The Angels designated Thaiss for assignment Thursday, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Thaiss slashed .204/.323/.299 with 16 RBI across 186 plate appearances last year while serving as the primary backup to Logan O'Hoppe -- a role the newly signed Travis d'Arnaud is expected to fill. Thaiss may draw interest from other teams in need of depth at catcher, though no landing spot is likely to result in a starting job for the 29-year-old backstop.

The Angels signed d'Arnaud to a two-year, $12 million contract Tuesday.

Atlanta declined d'Arnaud's $8 million club option for 2025 last week, but the veteran catcher quickly found a multi-year pact with a new organization. It's not an ideal landing spot for fantasy since d'Arnaud will be second on the catching depth chart behind Logan O'Hoppe, but he could still play enough to be a viable option in deeper formats. D'Arnaud, who turns 36 in February, slashed .238/.302/.436 with 15 home runs over 99 regular-season games in 2024.

Jackson signed a minor-league contract with the Reds on Friday.

Although Jackson managed to record a career-high 155 plate appearances with the Rays in 2024, he continued to struggle at the plate, slashing just .122/.201/.237 with 12 RBI. However, his OPS jumped up to .855 at Triple-A Durham, so the Reds will take a flier on him and likely send him to Triple-A Louisville to begin the 2025 campaign.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Wednesday that Pages and Ivan Herrera will split catching duties next season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Willson Contreras will be a first baseman and designated hitter moving forward, clearing a path to playing time at catcher. Pages was the preferred option over Herrera down the stretch of the 2024 season while Contreras was hurt, mostly because he's viewed as a much better defender. The 26-year-old Pages slashed .238/.281/.376 with seven homers over 68 contests this past season.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Wednesday that Herrera and Pedro Pages will share playing time at catcher next season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Willson Contreras is moving into a first base/designated hitter role, clearing the way for Herrera and Pages to handle catching duties. Herrera is much more intriguing of the two from an offensive standpoint, having slashed .301/.377/.417 in 85 games over the last two seasons with the Cardinals. However, his defense -- and particularly his throwing -- have drawn scrutiny, to the point that Pages leapt him on the depth chart down the stretch.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Wednesday that Contreras will be a full-time first baseman and designated hitter next season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Mozeliak added that it's unlikely Contreras will do any catching at all in 2025, with Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages set to split duties behind the plate. Contreras has played 11 games at first base in his career, with his last start there coming in 2019. Contreras has slashed a robust .263/.367/.468 with 35 home runs over 209 games in his two seasons in St. Louis, but he's had trouble staying healthy and his defense at catcher has often drawn criticism. The move enhances Contreras' fantasy outlook for 2025 since he should be in the lineup more often, and it also bumps up the playing time projection for Herrera and Pages.

The Hiroshima Carp of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball have signed Montero to a one-year contract, Yahoo Japan reports.

Montero will give NPB a shot after slashing only .228/.277/.387 over parts of three major-league seasons with the Rockies. He will be paid a $400,000 signing bonus and earn a salary of $850,000.

The Blue Jays are open to moving Guerrero to third base next season if they're able to acquire a first baseman this offseason, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Heyman lists Pete Alonso as the bat the Blue Jays could bring in to force a position switch for Guerrero. Vlad Jr. made 11 starts at the hot corner this season and was an everyday third baseman during his rookie year back in 2019. How eager Toronto might be to move the slugger across the diamond on a full-time basis isn't clear, but it might be considered for the opportunity to add the right bat.

Meneses elected free agency Monday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.

The Nationals booted Meneses from their 40-man roster, and he has opted to test out free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment. Meneses was a solid regular for the Nationals from 2022-23 but bottomed out with a .593 OPS in 2024 and spent much of the season in the minors.

Bauers elected free agency Monday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Bauers was booted off the Brewers' 40-man roster Monday and has decided to test out free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment. The 29-year-old slashed .199/.301/.361 with 12 home runs and 13 steals over 116 regular-season contests for the Brewers and also added one homer during the playoffs.

The Diamondbacks extended Walker a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

If Walker winds up departing via free agency, the Diamondbacks will net a draft pick. The first baseman won a third straight National League Gold Glove this season while slashing .251/.335/.468 with 26 home runs over 130 contests.

