MLB Player News

The Giants and Doval avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.525 million contract Thursday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Doval was eligible for arbitration for the first time. The 27-year-old lost his closer job and was sent to the minors for a while in 2024, finishing with a 4.88 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 78:39 K:BB over 59 frames. However, Doval still boasts nasty stuff and should be a high-leverage arm again for the Giants in 2025 if he can throw enough strikes.

The Cubs and Pearson avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.35 million contract on Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Pearson posted a 2.73 ERA in 19 appearances after being acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline, although that came with just 23 strikeouts in 26.1 innings. The former top prospect could potentially find himself working in high-leverage spots out of the Cubs' bullpen in 2025.

The Padres and Morejon avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2 million contract Thursday, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.

Morejon was in his second year of arbitration eligibility. The left-hander was excellent out of the San Diego bullpen in 2024, putting up a 2.83 ERA and 71:21 K:BB over 63.2 regular-season innings. However, the club is thinking about stretching him out this spring as a candidate to join its rotation.

The Blue Jays and Pop avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $900,000 contract Thursday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca report.

Pop will avoid a hearing in what was his first year of arbitration eligibility. He's struggled during his time in Toronto, collecting a 4.89 ERA and 58:27 K:BB over 81 innings across the past two-plus seasons.

The Reds and Diaz avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

It's a substantial raise for Diaz, who was in his first year of arbitration eligibility. The closer saved 28 games for the Reds in 2024 but had a lackluster season overall, collecting a 3.99 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 55:31 K:BB across 56.1 frames. Diaz is slated to open 2025 in the closer role again, but new manager Terry Francona might not give him a long leash.

The Yankees and Effross avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $800,000 contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Effross made just three appearances in the majors in 2024 and none in 2023 due to Tommy John and back surgeries. He's healthy now and will look to regain the form that allowed him to put up a 2.78 ERA and 80:16 K:BB over 71.1 frames from 2021 to 2022.

Ginkel and the Diamondbacks agreed to a one-year, $2.425 million contract Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander will nearly double his salary in his second year of arbitration eligibility. Ginkel recorded five saves and 18 holds with a 3.21 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 77:15 K:BB over 70 innings last season, and he should continue to work in a high-leverage role for Arizona in 2025.

The White Sox and Wilson (shoulder) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $950,000 contract Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Wilson receives a bump in pay in what was his first year of arbitration eligibility. The 30-year-old struggled mightily with his control in his first season with the White Sox, walking 26 over 34.2 innings while posting a 5.71 ERA. Wilson spent the final six weeks of the 2024 season on the injured list with a back issue, but it was a shoulder injury suffered on a rehab assignment which shut him down for the year. It's not clear whether he will be limited in spring training.

Megill agreed to a one-year, $1.94 million contract with the Brewers on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

The 31-year-old was in his first year of arbitration eligibility and should enter spring training as the favorite for saves after the Brewers traded closer Devin Williams to the Yankees last month. Megill tallied 21 saves and six holds with a 2.72 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 50:14 K:BB across a career-high 46.1 MLB innings during the 2024 regular season.

Hendriks (elbow) said Wednesday he's been throwing bullpen sessions for a month and a half and is having "a pretty normal offseason," Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Hendriks was limited to just six rehab appearances in 2024 after making it back from Tommy John surgery and threw only 10 innings in 2023 after returning from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It would appear he will enter spring training without restrictions, but it's a mystery what Hendriks' stuff will look like considering how much time he's missed and the fact that he'll turn 36 in February. Browne writes that Hendriks "might be a slight favorite" to open 2025 as Boston's closer, but it's a tentative designation to say the least.