MLB Player News
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Ryan Pepiot RP | TB
Rays' Ryan Pepiot: Avoids arbitration with Rays
Pepiot agreed to a one-year, $3.025 million contract with the Rays on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Pepiot made a career-high 31 starts for the Rays in 2025 but finished the season with a career-worst 3.86 ERA over 167.2 innings, largely due to his allowing 26 homers. The 28-year-old righty will receive a $2.25 million raise from Tampa Bay during his first year of arbitration eligibility and projects to be one of the top starters in the Rays' rotation in 2026.
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Tyler Wells SP | BAL
Orioles' Tyler Wells: Nets $2.45 million for 2026
Wells agreed to a one-year, $2.45 million contract with the Orioles on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
The right-hander made his season debut for the Orioles late in 2025 after recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the injury limited his earning potential while heading into his third year of arbitration eligibility. Wells posted a 2.91 ERA over four starts in September and had a 3.64 ERA across 118.2 innings during his last full season in 2023. He's expected to enter spring training as a starter but isn't guaranteed to crack the rotation with the Orioles trading for Shane Baz and signing Zach Eflin (back) this winter. Even if Wells does earn a starting spot, he'll likely have some workload limitations in 2026 while coming off two mostly lost seasons.
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Casey Mize SP | DET
Tigers' Casey Mize: Avoids arbitration
Mize agreed to a one-year, $6.15 million contract with the Tigers on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
The right-hander was a reliable rotation piece for Detroit in 2025, making 28 regular-season starts with a 3.87 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 139:36 K:BB across 149 innings. He doubled his previous career high with 14 wins and should be a key starter for the Tigers again in 2026.
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Jake Meyers CF | HOU
Astros' Jake Meyers: Settles at $3.55 million
Meyers agreed to a one-year, $3.55 million contract with the Astros on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Meyers' batting average jumped up from .219 in the 2024 regular season to .292 in 2025, although a calf strain forced him to miss two months and limited him to just three homers, 24 RBI, 53 runs scored and 16 steals in 104 games. The 30-year-old's increased efficiency will grant him a $1.25 million raise for the 2026 campaign, and he'll likely open the year as Houston's everyday center fielder.
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Jeremy Pena SS | HOU
Astros' Jeremy Pena: Secures $9.475 million deal
Pena agreed to a one-year, $9.475 million contract with the Astros on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Pena was a reliable shortstop across his first three MLB campaigns, but his breakout in 2025 will more than double his salary in his second year of arbitration eligibility. The 28-year-old posted a career-best .304/.363/.477 slash line with 17 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 62 RBI and 68 runs in 125 games. He missed the final week of the season due to an oblique injury and was also sidelined by a rib issue earlier in the year, but he should be healthy to begin 2026.
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Daniel Lynch SP | KC
Royals' Daniel Lynch: Gets $1.025 million from Royals
Lynch agreed to a one-year, $1.025 million contract with the Royals on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Lynch finished the 2025 campaign with a 3.06 ERA across 67.2 innings, although his 4.75 FIP indicates he may have been fortunate to get those results. He'll pick up a slight raise for 2026 and figures to continue working in a multi-inning relief role for the Royals.
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Zach McKinstry 3B | DET
Tigers' Zach McKinstry: Reaches deal with Tigers
McKinstry agreed to a one-year, $4.2 million contract with the Tigers on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
McKinstry took a massive step forward at the plate in 2025, finishing the year with a .259/.333/.438 slash line alongside 12 homers, 49 RBI, 68 runs scored and 19 stolen bases across 511 regular-season plate appearances. He doesn't seem to have a clear path to playing time at any one position in 2026, though he should still be able to crack the starting nine with some regularity thanks to his defensive versatility.
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Camilo Doval RP | NYY
Yankees' Camilo Doval: Reaches deal with Yankees
Doval agreed to a one-year, $6.1 million contract with the Yankees on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports.
After a disappointing 2024 campaign, Doval bounced back over 69 regular-season appearances between the Giants and Yankees last year, finishing with a 3.58 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 72:35 K:BB in 65.1 innings while recording 16 saves and 10 holds. The right-hander is likely to open 2026 as New York's top setup man ahead of closer David Bednar.
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Richard Palacios LF | TB
Rays' Richie Palacios: Settles with Rays
Palacios signed a one-year, $945,000 contract with the Rays on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Palacios appeared in just 17 games for the Rays in 2025 due to finger, knee and hamstring injuries, but he made the most of his limited opportunities, slashing .333/.396/.452 with three RBI, 10 runs scored and four stolen bases over 48 plate appearances. The 28-year-old utility man could begin to see regular time at second base in 2026 now that Brandon Lowe is in Pittsburgh, which would grant Palacios more opportunities to show off his baserunning skills.
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Steven Wilson RP | TB
Rays' Steven Wilson: Receives $1.52 million from TB
Wilson signed a one-year, $1.52 million contract with the Rays on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Wilson joined the Rays in November via trade and will now receive a $570,000 raise from his new club after posting a 3.42 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 55.1 innings with the White Sox in 2025. Although he made several appearances in high-leverage situations with Chicago, the 31-year-old righty will likely be relegated to a middle-relief role in the Rays' bullpen this upcoming season.