MLB Player News

Difo will test the free agent waters after refusing an outright assignment to Triple-A Reno. The 30-year-old infielder went unclaimed on waivers last week after being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks. He got into three games earlier this month for Arizona, going hitless in six at-bats.

Katoh was a second-round pick of the Yankees in 2013, and he briefly surfaced in the majors with the Blue Jays in 2022, collecting a double and walking three times in 11 plate appearances. He signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters after that season, but after not experiencing much success in Japan, he’s chosen to call it a career at age 30.

This was likely an easy one, as Rojas was a .283 hitter with a .748 OPS over 103 games while playing quality defense up the middle. Even if Rojas is more of a utility player than someone who is in the lineup every single day — probably somewhere in-between — that makes his $5 million salary for 2025 a pittance.

Robertson is now a free agent. The 39-year-old was a solid part of the Texas bullpen with a 3.00 ERA over 68 appearances and a 99/27 K/BB across 72 innings. He should see interest on a short-term deal from a variety of bullpen-needy clubs.

A no-brainer of sorts, even with the Dodgers having some young talent at the catching position in the minors that could help in 2025. Barnes got on at a .331 clip, and while there’s no power in his bat as seen in one total homer and a .307 slugging mark, his work with the pitching staff is well worth that contract and then some as the backup to Will Smith.

They’re facing a Sunday deadline to make the call. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden also has a Yankees source indicating that the team will likely retain Cole. The Yankees would be paying $180 million for Cole’s next five seasons through age 38. It’d be an easy call if not for the 34-year-old’s elbow injury last season. As is, it’s pretty risky. Still, Cole was the AL Cy Young winner in 2023, and his stuff looked plenty good in the playoffs last month.

Gonzalez, 25, gets a 40-man spot after striking out 83 and posting a 2.91 ERA in 52 2/3 innings as a reliever between Double- and Triple-A last season. He’ll likely open next season back in Triple-A, but he’ll get a look in spring training.

It was reported last month that the Braves would exercise their $7.25 million option on Bummer, but he’s instead getting a new deal that pays him $3.5 million next season and $9.5 million in 2026. Bummer had a 3.58 ERA over 55 1/3 innings in his first season with the Braves.

The Braves say López will make $8 million next season, $14 million in 2026 and $8 million in 2027. This replaces the deal López signed last winter, which was set to pay him $11 million next season, $11 million in 2026 and then either an $8 million option or a $4 million buyout in 2027. So, it appears that López is getting an extra $4 million here after a very promising return to the rotation last season.

The mutual option was always meant to be declined and just a matter of pushing 2024 dollars back to 2025. Sánchez gets a $4 million buyout on top of his $3 million salary from last season. The 31-year-old faltered at the end of the year to finish with a .220/.307/.398 line in 280 plate appearances.

Miller, who turns 28 this month, was a non-factor last season, going 5-for-27 in 14 games for the Brewers. The utilityman is a lifetime .239/.287/.345 hitter in 294 major league games dating back to 2021, and he’ll probably compete for a bench job in spring training.