MLB Player News

Torrens signed Wednesday with the Cubs on a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to MLB spring training.

The Cubs will enter spring training with veterans Yan Gomes and Tucker Barnhart entrenched as the team's top two backstops, but Torrens could have an opportunity to break camp with the big club if Chicago elects to carry three catchers into Opening Day or if Gomes or Barnhart succumbs to an injury. Torrens logged 166 plate appearances in the big leagues with the Mariners in 2022, slashing .225/.283/.298 with three home runs, 15 RBI and 13 runs.

Winker (neck, knee) has been working out at the Brewers' spring training complex in Arizona and will not face any restrictions at the start of spring training.

Winker is coming back from a minor knee surgery and also an operation on his neck in which he had a herniated disc replaced. The neck injury in particular seemed debilitating, as Winker sunk to a .688 OPS in 2022, but it sounds like he'll head into 2023 with a clean bill of health. The 29-year-old also had a major ballpark upgrade when he was traded from Seattle to Milwaukee over the offseason, giving him a good shot to bounce back this year.

Lewis agreed to a one-year, $1.61 million contract with the Diamondbacks on Friday to avoid arbitration, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

It's the first year of arbitration eligibility for Lewis, who was acquired from the Mariners in November. The 2020 AL Rookie of the Year has played in only 54 big-league games across the past two seasons and produced a .215/.301/.366 slash line during that span.

Ford signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners on Friday.

It's unclear whether he's received an invitation to major-league spring training, although it seems likely. Ford saw brief action in the majors with four different teams in 2022 -- the Mariners being one of them -- and had a .615 OPS with three homers over 149 plate appearances.

McCutchen signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Pirates on Friday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Well, isn't that fun? McCutchen reached superstardom in Pittsburgh, winning the National League MVP award in 2013 and finishing in the top five in voting four straight years. He's 36 now and coming off a career-low .700 OPS, but he nonetheless instantly becomes one of the Pirates' better hitters and provides some leadership. This should also offer him a chance to play every day, an opportunity he wouldn't necessarily have received elsewhere.

Belt noted Wednesday that he feels back to full health after undergoing surgery in September on his right knee, and he anticipates seeing most of his starts with the Blue Jays as a designated hitter during the upcoming season, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

Belt, who signed a one-year, $9.3 million deal with Toronto earlier this week, admitted that his exact role isn't solidified just yet, but he suggested that he expects to play DH in most games while occasionally spelling Vladimir Guerrero at first base. The arrangement should help Belt from a durability standpoint, given that chronic knee issues along with an assortment of other injuries have cost him extensive time throughout his career. When he was available for the Giants last season, Belt posted a career-worst 96 wRC+ in 298 plate appearances, but the Blue Jays are hoping that improved health coming off surgery along with a superior collection of bats around him can help the 34-year-old bounce back.

Belt (knee) agreed to a one-year, $9.3 million contract with the Blue Jays on Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Belt had conversations about returning to San Francisco during the offseason, but he'll ultimately end up wearing a new uniform in 2023. Slusser notes that Belt has completed his physical, and he's also returned to health following a September knee surgery. Belt figures to slot in at the DH spot when Alejandro Kirk is behind the dish or at first base when Vladimir Guerrero needs a day off.

O'Keefe re-signed with the Mariners on a minor-league contract Monday.

He's presumably been given an invitation to big-league spring training. O'Keefe reached the majors for the first time in 2022 as a 29-year-old, seeing action in two games with the M's. He's likely to spend most of 2023 at Triple-A Tacoma again.

Madris was acquired by the Astros from Detroit on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations.

Roughly two weeks after being DFA'd by Detroit, Madris will now join the Astros' 40-man roster. The 26-year-old outfielder got his first taste of MLB action last season, though he posted just a .509 OPS through 123 plate appearances. Considering the outfield talent Houston already has at the MLB level, Madris will likely start the 2023 season in Triple-A and serve as organizational depth.

Stanton will play the outfield "in spurts" in 2023, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

Boone added that his preference is to use Stanton in right field at Yankee Stadium on days Aaron Judge is the designated hitter, with some left field mixed in while the team plays at other stadiums. Stanton started 38 games in the outfield in 2022 but none of them came after July.