MLB Player News

Feliciano was recently cleared for a rehab assignment with the Yankees’ Gulf Coast League affiliate, and is expected to serve as a low-leverage option when healthy. He hasn’t pitched since signing a two-year, $8 million contract last offseason. His $4.5 million option in 2013 will be declined.

Merryweather had a nice season with the Cubs in 2023, finishing with a 3.38 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 72 innings, but he’s battled some injuries since and amassed a 6.14 ERA with his velocity down about two mph these last two years. He still might be interesting in a Twins pen absent much strikeout potential.

It’s a full circle for Hendriks, who signed with the Twins as a teenager and made his major league debut for the club in 2011. One certainly can’t count on Hendriks staying healthy at age 37 after throwing just 18 2/3 innings in the majors the last three years, but if he does, there’s a good chance he’ll wind up leading the Twins in saves, given the state of their pen. If he impresses this spring, he could be worth a flier.

No aces for the Orioles, but this is another strong addition. The 36-year-old Bassitt has made 30 starts each of the last four seasons, going 52-40 with a 3.77 ERA during that span. His stuff did show signs of decline last season and he was left out of the Jays’ postseason rotation, but he wound up looking great as a setup man during the team’s World Series run. He’ll join Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Shane Baz in the Orioles rotation, leaving one spot for Dean Kremer or Zach Elfin. However, they’ll surely need all six starters in the end. The move does push Cade Povich further down the depth chart, and it would seem to guarantee that Tyler Wells will open up in the pen.

Urquidy couldn’t help the Tigers after returning from Tommy John surgery late last season, but the Pirates figure to give him a chance to win a rotation spot, with a role in middle relief also possible. The 30-year-old Urquidy has a 4.00 ERA in 70 starts and 11 relief appearances as a major leaguer. All but two of those outings came with the Astros from 2019-23.

The move, which makes room for José Urquidy on the roster, comes hours after he was seen throwing at Pirates camp today. Jones’s internal brace surgery that took place last May comes with a 10-12 month recovery window, so it’s a little disappointing to see him already ruled out for the first two months of the season. Still, the Pirates weren’t going to rack up a big innings total anyway. Jones looked like a long-term No. 2 starter behind Paul Skenes while going 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA and a 132/39 K/BB in 121 2/3 innings as a 22-year-old rookie in 2024. He might have something to offer in mixed leagues come June or July.

Jon Heyman provided the contract value. Based on the team’s need for a true innings eater, no matter the quality of those innings, Mikolas has always made a ton of sense for the Nationals. Probably the only better bet for innings still in free agency was Patrick Corbin, and that reunion was never likely to take place. The Nationals rotation currently seems most likely to include Cade Cavalli, Brad Lord, Foster Griffin, Mikolas and either Josiah Gray or Jake Irvin.

Herz, who underwent the procedure last April, could be an option for the Nationals rotation come July. He showed some promise a rookie in 2024, posting a 4.16 ERA and a 106/36 K/BB in 88 2/3 innings. However, given that control is often the last thing to come back after Tommy John and Herz has long history of wildness, he probably won’t be a fantasy factor prior to 2027.

Sam Phalen has compiled the visual evidence. This should truly be something of a “yikes” moment for White Sox fans, as there hasn’t been any actual indication that the team wants Acuña to become a switch-hitter. Acuña was the primary return for Robert, though the second player acquired, right-hander Thomas Pauley, is interesting, too. If Getz was this unfamiliar with Acuña’s game prior to the trade, then he’s not someone who should be leading a front office. Acuña is expected to get every chance to win the starting job in center this spring. Still, because of his lack of power, he might be just a utilityman in the long run.

Even though he’s still probably better than Henry Davis. Stallings was slated to be the Rockies’ primary catcher at this time last year, but in a rare moment of lucidity, the team ended up going with Hunter Goodman instead. Stallings was released in early June and then briefly played with the Orioles before finishing the season unrostered. A late bloomer, Stallings got his first real look as a starting catcher with the Pirates at age 31 in 2021 and proved pretty solid over a four-year span. He walks away at age 36 after hitting .232/.311/.340 with 33 homers in 1,922 career plate appearances.

Holmes feels good and ready to battle for a rotation spot this spring. “That was the first image I’ve ever had on my elbow,” he said. “So, nobody knows if that [UCL] tear was there beforehand and [the new injury] was really just a flexor [strain]. Honestly, I think that’s what it was, because if I had a tear in the flexor tendon and the UCL, that would have been a whole lot different. I wouldn’t have recovered as fast.” Holmes initially seemed destined for a bullpen spot in 2026, but the Braves never did make a much-anticipated rotation addition this winter and now they’ve already lost Spencer Schwellenbach for months. It’d seem to leave Holmes in good position at the moment, though it’s still possible the Braves could bring in a starter.