only 28 years old, but it's a tough market out there for 1B/DH types.
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Logan Porter KC 1B
Royals' Logan Porter: Designated for assignment
9d agoPorter was designated for assignment by the Royals on Tuesday.
Porter went 6-for-31 (.194) with 11 strikeouts over his first 11 major-league games in 2023. The 28-year-old catcher is no longer part of the 40-man roster in Kansas City.
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Dominic Smith WAS 1B
Nationals' Dominic Smith: Designated for assignment
10d agoThe Nationals designated Smith for assignment Tuesday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Smith is due a bit of a raise in his final year of arbitration eligibility and the Nationals evidently weren't willing to give him a salary bump. The 28-year-old made $2 million in 2023 while slashing just .254/.326/.366 with 12 home runs over 153 games. Smith is still just 28, but with a .666 OPS since the start of the 2021 season, it might be difficult for him to find regular at-bats in 2024.
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Luis Urias BOS 2B
Mariners' Luis Urias: In line for third base job
2d agoUrias is currently projected as the Mariners' starting third baseman following their trade of Eugenio Suarez, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Seattle acquired Urias from Boston last week and he's now at the top of the team's depth chart at third base, although it's possible the Mariners bring someone else in at the position this offseason. Urias had a dreadful 2023, posting just a .636 OPS with three homers in 52 games while spending a chunk of the year in the minors. He looked like a solid regular a couple years ago, though, and is just 26 years of age.
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Luis Guillorme NYM 2B
Luis Guillorme: Moves into free agency
6d agoGuillorme was non-tendered by the Mets on Friday.
Guillorme battled injuries in 2023 and slashed just .224/.288/.327 across 120 plate appearances when healthy. The 29-year-old utility infielder is now officially a free agent.
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Luis Urias BOS 2B
Mariners' Luis Urias: Traded to Seattle
6d agoThe Mariners acquired Urias from the Red Sox on Friday in exchange for Isaiah Campbell, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Urias was likely going to be non-tendered by the Red Sox ahead of Friday's deadline had this trade not come together. He posted a disappointing .194/.337/.299 batting line over 177 plate appearances this past year between Milwaukee and Boston, but the former top prospect is only 26 years old and could be a platoon option at second base for the Mariners in 2024.
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Vidal Brujan TB 2B
Marlins' Vidal Brujan: Traded to Marlins
6d agoThe Rays traded Brujan to the Marlins alongside Calvin Faucher (biceps) on Friday in exchange for Erick Lara, Andrew Lindsey and a player to be named later or cash.
Brujan struggled during his multiple stints in the majors last season, but he put up a solid .272/.362/.477 slash line across 276 plate appearances in Triple-A. The 25-year-old will give the Marlins an organizational depth piece capable of fielding nearly every position.
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Yonny Hernandez LAD 2B
Brewers' Yonny Hernandez: Receives NRI from Milwaukee
7d agoHernandez signed a minor-league contract with the Brewers on Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
The deal includes an invitation to spring training, where Hernandez will compete for a utility infielder job. The 25-year-old has shown very little with the bat during his time in the majors to this point, slashing just .190/.286/.222 over 221 plate appearances.
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Nicky Lopez ATL 2B
White Sox's Nicky Lopez: Brings versatility to Sox
7d agoLopez was traded from Atlanta to the White Sox on Thursday along with Michael Soroka (forearm), Jared Shuster, Braden Shewmake and Riley Gowens in exchange for Aaron Bummer.
Lopez was dealt for the second time in the last five months as Atlanta looks to clear space on its 40-man roster. After handling a full-time role in 2021 and 2022, Lopez served primarily as a bench bat in 2023 and maintained only a .632 OPS. While he's shown stolen base upside in the past, Lopez managed only six steals across 262 plate appearances last season, though he could see an uptick in playing time with his new club given his ability to play across the infield.
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Eugenio Suarez SEA 3B
Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suarez: Lands with Diamondbacks
2d agoThe Diamondbacks acquired Suarez from the Mariners on Wednesday in exchange for Seby Zavala and Carlos Vargas, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Suarez stumbled to a .232/.323/.391 batting line this season in Seattle, although he did hit 22 home runs and drive in 96 runs. The 32-year-old is owed $11.3 million in 2024 and has a $15 million club option (or $2 million buyout) for 2025. Suarez should provide more stability at a third base spot which was a revolving door for Arizona in 2023.
