MLB Player News
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Jonathon Long 3B | CHC
Cubs' Jonathon Long: Invited to camp
The Cubs invited Long to major-league spring training on Monday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Long spent all of last season with Triple-A Iowa, where he sported a .307/.405/.480 slash line and mashed 20 home runs across 140 games. The 24-year-old is blocked at first base in the majors by Michael Busch, who had a breakout 2025 campaign. The offseason signing of Tyler Austin as a potential short-side platoon partner for Busch or Moises Ballesteros further blocks the righty-hitting Long, as the Cubs are unlikely to carry two righty-hitting first basemen at a time and Long isn't on the 40-man roster.
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Carlos Santana 1B | ARI
Diamondbacks' Carlos Santana: Reaches deal with Arizona
Santana agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM reports.
The 39-year-old split the 2025 campaign between the Cubs and Guardians, finishing the regular season with 11 home runs, seven steals and a .219/.308/.325 slash line in 124 games. Santana was cut loose by Cleveland in late August before being picked up by Chicago, but he played just eight games with the Cubs before he accepted being optioned to the Arizona Complex League in late September. The veteran first baseman should fill the small side of a platoon with Pavin Smith in Arizona, with Santana's ability as a switch hitter providing a path to more at-bats than a traditional platoon player.
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Sal Stewart 1B | CIN
Reds' Sal Stewart: Will split reps at first base/DH
Stewart is expected to split his time between designated hitter and corner infield following the Reds' signing of Eugenio Suarez, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
As long as he's healthy, Ke'Bryan Hayes is in line to be the team's everyday third baseman, which leaves Stewart and Suarez to share first base and DH duties. Bringing Suarez aboard does not preclude Stewart from getting everyday reps, but it does give him less margin for error. The rookie swatted five home runs in 18 regular-season contests down the stretch for Cincinnati while slashing .255/.293/.545. Stewart also sported a robust 52.5 percent hard-hit rate and 17.5 percent barrel rate during his cup of coffee.
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Spencer Steer 1B | CIN
Reds' Spencer Steer: Pegged for utility role
Steer is expected to play some in the outfield and serve in a super utility role following the Reds' signing of Eugenio Suarez, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
Suarez and Sal Stewart will soak up most of the at-bats between first base and designated hitter, and Ke'Bryan Hayes will occupy the hot corner. Steer's clearest path to playing time is in left field -- which was his primary position in 2024 -- though the 28-year-old is unlikely to settle in at one spot. He slashed an underwhelming .238/.312/.411 with 21 home runs across 146 regular-season contests in 2025, though Steer's numbers were held back by a dreadful .174/.248/.272 line in April when he played through a shoulder issue.
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Luis Arraez 2B | SF
Giants' Luis Arraez: Signs with San Francisco
Arraez signed a one-year contract with the Giants on Saturday, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports. Per Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com, the deal is for $12 million and is pending a physical.
Arraez played mostly at first base with San Diego last season, but he's expected to fill San Francisco's need for a starting second baseman in 2026. While the veteran infielder continued to display his bat-to-ball excellency last season -- he led the NL with 181 hits and stuck out just 21 times over 675 plate appearances -- he also posted a career-low .719 OPS with just eight homers while collecting 61 RBI, 66 runs and 11 stolen bases. The theft total was a career-best mark and was really the only area where Arraez made even a modest impact in fantasy outside of his .292 batting average. With San Francisco, Arraez should maintain an everyday spot in the lineup, and there's no reason to think he won't continue to hit for a high average. While his consistent lack of contributions elsewhere makes Arraez a mostly unexciting fantasy asset, his eventual return to eligibility at the keystone should prop his appeal up to some extent.
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Mickey Gasper 1B | BOS
Nationals' Mickey Gasper: Removed from 40-man roster
The Nationals designated Gasper for assignment Thursday.
The move frees a spot on the 40-man roster for Richard Lovelady, who was claimed off waivers. Gasper was also a waiver claim of the Nationals just last week and could be on the move to another organization. He's a career .133/.250/.195 hitter over 58 career games in the majors but will have appeal due to his ability to play catcher, first base, second base and left field.
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TJ Rumfield 3B | COL
Rockies' T.J. Rumfield: Shipped to Colorado
The Rockies acquired Rumfield from the Yankees on Wednesday in exchange for Angel Chivilli, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.
Rumfield has been a quality performer the last two seasons in the minors, finishing the 2025 campaign with a .285/.378/.447 batting line, 16 home runs and a 70:108 BB:K over 138 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He appeared unlikely to get much of an opportunity with the Yankees, at least not in 2026, but in Colorado, Rumfield could compete for the Opening Day first baseman job. Rumfield is not currently on the 40-man roster.
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Abimelec Ortiz 1B | WAS
Nationals' Abimelec Ortiz: Shipped to Washington
The Rangers traded Ortiz, Gavin Fien, Alejandro Rosario (elbow), Devin Fitz-Gerald (shoulder) and Yeremy Cabrera to the Nationals on Thursday in exchange for MacKenzie Gore, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Ortiz split time between Double-A and Triple-A last year, slashing .257/.356/.479 with 25 homers, 89 RBI and 85 runs scored between the two levels. The 23-year-old first baseman was awarded a 40-man roster spot in November and will now presumably compete with Andres Chaparro for the starting job in Washington.
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Mickey Gasper 1B | BOS
Nationals' Mickey Gasper: Claimed off waivers by Nationals
The Nationals claimed Gasper off waivers from the Twins on Tuesday.
Gasper had been booted off the Twins' 40-man roster, and he's now joining a new organization. The 30-year-old sports a lowly .133/.250/.195 batting line over 58 career games in the majors, but he can play catcher, first base, second base and left field and also has minor-league options remaining.
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Sal Stewart 1B | CIN
Reds' Sal Stewart: Focusing on first base
Stewart spent the winter getting into better shape, losing 20-plus pounds, and he's been working on his defense at first base, Charlie Goldsmith of The Dayton Daily News reports.
After the Reds traded for Ke'Bryan Hayes last year, Stewart had to learn first base on the fly. He'll enter this season more comfortable at the position, and presumably has the inside track to play there regularly in 2026. The Reds still have to find playing time for both Stewart and Spencer Steer, but they can be in the same lineup with one of them at DH and the other at first base.