MLB Player News

Lester signed a minor-league contract with the Orioles on Tuesday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Lester made his major-league debut with the Tigers last season and went 0-for-5 in two games. The 28-year-old spent most of the campaign at the Triple-A level and had a .246/.311/.479 slash line with 29 home runs, 99 RBI and seven stolen bases in 145 contests.

Bell signed a two-year, $33 million deal with the Guardians on Tuesday, which includes an opt-out after the first season, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

The Guardians won a postseason series last season despite ranking 29th as a team in home runs. Bell theoretically offers the team plenty of additional pop, as he homered 37 times back in 2019 and has topped 25 home runs in two other seasons. He suffered through a bit of a power outage last season, however, clearing the fence just 17 times while splitting time between the Nationals and Padres. He still managed a solid .266/.362/.422 slash line and his 15.8 percent strikeout rate was strong. Assuming he rebounds from the slump he fell into after his midseason move to San Diego, he should offer the Guardians a well-rounded presence in the middle of their lineup

Abreu and the Astros agreed Monday on a three-year contract, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. The deal is worth around $60 million, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle.

With Yuli Gurriel (knee) becoming a free agent this winter, the Astros will turn to another mid-30s veteran in Abreu to step in as their everyday first baseman in 2023. Though his numbers have tapered off a bit since his American League MVP-winning campaign during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Abreu remained a well above league-average performer at the dish in his final two years with the White Sox. Over 679 plate appearances in 2022, Abreu slashed .304/.378/.446 with 15 home runs, 75 RBI and 85 runs en route to finishing with a 137 wRC+. A return to the 30-plus home-run production he delivered during his peak years with Chicago may not be attainable as he enters the back half of his thirties, but Abreu could see his RBI and run totals climb while he's surrounded by a more talented collection of hitters in Houston.

Harris was added to the Rangers' 40-man roster Tuesday.

A 23-year-old left fielder who can also play first base, Harris' bat really needs to live up to its billing if he is to make it as an everyday player. He hit .257/.346/.471 with 17 home runs, 19 steals and a 19.4 percent strikeout rate in 85 games at Double-A before a knee injury put an end to his season. Harris should open the year at Triple-A.

Rizzo agreed Tuesday with the Yankees on a two-year, $34 million contract that includes a $17 million club option for 2025, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

The Yankees will bring at least one of their free-agent sluggers back after Rizzo rejected the team's qualifying offer. Rizzo's left-handed power is a great fit in Yankee Stadium and in New York's righty-heavy lineup. The 33-year-old first baseman hit .224/.338/.480 with 32 home runs and six steals in 130 games this past season.

O'Hearn agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Royals on Tuesday, avoiding arbitration.

O'Hearn, 29, has been a below-replacement-level player in the majors in each of the last four seasons, so it's a little surprising that he's sticking around on a big-league pact. Last year he saw time at first base, designated hitter and right field. O'Hearn is a career .219/.293/.390 hitter in 342 games and has been worth -1.4 fWAR over that time.

The Tigers outrighted Lester to Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old received the chance to make his MLB debut late in the 2022 campaign, appearing in two games and going hitless across five plate appearances while sticking on the Tigers' active roster for less than a week. Given Lester's advanced age and lack of a prospect pedigree, it's not especially surprising that he went unclaimed off waivers after he was booted off the Tigers' 40-man roster.

Casas' knee injury will prevent him from returning to play for Tigres del Licey in the Dominican winter league, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

Casas had only played three games for the Tigres before developing knee soreness in mid-October. The Red Sox are reportedly unconcerned about long-term issues but didn't want him risking anything in winter ball. He was down in the Dominican to make up for lost development time after missing nearly two months with a high ankle sprain. Casas is expected to head into 2023 as the Red Sox's primary first baseman or designated hitter without the benefit of those extra at-batas.

Gurriel was diagnosed with a sprained right MCL on Saturday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Gurriel suffered the injury after a collision during a rundown in Game 5 of the World Series and will miss the remainder of the series as a result. The Astros have yet to say anything about his availability for next season, and a 38-year-old soon-to-be free agent coming off a down season isn't guaranteed to continue playing, but it seems as though he'd have time to get back to full health by Opening Day.

Gurriel (knee) was removed from the Astros' World Series roster Saturday, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports.

Gurriel collided with Rhys Hoskins during a rundown in Game 5 and was forced to leave with a knee injury. The problem was evidently serious enough to end his season a day or two early. Korey Lee was added to the roster in his absence. He'll give the Astros an extra option behind the plate, allowing Christian Vasquez to serve as the designated hitter while Trey Mancini starts at first base.