MLB Player News
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Chase Lee RP | DET
Tigers' Chase Lee: Protected from Rule 5 Draft
The Tigers selected Lee from Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday.
Lee started the 2024 season in Triple-A Round Rock in the Rangers organization before being traded to the Tigers at the end of July. With Triple-A Toledo, the righty posted a 3.27 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across 22 innings in 17 appearances. The 26-year-old is now protected from the Rule 5 Draft in December.
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Carson Coleman RP | TEX
Yankees' Carson Coleman: Returned to Yankees
The Rangers returned Coleman (elbow) to the Yankees on Tuesday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
The Rangers selected Coleman in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, but he never pitched for Texas while recovering from a procedure he underwent on his right elbow in April 2023. Because he never played, he'll now return to his previous organization and will remain without a spot on New York's 40-man roster.
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Richard Lovelady RP | TB
Rays' Richard Lovelady: Removed from 40-man roster
The Rays designated Lovelady for assignment Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Lovelady is a roster casualty as the Rays look to clear space on Rule 5 Draft protection day. The lefty reliever holds a career 4.98 ERA and 90:36 K:BB over 99.1 innings covering parts of five big-league seasons.
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Cole Sulser RP | TB
Rays' Cole Sulser: Avoids arbitration
The Rays and Sulser avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract Monday, Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Sun reports.
Sulser had been eligible for arbitration for a second time. The 34-year-old reliever holds a career 3.74 ERA and 158:71 K:BB over 149 innings covering parts of six big-league seasons.
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Justin Wilson RP | BOS
Red Sox's Justin Wilson: Agrees to deal with Boston
The Red Sox signed Wilson to a one-year, $2.25 million contract Thursday, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.
He will have the ability to earn an additional $750,000 in incentives. After missing the 2023 season following Tommy John surgery, Wilson held a 5.59 ERA but a 51:13 K:BB across 46.2 frames for the Reds in 2024. The 37-year-old will give the Red Sox another lefty in the bullpen alongside Brennan Bernardino.
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Griffin Jax RP | MIN
Twins' Griffin Jax: Move to rotation not ruled out
Twins bench coach Jayce Tingler indicated in a recent interview that the team is open to the possibility of moving Jax into the rotation, Mike Ferrin of MLB Network Radio reports.
Jax came up through the minors as a starting pitcher and made 14 starts for the Twins in 2021, posting a 6.10 ERA. He's since turned into a lockdown reliever, most recently collecting a 2.03 ERA and 95:15 K:BB over 71 innings this season. With a five-pitch mix and past starting experience, Jax would seem more equipped for a shift to the rotation than most relievers. The question is whether the uptick in stuff since his move to relief would translate back to a starting role.
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Steven Okert RP | MIN
Astros' Steven Okert: Signs minors deal with Houston
Okert signed a minor-league contract with the Astros on Nov. 5.
Okert appeared in 44 games for the Twins in 2024, putting up a 5.09 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across 35.1 innings -- his worst statistical season since 2017. The 33-year-old southpaw will have an opportunity to bounce back with the Astros organization, though he will likely need to redeem himself at Triple-A Sugar Land before getting a chance to pitch for Houston.
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Guillermo Zuniga RP | LAA
Angels' Guillermo Zuniga: Departs 40-man roster
The Angels designated Zuniga for assignment Tuesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Travis d'Arnaud, who was signed to a two-year deal Tuesday. Zuniga, 26, posted a 5.09 ERA and 12:8 K:BB over 17.2 innings this season while notching a pair of saves.
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Brandon Leibrandt RP | CIN
Yankees' Brandon Leibrandt: Nets minors deal from Yankees
Leibrandt signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Friday.
Leibrandt elected free agency after being dropped from Cincinnati's 40-man roster in October, and he'll now join the Yankees organization to help fill out the roster at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 31-year-old southpaw put up a 4.41 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 87.2 minor-league innings last season across 18 starts.