MLB Player News

Arnold expanded his repertoire at Driveline this winter, adding a cutter and a kick changeup, Jesus Cano of Baseball America reports.

The No. 11 pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft, Arnold slipped to the Athletics and they swooped in and added the 6-foot-1 southpaw. Arnold already had an excellent track record and pitch mix, and now he boasts a pair of changeups, as he already had a strong splitter. His mid-90s fastball and monster mid-80s slider are Arnold's go-to offerings, but now he has even more weapons at his disposal. Arnold said "this is the best I've ever felt," which is hyperbole, but at least it's good to know he's heading to spring training at the peak of his powers. He will likely be assigned to High-A or Double-A, and Arnold could join the big-league rotation sometime this summer if he pitches to expectations.

Cantillo will compete for a spot in the rotation this spring, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

Cantillo spent the second half of the 2025 season in the Guardians' rotation but apparently will have to win a spot this spring. The left-hander had a 2.96 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 72:28 K:BB over 13 starts (67.0 innings). He and prospect Parker Messick are the frontrunners for a spot on the back end of the rotation. If Cantillo loses out, he could break camp with a bullpen role. In 21 appearances as a reliever in 2025, the 26-year-old posted a 3.81 ERA and 1.38 WHIP while limiting batters to a .229 batting average.

Olson is expected to be healthy for the start of spring training after getting shut down in late July due to a right shoulder strain, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Olson missed the last two months of the 2025 regular season as well as Detroit's playoff run, but the righty started a throwing program in December and is trending in the right direction heading into 2026. Entering his fourth year in the majors, Olson has yet to surpass 112.1 innings, though he's also posted a sub-4.00 ERA each season, which gives a glimpse at what he's capable of when healthy. The 26-year-old figures to slot in behind Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty in the Tigers' rotation, and he could take a step forward in 2026 from a fantasy perspective if he's able to increase his workload.

Waldichuk was designated for assignment by the Rays on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Waldichuk will lose out on his 40-man roster spot to make room for the addition of Ben Williamson, who was acquired earlier Monday from Seattle. Waldichuk spent the majority of his 2025 season at Triple-A, posting an 8.65 ERA and 2.06 WHIP across 51.0 innings (15 starts).

Hancock will enter spring training as a starting pitcher, Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reports.

Hancock was moved to the bullpen last August, but with Logan Evans (elbow) out for the season, the Mariners want to have Hancock available to start, if needed. If the Mariners' rotation is healthy on Opening Day, Hancock will likely shift back to a relief role. He allowed four runs (two earned) with a 4:1 K:BB over 8.2 innings as a reliever in 2025.

Yesavage would like to add a curveball to his pitch mix this season, Kristjan Lautens of the Toronto Star reports.

The 22-year-old right-hander rocketed through the Blue Jays' system last season after being the 20th overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, beginning the campaign at Single-A Dunedin and ending it by setting a World Series record for strikeouts in a game by a rookie. Yesavage leaned heavily on his fastball in the majors while mixing in a slider and splitter nearly equally, but he knows he'll need to give big-league hitters another wrinkle now that they've had a look at him. "I have a funky [over the top] arm angle, so I've just got to play around with it. I would love [a pitch] that moves glove side," he said last week. Jays GM Ross Atkins has already indicated Yesavage will begin the year in the rotation, and after he threw 139.2 innings across all levels including the postseason in 2025, he won't have a strict innings limit.

Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said Sunday that Cijntje will be used as a right-handed starting pitcher during spring training, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

In 2025, the switch pitcher initially made starts right-handed on Saturdays and relief appearances as a lefty on Wednesdays. That plan was abandoned after he was ineffective in the relief outings, and he switched to throwing lefty in certain matchups during his right-handed starts. Cijntje will still occasionally throw left-handed in bullpen sessions, and the Mariners have not ruled out a return to switch-pitching at some point. However, Cijntje's focus for now will be on developing as a right-handed starter. The 22-year-old finished 2025 with a 3.99 ERA and 120:51 K:BB over 108.1 innings between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas. Cijntje will return to Arkansas to begin the 2026 campaign and could push to debut at some point later on in the summer.

The White Sox designated Iriarte for assignment Sunday.

The right-hander received his first taste of the majors late in 2024 and gave up one earned run with a 6:8 K:BB over six innings. Iriarte failed to make Chicago's Opening Day roster last spring and stumbled to a 7.24 ERA and 7.2 BB/9 with Triple-A Charlotte in 2025, which has now cost him his place on the 40-man roster.

The Red Sox are acquiring Ziehl and a player to be named later from the White Sox on Sunday in exchange for Jordan Hicks (shoulder), David Sandlin, two PTBNL and cash, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Ziehl was sent to Chicago at the summer deadline in the Austin Slater trade and is now on the move once again. The 22-year-old right-hander worked across four minor-league levels during his first professional season in 2025 and posted a 4.12 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 90:19 K:BB over 107 innings. Ziehl made one appearance at the Double-A level last year but may be more likely to open 2026 at High-A.

The White Sox are acquiring Sandlin, Jordan Hicks (shoulder), two players-to-be-named and cash from the Red Sox on Sunday in exchange for Gage Ziehl and a player-to-be-named, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.

Sandlin was added to Boston's 40-man roster in November in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, and he'll now make his way to Chicago. The right-hander had a 3.61 ERA across 82.1 innings at the Double-A level last season but struggled to a 7.61 ERA upon being promoted to Triple-A. Sandlin is likely to return to the Triple-A level to begin 2026 but will be in big-league camp with the White Sox, so he'll have an outside chance of cracking the Opening Day roster.