MLB Player News
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Josh Winckowski RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Josh Winckowski: Grabs minors deal from Jays
Winckowski (elbow) signed a two-year, minor-league contract with the Blue Jays on Wednesday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Winckowski gave up five earned runs across 11.2 innings with the Red Sox in 2025 before suffering a flexor strain in May that kept him sidelined for the remainder of the season. The 27-year-old righty underwent an internal brace procedure earlier this month to address the issue and is likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season as a result. Once Winckowski is fully recovered, the Jays are expected to build him back up as a starter.
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Nic Enright RP | CLE
Blue Jays' Nic Enright: Grabs MiLB deal from Toronto
The Blue Jays signed Enright (elbow) to a two-year, minor-league contract Wednesday, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.
Enright underwent Tommy John surgery in October, so he will rehab in the Blue Jays organization with an eye on returning in 2027. The 28-year-old posted a 2.03 ERA and 30:12 K:BB over 31 innings for the Guardians in 2025 before getting hurt and is under team control through 2031, so he could prove to be a savvy long-term investment.
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Kirby Yates RP | LAA
Angels' Kirby Yates: Inks one-year deal with Angels
The Angels signed Yates to a one-year contract Tuesday, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.
Yates made 50 regular-season appearances for the Dodgers in 2025, posting an ugly 5.23 ERA but also a more promising 52:17 K:BB over 41.1 innings. He will turn 39 in March, but Yates still has plenty of bat-missing ability and could be in the mix to close games as part of an unsettled Angels bullpen.
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Jorge Alcala RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jorge Alcala: Signs NRI pact with Toronto
The Blue Jays signed Alcala to a minor-league contract Dec. 18 that includes an invitation to spring training, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.
Alcala held a 6.22 ERA, 1.75 WHIP and 61:30 K:BB across 55 innings in 2025 between the Twins, Red Sox and Cardinals and was non-tendered by St. Louis in November. The hard-throwing reliever will compete for a spot in the Blue Jays' bullpen but is likely to begin the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Buffalo.
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Ryan Rolison RP | CHC
White Sox's Ryan Rolison: Cleared from 40-man roster
The White Sox designated Rolison for assignment Tuesday.
The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Sean Newcomb, who was signed Tuesday. Rolison was a waiver claim of the White Sox earlier this month and will now be up for grabs on waivers again. He held a 7.02 ERA and 25:20 K:BB over 42.1 innings with the Rockies in 2025.
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Sean Newcomb RP | CHW
White Sox's Sean Newcomb: Inks one-year deal with White Sox
The White Sox signed Newcomb (elbow) to a one-year, $4.5 million contract Tuesday.
Newcomb was terrific as a full-time reliever after being traded to the Athletics last season, collecting a 1.75 ERA and 50:14 K:BB over 51.1 innings. The left-hander will get an opportunity to start in Chicago, per Will Sammon of The Athletic, though he could eventually shift back to a relief role. Newcomb's 2025 campaign ended prematurely due to left elbow inflammation, but he should be ready to go for spring training.
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Tyler Mattison P | DET
Tigers' Tyler Mattison: Re-ups with Tigers
The Tigers re-signed Mattison to a minor-league contract Dec. 18 that includes an invitation to spring training, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Mattison was non-tendered by the Tigers last month, but he's now back in the organization and will be in big-league camp this spring. The righty reliever boasts a 32.8 percent strikeout rate in the minors but has been held back by a bloated 13.4 percent walk rate.
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Codi Heuer RP | CLE
Guardians' Codi Heuer: Latches on with Guardians as NRI
The Guardians signed Heuer to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Heuer got into three games between the Rangers and Tigers in 2025 but spent most of the season at the Triple-A level, where he held a 3.14 ERA and 62:17 K:BB over 48.2 innings. The 29-year-old reliever will compete for a spot in the Guardians' bullpen but is likely headed to Triple-A Columbus to begin next season.
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Justin Bruihl RP | STL
Guardians' Justin Bruihl: DFA'd by Cleveland
The Guardians designated Bruihl for assignment Saturday.
Cleveland just acquired Bruihl from Toronto in exchange for cash considerations Wednesday, but it appears the Guardians no longer see the southpaw as part of the team's big-league bullpen after they signed Shawn Armstrong on Thursday. Bruihl can elect to become a free agent if he passes through waivers unclaimed. He may have to settle for a minor-league deal eventually, as he holds a career 4.72 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with a 69:32 K:BB over 89.2 innings across 94 games spanning parts of five campaigns.
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Paul Blackburn SP | NYY
Yankees' Paul Blackburn: Back with Yankees on one-year deal
The Yankees signed Blackburn to a one-year, $2 million contract Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Blackburn began last season with the Mets but was released in mid-August. He was subsequently signed by the Yankees, with whom he made eight appearances out of the bullpen, posting a 5.28 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 16:4 K:BB over 15.1 regular-season innings. While those numbers aren't impressive, the bulk of the damage against him came in his team debut, when he gave up seven runs over 3.1 frames against Boston. Over his remaining seven appearances, Blackburn was much more effective, yielding just three runs (two earned) while posting a 14:2 K:BB across 12 innings. The veteran right-hander will likely work as a middle- and long-relief option next season with New York and also gives the team rotation depth given his history of working as a big-league starter.