The Mets extended Alonso a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

If Alonso departs in free agency, the Mets will receive a draft pick as compensation. Alonso put up a .788 OPS with 34 home runs over 696 regular-season plate appearances with the Mets. The first baseman will turn 30 in December.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Friday that Mateo (elbow) might not be fully recovered for the start of spring training, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

It's a contradiction of what Elias said in October about Mateo's recovery from UCL reconstruction surgery on his left (non-throwing) elbow, although the revised timetable does not seem to be the result of a setback. Elias did add that he expected Mateo to be ready for close to a full 162-game schedule. Mateo is slated for a utility role with the Orioles in 2025.

Lopez elected free agency Tuesday.

The White Sox removed Lopez from their 40-man roster and the veteran infielder has opted for free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment. Lopez, who turns 30 in March, slashed just .241/.312/.294 over 124 games for the White Sox in 2024. He might have to settle for a minor-league contract this winter.

Lux might be out of a starting job next season with the Dodgers planning to move Mookie Betts back to the infield, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports.

The Dodgers have not said whether Betts would play shortstop or second base, but with Miguel Rojas and Tommy Edman available as shortstop options, Betts' likelier destination is probably the keystone. Seemingly, that would push Lux to the bench or perhaps the trade block. Lux had a .562 OPS in the first half of the 2024 season but finished strong in the second half with an .899 OPS. He then struggled in the postseason (.580 OPS) while battling a hip issue. Lux will turn 27 later this month and is under team control through 2026.

The Phillies outrighted Castro (thumb) to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Castro missed much of the 2024 season due to injury, including a torn thumb ligament which ended his campaign. He slashed just .211/.282/.310 with Lehigh Valley this season.

The Twins outrighted Severino to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Severino is no longer on the 40-man roster but will stick around in the organization. He slashed .254/.342/.434 with 21 homers over 128 games this season with St. Paul.

Polanco's (knee) agent, Ulises Cabrera, said Monday that his client is expected to be cleared for full baseball activities by January, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

Polanco dealt with a patellar tendon issue in his left knee for much of the 2024 season before finally undergoing surgery in October. He's a free agent after the Mariners declined his $12 million club option for 2025 but is expected to enter spring training fully healthy. Polanco, who turns 32 in July, posted a career-worst .651 OPS this season and was worth 0.3 fWAR in 118 games.

The Brewers signed Delgado to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Delgado, 24, slashed .275/.365/.426 with nine homers and 22 stolen bases over 93 games with Triple-A Columbus in the Guardians organization in 2024. He has not appeared in the majors but will get a shot in big-league camp with the Brewers.

Atlanta signed Leblanc to a minor-league contract Wednesday.

Leblanc, 28, is a career .254/.330/.412 hitter over parts of two big-league seasons. He will provide Atlanta with some infield depth.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian said Monday on Foul Territory TV that Rendon will have to "show us he can still play and earn the right to play every day" next season.

When healthy, Rendon was employed as an everyday player in 2024, ultimately playing just 56 games while making three different trips to the injured list. However, he slashed only .218/.307/.267 with no home runs and it does not sound like a starting job will be handed to him heading into the 2025 campaign. As things stand right now, Rendon would appear tentatively penciled in as the Angels' starting third baseman. He has two years remaining on his seven-year, $245 million contract.

Bregman's (elbow) agent, Scott Boras, said Wednesday that his client is willing to move to second base for a team that signs him in free agency, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Bregman just won his first-ever Gold Glove at third base and has made only two career starts at second base, with the most recent of those coming back in 2018. However, the 30-year-old is willing to consider a shift to the keystone in the right situation. Bregman is recovering from surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow but is expected to be fully recovered by spring training.

The Cardinals are expected to gauge trade interest in Arenado this month, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

President of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Wednesday that at least one of the team's four players with no-trade clauses is open to the club exploring trade interest from other teams. It seems that player is Arenado, who is owed $74 million over the next three seasons (with $10 million of that being covered by the Rockies). Arenado will turn 34 in April and fell off to a .272/.325/.394 batting line with 16 home runs in 2024, although he was a Gold Glove finalist at third base. There would figure to be plenty of interest in the eight-time All-Star even as he's coming off a down season, although trade talks will be complicated since Arenado can essentially dictate his landing spot.

