MLB Player News

The Tigers selected Flores to their 40-man roster Tuesday.

Flores is now protected from selection in next month's Rule 5 Draft, though he's likely still far away from making his major-league debut. The 22-year-old right-hander posted a 4.65 ERA and 90:33 K:BB in 89 innings (21 starts) this past season between High-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie.

The Red Sox selected Perales to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Perales is only 20 years old and still pretty far away from reaching the majors, but Boston has opted to protect him from being plucked away in next month's Rule 5 Draft. The young right-hander posted a 3.91 ERA and 115:50 K:BB over 89.2 innings (21 starts) this past season between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville.

The Blue Jays selected Macko to their 40-man roster Tuesday.

Macko is now protected from selection in next month's Rule 5 Draft. The 22-year-old left-hander registered a 4.81 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 106:40 K:BB over 86 innings (20 starts) this past season with High-A Vancouver.

The White Sox selected Mena to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.

Mena is now protected from next month's Rule 5 Draft. He held a 4.85 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 156:64 K:BB in 133.2 innings this past season between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte.

The White Sox selected Eder to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.

Eder posted an ugly 6.35 ERA over 56.2 minor-league innings in 2023, but the White Sox acquired him from the Marlins in the Jake Burger trade and didn't want to lose the 25-year-old left-hander in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.

The Athletics selected Salinas to their 40-man roster Tuesday.

Salinas registered an underwhelming 5.48 ERA over 67.1 innings this past season with Double-A Midland, but he has racked up 372 strikeouts in 253 career minor-league frames. The 22-year-old right-hander is now protected from being plucked away from the A's in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said this week that Manoah (arm) has "earned the right to have a strong leg up" for an Opening Day rotation spot in 2024, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports.

The 25-year-old right-hander was demoted to the minors two different times in 2023 and finished the year in shutdown mode following multiple late-September injections to reduce inflammation and soreness in his throwing arm. He can now wipe the slate clean, though, and look to rediscover his early-career form leading into next season. A first-round selection in the 2019 MLB Draft, Manoah compiled a dominant 2.60 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 307:91 K:BB over his first 308.1 major-league innings between 2021-22.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Tuesday that McCullers (forearm) might not be ready to pitch again until early July of 2024, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

McCullers required surgery this past June to repair a torn right flexor tendon and remove a bone spur from his right forearm. The 30-year-old hasn't appeared in a game at any level since the 2022 World Series and can apparently be ruled out for essentially the entire first half of the 2024 campaign.

Mize (elbow) threw a bullpen session Tuesday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Mize is scheduled to throw another bullpen session Friday and will then move along to a normal offseason program, assuming all continues to go well. The 26-year-old right-hander missed the entire 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he could be a consideration for the Tigers' Opening Day rotation in 2024 if his health cooperates.

Heaney exercised his $13 million player option for 2024 on Saturday.

Heaney was 2.2 innings away from reaching an incentive that would've increased his option to $20 million, but the 32-year-old southpaw will stick with the World Series champs nonetheless. Heaney posted a 4.15 ERA and 1.38 WHIP during his first year in Texas and figures to remain in the back end of the Rangers' rotation next season.