MLB Player News

Payamps was designated for assignment by the Red Sox on Wednesday.

Payamps was claimed by Boston after being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks in November, but he'll now be cast off another 40-man roster after the Red Sox acquired right-hander Garrett Richards on Saturday. Payamps made brief appearances in the majors over the past two seasons, posting a 3.86 ERA and 1.71 WHIP over seven innings while making six relief appearances for Arizona.

Barraclough signed with the Yankees as a non-roster invitee Tuesday, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

Barraclough has been a high-leverage reliever in the past, posting a 2.87 ERA and a 31.7 percent strikeout rate over the first two years of his career. He struggled to a 4.74 ERA and 24.4 percent strikeout rate over the next two seasons, however, and he failed to pitch a single inning in 2020 after being cut in July by the Padres. He could play a role for the Yankees if they can help him recapture his early career form, but his career 14.1 percent walk rate will likely continue to sink him unless he can get his previously elite strikeout numbers back.

Soto spent much of his winter ball campaign working on his slider, with the intent on throwing it more this season, Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press reports. "I wanted to be comfortable and have trust to throw it in any corner of the plate or any pitch count or any situation of the game," Soto said. "I worked very hard on that. I want to keep myself aware that I can use the slider anytime I want. ... My slider, I consider it very good. It's just a matter of confidence and trust."

Soto is part of the Tigers' late-inning mix. He got off to a great start to the season but really struggled in September. That slider was nearly untouchable last season - he allowed just one hit when throwing it 80 times. Alas, he couldn't always throw it for strikes, and overall he had a 13.3 BB%, which is poor for a potential closer.

Merryweather is seen as a starter by the Blue Jays, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

The righty made his debut as a 28-year-old last season, making three starts and five bullpen appearances. He was much more an opener than a true starter, however, as he didn't throw more than two innings in any game, but he was primarily a starter in the minors. His inexperience suggests he won't be a favorite to make Toronto's starting five, though his 27.3 percent strikeout rate last season did hint at some promise.

Hatch is viewed as a starter heading into the upcoming season, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

Hatch was exclusively a starter in the minors but appeared out of the bullpen in 16 of his 17 outings as a rookie last season. His 2.73 ERA in 26.1 innings looked quite strong on the surface, but it seems in large part attributable to an unsustainable .232 BABIP, as it came with a mediocre combination of a 21.1 percent strikeout rate and an 11.9 percent walk rate. It's far from guaranteed that he'll earn a rotation spot to start the season, but it appears as though he'll at least be in the mix.

German was sent from the Yankees to the Red Sox along with Adam Ottavino on Monday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

German appears to be the sweetener to get the Red Sox to take on the money left on Ottavino's contract. German is at least a back-end starter prospect, possessing a fastball that can touch 98 mph but shaky command. It's possible such a profile winds up working out better in relief. The 23-year-old righty has so far topped out at High-A, where he produced a 3.79 ERA, a 25.3 percent strikeout rate and a 10.8 percent walk rate in 2019.

The Yankees traded Ottavino along with pitching prospect Frank German to the Red Sox on Monday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.

Ottavino was excellent in his first season in New York in 2019, with his 31.1 percent strikeout rate canceling out a 10.6 percent walk rate and leading to a 1.90 ERA. That ERA spiked all the way to 5.89 in a small sample of 18.1 innings last season, though his underlying numbers told a more optimistic story, as his strikeout rate fell only slightly to 29.4 percent while his walk rate came in at a more palatable 10.6 percent. Still, the Yankees evidently don't believe he'll be worth the $8 million he's scheduled to make this season, so they sent him to their top rival in what appears to be little more than a salary dump. The move potentially boosts Ottavino's fantasy value, as Matt Barnes is hardly an immovable object at closer in Boston should the 35-year-old return to his previous form.

Yates has completed his rehab process following August elbow surgery and has already thrown a series of bullpens, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

If the Blue Jays are getting the same guy Yates was before last season, when he threw just 4.1 innings with a 12.46 ERA before being shut down due to bone chips in his elbow, they could be getting the best reliever in the league. From 2018 to 2019, no qualified reliever came within half a run of his 1.67 ERA, while he also topped that group in FIP (1.93). He comes with plenty of risk due to his surgery and the fact that he's heading into his age-34 season, but the fact that he's already advanced to bullpen sessions is certainly a good sign.

Yates (elbow) signed with the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca, the deal has $5.5 million guaranteed with up to $4.5 million in performance bonuses. Yates made a strong case as the league's best reliever in 2019, finishing with a 1.19 ERA and 41 saves while striking out 41.6 percent of opposing batters and walking just 5.3 percent. His 2020 season was a huge disappointment, as he struggled through six appearances, giving up six runs in 4.1 innings, before being shut down with bone chips in his elbow. The upside here is huge for the Blue Jays, who may have just locked down one of the game's top closers, but a full rebound can't be taken for granted in the righty's age-34 season.

Cisnero and the Tigers reached a one-year, $970,000 deal Friday, avoiding arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Cisnero was able to settle on a deal with the Tigers prior to Friday's deadline, so the two sides won't require an arbiter. The right-hander made 29 relief appearances in 2020, posting a career-best 3.03 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 34 strikeouts over 29.2 innings.