Alcantara signed a minor-league contract with the Giants on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.

Alcantara spent time last season with the Pirates' and Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliates, slashing .271/.388/.416 across 492 total plate appearances. The 28-year-old infielder will compete for a bench spot during spring training, but he seems destined to begin the new season with Triple-A Sacramento.

The Angels signed Newman to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with a $2.5 million club option for 2026 on Thursday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

The veteran infielder could be the current favorite to open next season at shortstop for the Angels if Zach Neto (shoulder) isn't ready. Newman slashed .278/.311/.375 with three homers and eight steals in 111 games for the Diamondbacks in 2024 and graded out as a plus-four in Outs Above Average at shortstop.

The Angels are nearing a contract agreement with Newman, Will Sammon and Sam Blum of The Athletic report.

It's not clear whether it's a major-league or minor-league contract. Newman, 31, spent the 2024 season with the Diamondbacks, slashing .278/.311/.375 with three homers and eight steals in 111 games. With Zach Neto (shoulder) looking iffy for Opening Day, Newman would provide the Angels with some protection at shortstop.

Franco (personal) is facing charges of illegal use and possession of a firearm related to his arrest in an altercation in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, Juan Recio of ESPN.com reports.

Franco is expected to be granted provisional release Tuesday, although terms of his bail have not yet been defined. The 23-year-old is on MLB administrative leave and is due to stand trial on Dec. 12 in the Dominican Republic involving charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. A concurrent investigation of Franco is being performed by MLB under its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.

Atlanta acquired Allen from the Athletics on Monday in exchange for Jared Johnson.

Allen, 26, has managed just a .209/.254/.283 batting line over parts of three seasons at the major-league level. He does have a reputation as a solid glove at shortstop, although he came in at negative-2 Outs Above Average during his 41 games with the Athletics in 2024. Allen offers an alternative at shortstop to Orlando Arcia, who is coming off a disappointing season, but ultimately Allen should be more of a depth option.

Franco (personal) was arrested in the Dominican Republic on Monday following an altercation Sunday during which guns were drawn, Juan Recio of ESPN.com reports.

Franco is being held for questioning and it's not yet clear whether he faces charges as a result of the incident. The 23-year-old is on MLB administrative leave and is due to stand trial on Dec. 12 in the Dominican Republic involving charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. If convicted, Franco faces up to 20 years in prison. MLB is also performing a concurrent investigation of Franco under its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.

Correa's recovery from plantar fasciitis in his right foot is progressing ahead of his recovery from the same problem in his left foot last offseason, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey told The Athletic. "He's tracking in a positive direction. He's got good plans for how he's going to handle it therapeutically and I think he's in a good place," said Falvey.

Correa was sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his right foot from just before the All-Star break until Sept. 14. He was able to play 11 games in September in which he showed little rust despite no minor-league rehab games, hitting .325 with a .960 OPS. He was clearly not moving at full speed, but the rest and rehab in the offseason should have him ready for spring training. After he struggled with plantar fasciitis in his left foot during the 2023 season that limited him at at the plate, the health of his feet will be something to watch in spring training.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that he expects Dominguez to be a "big part" of the team in 2025, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

Much to the chagrin of many Yankees fans, Boone largely stuck with Alex Verdugo as his primary left fielder over Dominguez during the regular season and postseason. However, Verdugo is now a free agent and seems unlikely to return, clearing a spot in the everyday lineup for Dominguez. What position the 21-year-old plays could depend on whether the Yankees' re-sign Juan Soto, but Dominguez is likely to be an everyday player either way. He has a .747 OPS with six homers and six steals over 100 career plate appearances in the majors and boasts ample fantasy upside.

Taylor will be sidelined two months following hernia surgery on Oct. 30 and surgery Thursday to remove a loose body from his right elbow.

It's unclear when Taylor suffered the injuries. While the rehab will interrupt his offseason workout routine, Taylor should be ready to go for the start of spring training. The 30-year-old tentatively appears in line to start in center field for the Mets next season, although that could certainly change based on the team's offseason additions.

