Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on Dec. 10 in an interview on MLB Network that Bart will enter 2025 as the favorite to start at catcher, The Bucco Beat reports.

The Pirates acquired Bart shortly after Opening Day and he eventually emerged as the team's primary catcher, slashing .265/.337/.462 with 13 home runs over 280 plate appearances. Endy Rodriguez will be back from elbow surgery and Henry Davis is still around, so Bart will have competition for playing time behind the plate, but he'll enter the season with a leg up for the starting job.

The Red Sox traded Valdez to the Pirates on Sunday in exchange for minor-league pitcher Joe Vogatsky.

Valdez was DFA'd by Boston on Wednesday, but he'll get a fresh start in the Pirates organization. Valdez slashed .214/.270/.363 with six home runs in 223 plate appearances in 2024 while primarily playing second base.

Atlanta signed De La Cruz on Sunday to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract.

De La Cruz began the 2024 season with Miami before being dealt to Pittsburgh at the deadline. The outfielder slashed .233/.271/.384 on the year with a career-high 21 home runs, 61 runs scored and 68 RBI. The soon-to-be 28-year-old will look to compete for a spot on Atlanta's regular-season roster.

Uribe (knee) is a candidate to earn save chances after Devin Williams was traded to the Yankees on Friday, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.

Uribe began the 2024 season as the closer for the Brewers with Williams on the injured list, though he lost the role in mid-April and didn't appear in the majors after May 1. His primary appeal in the ninth-inning role is his velocity, as he averages over 100 mph on his fastball. However, he has a 16.6 percent walk rate in 45 career innings in the majors, leaving Trevor Megill as seemingly the top option entering 2025.

Megill is a top candidate to pick up saves after Devin Williams was traded to the Yankees on Friday, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.

Megill served as Milwaukee's primary closer for much of 2024 due to a long stint on the injured list for Williams, and Megill had an excellent season, converting 21 of 24 save opportunities while maintaining a 2.72 ERA and 1.01 WHIP to go along with a 50:14 K:BB. Murphy also mentioned Abner Uribe (knee), who began the season as the primary ninth-inning option, as a candidate for saves.

Fulmer signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Friday and received an invitation to spring training, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Over a career-high 86.2 innings with the Angels last season, Fulmer logged a 4.15 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 37 appearances (eight starts). If the right-hander looks capable of offering similar ratios during spring training, he could have a decent shot at making the Pirates' Opening Day roster, though it's unclear if Pittsburgh will prefer to use him as a starter or out of the bullpen.

Kelly signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract with the Cubs on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Over 91 games between Detroit and Texas in 2024, Kelly slashed .238/.313/.374 with nine home runs and 37 RBI. While his numbers may not jump off the page, he'll still provide competition in spring training to Miguel Amaya, who managed just a .645 OPS last season.

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said Friday that Cortes has had a "fully healthy offseason" after dealing with a flexor strain in his left elbow down the stretch of this past season, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Arnold noted that the Brewers did extensive work on Cortes' medicals before acquiring him in the trade that sent Devin Williams to the Yankees, and the team is confident the southpaw is healthy. Cortes held a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 162:39 K:BB over a career-high 174.1 regular-season innings with the Yankees in 2024.

The Cubs acquired Tucker from the Astros on Friday in exchange for Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski and Cam Smith, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Whispers of Tucker being available surfaced just a few days ago, and a deal came together quickly. Tucker has blossomed into one of the game's best players, slashing .289/.408/.585 during an injury-shortened 2024 regular season. He will turn 28 in January and is slated to reach free agency next winter, but given the price they paid to acquire him, the Cubs will presumably attempt to lock him up with a long-term contract extension.

The Brewers acquired Cortes, Caleb Durbin and cash considerations from the Yankees on Friday in exchange for Devin Williams, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Cortes pitched well this past season when healthy, posting a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 162:39 K:BB. He ended the regular season on the injured list with a flexor strain but was able to come back to make two relief appearances during the World Series. The Brewers are presumably comfortable with his health status and will be counting on him as part of their rotation in 2025. Cortes is arbitration-eligible for a final time this winter.