MLB Player News

As MLB.com’s Mike Petriello wrote on Saturday morning, Volpe has started swinging harder and pulling the ball in the air more often coming out of the Midsummer Classic. The slight change in approach from the all-fields mindset he employed earlier this year has resulted in five homers across 14 games since last month’s All-Star break. The 23-year-old slugged a two-run homer off Blue Jays starter José Berríos in the fifth inning and also tacked on an additional run-scoring single in the seventh inning as well.

Urshela was cut loose by the Athletics in mid-August after slashing an uninspiring .238/.287/.326 with no home runs in 197 plate appearances. He’s still a skilled defender, but that’s probably not enough at this stage of his career to earn him a spot on the Twins’ Opening Day roster.

The 27-year-old southpaw was a fifth-round selection by the Red Sox from the 2020 draft class. He was outstanding in 12 appearances (11 starts) at Triple-A Worcester in 2025, registering a 2.27 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and a 67/16 K/BB ratio across 47 2/3 innings. He adds to an already strong stockpile of rotation options for the Brewers.

Hamilton had a very rough season at the plate for the Red Sox in 2025, slashing a meager .198/.257/.333 with six homers, 19 RBI, 22 stolen bases and a 47/13 K/BB ratio over 194 plate appearances. His calling cards are speed and defense though, which should land him a utility role on the Brewers’ Opening Day roster. He can continue to be ignored for fantasy purposes.

Harrison, who was the headliner of the package that the Red Sox received in the deal that sent Rafael Devers to the Giants in 2025, will head back to the National League after making just three appearances (two starts) in the big leagues for the Red Sox. The 24-year-old southpaw holds a 4.39 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and a 191/67 K/BB ratio over 194 2/3 innings or his career at the MLB level. Harrison moves from one crowded rotation mix to another though and he’s facing an uphill battle at securing a spot in the Brewers’ Opening Day rotation.

Seigler, 26, broke through to the big leagues for the first time in 2025, hitting an underwhelming .194/.292/.210 with zero homers, five RBI and a 16/8 K/BB ratio across 73 plate appearances with the Brewers. During the 2025 campaign he saw action at third base, second base, first base and catcher — and can play the outfield in a pinch as well. He’s likely ticketed for a utility role at Triple-A Worcester to open the 2026 season.

Monasterio, 28, appeared in 68 contests for the Brewers during the 2025 campaign, slashing a healthy .270/.319/.437 with four homers, 16 RBI, two stolen bases and a 32/7 K/BB ratio over 135 plate appearances. He should settle into a utility role with the Red Sox.

After missing out on a couple of possible replacements for Alex Bregman at third base, the Red Sox now bolster their infield with the acquisition of Durbin. The 25-year-old is a terrific defender and is one of the best contact hitters in all of baseball with a minuscule strikeout rate of 9.9%. He should function as the Red Sox’ regular third baseman and will likely hit in the bottom third of the team’s lineup. His fantasy outlook shouldn’t change much with the change in scenery.

Passan notes that the Brewers will receive left-handers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan along with infielder David Hamilton in return. Will Sammon of The Athletic reports that the Red Sox will also get Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler and a competitive balance round B pick with Durbin. Durbin, who finished third in the voting for National League Rookie of the Year in 2025, slashed .256/.334/.387 with 11 homers, 53 RBI and 18 stolen bases over 506 plate appearances. He should step right in as the Red Sox’ starting third baseman.

Jeff Passan of ESPN adds that the deal includes a $16 million mutual option for the 2027 season with a $1.5 million buyout. The Pirates have been trying all winter to add thump to the middle of their lineup and despite missing out on some of the bigger names available, they have done a nice job overall. Ozuna joins Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn as offseason additions that should drastically improve the Pirates’ offensive outlook. The 35-year-old slugger had a down year offensively in 2025, slashing .232/.355/.400 with 21 homers, 68 RBI and a 144/94 K/BB ratio over 592 plate appearances with the Braves, but clobbered 79 home runs and drove in 204 runs over the previous two seasons.

The 27-year-old slugger will also have the ability to make up to an extra $500,000 in incentives. The former top prospect has slashed a miserable .215/.297/.388 with 52 homers, 163 RBI and a 437/166 K/BB ratio over 1,652 plate appearances to begin his big league career. He’ll add some left-handed thump off of the Mets’ bench.