MLB Player News

Chavis (oblique) said he feels good and is pleased with where his swing is at as he prepares for spring training, Stephen Hewitt of the Boston Herald reports.

Chavis was in town to accept the Red Sox's rookie of the year award from the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. In 2019, the 24-year-old infielder split most of his time between second base and first base, two positions without a current full-time starter in place. It's likely he sees time at each position, and he should see an increase in plate appearances in 2020.

Kemp was traded from the Cubs to the Athletics for minor-leaguer Alfonso Rivas on Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Kemp filled a bench role for the Astros and Cubs last season but didn't do much at the plate, hitting .212/.291/.380 in 279 plate appearances. With the ability to play second base and all three outfield positions, Kemp should be a useful bench piece for the always-creative Athletics this season, but he's unlikely to play enough to be much of a fantasy asset or to hit well enough if he does get unexpected time.

Haggerty was claimed off waivers by the Mariners on Friday, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

He was cut loose by the Mets earlier in the week. Haggerty will compete in spring training for a bench role with the rebuilding Mariners. Seattle's 40-man roster is now full.

Semien agreed to a one-year, $13 million deal with the A's on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

This is his third and final year as an arbitration-eligible player before heading to free agency. He will be Oakland's second-highest paid player, behind Khris Davis ($16.75 million in 2020).

Drury signed a one-year, $2.05 million contract with the Blue Jays on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

The 27-year-old had a subpar season at the plate last season as he slashed .218/.262/.380 with 15 home runs over 120 games with the Blue Jays. Although his production in 2019 was discouraging, Drury's defensive versatility allows him to see a fair share of playing time.

Merrifield will likely take over as the Royals' primary center fielder in 2020, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

The Royals signed Maikel Franco on Thursday, so Hunter Dozier is likely to transition to a role in right field with Merrifield taking over the duties in center field. The 30-year-old's defensive versatility will also likely allow him to shift to different positions during the season if injuries should occur.

The Red Sox selected Arauz with the 10th pick of the Rule 5 draft.

Of all the prospects taken in the Rule 5 draft, Arauz has been on the prospect radar the longest. A 21-year-old infielder who saw time at shortstop, second base and third base last year in the Astros' organization, Arauz held his own in a repeat trip to High-A (107 wRC+), but he was less successful after getting the bump to Double-A (.241/.311/.389, 97 wRC+). His defensive versatility likely appealed to the Red Sox, but he will have to impress in spring training or he will probably be offered back to Houston.

Edwards was traded from the Padres to the Rays on Thursday along with Hunter Renfroe in exchange for Tommy Pham, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Prospect Jake Cronenworth was later reported to be included with Pham in the move to the Padres.

Edwards finished the 2019 season with High-A Lake Elsinore, slashing .301/.349/.367 with 13 RBI and 14 stolen bases over 46 contests. Though he's not a threat to leave the yard, his speed and ability to hit for average earned him the No. 5 spot in the Padres' farm system, according to MLB Pipeline. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Edwards begin the year at Double-A Montgomery.

Herrera signed a minor-league contract with the Orioles on Thursday, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports.

Herrera spent 2019 with Triple-A Syracuse, but he opted out of his deal in September after recording a .831 OPS with 24 home runs over 117 games. The 25-year-old has appeared in the majors in three seasons, but he has failed to make much of an impact during his opportunities. If he has success in the Orioles' minor-league system, it wouldn't be surprising to see Herrera spend some time with the major-league club in 2020.

Polanco underwent surgery Nov. 22 to address a right ankle impingement and is expected to resume baseball activities in six weeks, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

The recovery timeline should allow Polanco to return to full health by the time spring training arrives. According to Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com, Polanco will be confined to a walking boot for the next couple weeks before resuming strengthening work for the ankle, which had been a chronic concern for the 26-year-old. The ankle issue never forced Polanco to miss any action in 2019, as he suited up for a career-high 153 games and slashed an impressive .2925/.356/.485 en route to earning his first All-Star nod.