MLB Player News
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Kevin Newman SS | ARI
Angels' Kevin Newman: Nabs one-year deal with Halos
The Angels signed Newman to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with a $2.5 million club option for 2026 on Thursday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The veteran infielder could be the current favorite to open next season at shortstop for the Angels if Zach Neto (shoulder) isn't ready. Newman slashed .278/.311/.375 with three homers and eight steals in 111 games for the Diamondbacks in 2024 and graded out as a plus-four in Outs Above Average at shortstop.
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Wander Franco SS | TB
Rays' Wander Franco: Facing firearm charge
Franco (personal) is facing charges of illegal use and possession of a firearm related to his arrest in an altercation in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, Juan Recio of ESPN.com reports.
Franco is expected to be granted provisional release Tuesday, although terms of his bail have not yet been defined. The 23-year-old is on MLB administrative leave and is due to stand trial on Dec. 12 in the Dominican Republic involving charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. A concurrent investigation of Franco is being performed by MLB under its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.
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Wander Franco SS | TB
Rays' Wander Franco: Arrested following altercation
Franco (personal) was arrested in the Dominican Republic on Monday following an altercation Sunday during which guns were drawn, Juan Recio of ESPN.com reports.
Franco is being held for questioning and it's not yet clear whether he faces charges as a result of the incident. The 23-year-old is on MLB administrative leave and is due to stand trial on Dec. 12 in the Dominican Republic involving charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. If convicted, Franco faces up to 20 years in prison. MLB is also performing a concurrent investigation of Franco under its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.
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Carlos Correa SS | MIN
Twins' Carlos Correa: Making progress in recovery
Correa's recovery from plantar fasciitis in his right foot is progressing ahead of his recovery from the same problem in his left foot last offseason, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey told The Athletic. "He's tracking in a positive direction. He's got good plans for how he's going to handle it therapeutically and I think he's in a good place," said Falvey.
Correa was sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his right foot from just before the All-Star break until Sept. 14. He was able to play 11 games in September in which he showed little rust despite no minor-league rehab games, hitting .325 with a .960 OPS. He was clearly not moving at full speed, but the rest and rehab in the offseason should have him ready for spring training. After he struggled with plantar fasciitis in his left foot during the 2023 season that limited him at at the plate, the health of his feet will be something to watch in spring training.
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Zachary Neto SS | LAA
Angels' Zach Neto: Undergoes shoulder surgery
Angels general manager Perry Minasian revealed Friday that Neto had right shoulder surgery Wednesday and could miss the start of next season, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.
Minasian didn't divulge specifics regarding the nature of the injury or the procedure. Neto hurt his shoulder on a slide Sept. 26 and missed the final three games of the regular season. He initially tried to rest and rehab the shoulder but was still feeling discomfort, leading to the surgery. Luis Rengifo (wrist) or the newly acquired Scott Kingery could get reps at shortstop if Neto needs to miss time.
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Anthony Volpe SS | NYY
Yankees' Anthony Volpe: Smacks Game 4 grand slam
Volpe went 2-for-3 with a grand slam and a walk in Tuesday's 11-4 win over the Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series.
Volpe's third-inning grand slam turned the tide for the Yankees and helped prevent a World Series sweep. Gleyber Torres and Austin Wells added additional home runs as the Yankees cruised to a big win. New York will attempt to stay alive and force a return to Los Angeles with a win in Game 5.
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Javier Baez SS | DET
Tigers' Javier Baez: Will have role on 2025 club
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said Monday during the team's end-of-season media session that he expects Baez (hip) to participate in spring training and have a "fighting chance" to be ready for Opening Day, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
Baez underwent season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right hip in early September after dealing with a hip/back issue for much of the campaign. He slashed .184/.221/.294 in 2024 and has hit only .221/.262/.347 in his three seasons with the Tigers, but Harris expects the 31-year-old to have a role with the club in 2025. With three years and $73 million remaining on his contract, there wasn't much of a chance that the team was going to cut him loose at this point. Baez shouldn't be guaranteed anything in regards to playing time in 2025, although the hope is that, with better health, he could at least offer a solid glove at shortstop. Trey Sweeney was the Tigers' primary shortstop down the stretch of the regular season and playoffs and could have a leg up over Baez for the starting job there heading into spring training.
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J.P. Crawford SS | SEA
Mariners' J.P. Crawford: Wraps season with multi-hit effort
Crawford went 2-for-3 with a run in a win over the Athletics on Sunday.
Crawford posted one of two multi-hit efforts for the Mariners in the regular-season finale, ending what has been a tough campaign for him on a good note. The pair of knocks coaxed Crawford's batting average back over the Mendoza Line to .202, but all three components of his final batting line -- he also generated a .304 OBP and .321 slugging percentage -- qualified as career lows. The 29-year-old shortstop has been a fixture in Seattle since 2019 and is signed through the 2026 campaign, but he'll presumably need a notable uptick in production to hold on to his starting spot for another full season.
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Zachary Neto SS | LAA
Angels' Zach Neto: Still out Sunday
Neto (shoulder) is not in Sunday's lineup against the Rangers.
Manager Ron Washington said Friday that Neto could be back Saturday and Sunday, but the shortstop will end up missing the final series. Neto broke out this year with 23 homers and 30 steals in 155 games while slashing .249/.318/.443.
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Willi Castro SS | MIN
Twins' Willi Castro: Sitting Sunday
Castro is not in Sunday's lineup against the Orioles.
Castro hit .200 with one home run and two steals over 75 at-bats in September. Austin Martin is starting in left field and batting second.