MLB Player News

Zastryzny signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Monday that includes an invitation to big-league spring training.

After being cast off the Cubs' 40-man roster earlier this month, Zastryzny elected free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to Chicago's Triple-A affiliate. He quickly found work with the Yankees, who will give the 32-year-old lefty a chance to compete for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen this spring. Zastryzny made nine appearances in the majors with the Brewers in 2024, turning in a 1.17 ERA and 0.65 WHIP across 7.2 innings.

Sousa (shoulder) confirmed Sunday that he's fully healthy and has completed his recovery from the season-ending thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent in April, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

After a strong finish to the 2023 season, Sousa was poised to win a spot in Houston's Opening Day bullpen coming out of last spring training, but he developed shoulder inflammation late in camp and was placed on the injured list. He was then recommended for thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, after Sousa said that he had been dealing with symptoms of the syndrome for years. Though he experienced a complication during the procedure involving a buildup of fluid in his lung that required a hospital stay, Sousa's throwing program was relatively unaffected. He resumed playing catch in early July and stepped back on the mound for a bullpen session by September, so he's not expected to face any restrictions in camp. Sousa faces stiff competition for a spot in the Astros bullpen, however, and the fact that the lefty has a minor-league option remaining could hurt his chances of breaking camp with the big club.

Montero reported to Astros camp Monday after previously dealing with visa issues, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Montero wound up being only a few days late in reporting, so his preparation shouldn't be too affected. He's owed $11.5 million in the final year of his contract but is in camp as a non-roster invitee.

Garrett agreed to a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays on Sunday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Garrett joined the Angels on a minor-league deal for 2024 but had a 5.08 ERA at Triple-A Salt Lake and made just six appearances in the big leagues. The left-hander will need a strong showing in camp to make Toronto's Opening Day roster, otherwise he's likely to open the campaign at Triple-A Buffalo.

Garcia (forearm) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

The left-hander was shut down from throwing for a few days after reporting to camp with nerve irritation in his left forearm, but he's poised to get back on the mound Tuesday. Assuming Garcia doesn't experience a recurrence of the injury, he should have plenty of time to be fully built up for Opening Day.

The Angels placed Stephenson (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Saturday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Stephenson is still working his way back from the Tommy John procedure he underwent in May and isn't expected to make his return until July. Therefore, the Angels will temporarily strip him of his 40-man roster spot and give it to Kenley Jansen (shoulder), who officially signed his one-year deal with Los Angeles on Saturday.

Ramirez agreed to a minor-league contract with the Twins on Saturday that includes an invitation to spring training, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Ramirez appeared in 13 games for the Rays last season, posting a 4.35 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 20.2 innings. He'll now attempt to win a spot in Minnesota's bullpen during spring training, though it's likely he'll begin the season at Triple-A St. Paul as organizational depth.

Brash (elbow) will throw a light bullpen session Saturday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Saturday will mark the first time Brash has thrown off a mound since he underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow last May. He's not expected to be ready for regular-season action until mid-April at the earliest, but a return to mound work is still an encouraging sign.

Manager Joe Espada said Saturday that Dubin reported shoulder discomfort upon reporting for spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

There's no telling at the moment how severe Dubin's injury is, but the Astros will shut him down from throwing for now and see how he feels after a few days of rest. The 29-year-old righty ended the 2024 regular season with a 4.17 ERA and 1.57 WHIP over 45.1 innings and is expected to take on a middle-relief role for the Astros out of camp.

Ragans agreed to a three-year, $13.25 million contract extension with the Royals on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

In addition to covering him for the 2025 season, Ragans' new contract also buys out his first two seasons of arbitration eligibility. The 27-year-old southpaw cemented himself as one of Kansas City's top starters last season, finishing with a 3.14 ERA and 1.14 WHIP while striking out 223 batters over 186.1 innings.