MLB Player News

Heaney needed to pitch four innings tonight to pick up a $1.5 million bonus, and the Rangers got him to the mark, even as he allowed seven runs over the first three innings. Compare that to the Pirates’ handling of Rowdy Tellez — over a $200,000 bonus! — and wonder why any free agent would ever take an offer from Pittsburgh over a similar deal from the Rangers. The Texas offense actually bailed Heaney out tonight, too, something that hardly ever happened in his previous 30 starts. He ends the year 5-14 with a 4.28 ERA.

No word yet on the financials of the deal, but it’s believed to be a non-guaranteed split contract. The 27-year-old hurler looked sharp in eight appearances with the Guardians in 2024, posting a 2.25 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and an 8/5 K/BB ratio across eight innings. He’ll add another weapon to the Braves’ middle relief corps.

The 27-year-old hurler was terrific in a limited sample for the Guardians during the 2024 season — posting a 2.25 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and an 8/5 K/BB ratio over his eight frames — so it’s not surprising that another team was willing to take a shot on him on a big-league pact after he was non-tendered. Expect him to function in a middle relief role for the Braves.

As previously reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN, the deal will run from 2025-2029 and include a club option for a sixth season. Edman will also receive a $17 million signing bonus and some of the money in the contract will be deferred. The versatile 29-year-old was a key cog in the Dodgers’ championship run in 2024 and now he’ll be a fixture for the foreseeable future. Expect that he’ll function in a super utility role once again in 2025, where his blend of power and speed make him an intriguing option at his current average draft position around pick-200 in early fantasy drafts.

There had been rumblings last week that the two sides were in talks about a long-term deal, so it’s not surprising to see them push it across the finish line. Passan notes that the contract will run from 2025-2029 and will also include a club option for the 2030 campaign. Edman will receive $17 million up front as a signing bonus and there will also be some deferred money in the contract.

The 23-year-old hurler spent his first seven minor league seasons in the Cardinals’ organization. In 2024, he registered a 4.24 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and a 35/14 K/BB ratio over 33 1/3 innings between High-A Peoria and Single-A Palm Beach. He’ll add organizational bullpen depth for the A’s.

That mutual option would be for $1.7 million. Davidson was sensational in his first year with the Dinos; hitting 306/.370/.633 in 131 games with 46 homers. The 33-year-old appears to have found his comfort zone, and he should be one of the most feared power hitters in the KBO again in 2025.

It’s a one-year, $1.5 million contract for the 34-year-old. Cuevas has been a solid pitcher in the KBO since joining in 2018, and he’ll spend at least one more year in Korea. At the age of 34, it’s plausible that he’ll remain overseas for the remainder of his career.

Brito, 32, has hit .302/.352/.491 with 63 homers in 409 games for the Kia Tigers over the last three years. He played in 99 MLB games from 2015-19, hitting .179/.216/.309 in 218 plate appearances for the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays.

The 24-year-old infielder — and cousin of Red Sox’ superstar Rafael Devers — spent the past seven seasons in the Marlins’ organization where he appeared in 24 games at the big-league level. He’ll add infield depth for the Braves, most likely at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Feinsand adds that the Orioles were in on the Blake Snell sweepstakes before the veteran lefty inked a five-year deal earlier this week with the Dodgers — who we’re never going to rule out as a potential landing spot for anyone these days — and would make sense as a trade partner for the White Sox given their cornucopia of prospect talent. Crochet cemented his status as an elite fantasy contributor with last season’s breakout campaign, leading all big-league starters with a staggering 35.1 percent strikeout rate across 146 innings (32 starts). It’s going to take a considerable haul to pry him away from the White Sox, but the Orioles and Red Sox make sense as logical destinations, especially if they come up empty in their pursuit of upper-echelon veteran free agent aces like Corbin Burnes and Max Fried.