MLB Player News

The Giants exercised Cobb's (hip) $10 team million option for 2024 on Monday, Danny Emerman of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports.

Cobb is expected to be sidelined for at least the first month or so of the 2024 season after having surgery last week to repair his left hip. Even with that, the Giants decided it was worth bringing the right-hander back rather than pay him a $2 million buyout. Cobb pitched well in 2023 when healthy, collecting a 3.87 ERA and 131:37 K:BB over 151.1 frames covering 28 starts.

The Cubs exercised Hendricks' $16 million club option for 2024 on Sunday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

The veteran right-hander posted a 4.78 ERA between the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, but he rebounded last season with a 3.74 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 93:27 K:BB in 137 innings. Hendricks will enter 2024 with a secure spot in the middle of Chicago's rotation, though his fantasy ceiling is capped by his low strikeout numbers.

The Padres declined Wacha's two-year, $32 million option for 2024-25 on Saturday, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Wacha has a $6.5 million player option for 2024 that he's expected to decline, at which point the pitcher will become a free agent. The right-hander has posted a nifty 3.27 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 228:74 K:BB over 261.2 innings covering the last two seasons. He hasn't made more than 24 starts in a season since 2017, though, and the Padres likely decided he wasn't worth the risk as they look to trim payroll.

Stripling exercised his $12.5 million player option with the Giants on Friday, Danny Emerman of KNBR.com reports.

Stripling is now officially set to return to San Francisco for the 2024 season. The 33-year-old right-hander likely would have struggled to find an AAV higher than $12.5 million in free agency after registering a disappointing 5.36 ERA over 11 starts and 11 relief appearances (89 innings) during the 2023 campaign.

The Mets placed Battenfield on outright waivers Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Battenfield represents one of six Mets waived Thursday in an effort to clear room on the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old righty never made an appearance for New York, though he posted a 5.19 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across 34.2 frames in the majors with Cleveland.

The Brewers re-signed Rea to a one-year contract Thursday with a club option for 2025, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Rea hadn't enjoyed much major-league success prior to the 2023 season, but he proved to be a valuable -- and flexible -- member of the Milwaukee pitching staff while registering a 4.55 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 110:38 K:BB in 22 starts and four relief appearances covering 124.2 innings. The 33-year-old right-hander should be a strong consideration for the Opening Day rotation in 2024.

Cobb will undergo left hip surgery Tuesday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Cobb has been attempting to rehab his hip injury without going under the knife, but the team has since announced that he'll undergo a procedure Tuesday to repair his labrum and hip impingement issues, per Shea. The right-hander is expected to need around six months to return to the mound, meaning he'd miss at least the first month of the 2024 campaign. The Giants were expected to pick up his $10 million club option for the upcoming season, though this setback will certainly complicate the organization's decision.

Cecconi is not part of the Diamondbacks' World Series roster that was submitted Friday.

He took Jace Peterson's spot on the roster for the NLCS, but Arizona has decided to go back to 14 position players and 12 pitchers for the World Series. Cecconi threw two scoreless innings against the Phillies in the NLCS.

Pfaadt will start Game 3 of the World Series on Monday versus the Rangers, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

After putting up a 5.72 ERA and 1.41 WHIP during the regular season, Pfaadt has seemingly flipped a switch during the playoffs, posting a 2.70 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 22 strikeouts across 16.2 innings. The 25-year-old rookie will follow Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly in the D-backs' rotation, with Pfaadt also in line to start Game 7 of the World Series, if necessary.

Kelly will start Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday against the Rangers, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Zac Gallen will get the nod for the Diamondbacks in Game 1 on Friday and Brandon Pfaadt is lined up to handle Game 3 on Monday. Kelly recorded a huge win against the Phillies in Game 6 of the NLCS, tallying eight strikeouts across five innings of one-run ball. He carries an overall 2.65 ERA with 19 strikeouts through 17 innings (three starts) this postseason.