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Josh Donaldson MIL 3B
Josh Donaldson: Would like to play one more season
4d agoDonaldson said Monday in an interview with Josh Wegman of TheScore.com that he is "definitely up" for playing in 2024, but "that would be my last season no matter what."
Donaldson has managed just a .678 OPS since the start of the 2022 season and was limited to 50 games in 2023 because of injuries. He'll also turn 38 next month. Donaldson's batted-ball data remained excellent this season, however, and he still rates fairly well defensively at third base. It wouldn't be surprising for a team to give Donaldson one more shot on a modest one-year deal.
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Patrick Wisdom CHC 3B
Cubs' Patrick Wisdom: Avoids arbitration with Cubs
6d agoWisdom avoided arbitration Friday with the Cubs on a one-year, $2.725 million contract, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Wisdom isn't a perfect player, but he hit 23 home runs over 97 games in 2023 and carries a .474 slugging percentage over the last three seasons. He'll again be a dangerous bench bat and corner-infield platoon option for Chicago in 2024.
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Luke Williams ATL 3B
Luke Williams: Non-tendered by Atlanta
6d agoWilliams was non-tendered by Atlanta on Friday, MLB.com reports.
A 27-year-old utility player, Williams has a .225/.281/.295 slash line in 263 MLB plate appearances over the past three seasons. He saw time at four different positions over 11 games in 2023.
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Abraham Toro-Hernandez MIL 3B
Athletics' Abraham Toro: Inks one-year pact
6d agoToro signed a one-year contract with the Athletics on Friday.
Toro was traded from Milwaukee to Oakland on Wednesday, and he's now in a position to compete for a starting infield job after spending most of last season with Triple-A Nashville, where he slashed .291/.374/.471 over 96 contests.
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Nick Senzel CIN 3B
Nick Senzel: Non-tendered by Cincinnati
6d agoSenzel was non-tendered by the Reds on Friday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Senzel went as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft and showed well in his rookie season in 2019, but he's now 28 years old and has slashed just .232/.296/.344 over his last 273 games dating back to the beginning of the 2020 campaign. He'll look to revitalize his career with a new organization.
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Mason McCoy TOR SS
Padres' Mason McCoy: Joins Friars on MiLB deal
4d agoMcCoy signed a minor-league contract, which includes an invitation to big-league spring training, with the Padres on Sunday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.
McCoy made his big-league debut with Toronto in 2023 but played in just six games, spending most of the campaign at the Triple-A level. He'll likely serve as organizational infield depth for San Diego in 2024.
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Jorge Mateo BAL SS
Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Agrees to $2.7M salary for '24
6d agoMateo signed a one-year, $2.7 million contract with the Orioles on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Mateo made $2 million in 2023 while slashing .217/.267/.340 with seven homers and 32 steals over 116 games as the O's primary shortstop. He might be more of a utility player in 2024, which will stunt his fantasy value, but the 28-year-old offers good speed and defensive versatility for the reigning AL East champions.
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Garrett Hampson MIA SS
Garrett Hampson: Pushed into free agency
6d agoHampson became a free agent Friday after being non-tendered by Miami.
Hampson played all around the diamond defensively in 2023 and posted a respectable .729 OPS across 252 plate appearances, but the Marlins did not want to pay his price tag as a second-year arbitration-eligible player. The 29-year-old should be able to find a super-utility job elsewhere.
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Kevin Smith OAK SS
Kevin Smith: Non-tendered by Oakland
6d agoSmith became a free agent Friday after the Athletics declined to tender him a contract.
The A's will officially move on from Smith after the 27-year-old infielder slashed just .185/.220/.326 through 146 big-league plate appearances. However, he put up an impressive 1.025 OPS with Triple-A Las Vegas, so he should be able to secure a minor-league deal relatively easily.
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Tristan Gray TB SS
Marlins' Tristan Gray: Signs on with Marlins
7d agoGray signed a minor-league contract with the Marlins on Friday, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.
