MLB Player News

Lange was added to the Tigers' 40-man roster Friday.

The move protects Lange from the Rule 5 draft. The 25-year-old righty was a member of the Tigers' player pool this season but did not get the chance to make his big-league debut. In 54.2 innings at the Double-A level in 2019, Lange recorded a 3.79 ERA, though that came with an unimpressive combination of an 18.8 percent strikeout rate and an 11.8 percent walk rate.

Chapman's suspension was reduced from three games to two Thursday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Chapman was issued his three-game suspension in early September after throwing a fastball over Mike Brosseau's head. However, he'll only have to miss two games at the beginning of the 2021 season following his appeal. Zack Britton could handle any save chances during Chapman's brief absence, although the suspension shouldn't have an impact on the southpaw's season-long fantasy value.

Rondon's contract was selected by the Cardinals on Thursday.

Rondon spent the 2020 campaign at the Cardinals' alternate training site, but he failed to make his major-league debut during the shortened season. He'll now join the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. The 22-year-old posted a 3.21 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 115 innings at Double-A Springfield in 2019.

Coulombe signed a minor-league contract to remain with the Twins on Thursday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.

Coulombe made two relief appearances for the Twins last season, striking out three and walking three in 2.2 scoreless innings. The 31-year-old lefty owns a career 4.19 ERA in 146 innings at the big-league level.

Reed signed a minor-league deal with the Angels on Thursday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

The 28-year-old righty has yet to advance beyond the Triple-A level. In 2019, his most recent season of game action, he struggled to a 5.76 ERA in 75 innings for Triple-A Rochester in the Twins' system. He's unlikely to be a major part of the Angels' plans this season.

Williams was announced as the National League Rookie of the Year on Monday.

Williams faced just 100 batters to win the award, but he struck out a remarkable 53 of them. He gave up just one earned run all season in 27 innings of work, holding opposing hitters to a .089 batting average. The righty earned 14 out of 30 first-place votes and 27 top-three votes overall. Alec Bohm and Jake Cronenworth tied for second behind him.

Rodriguez signed a minor-league deal with the Rockies on Monday which includes an invitation to big-league camp, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Rodriguez broke into the league with a 2.81 ERA in 2018, though his 3.74 FIP and 4.56 xFIP that season suggested he'd overachieved by quite a bit. Over the last two seasons, he hasn't pitched at even the level suggested by those numbers, as he owns a 5.94 ERA in 103.0 innings. While he could earn opportunities with the Rockies at some point, adding Coors Field to an already unimpressive recent resume makes him a rather unappealing fantasy option.

Burdi (elbow) elected free agency Monday rather than accept an outright assignment to the minors, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The injury bug bit Burdi yet again in 2020, as he threw just 2.1 innings before hitting the injured list with elbow issues which eventually led to Tommy John surgery. He'll sit out the entirety of the 2021 season while recovering from the injury and could wind up doing so as a free agent, though another team could in theory pay for his rehab in order to secure his services in 2022. Whether or not a team will do that for a pitcher with just 12.1 big-league innings under his belt remains to be seen.

Burdi (elbow) cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Burdi was designated for assignment Sunday after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Although he'll miss the entire 2021 season due to the procedure, he'll remain in the Pirates' organization.

Vizcaino signed a minor-league deal with the Mets on Wednesday, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

The 29-year-old has appeared in only four games since the start of the 2019 season due to shoulder surgery, and he'll now receive a chance to restart his career in New York. Vizcaino served as a high-leverage option from 2015 to 2018 in Atlanta, recording 49 saves and 21 holds with a 2.79 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 180 games. The right-hander will need a strong showing in spring training to have a chance of making the Mets' Opening Day roster.