MLB Player News

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.

Clevinger declined his $12 million mutual option withe the White Sox for 2024 on Friday.

After posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across 131.1 innings in 24 starts, Clevinger will take a $4 million buyout and enter the open market. Clevinger turns 33 in December and will likely have a handful of suitors to choose from in the offseason.

Kershaw underwent surgery Friday to repair the gleno-humeral ligaments and capsule in his left shoulder, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Kershaw broke the news himself on Instagram and added that he is "hopeful to return to play at some point next summer." It's a vague timetable for the 35-year-old southpaw as he enters free agency, but at the very least this would seem to indicate he plans to continue his career rather than retire. Kershaw was effective when healthy in 2023, posting a 2.46 ERA over 24 starts, but his stuff was noticeably down late in the year, and he recorded just one out in his lone postseason outing. He's facing a long rehab and uncertainty in regard to how effective he might be if he does indeed make it back next season.

The Dodgers declined Lynn's $18 million option for 2024, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Lynn will receive a $1 million buyout instead and is now a free agent. Ardaya notes that it's still possible the Dodgers wind up re-signing Lynn, but they would do so at a lower salary. The big right-hander posted a 5.73 ERA and 191:67 K:BB over 183.2 innings in 2023, serving up a league-high 44 home runs in the process. Lynn should still have a decent market this winter from clubs viewing him as a bounce-back candidate -- from 2019 through 2022, the 36-year-old delivered a 3.42 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 10.01 K/9 over 571 innings.

Rucinski (back) had his $5 million team option for 2024 declined by the A's, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 reports.

Rucinski underwent lumbar spine surgery in August and is expected to miss part of the 2024 campaign, although a specific timeline for his return isn't clear. Given his 9.00 ERA and 6:14 K:BB over 18 innings in 2023, along with ample time missed with knee issues, Rucinski's option probably wasn't going to be exercised even if he had been healthy.