MLB Player News

The Red Sox have declined Perez's $6 million option for 2022, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

The lefty flashed competence at times in 2021 but struggled overall, pitching to a 4.74 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 114 innings. Perez made 22 starts before moving to the bullpen, where he worked as a mop-up reliever trusted with only the lowest-leverage situations. He'll be 31 years old next season and figures to find a home as a back-end starter or reliever, albeit with a reduced salary.

The Cubs exercised Miley's (neck) $10 million option for 2022 on Sunday, Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

This move comes as no surprise after the Cubs claimed Miley from Cincinnati's waivers Friday. The lefty will be 35 years old when the 2022 campaign begins and he'll be coming off a neck injury, but he's also coming off an excellent 2021 season in which he posted a 3.37 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 163 innings. Even if he regresses next year, Miley still figures to be a bargain at $10 million.

The Blue Jays did not give Matz an $18.4 million qualifying offer, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Matz recently turned down a multi-year contract offer, the value of which is unknown. The lefty excelled in 2021 with a 3.82 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 144 strikeouts in 150.2 innings, but for a back-end starter in Toronto's rotation, $18.4 million would have been a steep price. Matz, entering his age 31 season, figures to draw plenty of interest on the open market.

The Blue Jays extended a qualifying offer to Ray on Saturday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

With Ray coming off the best year of his career, he will surely turn down the one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer. He is one of the favorites to win the AL Cy Young award.

The Mets extended a qualifying offer to Syndergaard on Saturday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Per Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News, Syndergaard said in September that he would be extremely grateful to receive the qualifying offer and was confident he'd stay in Queens. If Syndergaard is getting strong multi-year offers from other teams, he'll likely decline the one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer and let all 30 teams compete for his services.

Overton (shoulder) was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday.

Overton made his big-league debut in 2021, posting an unremarkable 4.70 ERA in three starts and six relief appearances. He hit the injured list with a strained shoulder in late September, though he's expected to resume throwing sometime in November, giving him plenty of time to be ready to go by spring training.

Lodolo will compete for a spot in the Reds' 2022 rotation, according to general manager Nick Krall, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Krall said that Lodolo, along with Hunter Greene and Reiver Sanmartin, will compete for one of the two vacant spots. Greene and Lodolo are two of the Reds' best prospects, so they could become trendy fantasy fliers if they pitch well in spring training. The 23-year-old lefty logged a 1.84 ERA in 10 starts at Double-A and an inflated 5.40 ERA in three starts at Triple-A.

Greene will compete for a spot in the Reds' 2022 rotation, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

The Reds' top pitching prospect did what he could in 2021 to prove his readiness for the majors, logging a 1.98 ERA in seven starts at Double-A and a 4.13 ERA as a 22-year-old at Triple-A. Throwing enough strikes will be the key for Greene to break through with the big-league club early next season. There are at least two rotation spots currently up for grabs, and Greene will be competing primarily with Nick Lodolo and Reiver Sanmartin.

Anderson will not be tendered a qualifying offer by Seattle and will head to free agency, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

The Mariners like Anderson and are expected to try to sign him on the open market, but he's not good enough to require an $18.4 million deal. In 31 starts for Pittsburgh and Seattle, he posted a 4.53 ERA, as his strong 5.4 percent walk rate wasn't enough to make up for a low 19.1 percent strikeout rate and 35.1 percent groundball rate.

Cueto will become a free agent after the Giants declined his $22 million team option Friday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Cueto remained a serviceable pitcher in his age-35 season, but he's not one a team would pay $22 million for. In 22 starts and one relief appearance, he posted a 4.08 ERA, with a 6.1 percent walk rate mostly offsetting a 20.0 percent strikeout rate and 38.1 percent groundball rate. He looked good enough that he should be able to land somewhere as a back-end starter, but he's unlikely to be a team's top priority.