MLB Player News

Ouch. Benintendi was plunked on the hand during Thursday’s contest against the Guardians. The 30-year-old outfielder said he was sore after the game, but precautionary X-rays revealed the unfortunate diagnosis. It’s unclear how the White Sox will plan to replace Benintendi in the middle of their lineup to begin the season. The injury certainly opens the door for Oscar Colas, Dominic Fletcher, Joey Gallo or Corey Julks to crack the Opening Day roster with a strong showing in Cactus League play.

Crow-Armstong (center field), Ian Happ (left field) and Nico Hoerner (second base) made it three Gold Glove winners for the Cubs. Also chosen were Logan Webb (pitcher), Patrick Bailey (catcher), Matt Olson (first base), Ke’Bryan Hayes (third base), Masyn Winn (shortstop), Fernando Tatis Jr. (right field) and Javier Sanoja (utilityman). Those seem like all of the right choices for the most part, though we’re once again seeing there’s just no reason for there to be a utilityman Gold Glove handed out every year.

Those two are joined by Steven Kwan in the outfield. Other AL winners include pitcher Max Fried, catcher Dillon Dingler, first baseman Ty France, second baseman Marcus Semien, third baseman Maikel Garcia, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and utilityman Mauricio Dubón. Semien getting the nod over Andrés Giménez seems like the biggest upset, though Giménez, who won the previous three years, did miss a bunch of time. Dingler over Alejandro Kirk also rates as a modest surprise.

Rojas said he received injections after arriving at the ballpark in the afternoon and additional painkillers before the first pitch. Of course, he suited up afterwards and ended up hitting a game-tying homer in the ninth inning. Had he not been able to go, the Dodgers were planning to activate Michael Conforto for the first time in the postseason.

McGonigle’s triple came off Red Sox top pitching prospect Luis Perales and drove in a pair of runs as he reached base safely in three of his five plate appearances. The 21-year-old hitting prodigy, who’s been taking defensive reps at third base on the fall circuit, will enter next season as one of the premier prospects in the entire fantasy landscape. He’s expected to arrive in Detroit for his big-league debut at some point next year after posting a stellar .991 OPS with 19 homers across three minor-league levels last season.

Alvarez registered five batted balls with exit velocities north of 99 mph in this one, including three that topped 104 mph. He’s collected 11 hits over his last seven games and is now batting .315 with a .964 OPS on the fall circuit. The 22-year-old will head to spring training competing for a spot on Atlanta’s bench as a versatile utility option, which could translate to some appeal in deeper NL-only formats.

No surprise here. King will test the open market this offseason in search of a long-term deal after receiving a $3.75 million buyout. The 30-year-old right-hander — who finished seventh in NL Cy Young Award balloting with San Diego in 2024 — was limited to 15 starts this past season due to shoulder and knee issues but still posted a strong 3.44 ERA and 76/26 K/BB ratio across 73 1/3 innings. He remains one of the more intriguing arms in this year’s free-agent class given how effective he’s been since transitioning to a full-time starter with the Yankees back in 2023.

Seabold heads to the open market after refusing an outright assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett following his removal from Atlanta’s 40-man roster at the conclusion of the regular season. The 29-year-old former pitching prospect recorded a serviceable 4.35 ERA across 10 1/3 innings over seven appearances this season in the big leagues.

With the Fall Classic in the rearview mirror and a compelling hot stove season rapidly approaching, the most fascinating question in baseball might be which executive is willing to take on the daunting challenge of running Colorado’s front office — and, in turn, conquering Coors Field. Forman, who has been with Cleveland’s front office since 2013, and Sawdaye, who joined Arizona in 2016, were believed to be the leading candidates for the Rockies’ top job after the club moved on from Bill Schmidt at the end of last season. But it’s possible the club will go back to the drawing board. It’s a less-than-ideal situation with free agency set to begin in short order.

Scherzer’s remarks came in the wake of Toronto’s heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Dodgers, which capped one of the most thrilling Fall Classics in recent memory. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer allowed one run over 4 1/3 innings in that contest and said afterward there’s “no way” that was his final pitch in the majors. He proved to be a true X-factor for the Blue Jays during their postseason run after injuries limited him to just 17 regular-season starts. While he’s unlikely to carry much fantasy value next year due to omnipresent physical concerns, his playoff experience, big-game moxie, and competitiveness should appeal to contenders seeking to fortify the back end of their rotation this offseason.

To say Yamamoto was deserving of the honor would be a massive understatement. The 27-year-old ace authored a 105-pitch complete-game masterpiece in Game 2 against Toronto, earning a crucial win that evened the best-of-seven series. He returned to the mound in Game 6 with the Dodgers facing elimination and delivered again, allowing just one run over six strong innings. Then, on zero days’ rest, Yamamoto recorded the final eight outs in Game 7 — twice pitching out of jams with a runner on third and less than two outs without surrendering a run. His legendary workhorse performance — throwing caution to the wind with a championship on the line — stands out even more in an era when pitchers’ workloads are so carefully managed He was the defining force in what will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest World Series ever played.