MLB Player News
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Devin Williams RP | NYM
Mets' Devin Williams: Joining Mets on three-year deal
Williams agreed to a three-year contract with the Mets on Monday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
Williams will remain in New York but is headed to Queens following Monday's signing. The 31-year-old had his fair share of struggles with the Yankees during the 2025 campaign, ending the year with four blown saves in 22 chances and ultimately losing his grip on the closer's role. He finished the regular season with a 4.79 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with a 90:25 K:BB across 62.0 frames. Williams will receive a fresh start with the Mets on a deal that will guarantee him more than $50 million, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.com.
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Jose Castillo RP | BAL
Jose Castillo: Headed to Japan
The Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball signed Castillo to a contract Monday, the pitcher's agency, OL Baseball Group, reports.
Castillo bounced around to four different teams during the 2025 regular season, collecting a 3.94 ERA and 30:14 K:BB over 32 innings between the Diamondbacks, Mets, Mariners and Orioles. The left-handed reliever will now try his luck overseas in 2026.
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Ryan Helsley RP | BAL
Orioles' Ryan Helsley: Signs with Baltimore
Helsley signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the Orioles on Saturday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Helsley's new deal will also give him the ability to opt out after the first season. Multiple teams were pursuing the right-hander with hopes of converting him to a starter, but Passan states that Helsley will remain in a closing role upon joining the Orioles. The 31-year-old got off to a strong start this past season in St. Louis, posting a 3.00 ERA and 1.39 WHIP alongside 41:14 K:BB across 36 innings and tallying 21 saves. He then regressed considerably after being traded to the Mets and finished the year giving up 16 earned runs over his final 20 frames. Despite his poor finish, Helsley still boasts a career 2.96 ERA and is just one year removed from tallying an MLB-high 49 saves in 2024, keeping him worthy of fantasy attention next season.
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Ryan Helsley RP | BAL
Ryan Helsley: Most comfortable in ninth inning
Helsley has received inquiries from teams about transitioning to the rotation, but he is more comfortable in a closer's role, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Roughly 15 teams have contacted the free agent righty, per the report, and the Tigers view Helsley as a potential starting pitcher. He is considering adding a two-seamer or changeup to his arsenal in 2026 to be less predictable, and another pitch would aid him in a move to the rotation, but Helsley has been a reliever for the last six years. "I know what I'm capable of as a reliever," Helsley said. "I think I still have a lot to give and can get even better. I've shown what I can do as a closer when I'm in that role. It's a really fun time to be in the game. It's the most important three outs of the game, but I still think I'm capable and able to be a starter."
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Casey Lawrence RP | SEA
Mariners' Casey Lawrence: Back in Seattle on MiLB deal
The Mariners re-signed Lawrence to a minor-league contract Thursday, Aram Leighton of JustBaseball.com reports.
Lawrence appeared in six games between the Blue Jays and Mariners last season, holding a 4.08 ERA and 7:1 K:BB over 17.2 frames. The 38-year-old right-hander will likely begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Tacoma as swingman depth.
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Sam Hentges RP | SF
Giants' Sam Hentges: Latches on with Giants
The Giants signed Hentges (shoulder/knee) to a one-year, $1.4 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Non-tendered by the Guardians last week, Hentges missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from left shoulder surgery and also underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery in September. The expectation is that he will be ready for spring training. Hentges could be a weapon for the Giants if he can regain his pre-surgery form, as he held a 2.93 ERA and 155:42 K:BB over 138 regular-season innings from 2022-to-2024 after being moved to a relief role.
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Michael Arias RP | NYY
Yankees' Michael Arias: Back with Yankees on MiLB deal
The Yankees re-signed Arias to a minor-league contract Wednesday.
Arias missed a chunk of the 2025 season due to injury, holding a 2.57 ERA and 29:15 K:BB over 21 frames during his time at Double-A Somerset. He had been non-tendered by the Yankees last week but will stick around in the organization on a new minor-league pact.
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Tanner Rainey RP | DET
Tigers' Tanner Rainey: Returns to Detroit on minors pact
The Tigers re-signed Rainey to a minor-league contract Wednesday.
Rainey was non-tendered by the Tigers last week, but he's now back in the organization on a minor-league pact. The right-handed reliever hasn't been the same since Tommy John surgery, posting a 5.79 ERA and 55:38 K:BB over 60.2 innings over the last two seasons at the big-league level.
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Tyler Zuber RP | MIA
Marlins' Tyler Zuber: Returns to Miami on MiLB deal
The Marlins re-signed Zuber to a minor-league contract Wednesday.
Zuber got into 10 games between the Mets and Marlins in 2025, yielding 15 runs over 12 frames. The 30-year-old reliever has a career 6.26 ERA at the big-league level but has struck out 73 across 64.2 innings. Zuber is likely to start next season at Triple-A Jacksonville.
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Joe Jimenez RP | ATL
Braves' Joe Jimenez: Underwent another knee surgery
Atlanta president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said last week that Jimenez recently underwent a cleanup procedure on his left knee, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Jimenez had surgery last November to address cartilage damage in the knee, and he wound up requiring another operation on the same knee following a setback. The reliever missed the entire 2025 season, and Anthopoulos noted that a timetable for Jimenez won't become clearer until late December or January. Jimenez -- who is owed $9 million in 2026 in his final year under contract -- boasts a 2.81 ERA, 30.1 percent strikeout rate and 7.2 percent walk rate in his two regular seasons with Atlanta and should be in line for high-leverage bullpen work in 2026, if healthy.