MLB Player News

The Tigers designated Maton for assignment Monday.

Maton gives up his spot on the 40-man roster to left-hander Kolton Ingram, who was claimed off waivers from the Angels. The utility player managed just a .173/.288/.305 batting line across 293 major-league plate appearances with the Tigers in 2023 and had offseason knee surgery. He's expected to be recovered from the operation in time for the start of spring training.

Triolo is likely to get regular at-bats while playing multiple positions this season, Jake Crouse of MLB.com reports.

Triolo appeared in 54 games for the Pirates in 2023 and hit .298 across 209 plate appearances. There's significant reason to doubt that performance carries forward, as he posted a .440 BABIP to go along with a 30.1 percent strikeout rate. However, he's an above-average defender at first base, second base and third base, giving him multiple paths to playing time even if he doesn't start regularly at a single position.

Bride was designated for assignment by the Athletics on Friday.

Bride appeared in 98 games for the A's over the past two seasons, but his .192/.296/.232 slash line wasn't enough for him to retain a spot on the 40-man roster ahead of spring training. The move clears space for Ross Stripling, who was acquired Friday from San Francisco.

The Astros acquired Cabbage from the Angels on Wednesday in exchange for Carlos Espinosa.

Cabbage had been designated for assignment over the weekend and now has a new home. The 26-year-old was one of just two minor leaguers to go 30-30 in 2023, collecting 30 home runs and 32 stolen bases at Triple-A Salt Lake. There's lots of swing and miss in his game, however, as he fanned at a 30 percent rate at Salt Lake and a whopping 46.4 percent rate during his brief time with the Angels. Cabbage will provide depth at first base and in the outfield.

Miranda (shoulder) began throwing in mid-January, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Miranda had surgery in early October to remove scar tissue from his right labrum and rotator cuff. He was cleared to begin hitting in early December and recently progressed to hitting off a pitching machine and throwing. The plan is for Miranda to be eased into game action this spring at designated hitter before eventually playing the field. All 35 of Miranda's starts during his injury-shortened, disappointing 2023 season came at third base, but his best shot at playing time in 2024 could be at first.

The Angels designated Cabbage for assignment Saturday, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

With the signing of Matt Moore becoming official Saturday, Cabbage will lose his spot on the 40-man roster in order to clear room. Cabbage slashed .208/.232/.321 with seven RBI across 56 plate appearances for the Angels last season, though his .975 OPS in Triple-A could certainly draw interest from other clubs on the waiver wire.

Moncada said Thursday that he's feeling healthy after being plagued by chronic back and leg issues the previous two seasons, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

Moncada told reporters he's been focused this offseason on improving his core strength after he was limited to just 104 games in 2022 and 92 games in 2023. The 28-year-old has slashed just .234/.288/.386 over that span, and it has seemed like he's never been totally healthy. Moncada will report to spring training early this year ahead of what he hopes will be a bounce-back 2024 campaign. The White Sox hold a $25 million option on him for 2025, so it could be a walk year for the third baseman.

Duffy signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers on Thursday and received an invitation to major-league spring training.

Duffy elected free agency in November after slashing .251/.306/.325 across 209 plate appearances with the Royals last season. The 33-year-old infielder won't see many starts with the defending World Series champions, but his defensive versatility and ability to maintain a decent batting average could allow him to win a spot on the Rangers' bench during spring training.

Reds manager David Bell said Wednesday that Candelario will be an everyday player in 2024, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

"Between DH, first base and third base, he's going to be an everyday player," Bell said of Candelario. The skipper will have plenty of mixing and matching to do with the Reds' abundance of infielders, which is going to lead to extra days off for some. It does not sound like Candelario will be one of those guys sitting with regularity, however. Cincinnati inked Candelario to a three-year, $45 million contract in December.

Marte (hamstring) is on track to be healthy for the start of spring training, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Marte strained his hamstring in late November while playing in the Dominican Winter League. Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said Wednesday that the injury carries a 6-to-10 week recovery timetable. Marte is roughly eight weeks into that and the start of spring training is three weeks away, so he should be fine. The 22-year-old looks to be in line for an Opening Day assignment at third base for Cincinnati, although there are lots of moving parts in its infield.