MLB Player News
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LaMonte Wade 1B | CHW
Giants' LaMonte Wade: Headed to San Francisco
Wade was traded to the Giants on Thursday in exchange for Shaun Anderson, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Wade has filled a depth role in the outfield for Minnesota since making his major-league debut in 2019. He's accrued only 113 major-league plate appearances across two seasons and hit .211/.336/.347. He will give the Giants another left-handed bat in their outfield and projects to continue to serve as a fourth or fifth outfielder for the club.
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Keston Hiura 2B | LAD
Brewers' Keston Hiura: Likely moving to first base
Hiura will likely serve as the Brewers' primary first baseman in 2021, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Hiura slotted in at second base over most of the past two seasons with the Brewers, but he's expected to shift to first base after the team signed Kolten Wong on Wednesday. Despite his position change, Hiura should maintain a regular spot in Milwaukee's lineup as he attempts to build on his 2020 campaign in which he hit .212/.297/.410 with 13 home runs and 32 RBI. Daniel Vogelbach will likely shift to a reserve role unless the designated hitter is utilized in the National League again in 2021.
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Luke Voit 1B | NYM
Yankees' Luke Voit: Working through running program
Voit (foot) is running the bases at the Yankees' spring training facility in Florida, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.
The 29-year-old dealt with plantar fasciitis throughout the 2020 campaign but appears on track for spring training. Voit should continue ramping things up at the informal workouts before the official start of camp in a few weeks.
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Elehuris Montero 1B | COL
Rockies' Elehuris Montero: Part of Arenado deal
Montero and several other prospects have been traded from the Cardinals to the Rockies in exchange for Nolan Arenado, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
Montero has yet to make his big-league debut, spending the majority of the 2019 campaign at Double-A, where he struggled to a .188.235/.317 slash line with seven homers and 18 RBI (59 games). He figures to have a good chance to begin the 2021 season at Triple-A Albuquerque.
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Chris Shaw 1B | CHW
Orioles' Chris Shaw: Clears waivers
Shaw cleared waivers Monday and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Shaw spent last season in the Giants' player pool but never made the active roster. He was claimed off waivers by the Orioles in November but went unclaimed this time around, hardly a surprise given that he's a 27-year-old left fielder with a career .153/.244/.222 line in 82 plate appearances at the highest level.
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Chris Shaw 1B | CHW
Orioles' Chris Shaw: DFA'd by Baltimore
Shaw was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Tuesday, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.
The 26-year-old was claimed off waivers by Baltimore in late November, but he was cleared from the 40-man roster Tuesday to clear space for the signing of Freddy Galvis. Shaw figures to be outrighted to Triple-A if he goes unclaimed on waivers this time around.
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Luke Voit 1B | NYM
Yankees' Luke Voit: Strikes deal with New York
Voit (foot) and the Yankees reached a one-year, $4.7 million deal Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
Voit dealt with plantar fasciitis at the end of the 2020 campaign, but he's expected to be healthy by spring training after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his foot in November. He won't require arbitration during the offseason after reaching a one-year deal with the club Friday.
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Rhys Hoskins 1B | CLE
Phillies' Rhys Hoskins: Avoids arbiter
Hoskins (elbow) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.8 million deal with the Phillies on Friday, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Hoskins bounced back from an unimpressive 2019 season with a strong season at the plate in 2020, hitting .245/.384/.503 with 10 homers in 41 games. His season was cut short by an elbow injury which eventually required Tommy John surgery, placing his readiness for Opening Day in some doubt.
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Josh Bell DH | MIN
Nationals' Josh Bell: Avoids arbitration with Nats
Bell signed a one-year, $6.35 million deal with the Nationals on Friday to avoid arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
The 28-year-old was acquired by Washington from Pittsburgh on Christmas Eve and will avoid arbitration with his new team. Bell struggled in 2020 with a .669 OPS and career-worst 26.5 percent strikeout rate, but he should have every chance to rebound as the clear starter at first base.
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Dominic Smith DH | ATL
Mets' Dominic Smith: Avoids arbitration with Mets
Smith signed a one-year, $2.55 million deal with the Mets on Friday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
The 25-year-old was arguably the Mets' best bat in 2020 with a .316/.377/.616 slash line, 10 homers, 21 doubles and 42 RBI in 199 plate appearances, and he's now officially under contract for 2021. Smith's major-league outlook was a question mark not too long ago, but he has a .937 OPS in 139 games over the past two seasons and enters spring training in position to begin the season in a starting role.