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This definitely lengthens the Rangers’ lineup, giving the team another 30-homer threat and one making essentially the major league minimum for one more year. Burger is 28 and it’s certainly questionable how well he’ll age, but at this price, it looks like a great move for Texas. It also adds a great deal to Burger’s fantasy value. At the moment, it’d seem to take Josh Smith out of the Rangers’ projected lineup, but he’ll still get plenty of time as a utilityman. There’s some chance the Rangers could opt to trade Nathaniel Lowe, who is due close to $10 million in arbitration.

Muñoz, 24, will open the season in Triple-A with the Stripers, but the 24-year-old could be a middle-inning option at some point before the 2025 season comes to a conclusion.

Gonzalez was added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft in November, but the right-hander was never likely to break camp with Atlanta. He could help the bullpen at some point this summer.

Passan notes that the deal also includes a team option for an eighth year, so effectively the deal buys out his arbitration years and his first three years of free agency. The deal is pending a physical. It’s certainly well-deserved after a breakout 2024 season in which Butler slashed .262/.317/.490 with 22 homers, 57 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 125 games with the A’s. The dynamic 24-year-old has jumped inside the top 75 players overall in recent fantasy drafts.

Hampson got the Diamondbacks on the board with a game-tying two-run single off of Jhonathan Díaz in the second inning. He then scampered home later in the inning as Josh Naylor was caught stealing second base. The versatile 30-year-old is off to a nice start in his bid to land a spot on the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day bench, hitting .316 (6-for-19) with four RBI and a stolen base.

The 36-year-old right-hander also walked a pair of batters in the ballgame while striking out three. Despite the parade of baserunners against him, the only damage came on a two-run single by Samad Taylor in the second inning. Kelly has had mixed results through his first two spring starts, posting a 4.15 ERA, 1.85 WHIP and a 5/3 K/BB ratio across 4 1/3 innings.

Taylor opened the score in the ballgame with a two-run single off of Merrill Kelly in the second inning. He has made a strong impression so far in his bid to land a bench spot on the M’s Opening Day roster, hitting ,.400 (6-for-15) with a homer, seven RBI and three stolen bases in Cactus League play.

On the plus side, the left-hander did manage to record four strikeouts on the evening while allowing just one walk. All of the damage against him was done in the second inning, as Garrett Hampson and Josh Naylor delivered run-scoring singles and Hampson also scampered home while Naylor was caught stealing second base. It has been a rough spring overall for Díaz who now holds an uninspiring 10.80 ERA and 2.40 WHIP over his 6 2/3 innings.

Garver victimized Connor Brogdon in the sixth inning of this one, jumping on a first pitch fastball and crushing it for a 358-foot (106.1 mph EV) two-run shot that gave the Mariners a 4-2 lead. That would be his only hit in three trips to the plate in the ballgame. For the spring, Garver is hitting .400 (6-for-15) with a pair of long balls and three RBI.

Woo allowed just one hit and one walk on the evening. He struck out the side in order in the first inning — Taylor Ward and Christian Moore on swinging third strikes, then Ryan Noda on a called third. He struck out the side again in the second inning, though it was sandwiched around a double and an error that time. The 25-year-old right-hander got a whopping 10 swings and misses on 37 pitches in the ballgame — six on his fastball — while posting an absolutely absurd 54 percent CSW. As long as he’s able to avoid the injured list, Woo is going to deliver fantasy managers a substantial profit in 2025.

Paris delivered a clutch bases-clearing double in the seventh inning that gave the Angels a 5-4 lead. That would wind up being the extent of their scoring in the ballgame though. What’s interesting is that Paris saw work in center field in this one, indicating that the Angels think he could be an option to play out there if Mickey Moniak struggles to start the season.