Rodriguez recently underwent surgery to repair a ligament tear in his right thumb, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey indicated Wednesday it was a cleanup procedure that Rodriguez had and the expectation is the young outfielder will be ready for spring training. Rodriguez was limited to just 47 games in 2024 due to the nagging thumb issue. The 21-year-old ended the season at Triple-A St. Paul and is already on the 40-man roster, so he could push to debut in 2025.

Atlanta president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Tuesday it appears unlikely Acuna (knee) will be ready for Opening Day, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Anthopoulos indicated last month that Acuna's readiness for Opening Day was in question, and now it appears things are trending toward a stint on the injured list as the outfielder continues his recovery from left ACL surgery. A timetable for Acuna's season debut remains vague, although Anthopoulos previously suggested it could come as late as early June. A more definitive timeline for Acuna might be available by spring training.

The Tigers outrighted Vilade from the 40-man roster Monday after clearing waivers.

Vilade spent most of the 2024 regular season with Triple-A Toledo, and across 108 games he slashed .278/.346/.449 with 20 stolen bases, 13 home runs and 64 RBI over 442 plate appearances. He did appear in 17 regular-season games for the Tigers and went 8-for-45 with one home run and five RBI.

Soto received a qualifying offer from the Yankees on Monday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

Soto is expected to decline the offer in what is simply a procedural move for the Yankees, who would receive draft compensation should the 26-year-old superstar sign with another team in free agency. Soto is the biggest name headed to the open market, and he's coming off his first season with the Yankees with a slash line of .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs and 109 RBI across 713 plate appearances during the regular season.

The Marlins outrighted Roa (shoulder) to Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday.

Miami claimed Roa off waivers from Cincinnati on Nov. 1, but he's now been stripped of his 40-man roster spot after just 15 days with the organization. The 25-year-old righty spent all of last season in Triple-A, where he posted a 5.55 ERA and 1.76 WIHP across 48.2 innings before going down with a sprained shoulder, and he'll likely need to show some improvement at Jacksonville before getting a chance to make his MLB debut.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Friday that the team is counting on Bradish (elbow) returning around midseason, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.

Bradish underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace in mid-June. Elias had said previously that he expected the pitcher to require 12-to-18 months to rehab, so a midseason return would be on the short end of that timetable. Any timeline is approximate at this point, as Bradish has yet to begin a throwing program.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Friday that he expects Wells (elbow) to return by midseason, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.

Wells underwent a UCL revision and internal brace augmentation surgery on his right elbow in mid-June. While he was able to avoid a second Tommy John surgery, he's still expected to need at least 12 months or so to rehab. Elias did not seem to commit to Wells' potential role in 2025 when he does return.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Friday that Rodriguez is completely recovered from his right lat strain and will enter spring training without restrictions, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Rodriguez missed the final two months of the regular season and the playoffs due to the injury, but he had resumed throwing off a mound by September and should have a normal offseason. The right-hander finished the 2024 campaign with a 3.86 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 130:36 K:BB over 116.2 innings covering 20 starts.

Houck is "always open" to discussing a contract extension with the Red Sox, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Houck is eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this offseason and is under team control through 2027, so it's not clear how much of a priority he is for the team to lock up on a long-term deal. The 28-year-old is coming off a terrific 2024 campaign, having collected a 3.12 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 154:48 K:BB over 178.2 frames covering 30 starts.

Morton plans to continue his baseball career in 2025, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The 41-year-old has not yet confirmed it himself, but recent reports had suggested Morton was likely to keep pitching next season rather than retire. Morton's strikeout rate fell to 23.8 percent in 2024, which was the lowest it's been since 2015. He still misses bats at an above-average rate, however, and has made 30-plus starts in each of the last six non-COVID seasons. Morton shouldn't have trouble netting a sizable one-year contract, likely from a contender.

White signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Korea Baeseball Organization's SSG Landers on Friday, Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net reports.

White spent time last season with the Blue Jays, Giants and Brewers, putting up a 7.23 ERA and 1.65 WHIP across 23.2 innings between the three clubs. Rather than spending another year in the States as an organizational depth piece, the 29-year-old righty will now take his talents overseas and look to put together a bounce-back campaign in Korea.

Graterol underwent right shoulder labrum surgery Thursday.

The Dodgers expect the reliever to miss the first half of the 2025 season but be back sometime after the All-Star break. Graterol made just seven appearances during the regular season due to a nagging shoulder issue, although he did return to pitch in the World Series. The 26-year-old will be in his third of four arbitration years this offseason.

