MLB Player News

Witt signed an 11-year, $288.78 million contract extension with the Royals on Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Witt will have the ability to opt out after the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th years of the deal. The contract also contains a three-year, $89 million club option after the 11th season, potentially bringing the total value up to $377.78 million over the life of the deal, which would run through the 2037 campaign. The 23-year-old shortstop is coming off a breakthrough sophomore season in which he slashed .276/.319/.495 with 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases en route to a seventh-place finish in the American League MVP voting.

Soto was designated for assignment by the Angels on Saturday, Taylor Blake Ward of The Sporting Tribune reports.

Soto has managed a .946 OPS over 71 plate appearances at the major-league level, but a .670 OPS in the minors is closer to his real ability. The 23-year-old offers a solid glove at multiple infield positions, so it's possible he'll draw some interest on waivers.

Seager underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a sports hernia, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.

Seager initially suffered the injury during the postseason and the hope was that it would heal with some extended rest over the offseason. That didn't happen, however, so the decision was made to have the operation. The Rangers are hopeful that Seager will be ready in time for Opening Day, but if he's not, Ezequiel Duran would figure to see extra playing time in the early going. Seager was the runner-up for American League MVP in 2023 and captured World Series MVP honors during Texas' run to the title.

Castillo was designated for assignment by the Yankees on Monday.

The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for waiver claim Matt Gage. Castillo himself was a waiver claim of the Yankees earlier this month and could be on the move again. The 26-year-old has struggled during his major-league chances but slashed .313/.431/.410 in 556 plate appearances at the Triple-A level in 2023.

Hinojosa signed a minor-league contract with the Rays on Monday that includes an invitation to spring training.

Hinojosa, 29, slashed only .244/.284/.357 over 91 games at Triple-A Jacksonville in the Marlins organization last season. The utility infielder has yet to make an appearance in the majors and figures to operate primarily as organizational filler for Tampa Bay.

Correa said over the weekend at the TwinsFest fan event that he "started turning the curve" with the recovery from his left foot injury in mid- to late-December, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Correa played through plantar fasciitis in his foot for the bulk of the 2023 season and didn't do any running or sprinting early on in the offseason. He admitted that the recovery "took longer than expected," but he's running, sprinting and hitting without issue now and has declared himself ready to go for spring training. Correa slashed just .230/.312/.399 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs in 580 plate appearances last season while battling through the nagging foot issue starting in mid-May. Plantar fasciitis is an injury that can flare up again, which is worrisome, but Correa should be in line for a bounce-back 2024 campaign if he can stay healthy.

The Yankees outrighted Downs to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday.

He's no longer on the 40-man roster but will remain in the organization. Downs had been claimed off waivers earlier this offseason and is a career .182/.260/.273 hitter in 50 career plate appearances at the major-league level.

The Yankees claimed Castillo off waivers from the Mets on Friday.

Castillo will join his third team in as many weeks after being DFA'd by both the Diamondbacks and Mets earlier in the offseason. The 26-year-old slashed .313/.431/.410 in 556 plate appearances with Arizona's Triple-A affiliate last season but has yet to find his footing in the majors. Jeter Downs was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Downs was designated for assignment by the Yankees on Friday.

Downs was claimed off waivers by the Yanks last month and will now go through the waiver process again after the club swapped him out in favor of Diego Castillo. The 25-year-old Downs has hit .182/.260/.273 in 50 career plate appearances at the major-league level.

Franco is facing a lesser charge after a judge in the Dominican Republic analyzed evidence that he had an alleged relationship with a 14-year-old girl and paid her mother for her consent, the Associated Press reports.

Franco had been accused of commercial and sexual exploitation and money laundering but now is accused of sexual and psychological abuse. While the new charge is considered a lesser offense, Franco would still face between two and five years in prison if found guilty. The 22-year-old has been conditionally released from jail but is required to return once a month to appear before authorities. Franco is not expected to be allowed back into the United States anytime soon, and his future in Major League Baseball is very much in question.