MLB Player News
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Luis Ortiz SP | CLE
Guardians' Luis Ortiz: Dealt to Guardians
The Pirates traded Ortiz, along with Josh Hartle and Michael Kennedy, to the Guardians on Tuesday in exchange for Spencer Horwitz, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Ortiz took a massive leap in 2024, posting a 3.32 ERA and 1.11 WHIP alongside a 107:42 K:BB in 135.2 innings. The Pirates used him as both a starter and reliever last year, though Shane Bieber's (elbow) injury and a general lack of starter depth could prompt Cleveland to keep Ortiz in its rotation full time.
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Nathan Eovaldi SP | TEX
Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi: Returning to Texas
Eovaldi agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract with the Rangers on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Eovaldi turned down his $20 million player option earlier in the offseason, but he'll officially remain in Arlington on a multi-year deal that will pay him $5 million more in 2025 than if he had exercised his option. The 34-year-old righty has been fairly consistent during his time with the Rangers, posting a 3.72 ERA and 1.12 WHIP over the last two seasons, and he'll presumably follow Jacob deGrom as the second man in Texas' rotation.
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Max Fried SP | NYY
Yankees' Max Fried: Joins reigning AL champs
Fried agreed to a eight year, $218 million contract with Yankees on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
After coming up short on re-signing Juan Soto, the Yankees set their sights on the best remaining left-handed starter on the market. The deal is pending a physical, but Passan notes it's the largest guarantee in baseball history for a southpaw. There are no deferrals nor opt-outs in the contract, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Fried ends his Atlanta career with a 3.07 ERA in 168 appearances (151 starts). In his eighth and final season with the team in 2024, the 30-year-old posted a 3.08 ERA across 29 starts.
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Alex Cobb SP | DET
Tigers' Alex Cobb: Official with Tigers
Cobb passed his physical with the Tigers on Tuesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The Tigers agreed to a one-year contract with Cobb on Monday, a deal which includes $15 million for 2025 with incentives of $1 million apiece for reaching the 140- and 150-inning thresholds. Cobb dealt with injuries during his one season with the Guardians in 2024, but he logged 149.2 and 151.1 innings during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, respectively, as part of the Giants' rotation.
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Huascar Ynoa SP | LAA
Twins' Huascar Ynoa: Minor-league deal with Minnesota
Ynoa has signed a minor-league contract with Minnesota, Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated reports.
After missing the 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Ynoa opened the 2024 campaign at full health and occupied a spot in Triple-A Gwinnett's rotation, only to be shut down in mid-April with elbow inflammation before he hurt his shoulder in August during a rehab assignment. Ynoa was signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Twins at age 16, so he returns to a familiar franchise. He could be a nice depth piece for the Twins if he can return to full health this spring.
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Sawyer Gipson-Long SP | DET
Tigers' Sawyer Gipson-Long: Continues throwing program
Gipson-Long (elbow) is playing catch from 120 feet, three times a week.
Gipson-Long underwent Tommy John surgery in April and then hip surgery in July, both of which he's slowly been working his way back from. The right-hander started four games with Detroit in 2023, producing a 2.70 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 26 strikeouts over 20 innings and he figures to have a role with the Tigers in 2025, once healthy.
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Alex Cobb SP | DET
Tigers' Alex Cobb: Gets one-year deal from Detroit
The Tigers have agreed to a one-year contract with Cobb, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Cobb has a connection with president of baseball operations Scott Harris, as the two were both with the Giants during the 2022 season. The veteran right-hander was limited to just 16.1 regular-season innings and 5.2 postseason frames with the Guardians in 2024 due to a variety of injuries but has typically been a solid mid-rotation starter when healthy. Cobb will get to pitch half his games in a pitcher-friendly venue at Comerica Park.
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Dakota Hudson SP | LAA
Angels' Dakota Hudson: Gets MiLB deal from Angels
The Angels signed Hudson to a minor-league contract Monday, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reports.
Hudson posted an ugly 6.17 ERA in 18 starts this past season for the Rockies. The 30-year-old holds a 5.08 ERA and 1.53 WHIP since the start of the 2022 season and seems likely to begin the 2025 campaign as rotation depth at Triple-A Salt Lake.
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Shane Bieber SP | TOR
Guardians' Shane Bieber: Staying in Cleveland
Bieber (elbow) agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract with the Guardians on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Bieber's new deal also includes a $16 million player option for 2026. The 29-year-old righty was dominant in two starts last season, pitching 12 shutout innings while striking out 20 batters and walking one against the A's and Mariners, but his campaign was cut short by Tommy John surgery in mid-April. He's expected to miss the first couple months of the 2025 season while he finishes up his rehab, but the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner could be a strong fantasy asset once he returns.
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Luis Severino SP | ATH
Athletics' Luis Severino: To Athletics on $67 million deal
The Athletics agreed to a three-year, $67 million contract with Severino on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the deal includes an opt out after the second year. It's an unexpected landing spot for Severino, to say the least, as the $67 million guarantee is the largest in Athletics history. Severino held a 3.91 ERA and 161:60 K:BB over 182 innings across 31 regular-season starts for the Mets in 2024. The A's will play the 2025-27 seasons in Sacramento before moving to their permanent home in Las Vegas in 2028.