MLB Player News

The Orioles claimed Castillo off waivers from the Phillies on Friday.

It marks the fifth organization Castillo has been in just this offseason, as he continues to bounce around via waivers. The 26-year-old utility player does have an option year remaining and seems likely to begin the year at Triple-A Norfolk, assuming he's still in the organization by Opening Day.

Baez revealed Friday that he's dealt with nagging back and core issues over the last two seasons, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Baez altered his offseason training routine in order to strengthen those areas and said he's now feeling much better. Perhaps the injury problems can partly explain Baez's dreadful .230/.273/.361 slash line during his two years in Detroit, but fantasy managers will likely need to see tangible improvement from the 31-year-old before investing.

Lopez was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Friday, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports.

A spot on the 40-man roster was needed for Yariel Rodriguez, whose signing finally became official. Lopez saw spot action with the Blue Jays in 2021 and 2022 but spent all of 2023 at Triple-A Buffalo, posting a .656 OPS in 84 contests. The 25-year-old's bat is a little light, but he's young and can play all over the field, so there might be interest on waivers.

The Orioles claimed Soto off waivers from the Angels on Thursday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Soto was DFA'd by Los Angeles on Saturday, and he'll now head across the country to fill the opening on Baltimore's 40-man roster. The 23-year-old infielder slashed .237/.342/.358 across 477 plate appearances in the minors last season, and his ability to play multiple infield positions could increase his chances at seeing MLB action this year.

Kessinger has a chance to win the final bench spot on Houston's big-league roster out of spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Kessinger made his major-league debut in 2023, though he drew only 45 plate appearances. He's played every infield position as a pro except for catcher, a skill set that will be valuable for the Astros. Kessinger's fantasy appeal is far more limited, as he's unlikely to see regular at-bats without several significant injuries in Houston's lineup, and he offers little in the way of power or stolen base production.

Arias is expected to debut in the Florida Complex League in 2024, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Arias was signed as an amateur international free agent out of Venezuela early in 2023, then played in the Dominican Summer League. He batted .350/.440/.453 with one home run, nine doubles, one triple, 32 runs and 15 RBI over 159 plate appearances. Arias showed strong contact skills, striking out at just an 8.8 percent clip while drawing more walks (19) than strikeouts (14). The 18-year-old shortstop could fill out (he's listed at 5-foot-11, 170 pounds) and provide more pop, but right now, Arias is known for defense and contact.

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.