MLB Player News
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Zack Short SS | HOU
Mets' Zack Short: Claimed by Mets
The Mets claimed Short off waivers from the Tigers on Monday.
Short, 28, is a career .174/.266/.308 hitter over 450 plate appearances in parts of three seasons at the big-league level. He has experience at shortstop, second base, third base and a little in the outfield. Short will compete for a utility job in spring training.
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Mark Mathias 2B | CIN
Mark Mathias: Heads to open market
Mathias (shoulder) elected to become a free agent Friday.
Mathias rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A Sacramento after being pushed off the 40-man roster by San Francisco on Wednesday. The utility player went 14-for-62 (.226) with a .591 OPS in 27 major-league games this year between the Pirates and Giants before suffering a season-ending shoulder strain in mid-August.
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Whit Merrifield 2B | ATL
Whit Merrifield: Mutual option declined
Merrifield and the Blue Jays both declined his mutual option for the 2024 season Thursday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
The option was worth $18 million, so it's little surprise the team is willing to move on given that Merrifield lost playing down the final stretch. He'll be entering his age-35 season, so Merrifield could be looking for a final payday. He maintained a .700 OPS with 11 home runs and 26 steals across 592 plate appearances in 2023.
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Jorge Polanco 2B | NYM
Twins' Jorge Polanco: Club option exercised
The Twins exercised Polanco's $10.5 million club option for 2024 on Thursday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Polanco again battled durability issues in 2023, missing significant time due to ankle, knee and hamstring injuries, but he registered a .789 OPS with 14 home runs across 80 games (343 plate appearances) when healthy. Minnesota could potentially look to trade the 30-year-old infielder this winter and install Edouard Julien at second base, but exercising the option was likely an easy early-offseason decision for the AL Central champs.
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Mark Mathias 2B | CIN
Giants' Mark Mathias: Outrighted to minors
The Giants sent Mathias (shoulder) outright to Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday.
Mathias slashed just .226/.333/.258 across 72 plate appearances in the majors this season, and a strained shoulder put an early end to his season in mid-August. Mathias will have the option to elect free agency and should be able to draw a minor-league deal in the offseason.
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Danny Mendick 3B | CHW
Danny Mendick: Opts for free agency
Mendick elected free agency Tuesday.
Mendick went unclaimed on waivers after being pushed off the Mets' 40-man roster last week. The 30-year-old infielder slashed just .185/.232/.277 with one homer and one steal over 33 major-league games in 2023.
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Danny Mendick 3B | CHW
Mets' Danny Mendick: Booted from 40-man
The Mets placed Mendick on outright waivers Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Mendick slashed just .185/.232/.277 during his time with the Mets, and he'll now join five other teammates on the waiver wire as the team clears space on its 40-man roster. The 32-year-old infielder can elect free agency if he clears waivers.
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Mauricio Dubon 2B | ATL
Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Batting second in Game 4
Dubon is batting second Thursday in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Rangers.
This is the highest lineup spot yet for Dubon, who hit seventh Wednesday in Game 3 and went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as the Astros earned an 8-5 victory. He'll cover center field again Thursday, with Chas McCormick handling left field and Kyle Tucker patrolling right field. Michael Brantley is on the bench.
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Michael Chavis 2B | CIN
Michael Chavis: Elects free agency
Chavis cleared outright assignment waivers Wednesday and elected to become a free agent, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Chavis compiled a .242/.281/.341 slash line with five RBI across 96 plate appearances in 2023, and he'll now look to latch on with another organization. With a .650 OPS since 2021, Chavis will likely serve in a bench role with his new team.
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Mauricio Dubon 2B | ATL
Astros' Mauricio Dubon: Playing center field in Game 3
Dubon is starting in center field and batting seventh Wednesday in Game 3 of the ALCS at Texas.
Chas McCormick will ride the pine as the Astros look to win their first game of the best-of-seven American League Championship Series. This is the third start of the 2023 postseason for Dubon, who has gone 3-for-8 with three singles at the dish.