MLB Player News

Gordon will serve as a rotational depth option for the Astros in 2025, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Gordon is a longshot to secure a rotation spot during spring training, but Houston added him to the 40-man roster this offseason. That makes him a name to monitor given the lack of healthy depth options the Astros are projected to have for their starting staff. Gordon has a decent skillset, as he maintained a 16.3 K-BB% across 123.1 innings with Triple-A Sugar Land in 2024. However, he has a poor fastball, which could lead to inconsistent results as he seeks to establish himself in the majors.

Gusto will have the chance to compete for the fifth rotation spot for Houston, but he is more likely to establish himself as a depth option, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

The Astros have four clear members of the rotation to begin the season, though they are depleted by injuries thereafter. Hayden Wesneski is the likeliest occupant of the final rotation spot, but Gusto is on the radar after a solid 2024 season at Triple-A Sugar Land, where he posted a 141:53 K:BB across across 148.1 innings while maintaining a 3.70 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. Gusto was also set to make his big-league debut on the final day of the 2024 regular season before the game was rained out.

Hampton has received an invitation from the Yankees to participate in big-league spring training.

Hampton is one of the organization's top pitching prospects but is coming off an injury-plagued 2024 campaign during which he made just seven starts. The right-hander fared well when healthy, posting a 2.41 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 16:9 K:BB over 18.2 innings. Hampton has just 5.2 frames of experience above Single-A ball, so he's not likely to break camp with the major-league Yankees, though a big-league debut sometime in 2025 isn't out of the question.

The Yankees designated Winans for assignment Wednesday.

The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Owen White, who was claimed off waivers. Winans was a waiver claim himself in late January and will now go through the process again.

Burke has worked with a physical therapist this offseason in the hopes of increasing the durability of his arm, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Burke had an impressive big-league debut to close out the 2024 season, maintaining a 22:7 K:BB across 19 innings while allowing only three earned runs. That puts him in prime position to grab a rotation spot for the White Sox to begin 2025. Durability will be one key to securing the role, as Burke has been forced to work through right shoulder soreness for the past two seasons. Burke reported that he has felt good this offseason and also worked on getting comfortable with a two-seam fastball to complement the rest of his repertoire, which includes a four-seamer, curveball, changeup and slider.

While he will compete for a regular rotation spot during spring training, Hurter and Kenta Maeda may end up splitting bulk-relief duties, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

With the Tigers recently adding Jack Flaherty to the mix, they now have a surplus of starting options. Flaherty, Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson all figure to be locked into the rotation. Behind them, Detroit has the likes of Hurter, Alex Cobb, Jackson Jobe, Casey Mize and Keider Montero. With the exception of Jobe, who made his MLB debut toward the end of last year and appeared in just two regular-season contests, all of the other pitchers started games in 2024. The veteran Cobb should snag a rotation spot in the early going, which leaves plenty of players vying for one role. Jobe has the most upside of the bunch and could run away with the job if he impresses, though manager A.J. Hinch may mix and match and use some pitchers in bulk relief. The lefty Hurter and righty Maeda could be a natural pairing in that scenario, with the two potentially working together in some contests.

Maeda may get another shot at a rotation spot this year, per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, though Detroit's addition of Jack Flaherty could push the former into the bullpen.

Maeda was brought over to Detroit before last season to start games, but he struggled mightily in his first year with the team, posting an ugly 6.09 ERA across 29 appearances (17 starts). The veteran righty did fare a bit better as a reliever, posting a 4.44 ERA out of the bullpen. Maeda stood to potentially get another chance at starting in 2025, though with Jack Flaherty joining the team Sunday, the rotation suddenly looks a bit more crowded. Flaherty, Tarik Skubal, Reese Olson and veteran newcomer Alex Cobb should all be locked into rotation spots. That leaves Maeda competing with Jackson Jobe and Casey Mize for the No. 5 starter spot with Keider Montero and Brant Hurter as longer-shot candidates. The one thing working in Maeda's favor is that he is owed $10 million this season and Detroit may look to give him one last shot as a starter.

The Guardians signed Allard to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training.

Allard made four starts and three relief appearances for the Phillies in 2024, producing a 5.00 ERA and 23:8 K:BB over 27 innings. In 82 frames with Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season, he held a 5.38 ERA and 74:34 K:BB. Allard will compete for an Opening Day roster spot but is likely headed to Triple-A Columbus where he'll provide rotation depth.

The Rays acquired Faedo from the Tigers on Monday in exchange for Enderson Delgado and cash considerations, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Faedo had been removed from the Tigers' 40-man roster and will now join a new organization. The right-hander is out of minor-league options, so the Rays will need to carry him on their Opening Day roster or put him through the waivers process. Faedo has a career 5.00 ERA over 30 starts and 3.44 ERA over 34 relief appearances at the big-league level.

The Yankees signed Carrasco to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

Carrasco made 21 starts with the Guardians last season, putting up a 5.64 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 89:33 K:BB over 103.2 innings before being removed from their 40-man roster in September. Slated to turn 38 in March, Carrasco appears to be a longshot to make the Yankees' Opening Day roster but would give them some veteran rotation insurance at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.