MLB Player News

Fitzgerald has been jettisoned to the minors with Casey Schmitt returning from the injured list ahead of Monday’s series opener against the Phillies. The 27-year-old middle infielder has been surpassed by Schmitt on the Giants’ depth chart and they’re clearly willing to keep Brett Wisely over him in a bench role.

Rodríguez, who is owed $17 million over the next three years, passed through waivers unclaimed after being removed from the club’s 40-man roster to make room for Cody Ponce. He was a key component of Toronto’s bullpen last season, recording a solid 3.08 ERA (4.40 FIP), 1.15 WHIP and 66/34 K/BB ratio across 73 innings of work over 73 appearances. The 28-year-old righty signed a four-year, $26 million contract with the Blue Jays prior to the 2024 season and was eventually moved to a full-time relief role after struggling to an inflated 4.47 ERA across 86 2/3 innings over 21 starts in his debut. He’ll compete for a spot in Toronto’s bullpen during spring training.

Chirinos returns for a second campaign in Korea after compiling a respectable 3.31 ERA and 137/36 K/BB ratio across 177 innings over 30 starts. The 31-year-old doesn’t offer enough strikeout upside to be fantasy-relevant, even if he eventually makes a return to the majors down the road.

Noda was removed from Baltimore’s 40-man roster after the club made a pair of waiver claims earlier this week. The 29-year-old went 2-for-13 in seven games for the Orioles this past season.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports the Cubs and Gallen do not have a deal and are not close to finalizing one. The 30-year-old righty makes a ton of sense for Chicago on the heels of a disappointing final season with the Diamondbacks where he recorded a 4.83 ERA (4.50 FIP), 1.26 WHIP and 175/66 K/BB ratio across 192 innings over 33 starts. He’s fallen from the ranks of the upper-echelon fantasy starter class but remains a durable workhorse, making at least 28 starts in each of the last four seasons. He would represent a quality mid-rotation stabilizer for the Cubs to complement rookie Cade Horton veterans Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Colin Rea.

Gore has been at the epicenter of trade chatter for weeks this offseason, with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon reporting earlier this week that more than half the league has at least checked in on his availability. ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel add that the Nationals are listening, but their asking price remains “understandably high.” The 26-year-old southpaw was brilliant in the first half of last season to earn his first All-Star Game selection before fading after the break and missing time with shoulder inflammation. Even so, he’ll be just 27 on Opening Day and profiles as a prime target for clubs unwilling to meet the stratospheric costs attached to the marquee arms in free agency or on the trade block. It also becomes a massive early decision for new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni as he spearheads the club’s rebuilding effort.

Brzykcy loses his spot on Miami’s 40-man roster in advance of next week’s Rule 5 Draft. The 26-year-old righty, who made a career-high 26 relief appearances this past season, was claimed off waivers from the Nationals last month. He’ll compete for a spot in the Marlins’ season-opening bullpen during spring training.

Chavez announced his retirement after the 2025 season, and it’s not a big surprise to see the 42-year-old enter the coaching ranks. He’ll be tasked with helping improve a San Francisco bullpen that had its fair share of ups-and-downs last year.

Anderson has spent the last two seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization with the SSG Landers outside of a brief nine appearances with Triple-A Toledo, and prior to that was pitching in Japan. The 31-year-old’s deal is pending a physical, but he could be an option at the back of the rotation or as a multi-inning reliever in 2026.

VanWey and Trammell were both removed from the 40-man roster last week. They could both spend time in the majors in 2026, but in order to do so they’ll need to be added back to Houston’s — or another team’s — 40-man.

Kent will get a chance to win one of the final bullpen spots with the Cardinals this spring. The 27-year-old pitched well in Triple-A Columbus with a 2.84 ERA, but he struggled at the highest level as seen in a 4.58 ERA, albeit in a small sample of 17 2/3 innings.