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.

Muller agreed to a contract Sunday with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, Yahoo Japan reports.

Muller elected free agency this offseason after being outrighted off the Athletics' 40-man roster and has decided to continue his career overseas. The 27-year-old left-hander had seen action at the MLB level each of the past four seasons with Atlanta and Oakland, compiling a 5.90 ERA and 1.57 WHIP over 175.1 innings.

The Athletics traded Boyle, Jacob Watters, Will Simpson and a compensatory draft pick to the Rays on Saturday in exchange for Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

After showing a lot of promise as a prospect in 2023, Boyle wasn't quite able to live up to the hype in '24, accumulating a 6.42 ERA and 1.72 WHIP over 47.2 innings while missing a month of the season with lower-back problems. He'll now attempt to turn things around following a change of scenery, though there's no guarantee the 25-year-old begins his Rays tenure in the big leagues.

The Athletics traded Watters, Joe Boyle, Will Simpson and a compensatory draft pick to the Rays on Saturday in exchange for Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Watters spent most of the 2024 campaign with the Athletics' High-A affiliate, departing briefly in June to appear in a Triple-A game before returning to Lansing. He finished the High-A season with a 4.96 ERA and 1.52 WHIP over 61.2 innings, making a promotion to Double-A upon joining the Rays organization unlikely.

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said Friday that Cortes has had a "fully healthy offseason" after dealing with a flexor strain in his left elbow down the stretch of this past season, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Arnold noted that the Brewers did extensive work on Cortes' medicals before acquiring him in the trade that sent Devin Williams to the Yankees, and the team is confident the southpaw is healthy. Cortes 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.

The Brewers acquired Cortes, Caleb Durbin and cash considerations from the Yankees on Friday in exchange for Devin Williams, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Cortes pitched well this past season when healthy, posting a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 162:39 K:BB. He ended the regular season on the injured list with a flexor strain but was able to come back to make two relief appearances during the World Series. The Brewers are presumably comfortable with his health status and will be counting on him as part of their rotation in 2025. Cortes is arbitration-eligible for a final time this winter.

Contreras was designated for assignment by the Rangers on Thursday.

The Rangers claimed Contreras off waivers October 31, but he's now been removed from the 40-man roster before throwing a pitch. He could still compete for a roster spot in spring training if he passes through waivers unclaimed, though it looks unlikely that he'll play a significant role for the team to begin 2025.

Wright (shoulder) hopes to be fully healthy for spring training and compete for a spot in the Royals' rotation, Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star reports.

Wright underwent surgery in October of 2023 to repair a torn capsule in his right shoulder. He's now more than a year removed from that operation, and in October he touched 90 mph during a bullpen session. That's a far cry from the 95.1 mph Wright averaged with his four-seamer during his breakout 2022 campaign when he won 21 games and posted a 3.19 ERA, but the hope is that his velocity will continue to tick up as he further distances himself from surgery. It's no guarantee his stuff will bounce back as he returns from a major shoulder procedure, but Wright will be one to keep a close eye on during spring training.

The Twins signed McCaughan to a minor-league contract Dec. 4.

McCaughan, 28, held a 6.21 ERA over 42 innings between the Marlins and Guardians in 2024. The right-hander has experience as a starter and a reliever, and it's unclear which role the Twins have planned for him, but he'll likely begin the 2025 season at Triple-A St. Paul.

The Red Sox traded Rodriguez-Cruz to the Yankees on Wednesday in exchange for Carlos Narvaez, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Over 20 games (19 starts) between Single-A and High-A in 2024, Rodriguez-Cruz turned in a 2.84 ERA and 1.19 WHIP alongside a 99:39 K:BB over 85.2 innings. The 21-year-old right-hander will likely remain in High-A with his new organization and have his sights set on a promotion to Double-A Somerset.