MLB Player News

It’s presumably a two-year pact since Rooney will miss next season recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 28-year-old lefty ascended to the big leagues in late August for the first time before undergoing surgery a couple weeks later. He compiled an extremely encouraging 2.56 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 55/24 K/BB ratio across 38 2/3 innings over 43 appearances at the Triple-A level last year. He makes a ton of sense for the Rays assuming they’re willing to wait until the 2027 season.

erven spent most of the second half as the Athletics’ No. 2 catcher, hitting .175/.224/.375 with five homers in 85 plate appearances. The 24-year-old Baez, a product of the Mason Miller trade with the Padres, is probably the most interesting name here, but he struggled in Double-A and finished the year on the injured list.

Eaton, who turns 30 in December, was just 8-for-50 with one homer for the Red Sox last season, dropping his career line to .221/.294/.307 in 328 plate appearances. He is, however, a very good defensive outfielder, and a nice asset on the basepaths. He can also fill in at third base when needed. He fits fine as a 26th man who gets occasional starts against lefties.

Eaton was going to be bumped from Boston’s 40-man anyway, so it’s nice that the Red Sox got something for him. The 18-year-old Rayo had a 5.50 ERA and a 36/20 K/BB in 36 innings while mostly serving as a starter in the Dominican Summer League last season.

Imai didn’t seem to enjoy his first year in MLB, but changing his situation by either returning to Japan or trying to find another MLB team would have cost him. He’s guaranteed $18 million each of the next two years, and he’ll again have the opportunity to opt out next winter. Imai ended up 6-4 with a 4.93 ERA and a 97/51 K/BB in 76 2/3 innings over 15 starts and eight relief appearances last season. His 2027 salary would have increased by $2 million if he topped 80 innings, which is part of why the Astros barely used him down the stretch.

Rivero had one of the most out-of-nowhere performances of the decade in June, going 5-for-5 with six RBI against the Dodgers. As it turned out, it was his next-to-last major league game of the year, as he suffered a broken hamate bone two days later, and the Angels didn’t have a spot for him once he was ready to return. He and Peralta both figure to become free agents in search of minor league deals.

That’s one option. Another would be to acquire a quality first baseman and simply give Arenado days off when he needs them. Arenado had a terrific rebound campaign in Arizona, but it came with the worst hard-hit rate and highest strikeout rate of his career. A similar followup at age 36 doesn’t seem very likely. Plus, the Diamondbacks need to seriously address first base this winter after Tim Tawa, Ildemaro Vargas and others combined to hit .233/.282/.354 in that spot last season. That .636 OPS was easily the worst in the majors, and the D-backs were just as bad at DH, getting a .630 OPS there.

Eaton was one of the guys expected to be squeezed from Boston’s 40-man this winter. The 29-year-old has hit .221/.294/.307 in 328 plate appearances since debuting in the majors in 2022.

Gil has thrown five scoreless innings between the two outings, though he has walked five. It seems like there’s a pretty good chance the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year will be traded this winter after finishing the season in the minors.

Simon, 26, played in 21 games for the Pirates last season and hit .254/.299/.349. He came in at .334/.426/.472 in Triple-A. It’s hard to say whether that will be enough to keep him on the 40-man roster this winter. Simon offers speed and versatility, but although he’s played a lot of second base and some short and third in the minors, the Pirates only really seem to trust him in the outfield. His bat just isn’t very interesting if he’s primarily going to be used in left or right.

Leclerc struggled to make it back last season after shoulder surgery in 2025 and was released by the Padres in September after amassing a 7.77 ERA in 22 appearances in the minors. The former Rangers closer is still just 32, and he’ll try to get back on the radar of major league teams this winter.