MLB Player News

Cease agreed to a one-year, $13.75 million contract with the Padres on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Cease will receive a raise of almost $6 million in his final year of arbitration eligibility. The 29-year-old posted a 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 224:65 K:BB over 189.1 innings during the regular season and is now entering a contract year.

The Cubs and Steele avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year $6.55 million contract Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The left-hander had been eligible for salary arbitration for the second time. Steele missed a little time with injury in 2024 but was highly effective again when on the bump, putting up a 3.07 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 135:37 K:BB across 134.2 innings.

The Brewers and Civale avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $8 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Civale had been in his final year of arbitration eligibility. The veteran right-hander posted a 4.36 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 149:52 K:BB over 161 innings between the Rays and Brewers in 2024.

Gallen agreed to a one-year, $13.5 million contract with the Diamondbacks on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Gallen missed some time last season due to a hamstring strain but still made 28 starts for Arizona and posted a 3.65 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 156:54 K:BB across 148 innings. The right-hander should serve as the Diamondbacks' No. 2 starter following the offseason signing of ace Corbin Burnes.

The Brewers and Cortes avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $7.6 million contract Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Picked up via trade from the Yankees last month, Cortes was eligible for salary arbitration for the final time, as he's slated for free agency next winter. The veteran left-hander held a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 162:39 K:BB over a career-high 174.1 regular-season innings with the Yankees in 2024.

Luzardo agreed to a one-year, $6.225 million contract with the Phillies on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Luzardo will receive a $725,000 raise heading into his first year with the Phillies. The 27-year-old southpaw logged a 5.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 66.2 innings with the Marlins before a lumbar stress reaction put an early end to his season in June. After being traded to the Phillies, he recently told reporters that he's fully recovered from his injury and is a candidate to bounce back in 2025 after posting a 3.48 ERA between 2022-23.

The Rockies and Gomber avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $6.35 million contract Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Gomber will more than double his salary from 2024 in what was his third year of arbitration eligibility. The left-hander put up a 4.75 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 116:38 K:BB over a career-high 165 innings for the Rockies in 2024 and will be part of their rotation again in 2025.

Singer and the Reds avoided arbitration Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $8.75 million contract, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Singer will get a $3.9 million raise in 2025 after he submitted a 3.71 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 170:54 K:BB across 179.2 regular-season innings with the Royals last season before being dealt to the Reds in November. The right-hander made up for a so-so 22.3 percent strikeout rate by generating ground balls at a steady clip (47.1 percent), and his ability to mitigate damage on flyballs may help him stave off a dramatic increase in his ERA as he moves to a more hitter-friendly environment in Great American Ball Park in 2025.

Falter and the Pirates avoided arbitration by agreeing Thursday to a one-year, $2.22 million contract, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Falter was arbitration-eligible for the first time, coming off a 2024 campaign in which he covered a career-high 142.1 innings over 28 starts for the Pirates. The southpaw was decent enough as a back-end rotation arm with a 4.43 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, but a career-worst 16.5 percent strikeout rate doesn't inspire much confidence in his ability to take any sort of major step forward. Even though he should be in good shape to retain a rotation spot heading into 2025, Falter's fantasy utility will likely be limited to deeper mixed leagues or NL-only leagues.

Garrett will miss the 2025 season after undergoing UCL revision surgery with an internal brace in December, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.

Garrett made just seven starts for the Marlins during the 2024 season due to forearm and elbow problems and his UCL finally gave out. The left-hander had Tommy John surgery previously, so while the December operation was less invasive, it will still be a very lengthy rehab. If all goes well, it's possible Garrett is ready for the start of the 2026 season.