MLB Player News

Banks, who is being represented by former major leaguer Gary Sheffield, threw in front of Orioles officials at the organization’s minor league complex. The 29-year-old former second-round pick posted a 4.24 ERA and 10/4 K/BB ratio across 17 innings last year for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.

That makes sense. The Brewers only need a cheap backup with William Contreras in house and Jeferson Quero hopefully ready to step in if disaster strikes, and McGuire is a plus defender, if nothing else. He hit .226/.245/.444 in 140 plate appearances for the Cubs last season, and his EV numbers did not back up the surprising power spike.

Castro is getting $6.4 million per season, which matches his 2025 salary in his final year of arbitration. If the Rockies treat him like a regular — and they don’t seem to the type to pay $6.4 million for a backup — then he’ll probably offer some value in deeper leagues. It will hinge on how much he runs; he’s totaled 24 steals the last two years after finishing with 33 in 2023 alone. But his average is due for a nice bump in Coors, and he’ll probably prove to be one of the team’s best options at the top of the lineup, as sad as that might be.

Acton was a waiver claim from the Rays in November after returning from Tommy John to post a 3.68 ERA and a 71/27 K/BB in 58 2/3 innings for Triple-A Durham last season. He’ll probably be stashed by another team and then DFA’d again before you know it.

Scherzer was heavily linked to the Giants after they hired his good friend Tony Vitello as their new manager, but San Francisco preferred Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle. Scherzer quite probably will be in greater demand when pitchers start going down in spring training, so it wouldn’t hurt to wait.

Young’s elite defense makes him a useful player right now, and he’s just 26 with four years to go before free agency. Still, defense declines with age, and once Young goes from great to merely good in center field, his lack of offensive ability will render him a reserve. If the Nationals can get something significant for him, they’d probably make the move. That’s especially the case if they project Robert Hassell III to be of much use as at least a part-time starter in center.

The Mets will try to sneak Lovelady through waivers three months after signing him to a one-year deal as a free agent. Lovelady gave up seven earned runs in 10 innings for the Mets last season. He has a career 5.35 ERA in 111 innings since debuting in 2019.

It’s Bruján’s third organization in two weeks and sixth since the Rays traded him to the Marlins two years ago. The Mets have a potential utility opening after trading Luisangel Acuña in the Luis Robert Jr. deal, and given that Francisco Liriano, Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette will hardly ever sit or come out of games, it might make sense to carry someone like Bruján and send down Ronny Mauricio to play regularly. Still, that’s assuming Bruján remains with the club for more than a few days.

Nogowski’s major league action came in 2020 and ’21, when he hit .233/.299/.308 in 53 games for the Cardinals and Pirates. It’s funny that his first job is with the Mets, given that he’s best known for trading words with Marcus Stroman and touching off a little brouhaha in a Pirates-Mets game in 2021. A right-handed-hitting first baseman with a history of nice OBPs, the Florida State product didn’t offer quite enough power to stick, but he still far exceeded expectations for a guy drafted in the 34th round in 2012.

This is the countermove for the Gus Varland waiver claim. Adams was thought to be a non-tender candidate two months ago, but the Nationals wanted him back as a reserve catcher option and signed him to a cheap one-year deal. He’ll probably clear waivers and stick around as a potential backup to Keibert Ruiz. He presumably would be squeezed out if Harry Ford makes the team.

Mayza missed much of last season with a lat strain, posting a 2.89 ERA in 9 1/3 innings for the Pirates before the injury and a 4.91 ERA in 7 1/3 innings for the Phillies after being picked up for the stretch run. The 34-year-old lefty has a career 3.87 ERA in 382 relief appearances. He figures to have a difficult time making the Phillies out of spring training.