MLB Player News
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Josh Bell DH | WAS
Nationals' Josh Bell: Returns to Washington
Bell signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Nationals on Sunday, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Bell will return to Washington, where he previously played in 2021 and part of 2022. The 32-year-old played in 145 games between the Marlins and Diamondbacks in 2024, batting .249 with 19 home runs, 71 RBI and 62 runs scored. With Nathaniel Lowe set to hold down first base with the Nationals this season, Bell will likely use his switch-hitting ability to operate as the team's primary designated hitter in 2025.
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Matt Mervis 1B | MIA
Marlins' Matt Mervis: Moved to Miami
The Marlins acquired Mervis from the Cubs on Sunday in exchange for utility man Vidal Brujan, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Following a breakout 2022 campaign in the minors, Mervis entered 2023 as one of the more highly regarded prospects in baseball thanks to his combination of power hitting and on-base skills, but the sheen has largely worn off over the past two seasons. Mervis struck out at a 31.5 percent clip and posted a meager .103 ISO over 127 plate appearances in the majors with the Cubs across the past pair of campaigns, and he didn't mash in the minors in 2024 like he had in the past either, slashing .235/.329/.434 in 81 games with Triple-A Iowa. Though he still had a minor-league option remaining, Mervis didn't seem to have much of a future in Chicago with Michael Busch and Seiya Suzuki entrenched at first base and designated hitter, respectively, but he should have a clearer path to playing time in Miami. Jonah Bride currently sits atop the organizational depth chart at first base, but Mervis' superior pop likely makes him a higher-upside option.
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Spencer Torkelson 1B | DET
Tigers' Spencer Torkelson: Role undetermined
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said Friday that Torkelson's role for 2025 is not yet defined, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
The Tigers have signed Gleyber Torres to play second base and will move Colt Keith to first base, leaving Torkelson without a clear path to playing time against right-handed pitching. He could be used in a short-side platoon with Keith at first base, but the Tigers dangling Torkelson in trade talks might be a likelier scenario. The former top prospect popped 31 home runs in 2023 but put up a .669 OPS in 2024 and spent a chunk of the season in the minors.
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Spencer Torkelson 1B | DET
Tigers' Spencer Torkelson: Could be out of starting job
Torkelson might be limited to a short-side platoon or reserve role following the Tigers' signing of Gleyber Torres, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Torres is expected to play second base for Detroit, and the feeling seems to be that Colt Keith is likelier to handle first base than third base, which would leave Torkelson without a spot in the lineup at least against right-handed pitching. Torkelson stumbled to a .669 OPS in the 2024 regular season and spent a chunk of the season in the minors. However, the former top prospect cranked 31 homers in 2023 and is still just 25, so he should have some trade value if the Tigers want to go that route.
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Mickey Gasper 1B | MIN
Twins' Mickey Gasper: Sent to Minnesota
The Twins acquired Gasper from the Red Sox in exchange for Jovani Moran on Tuesday.
Gasper played in his first 13 big-league games during 2024 but spent most of the year with Triple-A Worcester. The backstop slashed .367/.471/.592 with eight home runs and 36 RBI across 204 plate appearances in what was his best minor-league campaign yet. However, he went hitless over 23 plate appearances with the Red Sox while also logging four walks, one hit-by-pitch and one run.
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Nate Lowe 1B | BOS
Nationals' Nathaniel Lowe: Traded to Washington
The Nationals acquired Lowe from the Rangers on Sunday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Per Passan, the Rangers will receive left-handed reliever Robert Garcia in a 1-for-1 trade. Lowe played in 140 regular-season games for the Rangers in 2024 and finished with a slash line of .265/.361/.401 with 16 home runs and 69 RBI over 565 plate appearances. The trade provides a path for Jake Burger -- who was acquired by the Rangers from the Marlins on Dec. 10 -- to take over as the starting first baseman for the Rangers for the 2025 campaign.
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Carlos Santana 1B | CHC
Guardians' Carlos Santana: Returning to Cleveland
The Guardians signed Santana to a one-year, $12 million contract Saturday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Santana's signing came shortly after Cleveland traded Josh Naylor to Arizona for pitcher Slade Cecconi, so Santana appears set to take over as the starter at first base for the Guardians. The $12 million contract represents a nice pay raise for the veteran slugger, who joined Minnesota on a one-year, $5.25 million dollar deal last February and enjoyed a solid campaign with a .748 OPS -- his highest since 2019 -- while slugging 23 homers and notching 71 RBI over 594 plate appearances during the regular season. Santana is nearing the end of his career -- he'll turn 39 years old in April -- but should provide a decent amount of run production in the middle of Cleveland's lineup while serving as a bridge to the team's future.
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Josh Naylor 1B | SEA
Diamondbacks' Josh Naylor: Headed to Arizona
Naylor was traded from the Guardians to the Diamondbacks on Saturday in exchange for right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance Round B draft pick, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Arizona needed a first baseman after Christian Walker signed with Houston on Friday, and Naylor should be slated to fill an everyday role for his new team. The 27-year-old tallied career-best marks with 31 home runs, 108 RBI and 84 runs over 632 plate appearances during the 2024 regular season while slashing .243/.320/.456 over 632 plate appearances. Naylor's batting average was a big drop-off from 2023, when he hit .308, but he finished as one of 14 big leaguers with 30-plus homers and 100-plus RBI. Naylor is in his final season of team control and can be a free agent at the end of the 2025 campaign.
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Paul Goldschmidt 1B | NYY
Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt: Signs one-year deal
Goldschmidt signed a one-year, $12.5 million contract with the Yankees on Saturday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
The Yankees were left needing a first baseman after declining Anthony Rizzo's club option in November, and bringing in Goldschmidt will provide a short-term solution for 2025. The 37-year-old slashed .245/.302/.414 with 22 home runs, 65 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 154 games last year -- a sharp decline from his NL MVP campaign in 2022. That being said, fantasy managers may still be able to squeeze some value out of Goldschmidt, as he has rarely fallen short of the 20-homer mark in his 14-year career, and joining a lineup that also features Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger could boost his RBI and run totals.
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Eric Wagaman 1B | MIA
Marlins' Eric Wagaman: Signs on with Miami
The Marlins signed Wagaman to a one-year contract Friday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.
Wagaman was non-tendered by the Angels last month. The 27-year-old got a cup of coffee with the Halos in 2024, slashing .250/.270/.403 with two homers in 18 games with a .274/.339/.469 line and 17 home runs last year in the minors. Wagaman should have a pretty good chance to make the Opening Day roster as a utility player on a talent-deficient Marlins club.