MLB Player News

Barnes and the Red Sox agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million deal Friday, avoiding arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Considered a top closing candidate prior to last season, Barnes wound up saving just four games. His 38.6 percent strikeout rate was excellent, but when combined with a poor 13.3 percent walk rate, he wound up with a merely decent 3.78 ERA.

Pruitt was traded from the Rays to the Astros in exchange for Peyton Battenfield and Cal Stevenson on Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Pruitt put together the best big-league season of his career in 2019 with the Rays, posting a 4.40 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with a 39:12 K:BB over 47 frames. He'll join a Houston bullpen that already has a handful of impressive arms, likely putting him in line for mid-to-low-leverage work in 2020.

Herget cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Nashville on Thursday.

The 26-year-old was designated for assignment twice following the end of the 2019 season, but he cleared waivers this time around and was assigned outright to Triple-A Nashville. The right-hander made his major-league debut last season, posting a 4.26 ERA over 6.1 innings for the Reds.

Castro signed a one-year, $1.05 million contract with the Orioles on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The 25-year-old appeared in 65 games last year and recorded a 4.66 ERA that was up slightly from his two previous seasons. He got the chance to record a couple saves when Mychal Givens was briefly demoted from the closer's role, but Castro will likely need to bring his ERA down if he hopes to be trusted in more high-leverage situations.

Garcia signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Rangers on Thursday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

The right-hander refused an outright assignment to Triple-A in October, but he'll find a spot with the Rangers on a split contract. Garcia's 4.35 ERA in 2019 was far better than the year before, but his 5.93 FIP suggests that the success may not be sustainable. If he can maintain a spot on the major-league roster, the 32-year-old will likely be used mainly in lower-leverage relief situations.

Diplan cleared waivers Thursday and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports.

The right-hander was designated for assignment at the end of December, but he'll get to make his first appearance at the Triple-A level in 2020. Diplan spent the 2019 season at the Double-A level, where he recorded a 4.85 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP over 68.2 innings.

Fulmer (elbow) signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract with the Tigers on Monday, avoiding arbitration.

Fulmer was forced to miss the entire 2019 campaign after going under the knife in March, but he's expected back at some point during the 2020 season, likely in July if all goes according to plan. He was cleared to play catch in mid-December and will continue to ramp up his throwing as appropriate. Fulmer last pitched for the Tigers in 2018, posting a 4.69 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with a 110:46 K:BB over 132.1 innings of work in 24 starts.

Diplan was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Sunday.

Diplan was claimed off waivers from Detroit earlier in December but only had a brief stay on the 40-man roster. The 23-year-old spent 2019 at Double-A and posted a 4.85 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 73:44 K:BB over 68.2 innings.

Herget was designated for assignment by the Rangers on Saturday.

Herget finds himself removed from a 40-man roster for the second time in less than a month, as he faced the same fate with the Reds back in late November. This time around, the transaction makes room for Adolis Garcia, acquired in a trade with the Cardinals in a corresponding move.

Gibaut signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers on Thursday as a non-roster invitee.

Gibaut was non-tendered by the Rangers in early December after he was unable to reach an agreement with the team, but he will return as a non-roster invitee to spring training in 2020. The right-hander recorded a 5.65 ERA with a 1.53 WHIP over 14.1 innings in the majors last season.