MLB Player News

Duffy agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Angels on Wednesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Duffy appeared in 97 games for the Cubs last season and hit .287/.357/.381 with five home runs, 45 runs, 30 RBI and eight stolen bases in 322 plate appearances. The 31-year-old saw most of his action between third base and second base with Chicago but also made brief appearances at first base, shortstop and the outfield. Duffy should primarily operate as a infield option off the bench for the Angels.

The Blue Jays acquired Chapman from the Athletics on Wednesday in exchange for right-handed starter Gunnar Hoglund (elbow), shortstop Kevin Smith, left-handed starter Zach Logue and lefty reliever Kirby Snead, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The rebuilding Athletics shipped out both of their star corner infielders just two days apart, as first baseman Matt Olson was moved to Atlanta earlier this week before Chapman was sent to Toronto. With the Blue Jays, Chapman will provide elite defense at the hot corner, and he'll also be tasked with replacing some of the production at the plate that the team lost with Marcus Semien's departure for the Rangers in free agency. Since he broke out with career-high marks in home runs (36), RBI (91) and runs (102) in 2019, Chapman's offensive outputs have been trending down while his strikeout rate has spiked considerably, but the move to a friendlier home park and a star-studded Toronto lineup should help his numbers recover to some degree.

The Blue Jays are expected to finalize a deal Wednesday to acquire Chapman from the Athletics in exchange for an unspecified prospect haul, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

Toronto had a big hole at the hot corner, and Chapman is one of the best defensive players in all of baseball, so he's an excellent real-life acquisition. Chapman, 28, has hit .230/.323/.466 over the past three seasons, but his strikeout rate spiked to 35.5 percent in 2020 and was 32.5 percent in 2021. As a right-handed hitter, he gets a slight upgrade in home park and a massive lineup upgrade.

Rendon (personal) reported to camp Tuesday, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

Rendon was absent for the start of camp for personal reasons, but it turns out that he'll miss just a single day. His preparation for the upcoming season shouldn't be meaningfully affected.

Toro is in line to begin the year as utility depth after the Mariners acquired Eugenio Suarez from the Reds on Monday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Toro had an everyday role for the Mariners in 2021 while mainly playing at second base, but it appeared as though he'd shift to the hot corner to begin the 2022 campaign after Kyle Seager announced his retirement and Seattle traded for Adam Frazier in November. While Toro is expected to see some outfield reps during spring training this year, it appears as though he'll see more sporadic playing time than he had to close out the season in 2021.

Suarez and Jesse Winker were traded from the Reds to the Mariners in exchange for Justin Dunn, Brandon Williamson and Jake Fraley on Monday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Suarez was an All-Star in 2018, but his results have declined across the last two seasons. He appeared in 145 games with the Reds in 2021 and had a career-low .198 batting average with 31 home runs, 79 RBI and 71 runs. Power has never been an issue for the 30-year-old, as he's averaged 32.3 home runs per year across the last four seasons. Suarez is in line to serve as the Mariners' starting third baseman on Opening Day in 2022.

Rendon's arrival at camp has been delayed due to personal reasons, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

The exact reason for Rendon's absence and his expected arrival date are not yet clear. If he reports soon, he'll likely have no issues getting ready for Opening Day, but it's possible he misses time if the delay stretches on.

Urshela and Gary Sanchez were traded from the Yankees to the Twins on Sunday in exchange for Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt.

Urshela finished the 2021 campaign as the Yankees' starting shortstop, and he should take on the same role in Minnesota since Kiner-Falefa was sent to New York as part of Sunday's transaction. The 30-year-old Urshela slashed .267/.301/.419 with 14 home runs, 49 RBI and 42 runs across 116 appearances last year after hitting .310 with 27 home runs across his first two seasons with the Yankees.

Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ben Rortvedt were traded from the Twins to the Yankees on Sunday in exchange for Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Donaldson appeared in 135 games with the Twins in 2021, slashing .247/.352/.475 with 26 homers, 73 runs and 72 RBI during that time. After some notable feuds with right-hander Gerrit Cole last year, the two players will become teammates with the Yankees, where Donaldson is in line to serve as the team's starting third baseman. As part of the agreement, the Yankees will take on the remaining $50 million in salary that the 36-year-old is owed across the next two seasons.

Kreidler was invited to the Tigers' major-league camp Saturday.

The 24-year-old shortstop will make his case for an Opening Day roster spot during spring training. While the team signed Javier Baez to fill his primary position over the winter, he has little left to prove in the minors after hitting .304/.407/.519 in 41 games for Triple-A Toledo last season. It's possible he returns to Toledo to get some experience at other positions to start the year.