MLB Player News

Winker (neck) could face significant competition for playing time this season, following the Reds' signings of Nick Castellanos and Shogo Akiyama.

Right now Winker has to both prove that he's healthy and then beat out Akiyama or Nick Senzel for playing time, not to mention Aristides Aquino. At best, a platoon role seems most likely absent a trade and/or an injury.

Ruf signed a minor-league contract with the Giants on Thursday, Jayson Stark of The Athletic reports.

Ruf hasn't appeared in the big leagues since the 2016 campaign, as he's spent the last few years overseas in the KBO. He struggled to a .205 average with three home runs and nine RBI in 43 games with the Phillies in 2016; however, he's coming off a season in which he slashed .292/.396/.515 with 22 homers and 101 over 133 contests with the Samsung Lions.

Cespedes (ankle) will be ready to hit at the start of spring training, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

Cespedes is also making progress running and tracking fly balls, though it's not yet clear if he's expected to be fully ready to go by the start of the regular season. The 34-year-old has played a total of just 119 games over the last three seasons combined. He missed the entirety of the 2019 campaign, first due to recovery from a pair of heel surgeries and then due to a wild-boar-related ankle fracture.

Ozuna agreed to a one-year, $18 million deal with the Braves on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Ozuna will join his third organization after recording .241/.328/.472 slash line with 29 homers and 89 RBI in 130 games with the Cardinals in 2019. The veteran outfielder is still considered one of the league's premier power hitters after averaging 30 home runs and 100 RBI over the past three years. Ozuna figures to slot into the cleanup spot following the departure of Josh Donaldson, while the Braves plan to use him as their everyday left fielder, per David O'Brien of The Athletic.

Beer will join the Diamondbacks' big-league camp this spring.

Beer came to Arizona in the Zack Greinke trade on deadline day. He struggled to a .205/.297/.318 line in 24 games for Double-A Jackson after posting a .299/.407/.543 line in 63 games for Double-A Corpus Christi prior to the trade. He'll need to prove himself at the Triple-A level before being considered for a big-league job.

Colon signed a minor-league contract with the Reds on Saturday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Colon spent most of last season with Triple-A Louisville, but he managed to appear in eight games for the Reds at the end of the season prior to being outrighted to Triple-A in November. The 30-year-old hit .300/.372/.443 with 70 RBI and 24 stolen bases with Triple-A Louisville last season, and he'll likely be a non-roster invitee during spring training in 2020.

Cespedes (ankle) will make a base salary of $6 million as part of a restructured contract agreed to Dec. 13, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Cespedes' new contract is heavily reliant on incentives after the 34-year-old missed all of 2019 and most of 2018 with an ankle injury. The outfielder had heel surgeries in August and October of 2018 prior to suffering an ankle injury in a fall at his ranch in May. Cespedes has been limited over the last two seasons with the Mets, but he has managed to record a .282/.343/.525 slash line with 26 home runs and 71 RBI over 119 games between 2017 and 2018. His availability for the beginning of the 2020 season is in question, but his base salary will rise to $11 million if he isn't on the injured list to begin the season.

Cespedes (ankle) and the Mets agreed to a restructured contract Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Cespedes had been scheduled to make $29.5 million this season but will now make significantly less. The outfielder has appeared in just 119 games over the last three seasons combined. He's been hitting and running as he works his way back from multiple ankle fractures, injuries he suffered after taking a fall on his ranch back in May, though his availability for the start of the 2020 season remains in question. Due to the questionable nature of that injury, which occurred as Cespedes was recovering from heel surgery, the Mets were able to file a grievance and save reportedly over $10 million ahead of the 2020 season.

Cespedes (ankle) has been hitting for several weeks and has also started running, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

Cespedes is making measurable progress early in the offseason, which is a positive sign, though there's no guarantee that he'll be ready to play at any point during the 2020 campaign. He underwent ankle surgery at the end of May to address multiple fractures in an off-field accident.

Dickerson agreed to a one-year, $925,000 deal with the Giants on Monday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

The two sides avoid arbitration with the deal. Dickerson rebounded from two seasons lost completely to injury, appearing in 68 games for the Padres and Giants last season. He hit quite well in his 56 games with San Francisco, posting a .290/.351/.529 slash line. If he can remain healthy this season, he'll factor into the mix in the outfield corners.