MLB Player News

Diaz has signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports.

Diaz, 27, holds a 4.84 ERA and 24:24 K:BB over 35.1 frames covering parts of three seasons at the big-league level. The left-hander has experience as a starter and reliever and is likely headed to Triple-A Tacoma at the beginning of the 2024 season.

Stratton signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Dec. 8.

Stratton was non-tendered by the Pirates back in November but wound up re-signing. The 27-year-old threw 12 relief innings for Pittsburgh in 2023, posting a 2.25 ERA and 10:3 K:BB.

Pruitt signed a minor-league contract with the Rangers on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Pruitt collected a 2.98 ERA and 30:12 K:BB over 48.1 innings with the Athletics in 2023 before his season ended with a forearm strain. It appears he will enter spring training healthy and the 34-year-old will be in the mix for a long-relief role in Texas.

Kay signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball on Tuesday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

After logging a 3.76 ERA and 1.28 WHIP across 40.2 innings in Triple-A last season, Kay will now take his talents overseas. Despite spending most of last season in the minors, the 28-year-old southpaw made 16 appearances in the big leagues, giving up 10 runs across 14.2 frames between the Mets and Cubs.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz revealed Tuesday that Crochet is preparing to be a starting pitcher in 2024, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.

Getz admits that it will take a while for Crochet to be appropriately stretched out to start, but it's the role the club has planned for him. It's not clear at this point whether the stretching-out phase will occur in the majors or minors, or both. Crochet missed all of the 2022 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and was limited to 25 appearances between the majors and minors in 2023 due to a shoulder problem, although he ended the year with a clean bill of health. The southpaw has made 84 appearances in pro ball (72 in the majors), and all of them have been out of the bullpen.

Abbott signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners on Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Abbott has seen some action in the majors each of the last three seasons, collecting a 6.02 ERA and 97:55 K:BB over 104.2 innings. The 28-year-old can work as both starter and reliever, and he seems likely to begin 2024 in Triple-A Tacoma's rotation.

Crowe signed a contract with the KIA Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization on Saturday, the team announced.

Crowe's contract is for $1 million with a $200,000 signing bonus, $600,000 salary and $200,000 in incentives. The 29-year-old was released by the Pirates earlier in the offseason after making just five big-league appearances in 2023. The righty has a career 5.30 ERA in 210.2 innings of work at the major-league level.

Manaea agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract with the Mets on Sunday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

After declining his $12.5 million player option for 2024 and becoming a free agent earlier in the offseason, Manaea will get a slight pay increase while he heads to New York on a two-year pact. Much like the deal he signed with the Giants last offseason, Manaea's contract with the Mets contains an opt-out after the 2024 season, per Heyman. The southpaw started in 10 of his 37 appearances in 2023 and finished with a 4.44 ERA across 117.2 innings, but he closed the season in strong fashion, posting a 2.87 ERA from the beginning of August onward. The 31-year-old will presumably occupy a spot at the back end of the Mets' rotation.

The Angels sent Kolarek outright to Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Kolarek signed a major-league deal with the Angels in November, but he'll now be relegated to the minors to make room for Zach Plesac, whose signing became official Saturday. Kolarek logged a 3.80 ERA and 1.55 WHIP through 42.2 minor-league frames last season.

Kranick was designated for assignment Friday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Kranick missed nearly all of the 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, though he managed to turn in 16.1 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis to close the year. He maintained a solid 2.76 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with a 12:6 K:BB, but he'll have to work his way back up the depth chart with a team this spring. The move made room for Martin Perez on the Pirates' 40-man roster.