MLB Player News

Collins (elbow) signed a minor league deal with the Nationals on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, the Washington Post's Chelsea Janes reports.

He has had two Tommy John surgeries and has not pitched since 2014. Collins is listed at 5-foot-7, yet the stuff was good enough that he was once a notable pitching prospect. If he comes into camp healthy, he could serve as organizational bullpen depth.

Webb signed a minor league deal with the Brewers on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training.

He has a career 3.43 ERA, but has just 271 strikeouts in 393.1 innings, and his ERA and strikeout rate both took steps back in 2016. Look for him to compete for a low-leverage role with the Brewers.

Dillard signed a minor league deal with the Brewers on Monday.

Probably better known for his comedic chops on viral videos than his ability to get hitters out, Dillard notched a 5.13 ERA and 53:17 K:BB in 47.1 innings at Triple-A Colorado Springs. He should offer organizational bullpen depth, likely returning to the Pacific Coast League at the outset of 2017.

Jansen agreed to a five-year, $80 million deal with Dodgers on Monday, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports.

This was a tough pill for the Dodgers to swallow, but it was ultimately more appealing than losing Jansen and trying to replace him on the trade market. Considering Jansen has only ever pitched for the Dodgers and has only ever been dominant, this is a pretty easy transaction to analyze. Prospective owners should be prepared for more of the same, and Jansen should be treated like a top three closer on draft day.

Treinen could head into spring training as the favorite for the Nationals' closer job if they aren't able to bring in an established option this offseason, The Washington Post reports.

Experienced closers like Kenley Jansen and Greg Holland are still available as free agents, but if GM Mike Rizzo doesn't bring in anyone from outside the organization, Treinen would be among the top options for ninth-inning duties along with Koda Glover, Shawn Kelley and Sammy Solis. Treinen's never has a K/9 rate over 9.0 in his brief MLB career, so he wouldn't be a typical choice, but he posted a career-best ERA and WHIP in 2016 and his heavy mid-90s sinker can generate plenty of ground balls, much as Mark Melancon's cutter did for the Nats at the end of last season.

Bickford was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a drug of abuse for the second time, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Bickford also tested positive for marijuana prior to the 2015 draft, so the penalty increased to 50 games now that he committed his second offense. Formerly one of the Giants' top prospects, the right-hander wasn't nearly as dominant in five starts in the Brewers system as he was during his time in the Giants organization, and this situation only erodes his prospect shine a bit more. There's no denying his strong ability to strike batters out (10.1 K/9 last season), but his makeup will need to improve if he wants to remain in high standing with the Brewers.

Luetge signed a minor league contract with the Reds on Friday that includes an invite to spring training, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The left-hander spent last season with the Angels' Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City, but he struggled to the tune of a 4.85 ERA out of the Bees bullpen. He'll likely act as organizational depth given his lack of standout numbers.

Ramsey was selected by Milwaukee in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft Thursday.

Ramsey missed the entire 2015 season and almost all of 2016 with an undisclosed injury, but looked promising in the very small amount of time he was on the field last season. The 27-year-old veteran pitched in six games for Double-A Jacksonville during 2016, posting a 2.00 ERA and an encouraging 12.00 K/9 following a successful five-game rehab stint at the High-A level. When healthy, Ramsey has shown potential as an effective hard-thrower with a high-velocity fastball. If he can stay healthy in 2017, which is a big "if," Ramsey could eventually make his way to Milwaukee's major league bullpen.

The Rangers traded Jackson to the Braves on Thursday in exchange for Tyrell Jenkins and Brady Feigl, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Jackson, the 45th overall pick in 2010, transitioned to a full-time relief role in 2016. He was able to post a 3.69 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A despite issuing 32 free passes in just 46.1 innings, which speaks to his stuff -- he can dial up his fastball in the upper 90s with consistency. However, Jackson wasn't able to overpower major league hitters the same way, giving up 22 hits (including four homers) in 11.2 innings with Texas. He will try to earn a spot in the Atlanta bullpen in spring training.

Rodney agreed to a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, FanRag Sports reports.

He will have a chance to earn a lot more than the $2.75 million base salary while serving as the Diamondbacks' closer -- the deal is said to include many incentives. Rodney was excellent during the first half of 2016, posting a minuscule 0.31 ERA in 28 appearances with San Diego en route to an All-Star berth. It was a different story after his trade to Miami (5.89 ERA) as his walk rate skyrocketed, but Rodney, who turns 40 in March, has plenty of closing experience. He also has a reputation for making things interesting late in games, but Rodney keeps the ball on the ground with consistency and still misses bats at a good clip.