The Dodgers outrighted Brogdon to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday.

The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster. Brogdon -- who missed much of the 2024 season with a foot injury -- will remain in the organization as relief depth.

The Angels released Zuniga on Thursday.

Zuniga cleared waivers after being booted from the 40-man roster and has now been cut loose. The 26-year-old is a hard thrower but has just a 16:8 K:BB in 19.2 innings in the majors and a 6.51 ERA at the Triple-A level.

The Rockies signed O'Loughlin to a minor-league contract Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

O'Loughlin, 24, reached the big leagues for the first time in 2024 with the Athletics, allowing five runs over 9.2 innings. He split time between the rotation and bullpen at hitter-friendly Triple-A Las Vegas, holding a 6.04 ERA and 80:34 K:BB across 73 frames. The lefty could compete for a swingman role with the Rockies but is likely to begin the season at Triple-A Albuquerque.

The Red Sox signed Wilson to a one-year, $2.25 million contract Thursday, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.

He will have the ability to earn an additional $750,000 in incentives. After missing the 2023 season following Tommy John surgery, Wilson held a 5.59 ERA but a 51:13 K:BB across 46.2 frames for the Reds in 2024. The 37-year-old will give the Red Sox another lefty in the bullpen alongside Brennan Bernardino.

Madris signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Friday.

Madris elected to become a free agent after being outrighted off the 40-man roster Monday, but he'll now return to the Tigers after four days on the open market. The 28-year-old appeared in 21 games for Detroit last season, putting up a .269/.324/.358 slash line alongside five RBI over 74 plate appearances.

Ohtani's left shoulder surgery is likely to delay his pitching debut for the Dodgers, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Ohtani underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a labrum tear in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, an injury he suffered during Game 2 of the World Series. While the expectation is that he will be ready to serve as a designated hitter during spring training and Opening Day, the timetable for Ohtani's first start on the mound for the Dodgers looks cloudy. The team elected to pause Ohtani's throwing program during the playoffs as he comes back from Tommy John surgery so as to not overtax him, and now the shoulder surgery will further delay his throwing program indefinitely. The Dodgers have a two-game series versus the Cubs in Japan from March 18-19 and then have their domestic opener against the Tigers on March 27. GM Brandon Gomes this week didn't rule out Ohtani being ready to pitch by the domestic opener, but Gomes "did not cast an optimistic picture of that possibility," per Harris. Ohtani was going to have workload restrictions in place on the mound in his first year back from Tommy John surgery anyway, so in that respect the delay isn't a huge deal. However, the situation creates an air of uncertainty with the two-way superstar's status. More clarity on Ohtani's situation should be available later in the offseason and into spring training.

Ohtani underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a labrum tear in his left shoulder, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

Ohtani's injury, which he suffered in Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 26, was initially described as a slight dislocation of his left shoulder. The labrum tear was a result of the dislocation, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. After suffering the injury, the NL MVP frontrunner recorded just one hit across 11 at-bats in the final three games of the series. The Dodgers expect he will be ready for spring training.

The Tigers outrighted Madris on Monday after he cleared waivers.

Madris spent most of the 2024 regular season in Triple-A Toledo, during which he slashed .222/.323/.444 with 21 stolen bases, 19 home runs and 60 RBI across 424 plate appearances. He made 21 appearances for the Tigers and he finished with a batting line of .269/.324/.358 with one home run and five RBI over 74 plate appearances.

Fry underwent surgery Monday to repair the UCL in his right elbow, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

Fry initially injured his elbow in June but played through it for the rest of the season, although he was limited to designated hitter duty almost exclusively. He is expected to be ready to DH again in 6-to-8 months, but it will be 12 months before he's able to play the field again. Fry batted .263/.356/.448 with 14 homers during the regular season for the Guardians.

Atlanta exercised Ozuna's $16 million club option for 2025, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The transaction was a given after Ozuna batted .302/.378/.546 with 39 home runs and 104 RBI in 2024. He is a full-time designated hitter at this point in his career, having not played a single inning in the outfield this season, but Ozuna should be a middle-of-the-order force again in 2025 in what will be his age-34 season.