MLB Player News

Irvin signed a one-year deal with the Orioles on Thursday to avoid arbitration.

Irvin had an underwhelming 2023 season, during which his role fluctuated between starting and relief. He also spent a considerable amount of time at Triple-A Norfolk, and he'll likely have to earn a roster spot with Baltimore by performing well in spring training heading into the 2024 campaign.

Rogers (lat) signed a one-year contract with Miami on Thursday to avoid arbitration.

Rogers was shut down in late April due to a lat and biceps issue and was not able to take the mound again in 2023. At the close of the regular season, he had yet to throw off a mound. He should have the chance to begin the 2024 campaign healthy, but his current status is unclear.

Schmidt signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Yankees on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

Schmidt got his first substantial chance as a starter in the majors last season, and he posted an uninspiring 4.64 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 159 frames. His primary problem was the long ball (1.4 HR/9), though he managed a decent 14.8 K-BB%. That suggests there's some chance for him to see improved results in 2024, assuming he can stick in the rotation.

McKenzie signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Guardians on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

McKenzie was limited to only 16 innings in 2023 due to an elbow injury, though he did end the campaign healthy. Assuming he can get through spring training unscathed, he should pair up with Shane Bieber as the two veteran leaders of the Guardians' rotation in 2024.

Gallen agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract with the Diamondbacks on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Gallen is coming off of a strong 2023 season during which he posted a 3.47 ERA and 1.12 WHIP across a career-high 210 innings. He has one more year of arbitration eligibility and will remain a key member of the Arizona rotation in 2024.

Cortes (shoulder) signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Yankees on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Cortes was limited to only 12 starts and 63.1 innings during 2023 due to a shoulder injury. Though he finished the year with a 4.97 ERA and 1.25 WHIP, he still maintained an impressive 17.7 K-BB% and should get better results in 2024 if he can stay healthy.

Stroman signed a two-year, $37 million deal with the Yankees on Thursday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. The contract also includes a vesting option for 2026.

Stroman opted out of the final year of his contract with the Cubs worth $21 million to become a free agent this offseason. Though he'll sacrifice a bit from that mark in annual value, he locked in at least one additional year of security. Stroman has dealt with injuries the last two seasons, but he has maintained an ERA of 3.50 or below in three of the last four campaigns and is a strong addition to a rotation that already features Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon.

Burnes signed a one-year, $15.6 million contract with the Brewers on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Burnes and the Brewers failed to agree to terms last offseason, and he openly spoke about his displeasure with the arbitration process. After another strong year in 2023, Burnes was able to reach an agreement with the club and will see a $5.5 million increase in salary. Assuming no long-term agreement is reached in the coming months, he will hit free agency following the 2024 season.

Houser signed a one-year, $5.05 million contract with the Mets on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

The Mets acquired Houser from the Brewers in late December, and he projects to serve as rotation depth in 2024. In a similar role for Milwaukee in 2023, he posted a 4.12 ERA and 1.39 WHIP across 111.1 frames. While those are pedestrian numbers, Houser did manage to reach a 20 percent strikeout rate for the first time since 2019.

Valdez signed a one-year, $12.1 million contract with the Astros on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Valdez has proven to be among the most durable pitchers in the league, throwing a combined 399.1 innings across the last two campaigns. His results have also been strong in that span, and he managed a 3.45 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP and 200:57 K:BB in 2023. Valdez will nearly double his salary as a result and will be a key piece of the Astros' rotation once again for the upcoming campaign.