MLB Player News

Flexen and the Cubs agreed on a minor-league contract Monday, pending a physical, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.

Flexen will join the Cubs organization after compiling a 4.95 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 123 strikeouts over 160 innings in 33 appearances, including 30 starts, with the White Sox in 2024. The right-hander will now have a chance to prove himself with the team at spring training.

Kepler (knee) faced live pitching Sunday and appears to be back to full health for spring training, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

While with the Twins last season, Kepler didn't play after Sept. 1 due to left patellar tendinitis as well as a sore hip, but neither injury is believed to have affected his offseason workouts. After hitting free agency in the winter, Kepler inked a one-year, $10 million deal with the Phillies and is likely to slot in as a strong-side platoon player in the corner outfield. The 31-year-old slashed .253/.302/.380 with eight home runs, 42 RBI and 43 runs over his 105 games with the Twins in 2024.

Beck is being considered the lead candidate to begin the 2025 season as the team's starting right fielder, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Saunders notes that the Rockies enter spring camp excited about Beck and the opportunity he has in front of him to take a step forward in 2025 after struggling to a .188 average with three home runs, 13 RBI, seven stolen bases and 14 runs during his rookie campaign (55 games). "We have some good, exciting talent coming up," said manager Bud Black. "Now it's a matter of when they pop." Beck is feeling confident in his ability to land the starting job, stating "I just need to go out there and play because I know what I can do. I can hit singles, I can hit doubles and I can hit homers. I can steal bases and I can play good defense. I don't think it has to be more complicated than that."

Perdomo agreed to a four-year, $45 million contract extension with the Diamondbacks on Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The club is getting a great deal on Perdomo's services in 2025 after agreeing to a $2.55 million contract to avoid arbitration. That number will jump to $5 million in 2026, $8 million in 2027, $11 million in 2028 and $13 million in 2029, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The 25-year-old shortstop is coming off the best season of his young big-league career, batting .273 with three home runs, 37 RBI, nine stolen bases on 10 attempts and 61 runs scored over 98 games. Perdomo's combination of strong shortstop defense and good plate skills (11.3 percent walk rate, .349 OBP over the last two years) allows him to provide more real-life value than fantasy value.

The Padres signed Gurriel to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Gurriel will make $1.25 million if he's in the majors, with an additional $1 million possible in incentives. The 40-year-old got into 18 regular-season games down the stretch with the Royals in 2024, putting up a .635 OPS with zero home runs. If he makes the team, Gurriel could potentially see some action at designated hitter, or at first base if the Padres use Luis Arraez at DH.

De La Cruz has tweaked his batting stance in hopes that it will help him cut down on strikeouts, Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard reports.

De La Cruz has opened up his stance a bit and is standing taller at the plate, with the goal of "being more in control with his forward movement," per Reds hitting coach Chris Valaika. The switch-hitting De La Cruz led the majors with 218 strikeouts in 2024, though he sported a respectable .259 average thanks to his quality of contact, speed and .359 BABIP. He could regress a bit in the average department in 2025 if he doesn't cut down on the swings and misses, but De La Cruz can still be elite in fantasy even if his average slips because he contributes so much elsewhere.

Abbott is a bit behind schedule at the start of spring training while he still works through the left shoulder strain that ended his 2024 season, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Abbott missed the final six weeks of last season and said he had "a few hiccups every now and then" with the shoulder during his offseason throwing program. Because of that, he and the Reds agreed it would be a good idea for the lefty to slow play things this spring. Abbott has been throwing bullpen sessions since the start of spring training, but he will need one or two more before being cleared to face hitters. It's uncertain when he might appear in his first Cactus League game. Abbott is competing for the final spot in the Reds' rotation.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed Monday that Montas has been diagnosed with a high-grade right lat strain and won't throw for the next 6-to-8 weeks, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Montas, who signed a two-year, $34 million deal with the Mets over the winter, will leave camp and head to New York to receive a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat the injury. For now, he appears set to avoid surgery, but since he's not projected to resume throwing until early April at the soonest and will need to complete his own version of spring training before being activated from the injured list, Montas looks poised to miss at least the first month of the season. With Montas sidelined, the Mets could have starting spots available for two of Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn (back) in their projected six-man rotation.

Marsee is recovering from a low-level right oblique strain, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Marsee is going through his rehab progression but it's not clear when he might be ready to participate in Grapefruit League games. The 23-year-old was acquired from the Padres last May in the Luis Arraez trade and is projected to begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Jacksonville.

Sanchez is recovering from right elbow inflammation, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Sanchez's hitting has continue uninterrupted and he is in the final stages of a throwing program, so it sounds like this is just a minor speed bump. The 27-year-old is projected to open the 2025 campaign as the Marlins' primary right fielder and should bat in the middle of the lineup.