MLB Player News
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Joey Votto 1B | TOR
Joey Votto: Team option declined
The Reds declined Votto's $20 million club option for 2024 on Saturday.
Votto will enter the free agent market for the first time after 17 seasons with the Reds. The 40-year-old veteran previously said he plans to continue playing for "at least one more year," and he should be able to secure a one-year deal elsewhere after slashing .202/.314/.433 in 2023.
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Jared Young 1B | NYM
Cubs' Jared Young: Sent outright to Triple-A
The Cubs outrighted Young to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
Young posted a .310/.417/.577 batting line with 21 home runs over 90 games this season at the Triple-A level, but he couldn't quite replicate those numbers in the bigs with a .720 OPS in 16 contests. The 28-year-old is now off the 40-man roster in Chicago.
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Alfonso Rivas 1B | STL
Guardians' Alfonso Rivas: Claimed by Guardians
The Guardians claimed Rivas off waivers from Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Rivas slashed .229/.303/.422 across 123 major-league plate appearances in 2023. He likely won't get the majority of reps at first base with Josh Naylor already in Cleveland, but Rivas could certainly contend for a spot on the bench next season.
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Alex Kirilloff LF | MIN
Twins' Alex Kirilloff: No tear in shoulder labrum
No labrum tear was discovered during Kirilloff's recent shoulder surgery, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Kirilloff, accordingly, required a less invasive procedure than initially anticipated and seems to have a good shot of being fully recovered by the beginning of spring training next February. The 25-year-old battled right (non-throwing) shoulder issues in the second half of the 2023 regular season and was removed from the Twins' postseason roster before Game 4 of the ALDS because of renewed discomfort. When healthy, he put up a .793 OPS with 11 home runs across 319 plate appearances for the American League Central champions.
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Jose Abreu 1B | HOU
Astros' Jose Abreu: Goes yard, grabs bag in win
Abreu went 1-for-3 with a three run home run and a stolen base, adding two runs and three RBI in Thursday's 10-3 victory over the Rangers in Game 3 of the ALCS.
Abreu has continued to develop upon his recent late-season power-hitting success right into the playoffs. He had a .505 slugging percentage over 93 at-bats in September, but he is now up to a .677 mark in 31 ABs since the postseason began. One area Abreu did not cover during the regular season was stolen bases, and Thursday was the first time Abreu has stolen a base all year and the first time in his postseason career. In the current playoff run, Abreu is slashing .258/.343/.677 with eight runs and 11 RBI, adding four home runs and Thursday's stolen base in 31 at-bats.
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Jared Walsh 1B | CHW
Jared Walsh: Hits free agency
Walsh elected free agency Monday.
It's the second time since early August that Walsh has been outrighted off the Angels' 40-man roster. The 30-year-old posted a lowly .494 OPS over 39 games in 2023 and simply hasn't been the same player since his breakout 2021 season.
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Rhys Hoskins 1B | CLE
Phillies' Rhys Hoskins: Not part of NLCS roster
Hoskins (knee) isn't included on the Phillies' roster for the team's National League Championship Series versus the Diamondbacks.
Hoskins continues to work out at the team's spring training complex in Florida as he works his way back from late-March surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. He's reportedly coming along well in his recovery, and though he won't be available for the NLCS, Hoskins hasn't been ruled out, he could be added to the Phillies roster for the World Series, should Philadelphia advance. The 30-year-old is scheduled for free agency this offseason.
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Alex Kirilloff LF | MIN
Twins' Alex Kirilloff: Set for shoulder surgery
Kirilloff will undergo surgery later this month to repair the labrum in his right shoulder, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Kirilloff initially injured his shoulder in July and more recently had to be removed from the Twins' ALDS roster after suffering a setback. It's not clear at this point how long his rehab will take, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he's at least somewhat limited in spring training. It's yet another surgery for Kirilloff, who previously has had two different operations on his wrist.
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Alex Kirilloff LF | MIN
Twins' Alex Kirilloff: Off roster due to shoulder injury
Kirilloff was removed from the Twins' ALDS roster Wednesday because of a right shoulder injury, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Kirilloff missed all of August with a right shoulder strain and the injury seems to have resurfaced in some capacity here in the 2023 postseason. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli declined to get into specifics but noted that the 25-year-old first baseman and corner outfielder was having trouble taking full swings. Byron Buxton (knee) has been activated in a corresponding move ahead of ALDS Game 4 against the Astros on Wednesday night at Target Field.
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Alex Kirilloff LF | MIN
Twins' Alex Kirilloff: Placed on injured list
Kirilloff (undisclosed) was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday ahead of ALDS Game 4 against the Astros.
There are no further details yet, but Kirilloff must have suffered a fairly serious injury in the Twins' Game 3 loss, as he will now officially be out through the ALCS. Byron Buxton (knee) has replaced Kirilloff on Minnesota's active roster for what remains of the best-of-five ALDS.