MLB Player News

Fulmer is out for all of 2024 after underdoing UCL surgery, so the two-year deal will give him a chance to earn a spot in the Red Sox bullpen in 2025. The deal includes a $1.5 million major league salary in both years, provided he is able to work his way back and onto the 40-man roster. The deal also has incentives that can reach $2 million in 2025. Fulmer had a 4.42 ERA in 57 innings for the Cubs last season, but he bounced back really well after a poor start to the year. From June 1st on, he had a 2.45 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 33 innings. He has experience closing games and could fill spots vacated by Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin, who are not under contract for 2025.

The deal is official. Sugano has been one of Japan’s top starting pitchers for over a decade at this juncture and will finally make the leap to the major leagues after finishing last year with a sparkling 1.67 ERA and 111/16 K/BB across 156 2/3 innings. The 35-year-old righty doesn’t offer premium velocity, but boasts a six-pitch mix that is headlined by a deadly splitter. The lack of strikeout upside limits his fantasy appeal to deeper mixed leagues, but he should provide a serious lift in the ratio departments as a back-end rotation stabilizer for fantasy purposes. He’s a decent late-round target in deep mixers heading into next season.

Serven provides the Tigers with some extra organizational catching depth behind Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler until top prospects Thayron Liranzo and Josue Briceño are ready to reach the big leagues. The 29-year-old backstop got into 28 contests last year for the Blue Jays.

Sánchez fortifies Toronto’s catching situation heading into next season after getting into a career-high 31 contests last year for the Marlins, batting .167 (14-for-84) with two stolen bases. The 27-year-old backstop is merely emergency organizational depth behind Alejandro Kirk entering the 2025 campaign.

Young, 29, spent the first half of last year hitting .285/.411/.506 for the Cardinals’ Triple-A team before taking off for a brief stint in Korea and batting .326/.420/.660 in 38 games for Doosan. He’s come in at .210/.290/.435 in 69 major league plate appearances, all with the Cubs between 2022 and ’23. Young is limited defensively and works best at first base, though he has experience at third and in the outfield corners. He’s a nice fallback option as a first baseman or DH against righties, but the Mets should be able to do better on the Opening Day roster.

Nuñez augments Cleveland’s organizational catching depth with another veteran presence behind Bo Naylor, Austin Hedges and David Fry heading into next season. He could factor into their plans at some point as an emergency stopgap due to injury with Fry coming off elbow surgery that is expected to prevent him from catching next year. The 29-year-old backstop has gotten into 111 games at the highest level dating back to 2019. He posted a .669 OPS with two homers in 263 plate appearances last year at Triple-A Columbus.

Sauer will bolster Los Angeles’ relief depth heading into next season at Triple-A Oklahoma City.. The 25-year-old righty was selected by the Royals in the Rule 5 Draft prior to last season, but wound up being returned to the Yankees after struggling to a lackluster 7.71 ERA, 2.08 WHIP and 9/11 K/BB ratio across 16 1/3 innings (14 appearances) for Kansas City.

Duplantier had been with the Braves and Brewers in 2024 but will now head overseas to try to resurrect his professional career.

Schulfer, 28, split the 2024 season between the Tigers’ and Twins’ organizations where he compiled a 4.94 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and a 60/25 K/BB ratio over 54 2/3 innings. He’ll add bullpen depth in the upper minors for the Phillies.

The 28-year-old southpaw spent the 2024 season pitching in Japan and in the Dominican Winter League, compiling a 3.84 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and a 73/34 K/BB ratio across 61 innings. He’ll add an intriguing and talented arm as minor league bullpen depth for the Rockies.

The 27-year-old right-hander spent a pair of seasons in the Padres’ organization from 2022-2023 and even broke through and made his lone big league appearance with the Padres in 2023. He spent the 2024 season pitching in Japan for the Yakult Swallows, registering a 2.73 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a 63/24 K/BB ratio across 59 1/3 innings in 56 appearances out of the bullpen. He’ll compete for a spot in the Padres’ Opening Day bullpen.