MLB Player News

The Red Sox signed Toro to a minor-league contract Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Toro slashed .240/.293/.350 with six homers in 94 games with the Athletics in 2024. The 28-year-old will compete for a reserve role this spring but will likely begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Worcester as utility depth.

The Rays and Walls avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.35 million contract with a $2.45 million club option for 2026 on Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The buyout on the option is $50,000, so Walls is guaranteed at least $1.4 million. Walls, 28, slashed only .183/.282/.248 over 84 games for the Rays in 2024 but remains an excellent defender and should get ample time at shortstop in 2025.

The Astros have extended Smith an invitation to big-league camp during spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, Smith slashed .313/.396/.609 with seven home runs over 32 games across three levels in his pro debut in 2024 after being taken in the first round of last year's First-Year Player Draft. He's likely to begin the 2025 season at Double-A Corpus Christi, but the Astros will let him get his feet wet in major-league spring training.

The Mariners acquired Mastrobuoni from the Cubs on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Mastrobuoni had been designated for assignment but will now get to join a new 40-man roster. A .219/.279/.263 hitter across 272 career plate appearances in the majors, the utility player will compete for a reserve role this spring but does have minor-league options remaining.

Alvarez signed a minor-league contract with the Twins on Jan. 2.

Alvarez spent the 2024 campaign with the Athletics organization, batting .315 with 15 home runs, 54 RBI, 46 runs scored and four stolen bases over 75 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. Additionally, the 30-year-old played in 16 games with the A's, batting .243 with a double, two RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base over 37 at-bats. Alvarez will report to Triple-A St. Paul ahead of the 2025 season, and he'll look to impress in order to potentially garner a shot with the Twins' major-league roster at some point during the year.

Jung said Thursday that he's "full-go" after right wrist surgery and doesn't anticipate any restrictions during spring training, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

Jung missed most of the first four months of the 2024 season following surgery to repair four fractures in the wrist. He then underwent a follow-up procedure in October to alleviate irritation in the tendon, which Jung said has made a huge difference. The third baseman has been swinging a bat without issue and appears poised to enter camp next month with a clean bill of health. If he can stay off the injured list, Jung could bounce back in 2025 and regain the form he flashed as a rookie in 2023, when he put up a .781 OPS with 23 home runs.

Urias and the Orioles agreed to a one-year, $3.2 million contract to avoid arbitration Thursday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Urias is one of the top utility infield options in baseball, and he earned 301 plate appearances in 2024. He matched his career-best mark with a 115 wRC+, though he still had only 11 homers and one stolen base. Urias will earn a $1.1 million raise from 2024.

Paredes agreed to a one-year, $6.625 million contract with the Astros on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Paredes slashed just .223/.325/.307 over 212 plate appearances after being dealt to the Cubs at last year's trade deadline. Despite his poor end to the season, he'll receive a $3.225 million raise from the Astros, who are expected to use the 25-year-old regularly at third base.

The Twins and Lewis avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.625 million contract Thursday, Darren Wolfson of Channel 5 Saint Paul reports.

Lewis was in his first year of arbitration eligibility. The talented infielder slashed a disappointing .233/.295/.452 with 16 home runs over 82 games in an injury-shortened 2024 campaign.

The Astros signed Short to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Short accrued 88 plate appearances between the Mets, Red Sox and Atlanta in 2024, slashing just .129/.282/.171. He will provide utility depth in the minors for Houston.