MLB Player News

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.

Cron (knee) was cleared for full activity Monday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Cron appeared in just 13 games last season before being shut down for knee surgery. He still has some work to do to get back in game shape, but getting cleared for full activity in mid-January is certainly a positive sign. He's been a competent, if unexciting, first baseman throughout his seven-year big-league career, hitting .257/.312/.464, but teams may wait to see how his knee is doing before offering him a contract.

Hoskins (elbow) shared video of himself hitting in a batting cage on his personal Twitter page Thursday.

Hoskins was having a solid season at the plate before suffering a season-ending elbow injury in mid-September. He eventually underwent Tommy John surgery in early October and was given a return timeline that placed his readiness for Opening Day in some question. The first baseman stated Thursday that he was on track for spring training, but players tend to be on the optimistic end regarding their own timelines, so there's still no guarantee he avoids a trip to the injured list.

The Padres will consider experimenting with using Cronenworth in the outfield following the signing of Ha-seong Kim on Monday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

With Fernando Tatis and Manny Machado cemented on the left side of the infield and Cronenworth coming off a strong season at the keystone, the signing of Kim creates a bit of an infield logjam for the Friars. As a result, it looks like the club will try both Cronenworth and Kim in the outfield next spring in an attempt to possibly get both of their bats in the lineup on a regular basis. A return of the designated hitter in the National League would certainly simplify things for San Diego.

Bell was traded from the Pirates to the Nationals in exchange for Eddy Yean and Wil Crowe on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

If the Nationals are getting the 2019 version, Bell will be a big addition, as he hit a career-high 37 homers while slashing .277/.367/.569. His numbers cratered across the board in 2020's shortened campaign, however, as he hit just eight homers in 57 games and posted a .226/.305/.364 slash line. His strikeout rate soared from 19.2 percent to 26.5 percent while his walk rate fell to a career-low 9.9 percent. That makes the first baseman a rather risky fantasy option heading into the 2021 season, but he still has plenty of upside, especially as he's now left one of the league's toughest parks and worst lineups behind.

Hoskins is making progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.

Hoskins underwent the procedure in early October and was given an uncertain timeline in regards to whether or not he'd be ready to play by Opening Day. Per Montemurro's report, Hoskins may be slightly behind his original schedule, though manager Joe Girardi remains optimistic that the first baseman will be ready for the start of the season. Barring setbacks, it doesn't appear as though he'd be set for a lengthy stay on the sidelines if he does end up forced to open the year on the injured list.

Lowe was traded from the Rays to the Rangers on Thursday in exchange for outfielder Heriberto Hernandez and other prospects, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Lowe spent the final month of the regular season in the majors, slashing .224/.316/.433 with four home runs and 11 RBI over 21 games. However, he was left off the Rays' roster for the entirety of the postseason. The 25-year-old should have the chance to serve as the Rangers' starting first baseman heading into 2021, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Guerrero is hoping to prove in the Dominican Winter League that he can still be an option at third base for the Blue Jays in 2021, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

He has reportedly lost 40 pounds since July and 20 since the end of the season, down to 245 pounds. Guerrero moved to first base this past season, but it would give the Blue Jays some extra versatility if he could play both corner infield spots. Typically players don't move back up the defensive spectrum, but it's possible in this case if Guerrero is diligent about staying in better shape.

Vaughn is a viable option at designated hitter in 2021, according to general manager Rick Hahn, Scot Gregor of the Chicago Daily Herald reports.

Chicago's top prospect and a top-10 fantasy prospect in the game, Vaughn spent the summer impressing White Sox brass at the alternate training site. He has an excellent command of the strike zone and connects with plus power to all fields. Considering he has never played at Double-A or Triple-A, Vaughn shouldn't be expected to win a job in spring training, but he could be assigned to Triple-A with a chance for a first-half call-up.

Santana signed a two-year, $17 million deal with the Royals on Tuesday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

The 34-year-old first baseman is coming off a down year where he hit .199/.349/.350 with eight home runs in 60 games for Cleveland. However, he hit .281/.397/.515 with 34 home runs and a 4.4 fWAR as recently as 2019. This move signals that the Royals are ready to try to compete for a playoff spot in 2021. Santana fills a big hole at first base, so he should be an everyday staple in the middle of the lineup.