MLB Player News

Pruitt signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Pruitt collected a 2.98 ERA and 30:12 K:BB over 48.1 innings with the Athletics in 2023 before his season ended with a forearm strain. It appears he will enter spring training healthy and the 34-year-old will be in the mix for a long-relief role in Texas.

Kay signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball on Tuesday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

After logging a 3.76 ERA and 1.28 WHIP across 40.2 innings in Triple-A last season, Kay will now take his talents overseas. Despite spending most of last season in the minors, the 28-year-old southpaw made 16 appearances in the big leagues, giving up 10 runs across 14.2 frames between the Mets and Cubs.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz revealed Tuesday that Crochet is preparing to be a starting pitcher in 2024, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.

Getz admits that it will take a while for Crochet to be appropriately stretched out to start, but it's the role the club has planned for him. It's not clear at this point whether the stretching-out phase will occur in the majors or minors, or both. Crochet missed all of the 2022 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and was limited to 25 appearances between the majors and minors in 2023 due to a shoulder problem, although he ended the year with a clean bill of health. The southpaw has made 84 appearances in pro ball (72 in the majors), and all of them have been out of the bullpen.

Abbott signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Abbott has seen some action in the majors each of the last three seasons, collecting a 6.02 ERA and 97:55 K:BB over 104.2 innings. The 28-year-old can work as both starter and reliever, and he seems likely to begin 2024 in Triple-A Tacoma's rotation.

Crowe signed a contract with the KIA Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization on Saturday, the team announced.

Crowe's contract is for $1 million with a $200,000 signing bonus, $600,000 salary and $200,000 in incentives. The 29-year-old was released by the Pirates earlier in the offseason after making just five big-league appearances in 2023. The righty has a career 5.30 ERA in 210.2 innings of work at the major-league level.

Manaea agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract with the Mets on Sunday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

After declining his $12.5 million player option for 2024 and becoming a free agent earlier in the offseason, Manaea will get a slight pay increase while he heads to New York on a two-year pact. Much like the deal he signed with the Giants last offseason, Manaea's contract with the Mets contains an opt-out after the 2024 season, per Heyman. The southpaw started in 10 of his 37 appearances in 2023 and finished with a 4.44 ERA across 117.2 innings, but he closed the season in strong fashion, posting a 2.87 ERA from the beginning of August onward. The 31-year-old will presumably occupy a spot at the back end of the Mets' rotation.

The Angels sent Kolarek outright to Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Kolarek signed a major-league deal with the Angels in November, but he'll now be relegated to the minors to make room for Zach Plesac, whose signing became official Saturday. Kolarek logged a 3.80 ERA and 1.55 WHIP through 42.2 minor-league frames last season.

Kranick was designated for assignment Friday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Kranick missed nearly all of the 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, though he managed to turn in 16.1 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis to close the year. He maintained a solid 2.76 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with a 12:6 K:BB, but he'll have to work his way back up the depth chart with a team this spring. The move made room for Martin Perez on the Pirates' 40-man roster.

The Rays traded Kittredge to the Cardinals on Friday in exchange for Richie Palacios, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Kittredge missed the first half of the 2023 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2022. Upon returning, picked up where he left off, surrendering four earned runs in 11.2 innings while striking out 10 batters and walking just two. The 33-year-old righty recorded two wins, a save and a hold in 14 appearances and will maintain a high-leverage role in St. Louis, providing a much-needed boost to a Cardinals bullpen that finished 13th in the NL last season with a 4.47 ERA.

Balazovic will remain in the bullpen and compete for a job on the big-league roster this spring, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports. "I think our view with the best way to get Jordan to be the most effective pitcher with where he's at with the pitch mix and otherwise is to have him in that bullpen role," president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said last month during the Winter Meetings.

After working as a starter for most of his career, Balazovic moved to the bullpen at Triple-A last season and was called up to the majors in June. He had initial success with a 1.29 ERA and 10:4 K:BB in 14 innings, but struggled by posting a 8.71 ERA and 18:7 K:BB in 10.1 innings over his next seven appearances before being sent back to the minors in August. Balazovic was once regarded as a top prospect but has struggled with his control. He had a 4.5 BB/9 at Triple-A in 2022 and a 6.4 BB/9 in 2023. He can still strike out batters at a good clip (10.8 K/9 at Triple-A last season), so there's hope he can reduce his walk rate with a pared-down repertoire in the bullpen.