MLB Player News
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John Schreiber RP | KC
Royals' John Schreiber: Traded to Royals
The Red Sox traded Schreiber to the Royals on Saturday in exchange for David Sandlin, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Though he missed nearly two months of the season due to a shoulder strain, Schreiber instantly becomes one of the top relievers in Kansas City's bullpen after posting a 3.86 ERA and 1.41 WHIP across 46.2 frames in 2023. The 29-year-old right-hander often served in high-leverage situations over the past two years and could be in the mix for save opportunities with his new club.
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Bryan Shaw RP | CIN
White Sox's Bryan Shaw: Invited to White Sox camp
Shaw signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Saturday and received an invitation to major-league spring training.
Shaw will return to the White Sox after putting up a 4.14 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across 45.2 innings with Chicago last season. The Sox don't have a particularly strong bullpen, making it possible the 36-year-old righty makes the Opening Day roster, but he will still have plenty of competition in camp.
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Bryan Mata RP | BOS
Red Sox's Bryan Mata: Out of options
Mata is out of minor-league options, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
As such, the Red Sox will need to trade the right-hander or designate him for assignment if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster. Mata has thrown only 110 minor-league innings across the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2021. He opened 2023 as a member of the rotation at Triple-A Worcester before further injuries set in. Upon his return in September, he moved to the bullpen. That's a role the organization feels might be a better fit for Mata, who will need to improve his control to win a big-league job this spring. Justin Slaten, a Rule 5 selection, also needs to be kept on the major-league roster all season, and the Red Sox may not have room for both.
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James Karinchak RP | ATL
Guardians' James Karinchak: Experiencing shoulder fatigue
Karinchak is behind schedule due to right shoulder fatigue, MLB.com reports.
Karinchak came into camp with the issue and will be held out of workouts for a few days. His availability for Opening Day doesn't seem to be in jeopardy, however.
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McKinley Moore RP | NYY
Yankees' McKinley Moore: Goes to Yankees via waivers
The Yankees claimed Moore off waivers from the Phillies on Friday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Moore struggled in his brief time with the Phillies and has always had poor control, but he also boasts a 33 percent strikeout rate during his time in the minors. The 25-year-old is likely headed to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start 2024.
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John McMillon RP | PHI
Royals' John McMillon: Throwing bullpen Thursday
McMillon (forearm) will throw a bullpen session Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
McMillon made four appearances in August for the Royals before getting shut down a forearm strain, but he was throwing off a mound by the end of the season. It seems likely the 26-year-old will be able to go through a normal spring. He allowed one run on a home run and struck out eight over his first four major-league innings last season and could contend for a high-leverage role in 2024.
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Bowden Francis RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Bowden Francis: Being built up as starter
The Blue Jays are building up Francis to serve as a starter, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
The vast majority of Francis' minor-league appearances have come as a starter, though he has yet to begin a game on the mound through 21 MLB appearances. Francis holds an impressive 1.70 ERA and 0.84 WHIP through 37 career big-league frames, but even if he has a solid spring as a starter, he would need some attrition ahead of him to earn a spot at the back of Toronto's rotation.
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Gregory Santos RP | SF
Mariners' Gregory Santos: Nursing lat injury
Santos is dealing with soreness in his right lat/teres major area, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Santos ended last season with right elbow soreness, but now he's got a new injury which cropped up following a bullpen session this spring. It's not clear at this juncture whether the setback might be significant enough to delay his start to the season. Santos was acquired via trade from the White Sox earlier this month and, if healthy, is slated to serve as a setup man.
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Bruce Zimmermann SP | STL
Orioles' Bruce Zimmermann: Has chance at rotation spot
Zimmermann could be in the mix for a rotation spot with John Means (elbow) and Kyle Bradish (elbow) likely to miss the start of the season, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Zimmermann covered 13.1 major-league innings last season, posting a 4.73 ERA and 14:0 K:BB. With Triple-A Norfolk, he featured as a starter, but ended up with middling results -- a 4-7 record, 4.42 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 110:39 K:BB through 99.2 innings across 21 starts. Zimmermann will need a strong spring to secure a spot in the rotation -- Cole Irvin and Tyler Wells will likely be favored to fill out that group if the Orioles begin the year with a five-man rotation. Zimmermann could ultimately find himself in a swingman role.