It's the first transaction made by new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. The former Rays executive is familiar with Gray from his time in Tampa Bay, where the 27-year-old went 2-for-5 with a home run during a short stint in the majors. Gray has hit 30-plus home runs each of the last two seasons at the Triple-A level while also striking out at a 31.7 percent rate. He'll presumably receive an invitation to major-league spring training.
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Braden Shewmake ATL SS
White Sox's Braden Shewmake: May have path to majors
7d agoShewmake was traded from Atlanta to the White Sox on Thursday along with Michael Soroka (forearm), Jared Shuster, Nicky Lopez and Riley Gowens in exchange for Aaron Bummer.
Shewmake entered the 2022 season with a chance to win the starting shortstop job in Atlanta, but Orlando Arcia's strong form ended that opportunity. Even after posting a disappointing 72 wRC+ across 526 plate appearances with Triple-A Gwinnett, Shewmake should once again be in a position to vie for a consistent role in the majors during spring training thanks to this change of scenery.
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Stone Garrett WAS LF
Nationals' Stone Garrett: Resumes running
4d agoGarrett (fibula) said that he's no longer wearing a boot on his left foot and was able to resume running on a treadmill Monday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Garret underwent surgery in late August to address a fractured fibula and also had a procedure on his ankle, resulting in him behind slightly behind schedule as he begins his offseason training program. The 28-year-old said he's still aiming to be ready to go for spring training, and the fact that he's already running three months before position players report to camp is a positive sign. Garrett served primarily as a short-side platoon option at left field and designated hitter in 2023, batting .269 with nine home runs, three stolen bases, 40 RBI and 40 runs over 89 games.
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Diego Hernandez KC CF
Royals' Diego Hernandez: Returns to Kansas City
6d agoHernandez signed a minor-league contract with the Royals on Saturday.
Despite his struggles at Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2023, the Royals will bring back Hernandez after non-tendering him Friday. The 22-year-old outfielder will likely return to Double-A to begin 2024.
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Jake Cave PHI LF
Phillies' Jake Cave: Avoids arbitration
6d agoCave agreed to a one-year contract with the Phillies on Friday, avoiding arbitration.
The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but it's probably worth something close to the $950,000 he earned in 2023. Cave gives Philly some left-handed pop off the bench while also providing corner-outfield depth.
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Ryan McKenna BAL RF
Orioles' Ryan McKenna: Stays with O's
6d agoMcKenna signed a one-year contract with the Orioles on Friday, avoiding arbitration.
There had been some thought that McKenna could be a non-tender candidate, but the O's like his ability to play all across the outfield. The 26-year-old will be competing for a bench spot in the spring.
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Sam Hilliard ATL CF
Orioles' Sam Hilliard: Agrees to salary with O's
6d agoHilliard (heel) signed a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Orioles on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Hilliard was claimed off waivers from Atlanta on Nov. 1 and is now locked into a guaranteed salary with the O's for the 2024 campaign. The 29-year-old currently projects to serve as a fourth outfielder and bench bat in Baltimore.
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Mike Yastrzemski SF RF
Giants' Mike Yastrzemski: Signs for $7.9M deal
6d agoYastrzemski avoided arbitration with the Giants on Friday with a one-year, $7.9 million contract, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The 33-year-old outfielder earned $6.1 million in 2023 while registering a .775 OPS with 15 home runs across 106 games for San Francisco. He had an .831 OPS against righties and should continue to fill a strong-side platoon role in 2024.
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Kyle Gibson BAL SP
Cardinals' Kyle Gibson: Inks one-year deal with STL
3d agoGibson reached a one-year deal Tuesday with the Cardinals, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
It's a one-year, $12 million deal with a club option for 2025, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. St. Louis picked up Lance Lynn in free agency Monday and will now bring in another veteran starter to help round out a rotation that badly needed to be rebuilt this winter and could still use a top-tier arm. Gibson, 36, signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Orioles last offseason and went on to register a 4.73 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 157:55 K:BB in 33 starts covering 192 innings. He played his college ball at the University of Missouri, about 125 miles from Busch Stadium.
