MLB Player News

Imanaga is working on his pitch repertoire in spring training, including tweaking his sweeper and sinker grips and adding a cutter, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Chicago pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said the goal is to help Imanaga throw his sweeper from his "natural arm slot." With the sinker, they want to find a grip that helps the pitcher maintain velocity. Imanaga is also working to reintroduce a cutter after not throwing the pitch last season. The 32-year-old primarily used his four-seam fastball and splitter in 2025, and after a strong start to the year that resembled his stellar 2024 rookie campaign, he stumbled down the stretch to finish the regular season with a 3.73 ERA. Imanaga will aim to get back on track with his revamped pitch mix, and he makes for an intriguing fantasy option with some bounce-back appeal.

Castellanos signed a one-year, $780,000 contract with the Padres on Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Castellanos will receive the league minimum from the Padres while the Phillies pay him the remainder of the $20 million he's owed this season. The 33-year-old has spent time this offseason working out at first base, per Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com, and he is expected to see time there with the Padres while also bouncing around between the outfield and DH.

Canning (Achilles) signed a one-year contract with the Padres on Saturday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Canning was on his way toward having one of the best seasons of his MLB career in 2025, posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 76.1 innings before rupturing his left Achilles tendon in late June. It's unclear where the 29-year-old is in his rehab process, but when healthy, he will likely claim a spot in San Diego's rotation.

Gurriel (knee) is expected to split time between designated hitter and left field upon his return from a torn ACL, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports reports.

Gurriel showed up to camp Thursday, appearing to be ahead of schedule in his rehab, and was on the backfields Friday taking batting practice and shagging flyballs as normal. Although he told manager Torey Lovullo that he's aiming to return for Opening Day, the manager put the kibosh that notion. When Gurriel is ready to return, the plan calls for him to DH three-to-four times per week.

The Giants placed Foley (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Friday.

Foley made just five appearances for the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate last year before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in May. He isn't expected to be ready to pitch until midseason, so he'll begin the year on the 60-day IL to create roster space for Rowan Wick (elbow).

Gallen signed a one-year, $22.025 milion contract with the Diamondbacks on Friday, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

After not receiving the level of interest he might have expected on the open market, Gallen will officially return to the Diamondbacks for another season on a contract that will pay him the same amount as the qualifying offer he declined earlier this winter. The 30-year-old righty is coming off the worst season of his big-league career, as he finished 2025 with a 4.83 ERA and 1.26 WHIP while serving up 31 homers -- tied for fourth-most in MLB. He remains a reliable option from a health standpoint, however, making at least 31 starts in three of the past four years.

The Brewers signed Rengifo to a one-year contract Friday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Rengifo had a disappointing walk year with the Angels last season, slashing just .238/.287/.335 with nine home runs and 10 stolen bases over 147 contests. However, he hit a solid .273/.323/.431 across the three seasons prior to that and will turn just 29 later this month. Rengifo should be the new favorite to start at third base for Milwaukee, though he also offers the versatility to operate in a super-utility role, if that's what the club prefers.

The Cubs signed Miller to a two-year, $2.5 million contract Friday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Miller will finish his Tommy John and flexor surgery rehab with the Cubs in 2026 before joining their bullpen in 2027. The right-hander will be 36 at that point, but he was excellent in 2025 between the Diamondbacks and Brewers before getting injured, posting a 2.74 ERA and 54:15 K:BB over 46 frames while notching 10 saves.

Alvarez said Friday that he lost 8-to-10 pounds this offseason after changing his diet, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.

Alvarez also added that he worked with director of hitting Jeff Albert in the offseason and plans to keep the batting stance he used down the stretch last season. The young catcher was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse for a while after struggling, and when he returned he went back to his old stance and slashed .276/.360/.561 with eight home runs in his final 40 games. Still just 24, Alvarez is a viable candidate to take a step forward in 2026. He underwent right thumb UCL surgery after the season but reported to spring training at full health.

Wick, who underwent Tommy John surgery in November, agreed to a one-year contract with the Giants on Friday that includes a club option for 2027, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

The right-hander last pitched stateside at the Triple-A level in 2023 and had a 4.22 ERA across 64 appearances for the Cubs during the prior season, and he spent the past two years with the Yokohama Bay Stars of Nippon Professional Baseball. Wick pitched to a 1.13 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 58:13 K:BB across 47.2 innings last year in Japan, but he won't be available in 2026 while he rehabs from surgery.