MLB Player News

The Marlins exercised Berti's $3.63 million team option for 2024 on Monday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Berti will stick around after slashing .294/.344/.405 with seven home runs and 16 steals over 133 games this season. The 33-year-old utility player offers the Marlins plenty of versatility, but they'll likely be hoping they won't need to use him as often in 2024 as they had to in 2023.

The Rays placed Gray on outright waivers Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Gray appeared in just two games for the Rays in 2023, going 2-for-5 with a home run. He slashed .235/.312/.485 with 30 homers and 98 RBI with Triple-A Durham, and he could draw interest on the waiver wire from teams looking for organizational depth in the infield.

The White Sox declined Anderson's $14 million option for 2024 on Saturday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

After putting up just a .582 OPS across 524 plate appearances, Anderson will receive a $1 million buyout and enter free agency for the first time in his career. Although his production at the plate fell sharply in 2023, Anderson should still draw a good amount of attention this offseason from teams hoping the 30-year-old shortstop can return to form.

Velazquez elected to become a free agent Friday.

Velazquez heads to the open market after being pushed off Atlanta's 40-man roster earlier this week. The 29-year-old infielder owns a weak .189/.244/.293 career major-league batting line and will likely have to settle for a minor-league contract leading into the 2024 season.

San Diego claimed Marcano (knee) off waivers from the Pirates on Thursday.

Marcano is expected to miss at least a portion of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery this past August to repair a torn ACL in his right knee. The infielder owns a career .217/.269/.320 batting line in 149 major-league games, but he showed a bit of improvement at the plate in 2023 and just turned 24 years old in September. Marcano began his professional career in the Padres' system before heading to Pittsburgh in July of 2021 as part of the Adam Frazier trade.

Franco was activated Thursday from administrative leave, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

This is merely a procedural move, as administrative leave is only applicable during the season and the World Series came to an end Wednesday. Franco is still under investigation from both authorities in the Dominican Republic and Major League Baseball following allegations that emerged this summer involving inappropriate relationships with minors. Topkin notes that Franco's "status to return to playing remains unchanged and uncertain."

Atlanta outrighted Velazquez to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday.

Velazquez was claimed off waivers from the Angels in early September but was immediately sent to Triple-A Gwinnett and finished out the season there. The 29-year-old journeyman shortstop is a career .189/.244/.293 hitter in 275 games (624 plate appearances) at the major-league level.

The Rangers added Duran to their World Series roster Tuesday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Duran will be added to the roster as a replacement for Adolis Garcia, who suffered an oblique injury on a swing during Game 3. Duran slashed .276/.324/.443 across 439 plate appearances during the regular season, but he has yet to register a plate appearance in the postseason and will likely be used off the bench during the final games of the Fall Classic.

Querecuto elected free agency Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Querecuto will test the waters elsewhere after passing through waivers unclaimed. He saw his first big-league action since 2016 during the 2023 campaign with St. Louis, collecting two hits in 20 at-bats while adding one double and one walk in nine contests.

The Cardinals sent Querecuto outright to Triple-A Memphis on Thursday.

Querecuto appeared in just nine games for St. Louis during the final stages of the regular season, logging two hits and a walk over 21 plate appearances. The 31-year-old infielder will now return to Memphis without the benefit of a 40-man roster spot.