MLB Player News
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Royber Salinas SP | OAK
Braves' Royber Salinas: Claimed by Atlanta
Atlanta claimed Salinas (shoulder) off waivers from the Athletics on Friday.
Salinas was part of the package of prospects sent by Atlanta to Oakland in the Sean Murphy trade ahead of the 2023 season. He's now back in his original organization, although Salinas is expected to miss a large chunk of the 2025 campaign after having right shoulder surgery in July. The 23-year-old posted a 4.60 ERA and 50:34 K:BB over 43 innings between Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas in 2024.
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Jordan Montgomery SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Jordan Montgomery: Returning to AZ
Montgomery exercised his $22.5 million player option for the 2025 season Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Montgomery signed a deal with the Diamondbacks in March and didn't make his first start until April 19. He never seemed to get on track, however, posting a 6.23 ERA and 1.65 WHIP with just an 83:44 K:BB across 117 innings. Given his struggles, it's little surprise Montgomery exercised his option, and he'll look to rebuild his value in 2025 before heading into free agency.
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Wade Miley SP | MIL
Wade Miley: Milwaukee declines option
The Brewers declined Miley's (elbow) $12 million mutual option for 2025 on Thursday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Miley only pitched in two games for the Brewers before suffering an elbow injury in April that required him to undergo season-ending surgery. The procedure he received was designed to allow for a quicker recovery compared to a typical Tommy John surgery, though he likely won't be able to pitch until a month or two into the 2025 campaign, at least. Due to turn 38 years old in November, it's unclear if Miley will pursue another contract in free agency or opt for retirement.
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Lucas Giolito SP | BOS
Red Sox's Lucas Giolito: Exercises player option
Giolito (elbow) exercised his $19 million player option for 2025 on Thursday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Giolito was unlikely to receive anything close to a $19 million salary in free agency after missing all of 2024 due to an elbow procedure he underwent in March, so it's unsurprising to see him opt into another year with the Red Sox. The 30-year-old right-hander started a throwing program in early August, though it remains unclear if he'll be ready to go for the start of spring training.
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Griffin Canning SP | LAA
Braves' Griffin Canning: Sent to Atlanta
The Angels traded Canning to Atlanta on Thursday in exchange for Jorge Soler.
Canning started a career-high 31 games in 2024 but struggled mightily throughout the year, turning in a 5.19 ERA and 1.40 WHIP alongside a 130:66 K:BB through 171.2 innings. Now in Atlanta, the 28-year-old righty will likely compete for a rotation spot during spring training. Otherwise, he could be moved into a multi-inning relief role.
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Lance Lynn SP | STL
Lance Lynn: Option for 2025 not picked up
The Cardinals will decline Lynn's (knee) $11 million club option for 2025, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The team will pay Lynn a $1 million buyout instead. Lynn posted a 3.84 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 109:44 K:BB in 117.1 innings across 23 starts for St. Louis in 2024. He ended the season on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation but should be healthy by spring training, and the 37-year-old has said he intends to continue his career in 2025.
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Kyle Gibson SP | STL
Kyle Gibson: Club option declined
The Cardinals will decline Gibson's $12 million club option for 2025, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
He will be paid a $1 million buyout instead and allowed to test free agency. Gibson, 37, had a solid 2024 campaign during his lone year in St. Louis, collecting a 4.24 ERA and a 151:68 K:BB over 169.2 innings covering 30 starts. However, with the Cardinals looking to trim payroll they've elected to move on from the veteran right-hander.
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Jack Flaherty SP | LAD
Dodgers' Jack Flaherty: Records just four outs
Flaherty was tagged four runs on four hits and one walk over just 1.1 innings Wednesday against the Yankees in Game 5 of the World Series. He struck out one and didn't factor in the decision.
It's not clear whether the hamstring issue which bothered Flaherty toward the end of his Game 1 start was an issue Wednesday, but he didn't have anything working for him in this one. A one-out walk to Juan Soto in the first inning was followed by back-to-back homers from Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm, and the Yankees tacked on another run with one out in the second before Flaherty was pulled. The early hook by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts proved to be a wise move, as the bullpen held the Yankees to just two runs over the next 7.2 frames while the offense did enough to pull out the victory. Flaherty had an uneven postseason, mixing in some stellar efforts with some clunkers, and he ultimately finished with a 7.36 ERA and 15:9 K:BB over 22 innings covering five starts.
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Gerrit Cole SP | NYY
Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Undone by sloppy fifth inning
Cole took a no-decision Wednesday versus the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series, getting charged with five runs (zero earned) on four hits and four walks over 6.2 innings. He struck out six.
All five unearned runs came in the top of the fifth inning on two singles, a double, a walk and two errors. One of the singles was credited to Mookie Betts on what should have been an inning-ending groundout, but Cole failed to cover first base. The first Dodgers run scored on that play and four more followed before Cole finally escaped the frame. Cole settled back in after that and was in line for the win when he was pulled with one on and two out in the seventh, but the Dodgers tallied a couple runs in the eighth to go ahead for good. In five starts this postseason, Cole held a 2.17 ERA and 22:10 K:BB over 29 frames.
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Walker Buehler SP | LAD
Dodgers' Walker Buehler: Clinches World Series with save
Buehler struck out two in a perfect ninth inning against the Yankees on Wednesday to earn his first-ever save in Game 5 of the World Series.
Buehler, just two days removed from starting and pitching five scoreless innings in Game 3, told manager Dave Roberts that he was available in relief. The skipper turned to Buehler with the game on the line and the right-hander slammed the door to secure the championship for Los Angeles. A free agent this winter, Buehler mostly struggled during the regular season as he made his return from a second Tommy John surgery, going 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA over 16 starts.