MLB Player News

Wantz (elbow) signed a minor-league deal with the Rays on Jan. 2.

Per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, it's a two-year contract, as Wantz is recovering from right elbow surgery and the earliest could be ready to pitch for the Rays is late in the 2025 season. Wantz has a career 3.88 ERA and 126:48 K:BB over 118.1 frames covering parts of four major-league seasons.

Stratton (knee) is expected to be ready to pitch at the start of spring training, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Stratton posted a video of him throwing off of a mound Thursday, around a month before pitchers report to spring training. He ruptured his patella tendon in late August but appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery. Though Stratton will be in camp on a minor-league deal, he was effective in 2024 and should contribute out of the bullpen again in 2025.

Kitchen cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Tacoma.

Kitchen never made an appearance for the M's after being claimed off waivers in September, though he did make four appearances for the Marlins, surrendering 11 earned runs in just seven frames. He'll now serve as organizational depth in the Rainiers' bullpen.

Atlanta signed Jimenez to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Mike Rodriguez reports.

Jimenez, 30, was non-tendered by the Athletics back in November after posting a 4.91 ERA and 25:19 K:BB over 25.2 innings during the 2024 season. The righty reliever has struck out nearly a batter per inning in his career but has also walked 54 over 84.2 frames.

The Yankees acquired Arias from the Cubs on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations.

Arias was designated for assignment earlier this week and is now on the move to a new organization. The 23-year-old held a 4.77 ERA and walked 48 over 60.1 innings between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa in 2024, but he also struck out 72 and offers good stuff from a sidearm delivery. The Yankees will be tasked with getting him to throw more strikes, and if they're able to, he might be a sneaky addition.

The Pirates acquired de Geus from the Blue Jays on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

De Geus had been designated for assignment but will now join a new 40-man roster. The 27-year-old owns a 7.48 ERA and 1.71 WHIP over 61.1 career big-league innings. He'll compete for a bullpen job this spring but does have minor-league options remaining.

The Mets claimed Warren off waivers from the Giants on Wednesday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Warren, who turns 29 in February, yielded two runs with a 7:5 K:BB over 10.2 innings with the Giants in 2024. He'll compete for a spot in the Mets' bullpen but is likelier to wind up at Triple-A Syracuse to begin the season.

The Red Sox designated Shugart for assignment Wednesday, Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster reports.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Blake Sabol, who was acquired from San Francisco via trade. Shugart, 28, made his major-league debut in 2024, allowing four runs over 8.2 frames out of Boston's bullpen. He should stand a good chance of passing through waivers unclaimed.

Bard (elbow) plans to start throwing off a mound in early February and hopes to be ready to pitch in games early in the season, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.

Bard underwent right flexor tendon surgery in April and is currently a free agent. The 39-year-old wants to continue his career and hopes to sign with a team by April after proving his health, with the goal of being game-ready not long after that. Bard wasn't all that successful when he last pitched in 2023, holding a 4.56 ERA and 47:49 K:BB over 49.1 innings with the Rockies. However, he had a 1.79 ERA and 69:25 K:BB across 60.1 frames in 2023 and should be able to land at least a minor-league contract for 2025, provided his arm bounces back OK from surgery.

Hoffman on Wednesday confirmed that Baltimore and Atlanta backed away from pursuing him over concerns about his physical, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Speaking to reporters following his signing with the Blue Jays, Hoffman said he was surprised his physicals raised red flags about his right shoulder, adding that he feels healthy and the shoulder is a "non-issue." Based on the size of his contract, Hoffman should head into spring training as the favorite to be Toronto's closer after posting a 2.28 ERA and 158:35 K:BB over 118.2 regular-season innings across the last two seasons. If healthy, the righty has elite potential as a fantasy closer.