MLB Player News

Vest will join Team USA ahead of the quarterfinal round of the World Baseball Classic, replacing teammate Tarik Skubal, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.

Skubal went back and forth on sticking around with Team USA, but with the lefty ultimately departing the roster, the team will replace him with Vest, who posted a 3.01 ERA and 75 strikeouts across 68.2 regular-season innings for Detroit last year. Vest gives the United States a reliable veteran option who can pitch some high-leverage innings out of the bullpen.

The Red Sox signed Coulombe to a one-year contract Thursday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

It's a major-league deal for the 36-year-old Coulombe, who split the 2025 season between the Twins and Rangers. Across 55 total appearances, Coulombe posted a 2.30 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 43:18 K:BB across 43 innings. Not including closer Aroldis Chapman, Coulombe figures to operate as manager Alex Cora's top situational lefty reliever out of Boston's bullpen.

Joyce (shoulder) has been throwing bullpens but is likely to start the regular season on the injured list, per MLB.com.

Joyce underwent shoulder surgery to repair his labrum last May and continues to work his way back. His most recent bullpen session took place Tuesday, so the fireballing reliever seems to be making good progress, but he hasn't yet pitched in a spring game and seems to be tracking toward an IL stint to open the campaign. Even if that is the case, Joyce doesn't seem to be looking at a lengthy absence, and he could work his way up to high-leverage work out of the bullpen quickly upon his return to game action.

The Rangers signed Beeks to a major-league contract Thursday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The Rangers will need to create a spot on the 40-man roster to make room for Beeks. The 32-year-old left-hander appeared in 61 games for the Diamondbacks last season, posting a 3.77 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 47:20 K:BB across 57.1 innings. Beeks should work in tandem with Tyler Alexander as the Rangers' left-handed specialists.

Twins manager Derek Shelton said he has no idea who his closer will be this season, but Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports that Sands is still a possibility. "I'm still trying to figure it out. Sometimes, that's the answer where you're trying not to answer it," Shelton said. "I've probably done that before. But right now, I'm trying to figure it out. I don't think we have an idea of what's going to happen."

We wouldn't read too much into this report as Sands is one of a handful of candidates to close or share a committee along with Taylor Rogers, Liam Hendriks, Justin Topa and a series of lefties including Anthony Banda and Andrew Chafin, but he has a chance to finish games. Sands had a breakout season as a reliever in 2024, but he took a step back last season with just a 21.4 percent strikeout rate, down from 29.1 percent. Sands has given up three runs in five innings with a 4:2 K:BB this spring.

Merryweather (hamstring) played catch Wednesday and did some running in front of the training staff, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Merryweather suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain Feb. 24 and was expected to need about 3-to-4 weeks to recover. It looks like he's candidate to begin the season on the injured list but has yet to be ruled out for Opening Day.

The Orioles reassigned Walker to minor-league camp Wednesday, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.

After being outrighted off the Orioles' 40-man roster in January, Walker always appeared to be a long shot to win a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. He's expected to begin the season at Triple-A Norfolk and will likely need to deliver impressive results before potentially resurfacing in the big leagues.

The Rays optioned Scholtens to Triple-A Durham on Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Scholtens' bid for a spot in the Rays' Opening Day bullpen has come to an end after he surrendered four earned runs on four hits and two walks over 4.1 innings in Grapefruit League play. The 31-year-old righty has previously made 28 appearances (11 starts) with the White Sox between the 2023 and 2025 seasons, but it's unclear whether the Rays plan to use him in the rotation or out of the bullpen at Triple-A Durham to begin the upcoming campaign.

Alberto (back) is listed among the White Sox's available relievers for Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Angels, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Alberto had been expected to make his most recent spring appearance Monday against the Rockies, but he ended up being scratched after contending with back tightness. After getting a couple days off to recover, Alberto looks to have moved past the issue. A Rule 5 selection over the winter, Alberto has struck out four batters and has allowed three earned runs through five innings this spring.

Selvidge recently underwent internal brace surgery on his left elbow and will miss the 2026 season, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.

Selvidge is one of the Yankees' better pitching prospects and flashed a fastball that reached 97 miles per hour earlier this spring before he suffered the elbow injury. He previously dealt with a pinched nerve in his biceps that required surgery in 2024. The 6-foot-3 southpaw turns 24 in August and logged 75 innings at Double-A last season, and he will probably return to Double-A when healthy in 2027.