MLB Player News

Busch was added to the Dodgers' 40-man roster Tuesday, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Busch opened 2022 at Double-A Tulsa and posted a 1.112 OPS in 31 games to earn a promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City. The 25-year-old clubbed 32 homers and 38 doubles between the two levels in 2022, though he may need to cut down on his 26 percent strikeout rate before he receives an extended look in the majors.

De La Cruz was added to the Reds' 40-man roster Tuesday.

One of the top prospects in baseball, De La Cruz crushed opposing pitchers in 2022, slashing .306/.361/.586 between High-A and Double-A ball. He still needs to clean up some things on the defensive end and improve his strikeout rate (30.9 K% in Double-A), but that kind of offensive production suggests it will only be a matter of time before De La Cruz gets the call to the majors.

Vargas signed a one-year contract with the Nationals on Tuesday, avoiding arbitration

Vargas provided solid production at the plate for Washington, slashing .302/.338/.439 upon joining the team in August. The 31-year-old infielder could slide back in as a starter in 2023, though he will likely ultimately settle into his customary utility role.

Carreras was added to the Rockies' 40-man roster Tuesday.

Carreras, who turns 23 in January, has impressive physical tools on both sides of the ball, but he struggled in a small sample at Double-A last season (80 wRC+, 30.9 percent strikeout rate in 19 games). He hit .289/.352/.473 with 11 home runs and 17 steals in 110 games at High-A.

Bernabel's contract was selected by Colorado on Tuesday.

The move means Bernabel won't be available for selection in the Rule 5 draft, though he still has some work to do before he pushes for an active roster spot. The 20-year-old has yet to reach the Double-A level, though he did hit .313/.370/.499 with 14 homers and 23 steals in 91 games last season, split between Single-A and High-A.

Kennedy was sent outright to Triple-A Reno on Friday.

Kennedy made his MLB debut with Arizona in 2022 and slashed .217/.325/.325 over 94 plate appearances. Now, as the D-backs unload their 40-man roster, the 24-year-old infielder will develop further in Triple-A, where his line jumped up to .261/.363/.385.

Segura went 2-for-4 with an RBI during Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Astros in Game 5 of the World Series.

Segura recorded his first multi-hit performance of the World Series, and his RBI single in the eighth inning brought the Phillies to within one with the tying run on third. The 32-year-old is playing in his 11th season but only his first postseason. Even with his performance Thursday night, he is hitting just .226 across 53 at bats while knocking in seven runs. Segura will look to provide another spark at the bottom of the Phillies lineup in Game 6 against projected starter Framber Valdez -- he was 1-for-2 against Valdez in the Game 2 loss.

Arenado elected to opt into the remaining five years of his contract with the Cardinals on Saturday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Arenado had the option to test the market heading into his age-32 season, but he evidently felt as though he wasn't going to do better than the five years and $144 million he has remaining on his current deal. He's coming off a season in which he hit .293/.358/.533 (good for a career-best 151 wRC+) while playing excellent defense, but his age may have made it tough to beat an already lofty salary. The decision is largely a hit to Arenado's long-term fantasy value, as it keeps him in one of the league's more pitcher-friendly parks for the foreseeable future, though he'll at least remain a part of a solid lineup that's helped him eclipse 100 RBI in back-to-back seasons.

Maton was added to the Phillies' roster on Friday ahead of the World Series, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Maton was on the roster for the wild-card round but never saw the field, and he was left off the roster for the NLDS and NLCS. The 25-year-old is unlikely to see much action and will provide depth as a utility option during the World Series.

Machado went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during Saturday's 10-6 loss to the Phillies in Game 4 of the NLCS.

Machado hit a 100-mph line drive off Phillies starter Bailey Falter that reached the left field bleachers to give the Padres a 1-0 lead in the first inning of Game 4. Machado has now homered in two of the past three games, and he has reached four postseason homers for the first time in his career. The 30-year-old righty also continued his streak of multi-hit performances following hitless games, which he has now accomplished in seven straight instances. Machado is slated to face starter Zack Wheeler in a must-win Game 5 -- he is 2-for-11 with two singles against Wheeler in his career.