The Yankees declined Rizzo's $17 million club option for 2025 on Saturday.

Rizzo slashed just .228/.301/.335 with 35 RBI across 375 plate appearances in 2024 -- his worst season at the plate since his rookie year with the Padres in 2011. Despite his significant drop in production, the 35-year-old first baseman should still be able to attract some attention in the open market, though he likely won't receive anything close to the $17 million average annual salary he'd been getting from New York.

France elected free agency Friday.

France refused an outright assignment to the minors, exercising his right to hit the free agent market instead. The 30-year-old slashed only .234/.305/.365 with 13 home runs over 140 games this season between the Mariners and Reds. France should be able to find a major-league deal somewhere, although perhaps not as an everyday player.

The Athletics outrighted Nevin to Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

It's not the first time Nevin has been outrighted, so he can elect free agency if he wants. The 27-year-old has a career .204/.299/.315 slash line over parts of four major-league seasons.

Hoskins exercised his $18 million player option for 2025 on Friday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

It's possible Hoskins could have netted a multi-year deal on the open market, but it's unlikely he would have been able to top an average annual salary of $18 million. In his first year back from ACL surgery, Hoskins slashed .214/.303/.419with 26 home runs across 131 games for the Brewers. Slated to turn 32 in March, Hoskins should be Milwaukee's primary first baseman again in 2025, with some starts at designated hitter mixed in.

The Pirates re-signed Nunez to a minor-league contract Friday with an invitation to spring training, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.

Nunez, who turns 24 in March, slashed .250/.310/.365 with 11 home runs over 128 games this season for Triple-A Indianapolis. He'll be with the Pirates in spring training but is likely headed back to Indianapolis to begin 2025.

The Angels claimed Noda off waivers from the Athletics on Friday.

Noda showed some promise in 2023 after the A's plucked him in the Rule 5 Draft, slashing .229/.364/.406 with 16 homers in 128 contests. He couldn't repeat even that level of production in 2024 however, posting just a .465 OPS in 36 games with Oakland while spending most of the year in the minors. Noda will turn 29 in March and could get a chance to compete for playing time at first base, the corner outfield spots and designated hitter.

Freeman was named the World Series MVP after Wednesday's win over the Yankees in Game 5.

Freeman homered in each of the first four games of the series and added a two-RBI single during the Dodgers' rally in the fifth inning Wednesday. He drove in 12 runs during the Fall Classic, which tied the World Series record for RBI that was set by Bobby Richardson in 1960, per Buster Olney of ESPN. The 35-year-old entered the playoffs as a question mark due to an ankle injury but is now a two-time World Series champion.

Freeman went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI Tuesday as the Dodgers fell to the Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series.

Freeman got things off on the right foot for the Dodgers, taking Luis Gil deep with a two-run blast in the top of the first inning. He's homered in all four games of the series and has gone deep in six straight World Series games overall, which is a major-league record. Freeman also added an RBI groundout later in the contest, which cut the Yankees' lead to 5-4 at the time before the Yanks put the game away late.

The Reds activated Encarnacion-Strand (wrist) from the 60-day injured list Monday.

The move was required because Encarnacion-Strand is in the Arizona Fall League on a rehab assignment, which has expired. He will continue to play in the AFL and is now back on the Reds' 40-man roster after missing most of the season following wrist surgery.

Freeman (ankle) will start at first base and bat third Friday in Game 1 of the World Series versus the Yankees, Travis Sawchik of theScore.com reports.

Freeman didn't play in Game 4 or Game 6 of the NLCS as he battles lingering soreness in his right ankle, but nearly a week off between games has the first baseman feeling better. The 35-year-old Freeman is 7-for-32 with zero extra-base hits and one RBI so far this postseason.