Rays call up reliever Roycroft from AAA

The 29-year-old outfielder will receive a $2 million buyout before he hits the free agent market. Once considered among the brightest up-and-coming stars in the game, Robert has struggled through injury and ineffectiveness for the past three seasons. In 2026, he slashed a meager .221/.300/.407 with 11 homers, 26 RBI and two stolen bases in 230 plate appearances between the Mets and Orioles. He’ll be one of the most intriguing names available on the open market this winter.

Instead, they’ll pay the 33-year-old right-hander a buyout of $2 million. After a brilliant 2025 season in which he notched a league-leading 42 saves and posted a 2.45 ERA across 66 innings of work, Estévez was limited to just one appearance in 2026 due to recurring shoulder issues. He finally underwent surgery in early September, which puts his outlook for the start of the 2027 season in jeopardy.

Gonsolin missed most of the past two seasons while recovering from elbow surgery, but he returned in late September and was able to throw 2 2/3 innings with five strikeouts in his lone appearance for the Royals. The expectation is that he’ll compete for a spot in the Royals’ rotation to open the 2027 season.

The 29-year-old hurler was removed from the Astros’ 40-man roster back in June after posting a miserable 7.62 ERA and a 30/20 K/BB ratio over 26 innings in his nine appearances, so declining his option seemed like a foregone conclusion. Weiss is now free to explore the open market.

All are expected to become free agents. Banda had a 4.46 ERA in 39 relief appearances during the first three months of the season before undergoing season-ending surgery for a torn lat.

In an exchange of valuable Scrabble names, waiver claim Braxton Roxby takes Kent’s spot on the 40-man. Kent had a 5.68 ERA in 12 2/3 innings for the Nationals after being claimed off waivers from the Twins in May. He spent all but one day of the second half in the minors.

McCray, who turns 26 in December, has hit .170/.235/.323 in 247 plate appearances since debuting with the Giants in 2024. He has gone 13-for-13 stealing bases, but he strikes out far too much for someone with little power and he’s not a particularly strong defender in the outfield. Better players will clear waivers.

Roxby, 27, was one of a number of non-roster players the Giants had to turn to late in the year as they dealt with a glut of injuries, and he wound up allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings during the final three weeks. He’s probably not going to stick on the Nationals’ 40-man all winter, but maybe he’ll clear waivers next time around.

Foley, who saved 28 games for the Tigers in 2024, had a 4.15 ERA and a 15/11 K/BB in 26 innings for the Giants after returning from shoulder surgery in July. There should be plenty of interest in him as a minor league free agent, but a guaranteed deal seems unlikely.

It’ll be a second stint with the Orioles for the 28-year-old Martínez. He pitched in the system in 2024, but he was mostly hurt then. The Mets signed him last winter, only to release him on Apr. 1. He pitched some in Mexico afterwards, and he currently has a 1.80 ERA, three saves and a 7/1 K/BB in five innings while serving as Escogido’s closer in the Dominican Winter League.