MLB Player News

Avila went down around the start of the month with bilateral calf strains, so it’s a good sign that he’s ready to do some catching again. We should know more about a potential target date for his return depending on how he responds to the increased activity. Yan Gomes is also sidelined, so Tres Barrera and Rene Rivera are sharing catching duties for the big club.

Noel was just claimed on waivers on Monday, but will now be let go after the Orioles were able to land INF/OF Marco Luciano on waivers earlier today. Noel will hope somebody else wants to take a flyer on his big-time power and limited contact.

We’re only a few years removed from Rojas being an impact utility player for the Diamondbacks. Unfortunately, the last two years outside of Arizona have not been kind to him, and he hit .180/.252/.259 with two homers and four RBI in 211 plate appearances with the White Sox last season. He can play all over the infield, so the Royals will hope that they can help him recapture some of the 2022 magic.

So far this offseason, Rolison has been designated for assignment by the Rockies, traded to the Braves, designated for assignment by the Braves, claimed by the White Sox, designated for assignment by the White Sox, and claimed by the Cubs. That’s a busy couple of months. The 28-year-old Rolison posted a 7.02 ERA in 31 appearances for the Rockies in 2025.

The Reds signed Thompson to a one-year, $1.5 million deal on November 4th and then designated him for assignment just two months later without ever throwing a pitch for them. The 30-year-old spent all of 2025 in Triple-A for the Cubs, but he had posted a 3.64 ERA in 227 1/3 innings for the Cubs from 2021-24. This is a nice gamble for the Rockies.

Wisdom has slashed .209/.291/.459 in seven MLB seasons with 88 home runs in 455 games. He spent last year in Korea, hitting .236/.321/.535 with 35 home runs and 85 RBI in 119 games. His power is unquestioned, but his questionable contact makes it hard for him to stick on an MLB roster.

The Pirates just claimed Luciano off waivers from the Giants on December 19th and then designated him for assignment two weeks later. Luciano is just 24 years old and was a top 50 prospect in baseball less than two weeks ago. This is a nice flyer for Baltimore, even though they have nowhere to play the prospects they already have.

The 35-year-old reliever spent 2025 with the Pirates, posting a 7.08 ERA in 20 1/3 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis. He has a 5.79 career ERA in 247 1/3 MLB innings.

Roa was a second-round pick for the Reds in 2020 and was with the team until he hurt his shoulder in 2024, and the team tried to sneak him through waivers. The Marlins claimed him, and he pitched to a 2.83 ERA in 60 1/3 innings for Triple-A Jacksonville last year. Roa elected minor league free agency at the end of the season and will now try to work his way into the Astros’ bullpen plans.

Mish also noted that the Yankees are still working with the Marlins on a deal for Cabrera as well, so nothing is imminent. The 27-year-old had a strong season last year, posting a 3.53 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 150/48 K/BB ratio over 137 2/3 innings in 26 starts. A big reason for his success was changing from primarily using a four-seam fastball, which he couldn’t command, to a sinker, which he could locate much better. There are some injury concerns with Cabrera, but his new pitch mix and strikeout upside position him as a potential top-of-the-rotation starter.

Olivares was a fantasy darling at one point during his time with the Royals, but he was let go by the Pirates in 2024 and was unable to win a spot with the Mets in 2025. He went over to Japan, where he hit .213/.327/.301 with two home runs in 61 games. He would be a long shot to make the Rays.