MLB Player News

Orioles general manager Mike Elias said Friday that Rodriguez is completely recovered from his right lat strain and will enter spring training without restrictions, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Rodriguez missed the final two months of the regular season, as well as the playoffs, due to the injury, but he had resumed throwing off a mound by September and should have a normal offseason. The right-hander finished the 2024 campaign with a 3.86 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 130:36 K:BB over 116.2 innings covering 20 starts.

The Angels designated Thaiss for assignment Thursday, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Thaiss slashed .204/.323/.299 with 16 RBI across 186 plate appearances last year while serving as the primary backup to Logan O'Hoppe -- a role the newly signed Travis d'Arnaud is expected to fill. Thaiss may draw interest from other teams in need of depth at catcher, though no landing spot is likely to result in a starting job for the 29-year-old backstop.

The Red Sox signed Wilson to a one-year, $2.25 million contract Thursday, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.

He will have the ability to earn an additional $750,000 in incentives. After missing the 2023 season following Tommy John surgery, Wilson held a 5.59 ERA but a 51:13 K:BB across 46.2 frames for the Reds in 2024. The 37-year-old will give the Red Sox another lefty in the bullpen alongside Brennan Bernardino.

The Angels signed Newman to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with a $2.5 million club option for 2026 on Thursday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

The veteran infielder could be the current favorite to open next season at shortstop for the Angels if Zach Neto (shoulder) isn't ready. Newman slashed .278/.311/.375 with three homers and eight steals in 111 games for the Diamondbacks in 2024 and graded out as a plus-four in Outs Above Average at shortstop.

Twins bench coach Jayce Tingler indicated in a recent interview that the team is open to the possibility of moving Jax into the rotation, Mike Ferrin of MLB Network Radio reports.

Jax came up through the minors as a starting pitcher and made 14 starts for the Twins in 2021, posting a 6.10 ERA. He's since turned into a lockdown reliever, most recently collecting a 2.03 ERA and 95:15 K:BB over 71 innings this season. With a five-pitch mix and past starting experience, Jax would seem more equipped for a shift to the rotation than most relievers. The question is whether the uptick in stuff since his move to relief would translate back to a starting role.

The Twins re-signed Duarte (elbow) to a minor-league contract on Nov. 6.

Duarte was outrighted off the 40-man roster but will remain in the organization while he rehabs from UCL revision surgery. The righty reliever is expected to miss most of the 2025 season.

Okert signed a minor-league contract with the Astros on Nov. 5.

Okert appeared in 44 games for the Twins in 2024, putting up a 5.09 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across 35.1 innings -- his worst statistical season since 2017. The 33-year-old southpaw will have an opportunity to bounce back with the Astros organization, though he will likely need to redeem himself at Triple-A Sugar Land before getting a chance to pitch for Houston.

The Angels designated Zuniga for assignment Tuesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Travis d'Arnaud, who was signed to a two-year deal Tuesday. Zuniga, 26, posted a 5.09 ERA and 12:8 K:BB over 17.2 innings this season while notching a pair of saves.

The Angels signed d'Arnaud to a two-year, $12 million contract Tuesday.

Atlanta declined d'Arnaud's $8 million club option for 2025 last week, but the veteran catcher quickly found a multi-year pact with a new organization. It's not an ideal landing spot for fantasy since d'Arnaud will be second on the catching depth chart behind Logan O'Hoppe, but he could still play enough to be a viable option in deeper formats. D'Arnaud, who turns 36 in February, slashed .238/.302/.436 with 15 home runs over 99 regular-season games in 2024.

Franco (personal) is facing charges of illegal use and possession of a firearm related to his arrest in an altercation in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, Juan Recio of ESPN.com reports.

Franco is expected to be granted provisional release Tuesday, although terms of his bail have not yet been defined. The 23-year-old is on MLB administrative leave and is due to stand trial on Dec. 12 in the Dominican Republic involving charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. A concurrent investigation of Franco is being performed by MLB under its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.