MLB Player News

Delay is heading back to Indianapolis with Joey Bart activated off the injured list. The 29-year-old backstop will remain organizational depth available if needed if there’s another injury for Pittsburgh behind the plate.

“They had their numbers, I had my numbers,” he said. Barring a change of heart, Guerrero will head into free agency at season’s end. It could set up the possibility of a deadline deal, depending on where the Blue Jays are in the standings.

The 39-year-old Ottavino will try to make the club he pitched for in 2021, when he went 7-3 with a 4.21 ERA and 11 saves. He finished last year with a 4.34 ERA for the Mets, though that still came with a 29 percent strikeout rate. He was better in his first two seasons with the Mets, giving him with a 3.14 ERA over the last three years combined.

The deal is now official. Pivetta heads to pitcher-friendly Petco Park to help bolster San Diego’s starting rotation mix after spending the previous four-plus seasons with the Red Sox. The 32-year-old right-hander has always struggled a bit from a run-prevention standpoint, but his 22.9 strikeout minus walk percentage last year was the sixth-best mark among pitchers with at least 140 innings. His proven track record of consistently missing bats in tandem with a favorable home environment in the NL West make Pivetta a surefire top 60 starting pitcher for fantasy purposes entering the 2025 season.

Flexen heads to Cubs camp as emergency starting pitching depth after posting a serviceable 4.95 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 123/63 K/BB ratio across 160 innings (33 appearances, 30 starts) last year with the cross-town White Sox. The 30-year-old will battle for a spot in Chicago’s season-opening pitching mix but will most likely have to spend some time at Triple-A Iowa.

Passan adds that the deal begins next season and buys out up to three years of free agency. The two sides avoided an arbitration hearing last month by agreeing to a one-year, $2.55 million pact for 2025. The 25-year-old is an outstanding defensive shortstop and has batted .235/.327/.330 in 401 contests since 2021. The big question here for fantasy purposes is how much Perdomo sticking around in the desert will complicate top prospect Jordan Lawlar’s long-term outlook.

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports Gurriel will make $1.25 million if he’s in the majors. The 40-year-old veteran first baseman got into 18 contests last year for Kansas City and figures to have a decent shot at making San Diego’s season-opening lineup in a backup role behind Luis Arraez and Jake Cronenworth. He’ll compete in spring training with some combination of Jason Heyward, Connor Joe, Tirso Ornelas and Eguy Rosario for regular DH at-bats. There’s very little fantasy impact here, but his presence gives the Padres some insurance in case Ornelas isn’t ready for the big-league spotlight.

Avila heads overseas in an effort to bolster his long-term value after being removed last month from Cleveland’s 40-man roster. The 28-year-old righty was a durable workhorse last year for the Guardians, compiling a respectable 3.25 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 73/30 K/BB ratio across 74 2/3 innings (50 appearances). It’s possible he’ll convert back to a starting role overseas in Japan.

Barring a last-minute development, the Blue Jays and Guerrero won’t reach an agreement prior to the franchise cornerstone’s preferred report-date deadline prior to Tuesday’s first full-squad workout. The 25-year-old generational talent appears poised to hit free agency next offseason barring an unexpected reversal.

Kansas City also signed general manager J.J. Picollo to a contract extension through 2030. Quatraro finished second in AL Manager of the Year balloting last year after leading the Royals to 86 victories following a 56-win campaign the previous year.

Cáceres made two relief appearances for the Halos back in 2023 and missed all of last season due to a right lat strain. The 25-year-old righty will open the regular season back at Triple-A Salt Lake as extra organizational relief depth.