MLB Player News

The Diamondbacks acquired Aracena, Kade Strowd and Jose Mejia from the Orioles on Thursday in exchange for Blaze Alexander, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Aracena was dealt from the Mets to the Orioles last July in the Gregory Soto trade and is on the move once again. The 21-year-old is an intriguing get for Arizona, having collected a 2.25 ERA and 114:51 K:BB over 92 innings covering 14 starts and nine relief outings between the Single- and High-A levels in 2025.

France cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Sugar Land, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

France will still receive an invitation to spring training, but he will have to pitch his way back onto the Astros' 40-man roster after missing the vast majority of 2025 recovering from shoulder surgery.

The Yankees claimed Bido off waivers from the Angels on Thursday.

The Yankees mark the sixth organization that Bido has joined this offseason while bouncing around via waivers. He turned in a 5.87 ERA over 79.2 innings with the Athletics in 2025 and doesn't have any minor-league options left, so he will need to open the season on New York's Opening Day roster to keep his spot on the 40-man roster.

The Nationals claimed Waldichuk off waivers from the Rays on Thursday.

It's the fourth organization Waldichuk has been in this offseason. The left-hander struggled in 2025 in his first year back from Tommy John surgery, posting an 8.65 ERA and 2.06 WHIP across 51.0 innings at Triple-A Las Vegas. However, Waldichuk boasts a career 33.9 percent strikeout rate in the minors, so he could become useful rotation depth for the Nationals as he further distances himself from surgery.

Skubal will make $32 million in 2026 after winning his arbitration hearing with the Tigers on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The Tigers had filed for $19 million, but after taking home the AL Cy Young Award in each of the past two seasons, Skubal will officially receive the largest arbitration salary ever awarded. The 29-year-old left-hander turned in a 2.21 ERA and 0.89 WHIP while striking out 241 batters over 195.1 innings in 2025 and has shown no signs of slowing down heading into his seventh MLB season.

Urquidy signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Pirates on Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Urquidy spent the majority of 2025 recovering from a Tommy John procedure he underwent in June 2024. He was able to make two appearances for the Tigers before the end of the regular season, during which he allowed two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out three batters in 2.1 innings. If he doesn't capture a spot in the Pirates' rotation during spring training, he could still slot in as a long-relief option.

Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million contract with the Tigers on Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The addition of Valdez gives the Tigers one of the most formidable left-handed starter duos in baseball, as he will now join Tarik Skubal atop Detroit's rotation. Valdez, 32, turned in a 3.66 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 192 innings with the Astros last season. Although those ratios are some of the worst he's recorded over his eight-year career, he remains a dependable fantasy asset after making 31 starts and topping 185 strikeouts in three of the past four seasons.

Anderson remains a free agent after he didn't sign a minor-league contract as initially reported Wednesday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Anderson was not included on the Angels' list of non-roster players invited to spring training, and Bollinger relays that the veteran southpaw's reported signing was the result of an error on MLB's transactions page. Anderson, 36, went 2-8 across 26 starts for the Angels in 2025 and posted a 4.56 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 104:57 K:BB over 136.1 innings.

Anderson (oblique) signed a minor-league contract with the Angels on Wednesday.

After signing a $39 million deal with the Angels in November 2022, Anderson largely disappointed during his three seasons in Anaheim, posting a collective 18-29 record, 4.53 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 8.6 K-BB% over 456.2 innings. Though he'll end up rejoining the Angels, the 36-year-old lefty isn't included among the team's initial list of non-roster invitees for big-league spring training and is seemingly ticketed for the Triple-A Salt Lake rotation. Anderson -- who closed last season on the injured list due to an oblique strain -- is presumably healthy now, but it looks like he'll need to prove he still has something left in the tank at the Triple-A level before the Angels consider adding him back to the 40-man roster.

Snell could begin the season on the injured list due to lingering shoulder issues, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Snell missed most of the first four months of last season with left shoulder inflammation. He pitched well down the stretch of the regular season and in the first three rounds of the playoffs before stumbling in the World Series. Snell remains hopeful of being ready for Opening Day, and if he does require an IL stint it seems it would be more about preserving him over the long haul rather than the southpaw actually being injured. The Dodgers are likely to deploy a six-man rotation again and have the depth to slow-play Snell, if that's the route they decide to take.