MLB Player News

The Athletics designated Spence for assignment Tuesday.

With Scott Barlow and Aaron Civale officially signing one-year deals with the A's on Tuesday, Spence and Grant Holman (finger) will both lose their place on the 40-man roster. Spence made 32 appearances (eight starts) with the Athletics in 2025, turning in a 5.10 ERA and 1.44 WHIP to go with a 66:26 K:BB through 84.2 innings. Assuming he clears waivers, the 27-year-old righty will open the season at Triple-A Las Vegas.

The Tigers placed Olson on the 60-day injured list Tuesday after he underwent a right shoulder labral repair Feb. 2 that will result in him missing the 2026 season.

It was feared that Olson would not be ready for Opening Day, but it turned out to be worse than that. Near the end of the 2025 season, there was a hope that he could return for the postseason after hitting the injured list in July, but that did not come to fruition either. Prior to the Tigers announcing Olson's surgery, they signed Framber Valdez on Feb. 4 and Justin Verlander earlier Tuesday. Troy Melton is also an option to find time in the rotation with both Olson and Jackson Jobe (elbow) out.

Wright signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Tuesday and received an invitation to spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Wright made eight appearances in the Royals' farm system last year while working his way back from an oblique injury, finishing with a 5.48 ERA and 1.57 WHIP across 23 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. The 30-year-old will now get to show the Cubs what he can do when fully healthy this spring, but he's likely destined to begin the year at Triple-A Iowa.

Bieber will have a delayed build-up during spring training and will begin the season on the injured list due to right forearm fatigue, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

After making five appearances in the playoffs -- including Game 7 of the World Series versus the Dodgers -- Bieber reported to have pitched through forearm fatigue late in the year, and he's still not back up to full strength a few months later. The right-hander also made seven regular-season starts last season in his return from Tommy John surgery, and it's not a major surprise he's dealing with some fatigue after an extended playoff run. Manager John Schneider described Bieber as "feeling good," so he may not need too much time on the shelf to begin 2026.

Manager Kurt Suzuki confirmed Tuesday that Detmers (elbow) is viewed as a lock for the Angels' Opening Day rotation, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Though Detmers found some success while working as a full-time reliever in 2025 (3.08 xFIP, 20.7 K-BB% in 63.2 innings), Angels general manager Perry Minasian said back in October that the left-hander earned another opportunity to prove he belongs in the rotation. Detmers apparently won't even need to earn his spot in the rotation with a strong showing in spring training; in addition to Detmers, Suzuki said that Yusei Kikuchi and Jose Soriano are also locked in as starters heading into the start of camp, while Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) will clinch a spot if he emerges from the spring healthy. Though he didn't pitch over the final weeks of this past season after experiencing elbow inflammation, Detmers didn't require offseason surgery and looks like he'll be 100 percent at the onset of camp.

The Nationals placed Williams (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.

The move frees a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Andre Granillo, who was acquired via trade from the Cardinals. Williams underwent an internal brace surgery on his right elbow last July and will sidelined for at least the first two months of the season while he continues his rehab.

Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said Tuesday that Manoah will have to earn his place in the starting rotation, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The 26-year-old joined the Halos on a one-year, $1.95 million contract in December, but he was never likely to have much in the form of guaranteed playing time after spending most of 2025 rehabbing from UCL surgery. Manoah should still be the favorite to win a job at the back end of Anaheim's rotation, given the club's other starting options.

Angels manager Kurt Suzuki indicated Tuesday that Rodriguez (elbow) will have to prove he's healthy and earn his place in the starting rotation, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander was acquired from the Orioles in November, but the Angels won't immediately guarantee him a spot in the starting rotation. Rodriguez was sidelined all of 2025 due to lat and elbow injuries and has had his fair share of health issues throughout his career. The 26-year-old seems likely to make the rotation if he can stay healthy, but that's hardly a given for the former top prospect.

Verlander agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract with the Tigers on Tuesday, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

The veteran right-hander spent the 2025 campaign in San Francisco, finishing the season with a 3.85 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 137:52 K:BB across 152 innings. Verlander is now coming back to Detroit, where he won Rookie of the Year, an MVP and a Cy Young Award across the first 13 seasons of his big-league career. He'll turn 43 years old on Feb. 20 and will help round out a Tigers rotation headlined by Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez.

The Rockies signed Sugano to a one-year contract Tuesday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Sugano posted a 4.64 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 106:36 K:BB over 157 innings covering 30 starts for the Orioles in 2025 in his first year in the majors. He had just a 15.7 percent strikeout rate and served up 33 home runs, which is a bad combination for a pitcher who will now have to tame Coors Field in his home starts.