MLB Player News
-
Liover Peguero SS | PIT
Pirates' Liover Peguero: Waived by Buccos
The Pirates placed Peguero on outright waivers Tuesday, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
Peguero will lose his place on the 40-man roster after appearing in just 33 MLB games in 2025, during which he slashed .200/.273/.363 over 88 plate appearances. If the 24-year-old passes through waivers unclaimed, he will most likely begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Indianapolis.
-
Salvador Perez C | KC
Royals' Salvador Perez: Inks two-year extension
Perez signed a two-year, $25 million contract extension with the Royals on Tuesday.
Perez had a $13.5 million team option for 2026, but his new deal will slightly decrease his AAV while ensuring the veteran backstop remains in Kansas City through 2027. Perez's .236 batting average from 2025 was the second-lowest mark of his 15-year MLB career, but he also finished the season with 30 homers for the first time since 2021 and 100 RBI for the third time in five years.
-
William Contreras C | MIL
Brewers' William Contreras: Undergoes finger procedure
Contreras underwent a minor procedure on his fractured left middle finger Tuesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
General manager Matt Arnold said Contreras is roughly 5-to-6 weeks away from resuming baseball activity, so his surgery isn't expected to affect Contreras' availability for the start of the 2026 season. The 27-year-old backstop also had his $12 million club option declined Tuesday after posting a .754 OPS in the regular season -- his worst as a Brewer. However, he will remain under team control as an arbitration-eligible player.
-
Harrison Bader CF | PHI
Harrison Bader: Declines mutual option
Bader (groin) declined his $10 million mutual option for 2026 on Tuesday and became a free agent, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Bader slashed .305/.361/.463 with five homers, 16 RBI and 30 runs scored across 194 plate appearances in the regular season after being traded to Philadelphia at the deadline. The Phillies have already expressed interest in re-signing the 31-year-old outfielder, per Zolecki, but before they have a chance to contend for his services, they will first need to pay Bader a $1.5 million buyout.
-
Ji-Hwan Bae 2B | NYM
Pirates' Ji Hwan Bae: Waived by Pirates
The Pirates placed Bae on waivers Tuesday, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
Bae spent nearly all of 2025 at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he slashed .292/.380/.424 with 21 RBI, 55 runs scored and 23 steals over 67 games. Any club interested in adding the 26-year-old to its 40-man roster will now have the opportunity to do so; otherwise, Bae will most likely report to Indianapolis to begin the 2026 campaign.
-
Ozzie Albies 2B | ATL
Braves' Ozzie Albies: Club picking up option
President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Tuesday that Atlanta will pick up Albies' (hand) $7 million club option for 2026, Mark Zinno of 92.9 The Game reports.
Albies endured one of the worst offensive seasons of his career in 2025, slashing just .240/.306/.365 with 16 homers, 74 RBI and 14 stolen bases across 667 plate appearances. He also suffered a fracture in his left hand toward the end of the season. Despite the infielder's hardships, Atlanta will stand pat with its commitment to Albies at the keystone rather than pay him the $4 million buyout he would have been owed.
-
Pedro Leon OF | PHI
Astros' Pedro Leon: Waived by Astros
The Astros placed Leon (knee) on outright waivers Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Leon spent all of 2025 on the injured list while battling knee problems, though he managed to slash .241/.312/.422 over 94 Triple-A plate appearances across multiple rehab assignments. He may be fully healthy by the time the 2026 season starts, but he will most likely remain in the minor leagues as organizational depth.
-
Luis Garcia SP | HOU
Astros' Luis Garcia: Placed on outright waivers
The Astros placed Garcia (elbow) on outright waivers Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Garcia has already been ruled out for the entire 2026 campaign -- his final year of team control -- after undergoing surgery to repair the UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow in October. Having pitched just 34.2 innings over the past three seasons, the injury-prone right-hander is unlikely to be claimed by another club.
-
Kenedy Corona CF | HOU
Astros' Kenedy Corona: Waived by Houston
The Astros placed Corona on outright waivers Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Corona spent the vast majority of his time at Triple-A Sugar Land in 2025, finishing the season with a .220/.308/.326 slash line through 433 plate appearances. If he clears waivers, he will most likely return to Sugar Land and begin the 2026 season as organizational outfield depth.
-
John Rooney RP | HOU
Astros' John Rooney: Placed on waivers
The Astros placed Rooney (elbow) on outright waivers Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Rooney made his MLB debut in 2025, giving up one run and striking out two batters over 1.1 innings against the Orioles on Aug. 24. All of his other appearances came in Triple-A, where he finished the season with a 2.56 ERA and 1.19 WHIP through 38.2 frames. His year was cut short in September by elbow surgery, and it remains unknown whether he'll be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign.