MLB Player News

Contrary to a prior report, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said Wednesday that a trade to acquire Cole from the Pirates is not done and not imminent, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that the two teams have reached an agreement for Cole, so this deal is still likely to get done, and might even already be done, despite what Luhnow told the local beat reporter. There has been no word of which specific young players will be going to Pittsburgh. Assuming the deal eventually gets done, Cole's fantasy value won't be significantly impacted, as the expected gains in wins will likely be offset by the move to the American League.

Worley signed a minor-league contract with the Reds on Tuesday which includes an invitation to spring training.

Worley spent the 2017 season with the Marlins, splitting time between Triple-A New Orleans and the big club. He worked as a starter and reliever for Miami, though he struggled in both roles and finished the season with a 6.91 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and 50:30 K:BB in 71.2 innings. Worley did post a more respectable 4.90 FIP, and he owns a 4.09 ERA over his eight-year career (667 innings), so he'll get a shot to break camp with the Reds as a long reliever.

Cole has been the subject of trade talks between Pittsburgh and Houston, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports.

Astros owner Jim Crane backed up that report, telling Alyson Footer of MLB.com that the club is "actively pursuing a high-end starter," adding that the organization is willing to dip into its prospect-rich farm system. The Passan report, which was confirmed by Jon Morosi of MLB.com, indicated one name mentioned was outfielder Derek Fisher, but the Pirates would almost certainly need outfielder Kyle Tucker or right-handed pitcher Forrest Whitley as the linchpin of any deal. The Astros are looking to shore up an already good starting staff that boasts Justin Verlander and Dallas Keuchel at the top of the rotation.

Milone (elbow) signed a minor-league deal with the Nationals, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation reports.

He missed the final weeks of the 2017 season with a bone spur in his left elbow, but should be ready to compete for a roster spot this spring. The veteran southpaw, who turns 31 in February, has made 20 MLB starts over the past two seasons, primarily due to desperation on the part of the Twins, Brewers and Mets. He hasn't posted an ERA under 5.50 since 2015, and figures to try to earn a swing man or long reliever role.

Lyles signed a one-year, $750,000 with the Padres on Sunday, A.J. Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Lyles will likely compete for a spot in the starting rotation after re-signing with the Padres. He struggled mightily at the major-league level in 2017, allowing a 7.75 ERA over 69.2 innings pitched. The 27-year-old right-hander has failed to post an ERA under 5.00 since 2014 but will attempt to resurrect his career in what will be his second year with San Diego.

Alcantara was traded to the Marlins on Wednesday as part of the return package in the trade that sent Marcell Ozuna to the Cardinals, Jon Heyman of FanRagSports.com reports.

The rest of the prospects headed to Miami have not yet been revealed, but the flame-throwing right-hander might be the headliner. He can touch triple digits with his fastball, but shaky command and inconsistent secondary offerings have many evaluators pegging him for a high-leverage relief role. He is still just 22, so there is time for him to improve in both areas. The Marlins will continue to develop him as a starter, as they won't be contending anytime soon. The impact on his fantasy value is complicated -- he was likely ticketed for a relief role sooner than later with the Cardinals, which could have yielded saves and strikeouts, but now he will have a chance to max out as a high-strikeout/high-WHIP starter.

Smyly (elbow) agreed to a two-year contract with the Cubs on Tuesday, Buster Olney of ESPN reports.

Smyly is not expected to debut with the Cubs until the latter portion of the 2018 season, as he just underwent Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery this past June. The move is likely more 2019 focused, as Smyly could be seen as a nice buy-low option in the long run. He has a career 3.74 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 156 appearances.

General manager Neal Huntington said the Pirates are open to using Glasnow out of the bullpen to start the season, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

While Huntington noted the team views Glasnow as a starter long term, he didn't rule out the possibility of using him in a relief role. Despite being one of the more promising young arms in the game, Glasnow has yet to put it together at the major-league level, posting a 6.75 ERA, 1.88 WHIP and 6.0 BB/9 over the past two seasons (85.1 innings). The 24-year-old owns a much more respectable 3.75 ERA in 12 innings of relief, so the Pirates may be hoping he can find form in the bullpen before moving back to the rotation.

General manager David Stearns said he's unsure if Houser will be used as a starter or reliever moving forward, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Houser returned from Tommy John surgery in August and spent the remainder of the season with Low-A Wisconsin and the Brewers' rookie-level affiliate. While he primarily started, the right-hander didn't pitch more than three innings in any outing. Houser has experience pitching out of the bullpen, so it's possible he's shifted to a relief role in order to help preserve his arm. A decision on that likely won't be made until closer to spring.

Manager Dave Roberts said Maeda is expected to start next season, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Maeda will return to the rotation after pitching out of the Dodgers' bullpen during the playoffs. He finished the 2017 season with a 4.22 ERA and 140:34 K:BB across 25 starts and four relief appearances. Given the Dodgers' depth at starting pitcher, Maeda will likely be stuck at the back end of the staff.