MLB Player News

The Yankees acquired Williams from the Brewers on Friday in exchange for Nestor Cortes, Caleb Durbin and cash considerations, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Williams was limited to just 21.2 regular-season innings in 2024 due to back problems, but he finished the year healthy and was his usual, dominant self when on the mound, posting a 1.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 38:11 K:BB. He's set to make around around $8 million in 2025 in his final year of arbitration eligibility and will give the Yankees an upper echelon closer. Luke Weaver will shift to a setup role.

Atlanta has signed Suero to a minor-league contract, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports.

Suero, 33, spent most of the 2024 season at Triple-A Sugar Land in the Astros organization, posting a 2.66 ERA and 71:33 K:BB over 67.2 frames. The right-handed reliever holds a career 4.75 ERA and 25.4 percent strikeout rate across parts of six major-league seasons.

The Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball signed Sammons to a one-year contract Friday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Sammons will have the ability to earn more than $1 million if he hits all of his incentives. The left-hander posted a 3.62 ERA and 18:9 K:BB over 27.1 frames with the Tigers in 2024 before being removed from their 40-man roster last month.

Altavilla signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Thursday and received an invitation to spring training.

Altavilla made five appearances for the Royals in 2024, giving up six earned runs over just 3.2 innings while striking out five batters and walking three. Most of his time was spent in Triple-A, however, where he logged a 3.51 ERA and 1.34 WHIP over 41 frames. The lack of depth in Chicago's bullpen will give the 32-year-old righty better odds at cracking the Opening Day roster, but Triple-A Charlotte remains his most likely destination.

The Padres could move Morejon into the rotation next season. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

The Padres currently have only three starters locked into their 2025 rotation in Dylan Cease, Michael King and Yu Darvish, and they're entertaining trade offers on Cease. Morejon thrived out of the bullpen last season, posting a 2.83 ERA and 71:21 K:BB over 63.2 innings. However, he has past starting experience and throws five pitches, so stretching him out would make sense. What role the Padres ultimately decide on for Morejon could depend largely on what moves president of baseball operations A.J. Preller makes this winter.

The Nationals signed Weigel to a minor-league contract Dec. 6.

The 30-year-old righty held a 2.45 ERA and 25:12 K:BB over 22 innings between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville in the Reds organization in 2024. Weigel last pitched in the majors in 2021 and is likely to begin the 2025 campaign in the bullpen at Triple-A Rochester.

The Pirates signed Rainey to a minor-league contract Dec. 6 that includes an invitation to spring training.

Rainey was non-tendered by the Nationals in November after posting a 4.76 ERA and 44:29 K:BB over 51 frames in 2024 in his first year back from Tommy John surgery. The reliever's stuff hasn't looked the same post-op, but he's a fine gamble on a non-roster deal in hopes that he can rediscover it.

Loaisiga (elbow) signed a one-year contract with the Yankees on Wednesday, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports.

Loaisiga's new deal also includes a team option for the 2026 season. The 30-year-old reliever made three appearances for New York last season, throwing four scoreless innings while striking out three batters and walking one, but his year was cut short by a torn UCL in early April. The surgery he received to repair his elbow wasn't a full Tommy John procedure, so his return timeline is a few months shorter than it could've been, but it's still unlikely Loaisiga is ready to return to the Yankees' bullpen by Opening Day.

The Rays signed Brentz to a minor-league contract Dec. 7.

Brentz hasn't been the same since coming back from Tommy John surgery, most recently posting an 11.40 ERA while walking 52 over 30 innings between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha in the Royals organization. The lefty showed promise in his rookie season back in 2021 and the Rays will try to coax that back out of him.

The Rangers signed Webb to a one-year, $1.25 million contract Wednesday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Webb was non-tendered by the Orioles last month but has landed on his feet with a major-league deal. The 31-year-old posted a 3.02 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 56.2 regular-season innings with Baltimore in 2024.