MLB Player News

The Orioles signed Morton to a one-year, $15 million contract Friday.

Morton finished the 2024 regular season having gone 8-10 over 30 starts for Atlanta with a 4.19 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 23.8 percent strikeout rate across 165.1 innings. Despite turning 41 last November, Morton has pitched at least 150 innings in four of the last five seasons and will join an Orioles' rotation that lost Corbin Burnes to the Diamondbacks in free agency.

Manoah (elbow) hopes to be ready to pitch for the Blue Jays in August, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports.

Manoah underwent a hybrid internal brace procedure to repair the UCL in his right elbow last June. The plan calls for Manoah to throw bullpen sessions in March, face hitters in June and go out on a rehab assignment in July before rejoining the Blue Jays in August. If the righty is able to hit those markers, he could spend most of the final two months of the 2025 campaign in Toronto's rotation.

Jay was designated for assignment by the Brewers on Thursday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

The Brewers acquired Grant Anderson from the Rangers, and Jay was DFA'd to clear a place on the 40-man roster. Jay made his big-league debut in 2024 but threw only 7.2 innings at the level.

Luzardo told reporters Monday that he's "100 percent" recovered from the lumbar stress reaction that cost him the final three-plus months of the season, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

The left-hander said he's "felt 100 percent the whole offseason" and is going through his normal throwing program. Acquired by the Phillies from the Marlins via trade in December, Luzardo posted a 5.00 ERA while being limited to just 12 starts in 2024 due to a flexor strain and back problem, but the 27-year-old is confident he can bounce back with his new team now that he's healthy. Luzardo held a 3.48 ERA and 28.7 percent strikeout rate from 2022 to 2023.

The Rangers signed Buchanan to a minor-league contract Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, The Dallas Morning News reports.

Buchanan got into one game with the Reds in 2024, which was his first appearance at the major-league level since 2015. The 35-year-old will give the Rangers some organizational rotation depth.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that Giolito (elbow) should be ready to pitch most, if not all, of 2025, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

Giolito underwent an internal brace procedure in March but has been throwing for several months now. Additionally, Breslow noted that he's "very, very open" to using a six-man rotation during the 2025 season, per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. That would appear especially notable in Giolito's case, as he is arguably sixth in Boston's rotation hierarchy.

The Nationals have agreed to terms with Williams on a two-year, $14 million contract, Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic reports.

Williams was limited to just 13 starts in 2024 due to a right flexor strain, but he finished the season healthy and collected a 2.03 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 59:18 K:BB over 66.2 innings. The veteran right-hander will turn 33 in April and has an uneven track record, but the Nationals are betting on what Williams did in 2024 to be at least somewhat repeatable.

Miley (elbow) is aiming to pitch during the second half of spring training and be ready for major-league games by late April or early May, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

A free agent, Miley underwent a hybrid UCL repair on his left elbow in May. The left-hander is 38 years old but wants to continue his career and hopes he can make it back to a major-league mound just 12 months or less post-surgery. Miley said his shoulder and the UCL part of his elbow feel "amazing," but he has bone spurs in the back of his elbow that he's "not recovering from great right now." The southpaw hopes to re-sign with the Brewers, but if that isn't in the cards he plans to be selective about where he pitches because he has two young children.

Burnes and the Diamondbacks agreed on a six-year, $210 million dollar contract Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The Diamondbacks had been mostly quiet during the early part of the offseason, but they made their second big splash within the past seven days -- the first was a trade for first baseman Josh Naylor last Saturday -- with the signing of Burnes. The 30-year-old right-hander put up impressive numbers in his lone campaign with Baltimore last year, posting a 2.92 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and career-high 15 wins over 194.1 innings across 32 starts. It's also worth noting -- especially for fantasy managers deciding where Burnes slots in among baseball's top arms -- that his strikeout rate fell to 23.1 percent, marking the fourth straight year it has dipped. Nonetheless, Burnes offers plenty to like from a fantasy perspective, including the ability to rack up starts (he's made at least 32 each of the past three years), limit walks and post strong ratios. In Arizona, he'll form an intimidating 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation with Zac Gallen for a Diamondbacks squad that has its sights set on being contenders in the National League.

The Phillies signed Ross to a one-year, $4 million contract Monday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Ross essentially slides into the swingman role vacated by free agent Spencer Turnbull. The 31-year-old Ross fared much better in relief (1.98 ERA, 24.1 percent strikeout rate) than he did as a starter (4.98 ERA, 18.7 percent strikeout rate) with the Brewers in 2024.