MLB Player News

German (personal) elected to become a free agent Monday.

The transaction comes a few days after German was removed from the Yankees' 40-man roster. Beyond his uneven performance on the field, German has had multiple off-the-field issues which figure to impact his allure as a free agent.

The Giants exercised Cobb's (hip) $10 team million option for 2024 on Monday, Danny Emerman of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports.

Cobb is expected to be sidelined for at least the first month or so of the 2024 season after having surgery last week to repair his left hip. Even with that, the Giants decided it was worth bringing the right-hander back rather than pay him a $2 million buyout. Cobb pitched well in 2023 when healthy, collecting a 3.87 ERA and 131:37 K:BB over 151.1 frames covering 28 starts.

The Cubs exercised Hendricks' $16 million club option for 2024 on Sunday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

The veteran right-hander posted a 4.78 ERA between the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, but he rebounded last season with a 3.74 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 93:27 K:BB in 137 innings. Hendricks will enter 2024 with a secure spot in the middle of Chicago's rotation, though his fantasy ceiling is capped by his low strikeout numbers.

The Padres declined Wacha's two-year, $32 million option for 2024-25 on Saturday, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Wacha has a $6.5 million player option for 2024 that he's expected to decline, at which point the pitcher will become a free agent. The right-hander has posted a nifty 3.27 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 228:74 K:BB over 261.2 innings covering the last two seasons. He hasn't made more than 24 starts in a season since 2017, though, and the Padres likely decided he wasn't worth the risk as they look to trim payroll.

Heaney exercised his $13 million player option for 2024 on Saturday.

Heaney was 2.2 innings away from reaching an incentive that would've increased his option to $20 million, but the 32-year-old southpaw will stick with the World Series champs nonetheless. Heaney posted a 4.15 ERA and 1.38 WHIP during his first year in Texas and figures to remain in the back end of the Rangers' rotation next season.

Rodriguez opted out of his contract with the Tigers on Saturday and became a free agent, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Despite blocking a trade that would've sent him to the Dodgers ahead of the deadline, Rodriguez will opt out of his contract with three years left on his deal. The 30-year-old southpaw enjoyed the best season of his career in 2023, posting a 3.30 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 143 strikeouts across 152.2 innings. Rodriguez should have plenty of suitors willing to give him a multi-year contract in the offseason.

Stroman opted out of his contract with the Cubs and became a free agent Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Stroman was set to make $21 million during the final season of the three-year deal he signed in 2021, but he will forego the money and instead test the free agent market during the offseason. Across 136.2 innings, the 32-year-old righty put up a 3.95 ERA -- his worst mark since 2018 -- but he's been reliable enough throughout his career to warrant a multi-year contract.

Stripling exercised his $12.5 million player option with the Giants on Friday, Danny Emerman of KNBR.com reports.

Stripling is now officially set to return to San Francisco for the 2024 season. The 33-year-old right-hander likely would have struggled to find an AAV higher than $12.5 million in free agency after registering a disappointing 5.36 ERA over 11 starts and 11 relief appearances (89 innings) during the 2023 campaign.

Miley declined his half of a $10 million mutual option with the Brewers on Friday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Miley could wind up returning to Milwaukee for the 2024 season, but the soon-to-be 37-year-old understandably wants to capitalize on what could be his final opportunity to score a multi-year payday. He pitched to a steady 3.14 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 120.1 innings (23 starts) this year for the NL Central champions.

The Red Sox declined Kluber's $11 million option for 2024 on Friday, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Shoulder problems kept Kluber from pitching past late June, and he only managed a 7.04 ERA and 1.64 WHIP while healthy. The right-hander will turn 38 in April, and he could have trouble finding a team willing to give him a spot in its rotation at this point in his career.