MLB Player News

The Royals re-signed Lorenzen to a one-year, $5.5 million contract Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The deal also includes a $12 million mutual option or $1.5 million buyout for 2026. Lorenzen, 33, collected a 3.31 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 97:60 K:BB over 130.1 innings between the Rangers and Royals in 2024. He'll presumably begin the 2025 season in Kansas City's rotation, which would leave Alec Marsh and Kris Bubic competing for one spot. Lorenzen had been hoping to be used at designated hitter early in the season with the goal of earning a two-way roster designation, but that appears to be out the window now.

The Orioles signed Morton to a one-year, $15 million contract Friday.

Morton finished the 2024 regular season having gone 8-10 over 30 starts for Atlanta with a 4.19 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 23.8 percent strikeout rate across 165.1 innings. Despite turning 41 last November, Morton has pitched at least 150 innings in four of the last five seasons and will join an Orioles' rotation that lost Corbin Burnes to the Diamondbacks in free agency.

Manoah (elbow) hopes to be ready to pitch for the Blue Jays in August, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports.

Manoah underwent a hybrid internal brace procedure to repair the UCL in his right elbow last June. The plan calls for Manoah to throw bullpen sessions in March, face hitters in June and go out on a rehab assignment in July before rejoining the Blue Jays in August. If the righty is able to hit those markers, he could spend most of the final two months of the 2025 campaign in Toronto's rotation.

The Rangers signed Buchanan to a minor-league contract Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, The Dallas Morning News reports.

Buchanan got into one game with the Reds in 2024, which was his first appearance at the major-league level since 2015. The 35-year-old will give the Rangers some organizational rotation depth.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that Giolito (elbow) should be ready to pitch most, if not all, of 2025, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

Giolito underwent an internal brace procedure in March but has been throwing for several months now. Additionally, Breslow noted that he's "very, very open" to using a six-man rotation during the 2025 season, per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. That would appear especially notable in Giolito's case, as he is arguably sixth in Boston's rotation hierarchy.

The Red Sox signed Buehler to a one-year, $21.05 million contract Monday, Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports reports.

The salary matches this year's qualifying offer total, with Buehler having the ability to make more in incentives. Buehler held a 5.38 ERA over 16 regular-season starts in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery and has thrown just 140.1 innings over the last three seasons combined. The 30-year-old will attempt to re-establish his value in 2025 before re-entering the market next winter.

Cecconi was traded from Arizona to the Guardians on Saturday in exchange for Josh Naylor, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Cecconi appeared in 20 games for the Diamondbacks last season, with 13 of those outings coming as a starter. He put up poor numbers with a 6.66 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 18.9 percent strikeout rate over 77 innings, but his FIP was better at 5.02, and he ranked in the 92nd percentile leaguewide with a 5.0 percent walk rate. Cecconi could begin 2025 at the back end of Cleveland's rotation or continue to serve in a swingman role.

The Red Sox signed Sandoval (elbow) to a two-year, $18.25 million contract Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Sandoval underwent internal brace surgery in June and was non-tendered by the Angels last month. He will be sidelined until the second half of the 2025 season but nonetheless landed a contract from the Red Sox. It's a fit that makes sense on paper, as Sandoval has strong secondary pitches but a weak fastball, and the Red Sox's staff leaned on non-fastballs in 2024 under the guidance of new pitching coach Andrew Bailey.

The Royals and Wright (shoulder) avoid arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.8 million contract Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Wright will make the same salary in 2025 as he made in 2024 when he missed the season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn capsule in his right shoulder. The right-hander has been throwing off a mound and hopes to be without restrictions during spring training as he competes for a spot in the Royals' rotation.

Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said on Dec. 10 in an interview on MLB Network that he expects McClanahan (elbow) to throw "150-ish" innings in 2025.

McClanahan missed the 2024 season following August 2023 Tommy John surgery but has been able to go through a normal throwing program this offseason. The left-hander threw 115 innings in 2023 and had a career-high 173.1 frames in 2022 between the regular season and playoffs. This is McClanahan's second Tommy John surgery, however, and Walker Buehler's 2024 (Buehler was coming back from his second TJS) is an example of the downside involved with McClanahan in 2025. It's not yet clear how the Rays plan to manage McClanahan's workload, but it could involve some early removal from starts and/or extra rest in between outings.