MLB Player News

Renda cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville on Monday.

Renda hopped up to the big leagues for a pair of stints late last season, but his defensive versatility and advanced eye at the plate weren't enough to overcome the .183 batting average he put up in 60 at-bats in Cincinnati, leading the Reds to cast him off the 40-man roster. Renda does possess a bit of speed and got on base at a .363 clip in the minors last season, but he projects as little more than organizational depth moving forward.

Marte was traded along with Taijuan Walker to the Diamondbacks as part of a five-player trade Wednesday night.

Marte likely won't provide the Diamondbacks with flashy numbers at the plate, but he did steal double-digit bases in 119 games with the Mariners last season and hit .259/.287/.323. The Diamondbacks don't have any studs in the middle infield, so Marte could see some playing time with Jean Segura's departure opening up second base in a more hitter-friendly environment.

Joseph signed a minor league contract with the Nationals on Sunday, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports.

Joseph, who was formerly a member of the Orioles organization, put together a great year at Triple-A Norfolk in 2016. Over 85 games he posted a .305 batting average to go along with a .797 OPS. However, with Daniel Murphy leading the charge at second base for Washington, Joseph is likely to spend the bulk of his time at Triple-A Syracuse.

Alvarez was added to the Cardinals' 40-man roster Friday.

Alvarez hasn't advanced past the Low-A level but with five professional seasons now under his belt, he had to be added to the 40-man or else exposed to the Rule 5 draft. The 22-year-old hit .323/.404/.476 from the left side with Peoria in 2016, adding 36 steals in 51 attempts.

Rosario was added to the Mets' 40-man roster on Friday, ESPN's Adam Rubin reports.

In one of the least shocking moves of the day, the Mets will protect their top prospect from the Rule 5 draft. After a breakout 2016 campaign, Rosario established himself as one of the best shortstop prospects in the game. With Asdrubal Cabrera under contract for one more year and Neil Walker accepting the team's qualifying offer this fall, the middle infield spots are spoken for this season. Barring an injury or underperformance on the part of Cabrera, Rosario should spend most of 2017 at Triple-A.

Sweeney was traded to the Dodgers on Friday along with Darin Ruf in exchange for Howie Kendrick.

The 25-year-old will return to the Dodgers, with whom he spent most of his first four professional seasons after being drafted in the 13th round in 2012. Sweeney mostly struggled at the Triple-A level in 2016, batting .233/.299/.345 with a strikeout rate north of 22 percent. However, he can take a walk, has some power and speed and can play the middle infield positions as well as center field.

General manager Mike Hazen suggested Drury is very much in the team's plans for 2017 but he may not have a set defensive position to begin the year, the Arizona Republic reports. "I think more than anything else when you have a hitter of that caliber you want to find him at-bats," Hazen said. "It's a similar situation to what we had with Brock Holt in Boston. You find a way to get him on the field. That's of the most critical importance, getting him in the lineup. The defensive position becomes secondary."

Drury saw time at first base, second base, third, left field and right field in 2016, and it sounds like he could fill a similar super-utility role to begin 2017. After a strong first two months of the season, Drury struggled in June and July but bounced back and finished with a very strong .282/.329/.458 batting line and 16 homers in 461 total at-bats. Hazen said improving his outfield defense will be a priority for the 24-year-old Drury this winter.

Elmore was outrighted to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Friday.

The Brewers' 40-man roster now stands at 37 after several players were bumped Friday, including Elmore. He got on base at a strong .371 clip in 59 games with Milwaukee in 2016 and is a versatile defender, but Elmore turns 30 next year and seems destined to play out his career as organizational depth.

Hernandez will be added to the Dodgers' roster for the NLCS, and is expected to start Saturday in Game 1 versus the Cubs, Buster Onley of ESPN reports.

Although Hernandez made frequent starts during the regular season, he did not make the Dodgers' NLDS roster. He will face off against Cubs' starter Jon Lester on Saturday. The Dodgers are likely looking to put a right-handed batter at the plate to matchup with the shouthpaw. Hernandez slashed just .189/.308/.361 versus lefties this season. He's also gone 3-for-12 with a home run, triple, and three RBI against Lester in his career.

Hernandez did not make the Dodgers' NLDS roster, J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group reports.

Hernandez made frequent starts for the Dodgers during the regular season, especially against left-handed pitchers. However, his numbers were terribly underwhelming. Over 109 games, he posted a bleak line of .190/.283/.324 and struck out in 26 percent of his at-bats. While the Dodgers play their series against the Nationals, Hernandez will participate in workouts in Arizona and remain an option for the NLCS, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.