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Mike Soroka ATL SP
White Sox's Michael Soroka: Has resumed throwing
3d agoSoroka (forearm) said Monday that he has resumed throwing and "feels great," LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Soroka finished the 2023 season on the 60-day injured list with right forearm inflammation and missed all of 2021-22 due to consecutive Achilles tears, but he should be able to enjoy a normal offseason and will likely be in the running for an Opening Day rotation spot with the White Sox in 2024. Chicago acquired the 26-year-old right-hander from Atlanta last week as part of a six-player trade.
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Osvaldo Bido PIT SP
Athletics' Osvaldo Bido: Strikes deal with Oakland
4d agoBido agreed to a major-league deal with the Athletics on Monday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
After being non-tendered by Pittsburgh on Friday, Bido quickly recaptured a 40-man roster spot with another organization in rebuilding mode. The 28-year-old right-hander reached the majors for the first time in 2023, going 2-5 with a 5.86 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 48:21 K:BB over 50.2 innings spanning 16 appearances (nine starts) with the Pirates. Bido has two minor-league options remaining, so if he falls short in his bid for an Opening Day roster spot with the Athletics, he'll provide rotation depth at the Triple-A level.
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Lance Lynn LAD SP
Cardinals' Lance Lynn: Returns to Cards on one-year deal
4d agoThe Cardinals signed Lynn to a one-year, $10 million contract with a $12 million club option for 2025 on Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Lynn could net as much as $13 million in 2024 if he hits his contract incentives, and there's a $1 million buyout on his 2025 option. It's a homecoming for the burly right-hander, as Lynn was drafted by the Cardinals and spent his first six major-league seasons in St. Louis. The 36-year-old finished the 2023 season with a 5.73 ERA over 32 starts and yielded a whopping 44 home runs, but he also had a 191:67 K:BB over 183.2 frames. The Cardinals will be hoping the home run ball becomes less of an issue at spacious Busch Stadium.
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Aaron Nola PHI SP
Phillies' Aaron Nola: Inks seven-year deal with Philly
5d agoNola and the Phillies agreed to a seven-year, $172 million contract Sunday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski indicated the organization's top priority this offseason was re-signing Nola, and the two sides didn't take long to come to terms on a long-term deal. The 30-year-old right-hander's 4.46 ERA in 2023 was a bit underwhelming, but he's been one of the more reliable pitchers in baseball over the past six years with at least 32 starts in each full season. He's also topped 200 strikeouts in each of those campaigns and appears poised to finish out his career in Philadelphia.
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Yonny Chirinos ATL SP
Yonny Chirinos: Cast aside by Atlanta
6d agoChirinos (elbow) was non-tendered by Atlanta on Friday, MLB.com reports.
He didn't pitch after Aug. 19 due to elbow inflammation. Chirinos tallied a 5.40 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 53 strikeouts in 85 innings while splitting time between Atlanta and the Rays in 2023.
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Ryan Jensen SEA RP
Mariners' Ryan Jensen: Dropped from 40-man roster
2d agoJensen was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Wednesday.
Seattle had to free up a 40-man roster spot after acquiring both Seby Zavala and Carlos Vargas from the Diamondbacks on Wednesday in exchange for Eugenio Suarez. Jensen, 25, struggled to a 5.32 ERA and 1.82 WHIP in 64.1 innings of work this past year between Double-A and Triple-A. He's yet to appear in a major-league game.
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Carlos Vargas ARI RP
Mariners' Carlos Vargas: Acquired by Mariners
2d agoThe Mariners acquired Vargas and Seby Zavala from the Diamondbacks in exchange for Eugenio Suarez on Wednesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Vargas posted a 5.79 ERA and 7:4 K:BB over 4.2 innings with Arizona and a 7.02 ERA and 36:32 K:BB across 42.1 frames at Triple-A Reno in 2023. While the control problems are worrisome, Vargas has a huge arm and could develop into a late-inning weapon if he can throw enough strikes.
