MLB Player News

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.

Ferguson agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Pirates on Thursday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Ferguson put up a disappointing 4.64 ERA over 62 appearances in 2024 between the Yankees and Astros but did record 67 strikeouts across 54.1 innings out of the bullpen. He could end up being the left-handed setup man in Pittsburgh, though Stumpf relays that the Pirates intend to let Ferguson get stretched out over the winter before potentially placing him on a starter's schedule in spring training.

Jax and the Twins avoided arbitration Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.365 million contract, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Jax was arbitration eligible for the first time, coming off a 2024 campaign in which he turned in a tidy 2.03 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 95:15 K:BB while collecting five wins, 10 saves and 24 holds in 71 innings out of the bullpen. Though reports earlier in the offseason suggested that Jax could be a candidate to move into the rotation in 2025, general manager Jeremy Zoll confirmed Wednesday that the right-hander will remain a key part of the late-inning ranks during the upcoming season. Jhoan Duran will presumably head into spring training as the Twins' preferred closer, but Jax will likely be first in line for save chances if Duran misses time or is removed from the role for performance-related reasons.

The Rays and Cleavinger avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.2 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Cleavinger gets a well-earned raise after putting up a 3.75 ERA and 71:31 K:BB over 60 innings during 2024 in his first year back from knee surgery. The left-handed reliever will be in line for high-leverage work again with the Rays in 2025.