MLB Player News

General manager Ross Atkins said Thursday that the Blue Jays aren't committed to using Hoffman as their primary closer in 2026, Rob Longley of The Toronto Sun reports.

Although he finished 2025 with a career-high 33 saves, Hoffman's first year in Toronto was met with struggles. He posted a 4.37 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 68 innings during the regular season and, most notably, blew a save during Game 7 of the World Series. Atkins brought up Yimi Garcia (elbow) and Louis Varland as potential options to work the ninth inning next season instead of Hoffman and didn't rule out the possibility of acquiring someone in the offseason to fill the role.

Dubin (elbow) cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Dubin ended the season on the injured list with elbow discomfort. It's unclear if he's healthy, but he'll now have the chance to elect to free agency if he doesn't want to accept the outright assignment.

Ragsdale was designated for assignment Thursday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Ragsdale made his big-league debut in September and gave up eight earned runs in five innings across two appearances with the Orioles. He's likely to stick in the organization as depth for the 2026 season.

Rooney (elbow) was activated from the 60-day injured list and outrighted to Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Rooney underwent elbow surgery in September, though the exact nature of the operation is unclear. He's now eligible to be a free agent but could elect to stick around as organizational depth in Houston.

Ort (elbow) was activated from the 60-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Ort was sidelined for the final month of the regular season with elbow inflammation. He'll presumably be ready to start spring training on the mound, though there hasn't been any official timeline from the team.

Walters (lat) was activated from the injured list Thursday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

The move was procedurally required, but Walters is still recovering from lat surgery. It's unclear when he'll be able to return to the mound, but he had not started a rehab appearance prior to the end of the season.

Hentges (shoulder) was activated from the injured list Thursday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

Hentges is recovering from a pair of surgeries, the more serious of which was on his shoulder, which cost him the entire 2025 season. He is expected to be ready for spring training, though his timeline may be a bit volatile given the seriousness of the injury.

The Yankees selected Castro's contract from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday.

Castro dominated minor-league hitters in 2025, turning in a 1.53 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 52:22 K:BB across 47 innings with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He'll be rewarded with a place on New York's 40-man roster as a result of his performance, and he'll have a chance to win a spot in the Yankees' bullpen during spring training.

The Rays activated Van Belle (elbow) from the 60-day injured list and designated him for assignment Thursday.

Van Belle suffered a UCL sprain in September, and it's unclear if the injury will be addressed via rest and rehab or surgery. Regardless, the 29-year-old will be placed on waivers. He appeared in four games with Tampa Bay in 2025, marking his first MLB action.

The Rays activated Lavender (elbow) from the 60-day injured list and designated him for assignment Thursday.

Lavender underwent surgery in late August or early September to remove a bone spur from his left elbow. It's possible he'll be available for the start of spring training. However, he'll be exposed to waivers after Thursday's move. Lavender, who turns 25 in January, has yet to make his MLB debut.