MLB Player News

Puk (elbow) said Tuesday that he expects to be ready for his season debut before July, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Puk had an internal brace procedure last June rather than a full Tommy John repair of his UCL injury. The less invasive surgery gives him a chance at a quicker return, so a season debut before the All-Star break is possible. The left-hander expects to be cleared to throw off a mound by the end of March, and a clearer picture of his timetable could be available around that time. Puk will have a good shot to assume the closer role in Arizona when he does return, as the Diamondbacks bullpen lacks established options.

Martinez (elbow) hopes to make his season debut by late August, Jack Sommers of SI.com reports.

Recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had last June, Martinez began a throwing program in mid-January. He will continue with a deliberate pace to his rehab and likely begin a rehab assignment a little after the All-Star break if all goes well. Martinez had been serving as the Diamondbacks' closer before getting hurt, but he could retake his old gig late in the 2026 campaign.

Mills signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers on Monday, which includes an invitation to spring training, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.

Mills is searching for a return to the major leagues after missing significant time while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He returned to the bump a season ago pitching for Triple-A Worcester, posting a 3.12 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with a 49:30 K:BB across 52.0 innings (seven starts). Mills will have the chance to compete for a bullpen slot after signing on with LA.

Pagan and teammate Tony Santillan will likely see less work in spring training games this year, especially early in the spring, Charlie Goldsmith of The Dayton Daily News reports. "We'll slow play them a little," pitching coach Derek Johnson said. "We need to give them a bit of time on the front end to build and maybe not be in games right away.

Pagan and Santillan were heavily used by the Reds last season, particularly down the stretch as the team tried to make the playoffs. The Reds did acquire Caleb Ferguson, Pierce Johnson and Brock Burke this offseason to help lighten the load on the two returning high-leverage arms.

Saalfrank will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing left shoulder surgery Monday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Saalfrank dealt with left shoulder fatigue this past September, and while he was cleared of structural damage at the time, subsequent testing evidently revealed the need for surgery. Specifics of Monday's operation aren't yet clear, but the loss of Saalfrank is a hit to a Diamondbacks bullpen already low on quality arms. The southpaw posted a 1.33 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 19:8 K:BB across 27 innings of work for Arizona in 2025.

Trivino signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies on Saturday and received an invitation to spring training, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Trivino finished the 2025 campaign in Philadelphia, where he allowed two earned runs over nine innings while striking out eight batters and walking five. His strong finish will buy him another opportunity with the Phillies, though it's likely he begins the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

The Dodgers designated Banda for assignment Friday.

The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Ben Rortvedt, who was claimed off waivers. Banda holds a 3.14 ERA and 111:52 K:BB over 114.2 regular-season innings during his time with the Dodgers, but the club has several other left-handed relief options. He is likely to be claimed off waivers.

The Nationals designated Soriano for assignment Thursday.

He's clearing out to make room on the 40-man roster for Ken Waldichuk, who was claimed off waivers. Soriano was a waiver claim himself just last week and could be on the move again. The right-handed reliever has put up a 5.95 ERA and 117:55 K:BB covering 118 innings at the big-league level.

The Nationals outrighted Pilkington to Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday.

Pilkington has the ability to elect free agency rather than accepting the outright assignment, though it's unclear what his plans are. The lefty posted a 4.45 ERA and 34:17 K:BB over 28.1 innings with the Nationals last season.

The Pirates signed Clevinger to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to big-league spring training, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Clevinger opened 2025 in the bullpen with the White Sox, but he was battered for five runs with a 3:8 K:BB in 5.2 innings before returning to a rotation role at Triple-A Charlotte and remaining there for the rest of the season. The Pirates will likely keep the 35-year-old at Triple-A Indianapolis as rotation depth in 2026.