MLB Player News

Uceta will earn $1.525 million in 2026 after winning his arbitration hearing against the Rays, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The Rays had offered Uceta $1.2 million. He will have three more years of arbitration eligibility. Uceta put up a 3.79 ERA and a 32.1 percent strikeout rate last season with the Rays and is expected to be part of a closer-by-committee during the upcoming season.

The Rangers signed Brasier to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Injuries limited Brasier to 26 regular-season innings with the Cubs in 2025, and he finished with a 4.50 ERA and 20:5 K:BB. The Rangers' bullpen is a weak link, giving Brasier a good shot to make the team, but the 38-year-old is unlikely to rise too high in the hierarchy.

The Blue Jays signed Fleming to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

Fleming spent all of the 2025 season at Triple-A Tacoma in the Mariners organization, collecting a 4.91 ERA and 44:29 K:BB over 84.1 innings. The 29-year-old lefty has plenty of past experience as a starting pitcher but has primarily been a reliever the last three years, and that's likely how he'll be deployed in his projected destination of Triple-A Buffalo.

With Kenley Jansen the favorite to open the season as Detroit's closer, per the Tiger Territory podcast, Finnegan will likely need to settle for a setup role.

Jansen leads all active MLB players and is fourth all time with 476 career saves, so it's not too surprising that manager A.J. Hinch figures to look the veteran's way first. Finnegan had 24 saves last season, with four of those coming with the Tigers after arriving via trade at the summer deadline, but it looks like his 2026 total will be significantly lower, unless Jansen gets hurt or struggles out of the gate. Detroit's 2025 saves leader, Will Vest, also figures to be in the setup mix in the seventh and eighth innings.

The Angels signed Saucedo to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to big-league spring training.

Saucedo has posted a 4.36 ERA and 112:58 K:BB over 128 frames covering parts of five major-league seasons. The 32-year-old spent most of 2025 in the minors and faces an uphill battle to make the Opening Day roster, even in an unsettled Angels bullpen.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch indicated Wednesday on the Tiger Territory podcast that Jansen will open the season as the team's favorite to serve as closer.

Speaking about his high-leverage relief options, Hinch said, "I think they're all going to get saves," before adding that "I think we can pretty much guess how it's gonna go given that one of them has a historic number of saves." The latter comment was in reference to Jansen, who is 24 saves away from 500 for his career. It doesn't mean the 38-year-old will finish the 2026 season as the Tigers' closer, but it's a safe bet Jansen will open the year as Hinch's first choice to handle save opportunities. Will Vest and/or Kyle Finnegan would be next-in-line if Jansen slips up. Jansen's strikeout rate dipped to a career-low 24.4 percent in 2025 with the Angels, but he remained effective, posting a 2.59 ERA and 0.95 WHIP while notching 29 saves.

The White Sox designated Hudson for assignment Wednesday.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Austin Hays, whose signing was made official Wednesday. Hudson was a key reliever for the Brewers in 2024, but he regressed in 2025, spending much of the year in the minors and collecting a 4.80 ERA and 19:13 K:BB over 15 frames during his time at the big-league level. The 6-foot-8 lefty doesn't have minor-league options remaining, but his 1.73 ERA and 0.72 WHIP from 2024 could be enough to garner some interest on the waiver wire.

The Rangers signed Thompson (biceps) to a minor-league contract Tuesday.

Thompson permitted 14 earned runs over just 10.2 innings in 2025 for the Nationals and also had a 6.61 ERA in the minors in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. He ended the 2025 campaign on the injured list with biceps tendinitis and it's unclear whether he'll have any restrictions at the beginning of spring training.

The Yankees designated Hamel for assignment Wednesday.

Hamel will be exiting a 40-man roster for the fourth time in under five months; he had previously been DFA'd by the Mets and Orioles in September and the Rangers in January. The Yankees will drop Hamel from the roster in order to clear room for outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez, who was claimed off waivers from the Rockies. The 26-year-old Hamel made his MLB debut last season in a Sept. 17 relief appearance with the Mets but otherwise spent the entire campaign at Triple-A Syracuse, where he turned in a 5.32 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 75:22 K:BB in 67.2 innings.

Taylor has a goal of reaching 100 innings in 2026, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

The White Sox will deploy Taylor as a reliever this season before transitioning him back to a starting role in 2027. He threw a total of 63.1 innings in 2025 between the majors and minors, which was a career high after he dealt with numerous injuries in previous seasons. Many of Taylor's appearances in 2026 could come in long relief since that's the best way to build his workload, but the White Sox haven't ruled out giving him some high-leverage opportunities, as well. It's a role that might not lead to much fantasy value during the upcoming season, but Taylor's upside remains high.