MLB Player News

Taillon agreed to a four-year, $68 million contract with the Cubs on Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Taillon tied a career-high with 32 starts and covered 177.1 innings for the Yankees in 2022, and he'll now return to the NL Central and continue his career in Chicago. The 31-year-old had a 3.91 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 151:32 K:BB last season and should slot in behind Marcus Stroman in the Cubs' rotation.

Walker agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract with the Phillies on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Walker posted a 3.49 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 132:45 K:BB across 157.1 innings for the Mets last season, and he'll remain in the NL East for the foreseeable future as he makes his way to Philadelphia. The 30-year-old will slot in behind aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola to bolster the Phillies' already strong rotation.

Criswell was acquired by the Rockies from the Athletics on Tuesday in exchange for minor-league pitcher Chad Smith.

Criswell began the 2022 campaign at the Low-A level but made his way to Triple-A by the end of the season. The 23-year-old had a 4.03 ERA across 24 appearances (21 starts) in total last season and could make his big-league debut at some point in 2023.

Velasquez signed a one-year, $3.15 million deal with the Pirates on Tuesday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

The 30-year-old righty stumbled to a 4.78 ERA as a swingman for the White Sox last season. He'll get to call one of the league's best pitchers' parks home in 2023, but the Pirates probably shouldn't expect a much better ERA, as Velasquez hasn't beaten that mark since all the way back in 2016. Those looking for signs of optimism could point to the fact that he managed a career-best 7.8 percent walk rate last season, but he also tied his career low with a 21.6 percent strikeout rate. His odds of securing a starting role may not become clear until the offseason is over, though the Pittsburgh rotation isn't exactly full of established arms.

Cavalli (shoulder) is penciled into an Opening Day rotation role, Kyle Glaser of Baseball America reports.

The 2020 first-round pick made his big-league debut in late August but was knocked around in his lone start before missing the rest of the year with shoulder inflammation. He was able to resume throwing before the end of the season, and the Nationals are seemingly confident in both his health and his ability heading into next season. A secure rotation spot boosts Cavalli's appeal as a fantasy lottery ticket, and he has a fair amount of prospect pedigree, but he'll have to sort out his control before becoming an effective starter. He walked 10.7 percent of the batters he faced across 44 career starts in the minors.

Verlander and the Mets agreed Monday on a two-year, $86.66 million contract, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. The contract includes a full no-trade clause and a $35 million vesting option for the 2025 season if he pitches at least 140 innings in 2024, according to Heyman.

After letting ace Jacob deGrom walk in free agency on a five-year, $185 million deal with the Rangers, the Mets secured about as strong of a replacement at the top of the rotation as they could have in Verlander, who took home his third Cy Young Award in 2022. Though he'll be turning 40 years old in February and missed the entire 2021 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Verlander demonstrated that he's still one of the game's elite starters by posting an 18-4 record, 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 185:29 K:BB in 175 innings this past season. The move from the reigning World Series champions to another team with title aspirations in the Mets shouldn't hurt Verlander too much from a wins standpoint, nor should the change in home ballpark from Minute Maid Park to Citi Field hinder his ratios. Expect Verlander to be one of the first pitchers off the board in 2023 fantasy drafts.

Teheran signed a minor-league contract with the Padres on Sunday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Teheran played in independent ball and the Mexican League last season, and he'll return to the affiliated ranks with San Diego for 2023. He appeared in only one game with the Tigers during 2021 but had a 10.05 ERA across 31.1 innings for the Angels during in the 2020 campaign.

Junk was traded from the Angels to the Brewers on Tuesday along with Elvis Peguero and Adam Seminaris in exchange for Hunter Renfroe.

Junk was acquired by the Angels from the Yankees at the trade deadline in 2021, and he's now on the move once again. The 26-year-old has a 4.74 ERA across 24.2 innings since he made his debut for the Angels in 2021. He worked as a starter at Triple-A last season and had a 4.64 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 69:18 K:BB across 73.2 innings, but his cleanest path to a roster spot in Milwaukee will come as a reliever.

Soroka (elbow) signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract with Atlanta on Friday, avoiding arbitration.

Soroka has endured a number of injury setbacks in his career, most notably a pair of surgeries on his Achilles' tendon. Shortly after his return from the injured list last year, Soroka came down with elbow soreness, but it would seem Atlanta is confident the right-hander will be able to contribute to the major-league team in 2023.

Houser (groin) avoided arbitration by signing a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the Brewers on Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports

Houser finished 2022 with a 4.73 ERA and 1.46 WHIP through 102.2 innings, a major step down from his marks the season before (3.22 ERA, 1.28 WHIP). With the Brewers rotation already including Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta and Eric Lauer, Houser will likely find himself in a battle with Aaron Ashby for the Crew's fifth rotation spot.