MLB Player News

The Mariners signed Solano to a one-year, $3.5 million contract Monday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

He can earn an additional $1 million in incentives. Solano turned 37 last month but had a productive 2024 campaign with the Padres, slashing .286/.343/.417 with a career-high eight home runs over 96 contests. J.P. Crawford at shortstop looks to be the only infielder currently guaranteed a starting spot with the Mariners, so Solano should play plenty, particularly against left-handed pitching. He started games at third and first base in 2024 in addition to designated hitter and also has plenty of past experience at second base.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said last week during the team's Fenway Fest fan event that Yoshida (shoulder) being able to play the outfield in 2025 "would be great for the roster," Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Yoshida was a full-time designated hitter in 2024, playing the outfield for just one inning in an emergency situation. The Red Sox had indicated previously that Yoshida's lack of time in the field was simply due to the club having better defensive options. However, Cora is now saying it was mainly because of Yoshida being compromised physically by a labral tear in his right shoulder, which he eventually had surgery on in early October. The hope is that Yoshida will be ready for Opening Day and it sounds like he could see a little outfield duty in 2025 for the Red Sox. That's if he's still with the team, of course, as his name has been bandied about in trade rumors.

Atlanta had a contract in place with Hoffman that fell apart after he failed a physical, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Robert Murray of FanSided.com also reported previously that the Orioles had a three-year, $40 million deal in place with Hoffman that was nixed due to concerns over his right shoulder. It's not clear whether it was the shoulder which caused Hoffman's potential contract with Atlanta to fall apart, but it's a safe assumption. The righty has had two shoulder-related injured list stints during his career but has not experienced any known shoulder problems since 2021. Hoffman ultimately reached a three-year, $33 million deal with the Blue Jays which could get up to $39 million through incentives. He's slated to serve as Toronto's closer, but with Hoffman having a health red flag, fantasy managers might want to consider Yimi Garcia and/or Chad Green as a handcuff.

Alvarez signed a minor-league contract with the Twins on Jan. 2.

Alvarez spent the 2024 campaign with the Athletics organization, batting .315 with 15 home runs, 54 RBI, 46 runs scored and four stolen bases over 75 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. Additionally, the 30-year-old played in 16 games with the A's, batting .243 with a double, two RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base over 37 at-bats. Alvarez will report to Triple-A St. Paul ahead of the 2025 season, and he'll look to impress in order to potentially garner a shot with the Twins' major-league roster at some point during the year.

Whitlock (elbow) said Saturday that he will move back to the bullpen in 2025, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Whitlock moved to the Red Sox's rotation last season, but he made just four starts before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery in May. He had already been expected to return shortly after the start of the 2025 campaign, but now that he'll no longer need to build up to a starter's workload, the 28-year-old righty could make his season debut earlier than anticipated.

Manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Hamilton may occasionally play in the outfield this season, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

Cora added that the Red Sox would like Hamilton to be as versatile as possible for the sake of roster flexibility. The 27-year-old has been used exclusively at second base and shortstop throughout his MLB career, though he has started eight games in center field in the minors.

The Blue Jays designated de Geus for assignment Friday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Kicking de Geus off the 40-man roster creates space for Jeff Hoffman, who agreed to a three-year deal with the Blue Jays on Friday. De Geus owns a 7.48 ERA and 1.71 WHIP over 61.1 career big-league innings and finished 2024 with a 5.31 ERA in Triple-A.

Hoffman signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Blue Jays on Friday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

After bouncing between Colorado, Cincinnati and Philadelphia over his first nine years in the majors, Hoffman will reunite with the organization that originally drafted him back in 2014. The 32-year-old reliever is coming off the best statistical season of his career, as he reached the 10-save mark for the first time and finished the year with a 2.17 ERA and 0.96 WHIP over 66.1 innings with the Phillies. It's likely he receives a chance to close in Toronto, with Chad Green and Yimi Garcia (elbow) also in the mix to replace Jordan Romano (elbow).

The Orioles designated Soto for assignment Friday.

The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Roansy Contreras, who was claimed off waivers. Soto saw spot duty in the majors in 2024 with the Reds and Orioles, going 3-for-13 at the plate.

The Orioles claimed Contreras off waivers from the Reds on Friday.

Contreras has bounced around from the Angels to the Rangers to the Reds to the Orioles via the waivers process since late October. He is out of minor-league options, so the right-hander will have to be on Baltimore's Opening Day roster -- likely as a long reliever -- to avoid going through the waivers process again.