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Wilking Rodriguez STL RP
Cardinals' Wilking Rodriguez: Re-signed to minors contract
3d agoSt. Louis re-signed Rodriguez (shoulder) to a minor-league contract Tuesday with an invitation to major-league spring training, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Rodriguez was outrighted off the Cardinals' 40-man roster earlier this month, but he'll return as organizational depth for the 2024 season. The 33-year-old right-hander missed most of 2023 after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery in early May, though he should be fully recovered by now.
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Yerry De Los Santos PIT RP
Yankees' Yerry De Los Santos: Gets deal from Yankees
3d agoDe Los Santos signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Monday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
The deal includes an invitation to spring training, with the righty having the opportunity to make $900,000 if reaches the majors. De Los Santos posted a 4.14 ERA and 44:24 K:BB over 50 relief innings for the Pirates from 2022-23. He boasts a career 54.5 percent groundball rate.
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Cole Sulser TB RP
Mets' Cole Sulser: Gets minors deal from Mets
4d agoSulser signed a minor-league contract with the Mets on Monday, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
The deal includes an invitation to the major-league side of spring training. Sulser held a 6.75 ERA over four appearances for the Diamondbacks in 2023 but spent most of the season in the minors. He has collected a 3.87 ERA and 143:62 K:BB over 132.2 career big-league innings.
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Austin Cox KC RP
Royals' Austin Cox: Re-signs with Royals
6d agoCox (knee) signed a minor-league contract with the Royals on Saturday.
After being designated for assignment and later non-tendered by the Royals on Friday, the team will now bring Cox back to round out their farm system for next season. The 26-year-old southpaw put up a 4.54 ERA over 35.2 frames during his first season in the majors before tearing the ACL and damaging the MCL in his left knee in September. The injury will likely cause him to miss the beginning of next season.
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Mike Ford SEA DH
Mike Ford: Hits free agency
6d agoFord became a free agent Friday after being non-tendered by the Mariners.
Ford was designated for assignment Tuesday and will now officially head to the open market. He was productive at times for Seattle in 2023 but struggled badly down the stretch. The 31-year-old owns a career .211 batting average and .309 on-base percentage in 234 total major-league games.
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Kyle Lewis ARI DH
Kyle Lewis: Non-tendered by Arizona
6d agoLewis became a free agent after being non-tendered by the Diamondbacks on Friday.
Lewis won American League Rookie of the Year honors with the Mariners in 2020, but he's slashed just .150/.216/.280 over 116 major-league plate appearances since the beginning of the 2022 campaign. The 28-year-old played in only 16 games with the NL champions in 2023.
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Daniel Vogelbach NYM DH
Daniel Vogelbach: Becomes free agent
6d agoVogelbach was non-tendered by the Mets on Friday, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
Vogelbach served as the Mets' primary designated hitter for a large portion of the 2023 season, but he posted a relatively underwhelming .233/.339/.404 batting line in 104 games (319 plate appearances) and is a liability against left-handed pitching. Mark Vientos appears poised to take over the DH role in Queens next year, pending the team's other offseason moves.
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Mike Ford SEA DH
Mariners' Mike Ford: Dropped from 40-man roster
10d agoFord was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Tuesday.
Ford was probably going to be non-tendered ahead of Friday's deadline had he remained part of the 40-man roster mix in Seattle. The 31-year-old served as the Mariners' primary designated hitter for a portion of the 2023 season but batted just .193 with a .663 OPS over his final 130 plate appearances. He'll likely elect free agency if he passes through waivers unclaimed.
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Bligh Madris HOU DH
Tigers' Bligh Madris: Gets minors deal from Detroit
10d agoMadris signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Monday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
He'll be in major-league camp during spring training. Madris was a waiver claim by the Tigers two offseasons ago but was traded before playing for them. The 27-year-old has managed just a .500 OPS over 51 games to this point at the major-league level. He'll likely begin 2024 at Triple-A Toledo.
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Christopher Morel CHC DH
Cubs' Christopher Morel: Trying out first base
15d agoCubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Wednesday that Morel will play first base in winter ball, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.
Morel has never appeared in a game at first base at any level of professional ball, but the Cubs are hoping that he might take well to the position and be an option for them there in 2024. The 24-year-old was primarily used at designated hitter down the stretch in 2023 because his defense anywhere in the field proved to be too unreliable.