MLB Player News
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Brice Matthews SS | HOU
Astros' Brice Matthews: To play some outfield in 2026
Matthews is still viewed as a second baseman long term, but he'll also play in the outfield in 2026, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
"He's going to get some run in the outfield, but second base is still going to be his main position," general manager Dana Brown said. "We project he'll turn the corner with the bat and get maybe some run in the outfield a little bit, as well." Matthews is situated as a backup option at shortstop and second base, and he would need an injury to Jeremy Pena or Jose Altuve to see significant work in the middle infield in 2026. The Astros probably aren't done making moves this offseason either and could add more outfield options, but Brown and manager Joe Espada were complimentary about Matthews' potential in the short term and long term. Matthews is a great athlete with plus speed and above-average raw power. He slashed .260/.371/.458 with 17 home runs, 41 steals and a 27.9 percent strikeout rate in 112 games in the Pacific Coast League. A .167 BABIP and 42.6 percent strikeout rate led to a .167 batting average and .222 on-base percentage in the majors, but he showed off his tools with four home runs and one steal in 13 games.
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Lyon Richardson SP | CIN
Reds' Lyon Richardson: Pushed off 40-man
The Reds designated Richardson for assignment Saturday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Following the Reds' acquisition of outfielder Dane Myers (knee) from Miami on Saturday, Richardson will end up as the roster casualty necessary to create space on the 40-man. The 25-year-old reliever finished 2025 with a 4.54 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 30:21 K:BB across 37.2 regular-season innings. However, his 4.06 FIP indicates that he performed slightly better than what his base stats suggest, and there's a chance another team in need of bullpen depth claims the right-hander off waivers.
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Ethan O'Donnell CF | MIA
Marlins' Ethan O'Donnell: Sent to Miami
The Reds traded O'Donnell to the Marlins on Saturday in exchange for Dane Myers (knee).
O'Donnell spent the entire 2025 campaign with the Reds' Double-A affiliate and struggled to the tune of a .235/.326/.325 slash line across 503 plate appearances. The 23-year-old will likely report to Double-A Pensacola upon joining his new organization and aim to reach Triple-A Jacksonville by the end of 2026.
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Dane Myers CF | CIN
Reds' Dane Myers: Traded to Reds
The Marlins traded Myers (knee) to the Reds on Saturday in exchange for Ethan O'Donnell.
After signing JJ Bleday to a one-year deal earlier Saturday, the Reds will continue to bolster their outfield unit by bringing in Myers. The 29-year-old received his first extended look in the majors in 2025 and slashed .235/.291/.326 with six homers, 31 RBI, 29 runs scored and 18 steals across 333 plate appearances. His right-handed bat and career .816 OPS against southpaws may enable him to work in the short side of a platoon in the Reds' outfield. Otherwise, he'll provide depth to the big-league bench or head down to Triple-A Louisville.
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Hunter Harvey RP | CHC
Cubs' Hunter Harvey: Signs with Cubs
Harvey (groin) signed a one-year contract with the Cubs on Saturday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
Shoulder and adductor injuries limited Harvey to just 12 appearances with the Royals this past season, during which he struck out 11 batters and walked one over 10.2 shutout innings. The 31-year-old righty boasts a 3.11 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across his big-league career and will likely see action in high-leverage spots with the Cubs, though he doesn't project to take many save chances away from Daniel Palencia.
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Keegan Thompson RP | COL
Reds' Keegan Thompson: Designated for assignment
The Reds designated Thompson for assignment Saturday.
Thompson signed a major-league contract with the Reds in November, but he'll now be kicked off the 40-man roster to make room for JJ Bleday. The 30-year-old Thompson owns a 3.64 ERA across his MLB career but spent the entire 2025 campaign with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 4.43 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over 65 innings.
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J.J. Bleday LF | CIN
Reds' JJ Bleday: Headed to Cincy
Bleday signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Reds on Saturday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Bleday was let go by the Athletics earlier this offseason after slashing .212/.294/.404 with 14 homers, 39 RBI and 48 RBI across 344 MLB plate appearances in 2025. The 28-year-old slugger will provide the Reds with another left-handed bat in the outfield alongside Will Benson and TJ Friedl, but there's no guarantee that Bleday will get to start regularly against right-handed pitchers.
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Ricky Tiedemann SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Ricky Tiedemann: Expected to be fully healthy for ST
Tiedemann (elbow) is expected to be fully healthy in time for camp, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Tiedemann missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July of 2024, and he has totaled just 140 innings in the minors since being drafted by Toronto in 2021. Despite that, it was still an easy call for the Blue Jays to add Tiedemann to the 40-man roster in November for Rule 5 protection. While the hard-throwing lefty has flashed high upside and is close to full health, Tiedemann is highly unlikely to handle a big workload in 2026 given all the missed time. "Hopefully he's a factor for us in our rotation," GM Ross Atkins said. "That's the plan, but we would be open to him impacting the team in a bulk role or some creative way, depending on how things are going."
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Tyler Soderstrom C | ATH
Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Inks $86 million contract extension
The Athletics signed Soderstrom to a seven-year, $86 million contract extension Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. The deal includes a club option for 2033.
The deal buys out at least three free-agent years and can max out at $131 million if Soderstrom reaches all of the escalators in the contract. Soderstrom broke out in 2025 in his first full major-league season, slashing .276/.346/.474 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI. He also learned to play left field on the fly and took to it surprisingly well, finishing as a Gold Glove finalist. Soderstrom will be only 31 in the final year of the contract if the Athletics pick up his option, so it's a deal that is likely to be very team-friendly if he continues his upward trajectory.
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Owen White RP | CHW
Owen White: Headed to KBO
White signed a one-year contract with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization on Wednesday, Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net reports.
White has struggled during his brief stints in the big leagues, allowing 20 earned runs over just 14 innings in his MLB career. He fared a bit better at Triple-A Charlotte in 2025, posting a 4.44 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over 81 frames, and he'll now aim to further hone his craft overseas.