MLB Player News

Carter (back) no longer has any restrictions on what he can do in the field or weight room, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

The promise Carter showed in 2023, when he batted .306 (1.058 OPS) in 23 regular-season games and appeared in 17 postseason games for the eventual World Series champs, never materialized in 2024. The outfielder endured a slow start and then a stress reaction in his back in May. He was eventually shut down after multiple attempts to ramp up. The 22-year-old added strength and bulked up during the offseason in preparation for what is expected to be a normal spring. A healthy Carter should be a regular in the Rangers' outfield, most likely center field.

Thorpe said Friday that he received a cortisone shot in his right elbow and could miss the beginning of spring training, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Thorpe successfully underwent a procedure in early September to remove a bone spur in his right elbow. Merkin reported in mid-December that the 24-year-old right-hander was fully recovered from the surgery, and while an MRI from early January didn't reveal any structural damage, Thorpe has been dealing with soreness since then. as a result, the expectation is that he will miss the early portion of spring training. Thorpe finished the 2024 regular season with a 3-3 record across nine big-league starts with a 5.48 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 25:21 K:BB in 44.1 innings.

The White Sox have extended Schultz an invitation to big-league camp during spring training.

Hagen Smith will also be in big-league camp, as the White Sox are giving their top two prospects and two of the better pitching prospects in baseball a look in spring training. The 21-year-old Schultz is coming off a dominant 2024 campaign split between High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham, collecting a 2.24 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 115:24 K:BB over 88.1 innings. He's still being built up to handle a full workload, but it's not out of the question Schultz pushes to debut before the end of the 2025 season.

Gray would be open to serving as the Rangers' closer, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

The club has a clear opening at closer, but there's been no indication that Gray might be under consideration for the role. However, a shift to the back end of the bullpen could make some sense for the veteran righty, who has had durability issues. Gray has made seven relief appearances for Texas between the 2023 postseason and 2024 regular season, and in those outings he posted a 1.42 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 18:3 K:BB over 12.2 innings. Of course, the Rangers could also continue deploying him as a starting pitcher, as Nathan Eovaldi might qualify as the only safe bet in the rotation. Gray had surgery in September to address a nerve issue in his right foot but is expected to be ready for spring training.

Alvarez said Thursday that he is 100 percent healthy heading into the 2025 season, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Alvarez disclosed that he injured his right knee toward the end of the 2024 season. He originally thought he might need surgery to correct the issue, though he ultimately rested and is now fully recovered. Alvarez reports that he is ready to hit and field for the start of spring training.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Thursday that he expects Montgomery to be the team's shortstop at some point this season, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Getz was asked about the possibility of Montgomery cracking the Opening Day roster, of which he replied that the youngster would "get a lot of opportunity come spring training." Montgomery is on the 40-man roster, but a bit more seasoning in the minors seems likely after he slashed just .214/.329/.381 at Triple-A Charlotte in 2024. The shortstop turns 23 in February.

The Yankees claimed Contreras off waivers from Baltimore on Thursday.

Contreras began the offseason as a member of the Angels but has since bounced around between Texas, Cincinnati, Baltimore and now New York. Because the 25-year-old righty has no more options remaining, he will need to make the Yankees' Opening Day roster to avoid landing on waivers yet again.

The Blue Jays traded Eisert to the Rays on Thursday in exchange for cash considerations.

Eisert was dropped from the Jays' 40-man roster Monday to make room for new signee Anthony Santander, but the former will reclaim a roster spot as he changes organizations. Eisert reached the majors for the first time last season, allowing three earned runs in 6.2 innings across three appearances. He'll most likely begin the 2025 campaign with Triple-A Durham.

The Yankees claimed Winans off waivers from Atlanta on Thursday, Chase Ford of MiLB Central reports.

Winans had been designated for assignment last week and will now join a new organization. The 29-year-old has collected a 7.20 ERA and 38:12 K:BB across 40 innings since the start of the 2023 season. Winans has minor-league options remaining and will likely begin the 2025 campaign as rotation depth at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Giolito (elbow) has thrown four bullpen sessions this winter and expects to be a "full-go" when spring training begins next month, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. "The progression of my rehab at this point pretty much has me right in line with where I would be as a healthy player," he said.

An elbow injury during 2024 spring training wiped out the first season of Giolito's two-year contract with Boston. Prior to the injury, the right-hander altered the grip on his slider, worked on his changeup and tweaked pitch usages, designed to avoid the results of 2023, when he ceded 41 home runs (2.0 HR/9). Whether the tweaks led to the injury is unknown, but Giolito continued to hone those offerings during the current ramp-up to 2025. The 30-year-old enters camp as one of six viable starters, and the Red Sox haven't ruled out using a six-man rotation.