MLB Player News

Allard was traded from Texas to Atlanta on Wednesday in exchange for Jake Odorizzi and cash considerations.

Allard made his big-league debut for Atlanta in 2018 before he was traded to Texas, and he'll now rejoin his former team. The left-hander appeared in 10 games out of the bullpen for the Rangers last year and had a 7.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 19:6 K:BB across 21 innings. He also worked as a starter at Triple-A and had a 4.65 ERA over 89 frames (20 starts).

Odorizzi and cash considerations were acquired by the Rangers from Atlanta on Wednesday in exchange for Kolby Allard.

Odorizzi was acquired by Atlanta from Houston at the trade deadline and finished 2022 with a 4.40 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 86:35 K:BB across 106.1 innings. The 32-year-old was a fringe rotation piece for Atlanta but should have a more secure starting spot on Texas' staff to open 2023. Odorizzi isn't officially under contract for next year but has a $12.5 million player option, and the trade indicates he's expected to exercise that option.

The Mariners acquired McGee from the Red Sox on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations.

McGee will take up a spot on the Mariners' 40-man roster, but because he still has three minor-league options remaining, Seattle will have the luxury of stashing him at Triple-A Tacoma to begin the 2023 campaign if he's unable to secure a spot in the big club's Opening Day bullpen. The 24-year-old righty made his big-league debut with the Rays in 2022, tossing three scoreless frames in his lone appearance out of the bullpen.

Skubal (elbow) has been focused on forearm- and grip-strengthening work at this stage of his rehab program and has yet to resume throwing, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Skubal is on the mend from the season-ending surgery he underwent Aug. 17 to repair the flexor muscle in his left elbow. The procedure typically doesn't carry as lengthy of a recovery timeline as Tommy John surgery, but it's worth noting that former Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd had the same flexor tendon surgery Sept. 27 of last year and didn't begin a minor-league rehab assignment until more than 10 months later. Skubal won't necessarily face a similar recovery timeline, but the young left-hander should be expected to open 2023 on the injured list and miss a large chunk of the upcoming season.

Mize is working on maintaining full range of motion in his surgically repaired elbow at this stage of the offseason and has progressed to the strengthening phase of his rehabilitation process, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in mid-June, Mize is likely a month or more away from starting a throwing program, but he should at least be ready to play catch during spring training, if not throw off a mound. He'll presumably open the 2023 campaign on the 60-day injured list and isn't likely to pitch until late in the season, if at all.

Faedo (hip) is expected to begin his throwing progression by mid-November and is tracking toward a return to 100 percent health in advance of spring training, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Faedo looks as though he's ready to start building back up again after he underwent surgery in late July on his right hip. The right-hander, who is currently focused on range-of-motion work, turned in a 5.53 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 12 big-league starts before being shut down with the hip injury.

Paxton (lat) exercised his $4 million player option for 2023 on Wednesday and will remain with the Red Sox for the upcoming season.

Paxton remains on the 60-day injured list, so the Red Sox will have to reinstate him at some point to add him back to the 40-man roster. The veteran southpaw joined Boston on a one-year, $6 million deal last winter, but he has yet to make his Red Sox debut while he spent the past season recovering from his April 2021 Tommy John surgery and then getting shut down for good in August with a Grade 2 left lat strain. It's unclear whether Paxton will be a full participant for spring training, but if healthy, he'll likely get the chance to stake his claim to a spot in the Red Sox's Opening Day rotation. The 34-year-old Paxton owns a 3.59 ERA over 754.2 career innings, but with just six starts under his belt since the 2020 season, it's difficult to depend on him immediately recapturing the strong form he displayed prior to his Tommy John surgery.

The Orioles declined Lyles' $11 million team option for 2023 on Wednesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Lyles will receive a $1 million buyout as part of the Orioles' decision to decline his option, so he'll take home $7 million in total for his lone season in Baltimore. The 32-year-old right-hander wasn't a particularly enticing fantasy asset in 2022 with a 4.42 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 11.9 K-BB%, but he brought value to the Orioles as a competent innings eater, as he covered 179 innings over 32 starts. Baltimore could revisit bringing Lyles back for 2023 at a more team-friendly price, but he might be a candidate to move to the bullpen once the Orioles are ready to clear spots in the rotation for pitching prospects such as Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall.

Smyly declined his portion of the $10 million mutual option with the Cubs for 2023 on Tuesday, making him a free agent, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Smyly signed with Chicago in March and started 22 games last season, and he pitched well with a 3.47 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 91:26 K:BB across 106.1 innings. The Cubs are interested in re-signing the 33-year-old lefty, though he figures to garner a fair amount of interest in free agency following a solid showing in 2022.

The Tigers announced Tuesday that Turnbull (elbow) is fully healthy and participating in his normal offseason program, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

The right-hander missed the entire 2022 campaign while he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery in July of last year, but he's ready to go for the start of spring training. Turnbull made nine starts in 2021 prior to the procedure and had a 2.88 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 44:12 K:BB in 50 innings, and he should be in the rotation for Detroit to begin 2023.