MLB Player News

Clemens is heading down to Triple-A as the corresponding transaction for Bryce Harper with Harper coming off the injured list Tuesday. Clemens will likely be up as a bench option again this summer, but nothing more.

The Cardinals had a deal in place a few weeks ago to send the veteran third baseman to the Astros, but Arenado utilized his no-trade clause and vetoed the deal. It’s unclear how strong the Red Sox’ interest is in acquiring Arenado, but if they do put a package together and work something out with the Cardinals, Arenado would not block the trade. The Red Sox would have to move Rafael Devers either to first base or to a full-time designated hitter role if acquiring Arenado, and it’s unclear if that’s something they are actually exploring.

Ragazzo notes that the Yankees called about Lux several weeks ago — before the Dodgers signed Hyeseong Kim to add to their infield mix. He also notes that the Mariners have been much more aggressive in their pursuit of Lux. The Dodgers haven’t publicly said that they’re listening to offers on Lux, but it seems like something has to give there after signing Kim to a three-year pact earlier in the week. Stay tuned.

The deal, which was announced before the new year, is now official. The 32-year-old slugger returns to the Nationals on an absolute bargain of a deal and should add switch-handed thump to the middle of a Nationals’ lineup that looks suddenly imposing. Expect Bell to see most of his action as the club’s designated hitter with Nathaniel Lowe entrenched as the regular first baseman. Bell looks like a nice bargain in early fantasy drafts, currently residing outside the top 350 overall.

The 29-year-old utilityman appeared in 78 games at the big-league level between the Blue Jays, Dodgers and Braves during the 2024 season, slashing a woeful .197/.314/.303 with five homers, 19 RBI, two stolen bases and a 72/24 K/BB ratio over 224 plate appearances. With a strong showing in the spring, he should have a good shot at cracking the Royals’ Opening Day roster in a reserve role.

The third base market as a whole is kind of at a standstill at the moment, waiting to see where Alex Bregman ultimately signs. Everyone else should fall in line afterwards. Moncada, 29, was limited to just 12 games with the White Sox during the 2024 season, slashing .276/.356/.400 with no homers, zero RBI, one stolen base and an 11/5 K/BB ratio in 45 plate appearances. Any fantasy value that he may have will ultimately be determined by where he winds up and how much playing time he’s slated for.

Quality over quantity would have been the better approach for the Orioles, but an upgrade is still an upgrade. The Morton signing knocked fifth-starter candidates Trevor Rogers, Albert Suárez and Cade Povich out of current rotation picture. Another addition would probably come at Dean Kremer’s expense, even though Kremer has gone 29-22 with a 3.85 ERA over the last three seasons. Of course, spring injuries could change things in a hurry.

The Orioles were known to have interest in a reunion as well, but Flaherty didn’t enjoy his time there and they moved on to sign Charlie Morton on Friday. The 29-year-old hurler is believed to be seeking a five-year contract worth north of $100 million. He turned his career around with a strong first half with the Tigers during the 2024 season before being dealt to the Dodgers in a deadline deal, so a return to Motown would seem to make a great deal of sense for both sides provided that owner Chris Ilitch is willing to open up his wallet.

That would leave the 23-year-old hurler 72 hours to make his final decision before his posting window expires on January 23. Romero also notes that the Padres, Dodgers and Giants are among the top contenders to sign Sasaki. It’s possible that other teams work their way into the mix as Sasaki and his team conduct further visits in mid-January, but for now those appear to be the front-runners.

The Orioles signed right-hander Charlie Morton to a one-year contract on Friday and had to clear a spot on their 40-man roster to do so. Unfortunately for Pinto, he was the odd man out this time around. The 28-year-old backstop is widely regarded as a strong defensive catcher, which could cause other teams to take a chance on him on waivers as a depth option.

The 41-year-old hurler took a while to make his decision to return for the 2025 and had a strong preference to pitch for a team that has its spring training in commuting distance of his family home in Bradenton, Florida, so the Orioles wound up being a perfect match. Morton registered an underwhelming 4.19 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and a 167/65 K/BB ratio over 165 1/3 innings in 30 starts during his final season with the Braves.