MLB Player News

Wacha ends the year 10-13 with a 3.86 ERA in a career-high 172 2/3 innings. His career-low 17.6% strikeout rate wouldn’t seem to bode well going forward, but this makes four straight years as at least a slightly above average starting pitcher. He has about 12 bWAR since he turned 30, compared to 8.1 bWAR in nine seasons from ages 21-29.

The deal is now official. Holderman is coming off a disappointing final season with the Pirates where he posted a bloated 7.01 ERA (5.86 FIP) and 14.4 percent strikeout rate over 25 2/3 innings before being non-tendered last month. The 30-year-old represents a worthwhile reclamation project for Cleveland’s pitching apparatus since he holds a solid 4.13 ERA (4.01 FIP) over 161 1/3 innings in the majors since 2022. He’ll operate in middle relief for the Guardians helping bridge the gap to closer Cade Smith.

Velazquez bolsters Texas’s middle infield depth behind Corey Seager entering spring training. The light-hitting 31-year-old represents a decent emergency stopgap solution having appeared in 275 games in the big leagues since 2018. He hasn’t appeared in the majors since getting into 54 contests for the Angels back in 2023. He hit .242/.304/.345 with five homers and 25 steals in 368 plate appearances over 106 games at the Triple-A level this past season.

Plassmeyer fortifies Toronto’s relief depth on the doorstep of the majors heading into next season after posting a serviceable 4.43 ERA (5.35 FIP) and 21.9 percent strikeout rate across 105 2/3 innings over 28 appearances (16 starts) at the Triple-A level this past season. The 29-year-old lefty hasn’t pitched in the majors since making three appearances for the Phillies from 2022-2023.

Carrollo’s claim to fame was his inclusion as one of the ancillary components in the Max Scherzer trade between the Dodgers and Nationals back in 2021. The 27-year-old former prospect never wound up making it to the majors in Washington before being cut loose a couple years later. He made 42 relief appearances in the upper minors for the Rangers this past season in his return from Tommy John surgery. He’s merely organizational relief depth for the Diamondbacks at Triple-A Reno.

Arguably the most notable selection from the minor league portion of the annual Rule 5 Draft earlier this week, Gaston re-signed with the Angels last month after posting a respectable 4.84 ERA and 89/47 K/BB ratio across 70 2/3 innings over 40 appearances last year between High-A Tri-City and Triple-A Salt Lake. The hard-throwing 23-year-old righty was one of the top pitching prospects in Tampa Bay’s system a couple years ago — receiving a $2.6 million signing bonus as one of the top arms in the 2019 international signing class — before injuries derailed his career.

Holderman, 30, rack up 48 holds for the Pirates between 2023 and ’24, but he faltered to a 7.01 ERA in 25 2/3 innings before finishing last season in the minors, and he was non-tendered last month. He should have to compete for a spot in the Guardians pen, but he does have two option years left.

The second-largest contract in Orioles history is now official. Hopefully, it works out a whole lot better than the biggest, which was Chris Davis’s ill-fated seven-year, $161 million deal signed a decade ago. Alonso will likely hit third or fourth for the Orioles, and he should benefit some from the move out of Citi Field, though more so from a singles and doubles standpoint than when it comes to homers. The signing frees up to the Orioles to part with Ryan Mountcastle or Coby Mayo and it wouldn’t be surprising to see both of them on the move. One of the two could be part a DH rotation, but neither seems entirely necessary at this point. If both do stick around, Mayo will probably open next season back in the minors.

With Adley Rutschman and Gary Sánchez missing time, Handley spent about one-quarter of last season on the Orioles’ roster as a backup catcher and went 3-for-41 with no extra-base hits and 18 strikeouts. He should clear waivers and stick around as depth behind Rutschman and Samuel Basallo.

It’s probably a split contract. Baddoo has an option year left, and with three years of service time, the Brewers will control his rights through at least 2028 (it’d extend to 2029 if he spends a few weeks in the minors). We doubt they’ll really benefit from that, but maybe he’ll be their latest overachiever. The 27-year-old Baddoo has a career .224/.305/.369 line in 1,143 major league at-bats, all of them with the Tigers. He played in just seven major league games and hit .279/.384/.478 with 16 homers and 27 steals for Triple-A Toledo last season. As things stand now, it looks he’ll be competing with Blake Perkins, Garrett Mitchell (if healthy), Isaac Collins, Brandon Lockridge and Steward Berroa for two places on Milwaukee’s roster. Most likely, he’ll start off in the minors.

Jones, who turns 28 in March, got to play in three major league games with the White Sox early last season, but he was released in May and then got hurt after signing a minor league deal with the Astros. A former shortstop, he still offers some infield versatility, but the bat just doesn’t seem to be there for him to contribute in the majors.