MLB Player News

Hand has spent a good part of the offseason working on his sinker, and trying to improve his velocity with both it and his four-seam fastball, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Hand's average fastball velocity has dropped two mph over the last two seasons, forcing him to dedicate this offseason to regaining some of that velocity. His results have still been excellent despite the velocity drop, but he's been working with less of a margin for error than he'd like.

Merryweather is seen as a starter by the Blue Jays, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

The righty made his debut as a 28-year-old last season, making three starts and five bullpen appearances. He was much more an opener than a true starter, however, as he didn't throw more than two innings in any game, but he was primarily a starter in the minors. His inexperience suggests he won't be a favorite to make Toronto's starting five, though his 27.3 percent strikeout rate last season did hint at some promise.

Hatch is viewed as a starter heading into the upcoming season, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

Hatch was exclusively a starter in the minors but appeared out of the bullpen in 16 of his 17 outings as a rookie last season. His 2.73 ERA in 26.1 innings looked quite strong on the surface, but it seems in large part attributable to an unsustainable .232 BABIP, as it came with a mediocre combination of a 21.1 percent strikeout rate and an 11.9 percent walk rate. It's far from guaranteed that he'll earn a rotation spot to start the season, but it appears as though he'll at least be in the mix.

German was sent from the Yankees to the Red Sox along with Adam Ottavino on Monday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

German appears to be the sweetener to get the Red Sox to take on the money left on Ottavino's contract. German is at least a back-end starter prospect, possessing a fastball that can touch 98 mph but shaky command. It's possible such a profile winds up working out better in relief. The 23-year-old righty has so far topped out at High-A, where he produced a 3.79 ERA, a 25.3 percent strikeout rate and a 10.8 percent walk rate in 2019.

The Yankees traded Ottavino along with pitching prospect Frank German to the Red Sox on Monday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.

Ottavino was excellent in his first season in New York in 2019, with his 31.1 percent strikeout rate canceling out a 10.6 percent walk rate and leading to a 1.90 ERA. That ERA spiked all the way to 5.89 in a small sample of 18.1 innings last season, though his underlying numbers told a more optimistic story, as his strikeout rate fell only slightly to 29.4 percent while his walk rate came in at a more palatable 10.6 percent. Still, the Yankees evidently don't believe he'll be worth the $8 million he's scheduled to make this season, so they sent him to their top rival in what appears to be little more than a salary dump. The move potentially boosts Ottavino's fantasy value, as Matt Barnes is hardly an immovable object at closer in Boston should the 35-year-old return to his previous form.

Hand signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Nationals on Sunday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Hand drew heavy interest during free agency before reaching his short-term agreement with the Nationals. The deal is pending a physical, but the 30-year-old should take over as Washington's closer in 2021 after converting on all 16 of his save chances with Cleveland last year while posting a career-best 2.05 ERA and 0.77 WHIP over 22 innings.

Perez was traded from the Astros to the Reds on Saturday in exchange for catcher Luke Berryhill.

Perez spent just under a month in the majors during the 2020 season and made seven relief appearances for Houston. He allowed two runs on seven hits and six walks while striking out eight over 6.1 innings. He'll now compete for a big-league roster spot with the Reds ahead of the 2021 campaign.

Arano was claimed off waivers by Atlanta on Saturday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Arano was designated for assignment by the Phillies on Monday, but he'll find a spot on Atlanta's 40-man roster ahead of spring training. The right-hander didn't make a major-league appearance in 2020 while recovering from elbow and shoulder surgeries, but he could compete for an Opening Day roster spot in 2021. He posted a 2.81 ERA and 67:19 K:BB over 64 innings during 63 relief appearances in 2018 and 2019, but it's not yet clear where his velocity is following his procedures.

Yates has completed his rehab process following August elbow surgery and has already thrown a series of bullpens, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

If the Blue Jays are getting the same guy Yates was before last season, when he threw just 4.1 innings with a 12.46 ERA before being shut down due to bone chips in his elbow, they could be getting the best reliever in the league. From 2018 to 2019, no qualified reliever came within half a run of his 1.67 ERA, while he also topped that group in FIP (1.93). He comes with plenty of risk due to his surgery and the fact that he's heading into his age-34 season, but the fact that he's already advanced to bullpen sessions is certainly a good sign.

Bass signed a two-year deal with the Marlins on Friday that includes a team option for 2023, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

The right-hander ended up finishing 2020 as Toronto's closer, posting a 3.51 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 21:9 K:BB over 25.2 innings while recording seven saves and three holds. Miami doesn't have a clear closer with spring training on the horizon, so Bass could be in the mix for the job with his new team.