MLB Player News

Heaney signed a one-year, $3.4 million contract with the Angels on Friday to avoid arbitration, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.

Heaney has spent time in the majors during each of the past five seasons, with his 30-start campaign in 2018 leading to a sizable pay raise for the southpaw. The 27-year-old had a 4.15 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 9.0 K/9 over 180 innings last season, and is set to enter 2019 as a key piece of the Angels' starting rotation.

Ramirez (elbow) signed a one-year, $1.9 million contract with the Angels on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.

Ramirez broke camp in the Angels' rotation in 2018, but made just two starts before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery in mid-April. The right-hander will likely remain sidelined until the middle of 2019, and his role once he returns remains unclear, as the Angels could opt to bring him back as a reliever to ease the stress on his arm. As such, Ramirez -- who owns a career 4.72 ERA and 6.4 K/9 across parts of five big-league seasons -- carries little to no fantasy appeal heading into draft season.

Farrell was claimed off waivers by the Rangers on Friday.

Farrell was claimed by the Angels from the Cubs in September but was designated for assignment by the team in December. He threw 31.1 innings for Chicago last season, finishing with an unimpressive 5.17 ERA.

Garcia (elbow) is approximately two months away from resuming mound work, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

After recording a 2.13 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 55 innings between four minor-league stops in 2017, Garcia looked like someone who could be a difference maker for the Detroit bullpen heading into 2018. That never came to pass, however, as the right-hander experienced pain early in spring training and underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery Feb. 16. Now almost 11 months removed from the procedure, Garcia is nearing the finish line in his recovery but may be limited for much of the upcoming spring. Once the Tigers are comfortable with his health, expect him to report to Triple-A Toledo, where he'll look to rediscover the form that once made him a potential closer in waiting for the big club.

Kikuchi will have his innings limited in his first year with the Mariners, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

This isn't all too surprising, as Kikuchi will be adjusting to a new schedule where he'll pitch more frequently -- he started every six or seven days in Japan. The Mariners still want Kikuchi to make 30-plus starts in 2019, but every fifth start will be an abbreviated outing for the 27-year-old southpaw. Kikuchi went 14-4 with a 3.08 ERA, 8.4 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in Japan in 2018.

The contract Kikuchi agreed to with the Mariners on Monday will pay him $43 million over the first three years of the deal and includes a $13 million player option for 2022 that can be voided with a four-year, $66 million extension, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

In summation, Kikuchi's deal guarantees him at least $56 million over four years and could be worth up to $109 million over seven years, giving the Mariners the ability to control the 27-year-old through the 2025 season. Seattle has yet to confirm the signing of the prized Japanese lefty, but the move is expected to be made official later in the week. Along with the money owed to Kikuchi in the contract, the Mariners will have to pay a yet-to-be-determined posting fee to the Seibu Lions of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League. The huge financial commitment likely ensures that Kikuchi will be included right away in a Seattle rotation that tentatively features Marco Gonzales, Wade LeBlanc, Mike Leake and Felix Hernandez.

Kikuchi agreed to a contract Monday with the Mariners, Jon Heyman of FancredSports.com reports. Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, Kikuchi will receive a guaranteed four-year deal.

Following a successful stint in Japan with the Seibu Lions of the Nippon Professional Baseball league, Kikuchi was widely regarded as the top international arm on the market this offseason. He'll project as a mid-rotation arm at the MLB level, with his reliance on an above-average slider and a low-to-mid-90s fastball prompting some talent evaluators to compare him to Patrick Corbin. The financial terms of the 27-year-old's deal aren't yet fully known, but Seattle will have to pay a posting fee to the Lions in addition to covering the four years of his contract.

Meyer (shoulder) inked a minor-league contract with Los Angeles on Sunday, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.

Meyer was released by the Angels at the end of November, but his free agency didn't last long, as he latched on once again with Los Angeles. The health of his shoulder remains in question, but if he does manage to get healthy for the 2019 campaign, he should start the year at Triple-A Salt Lake.

Valdez could challenge for a spot in the 2019 starting rotation, Andrew Simon of MLB.com reports.

The Astros will have at least one opening in the rotation, and possibly two depending on how manager A.J. Hinch wants to deploy Brad Peacock. Valdez had an impressive introduction to MLB in 2018, posting a 2.19 ERA in 37 innings, featuring a high-spin curve. Opponents went just 4-for-41 (.098) with 20 strikeouts off the hook while putting 17 of their 21 batted balls on the ground. The potential issue for Valdez is command, evidenced in his 4.69 FIP. The left-hander walked 24 batters (5.8 BB/9) but managed to avoid damage due to the free passes.

Farrell was designated for assignment by the Angels on Friday.

Farrell was sent off the club's 40-man roster in order to make room for the recently acquired Matt Harvey. This marks the second time in the past few months that Farrell has been designated for assignment, the first coming in early September by the Cubs. During 20 games with Chicago last year, he logged a 5.17 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 31.1 innings.