MLB Player News

The Rangers signed Ahmed to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to major-league spring training Tuesday.

Ahmed, 34, spent the 2024 campaign splitting action with the Giants, Dodgers and Padres. A glove-first middle infielder, Ahmed slashed .229/.267/.295 with two home runs and 17 runs batted in across 71 regular-season games last year. The veteran will look to win a job behind Marcus Semien, Corey Seager (hip/hernia) and Josh Smith in the middle of the Rangers' infield this spring.

The Orioles designated Vazquez for assignment Tuesday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Baltimore acquired Vazquez from the Cubs in exchange for cash considerations just five days ago, but he's now out of a 40-man roster spot after the Orioles signed Ramon Laureano to a one-year contract Tuesday. Vazquez appeared in 11 games for the Cubs last season, slashing .083/.143/.083 across 14 plate appearances.

Sweeney stands a good chance to make Detroit's Opening Day roster, though he faces plenty of competition for an everyday starting role, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

The Tigers added Gleyber Torres in the offseason, and he figures to slot in at second base. The signing added further depth to a team that already features a handful of versatile infield defenders, such as Zach McKinstry, who is out of minor-league options. Sweeney and McKinstry are each left-handed, and the fact Sweeney has minor-league options remaining could result in him opening the year at Triple-A. Veteran shortstop Javier Baez (hip) is questionable for Opening Day, and would likely start at shortstop against lefties when healthy, regardless of whether Sweeney is on the roster. Fantasy managers may need to show some patience with Sweeney, though he could see his role expand as the year progresses.

The Pirates designated Williams for assignment Monday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Tim Mayza, whose signing was officially announced Monday. Williams, who turns 26 in March, has managed just a .202/.257/.271 batting line with zero home runs over 208 plate appearances at the major-league level.

The White Sox claimed Amaya off waivers from the Orioles on Monday.

Amaya was removed from the White Sox' 40-man roster less than a month ago before being scooped up via waivers by the Orioles. Now he's headed back to Chicago, where he will provide some infield depth.

The Rays designated Basabe for assignment Monday, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.

The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for the newly-acquired Alex Faedo. Basabe, 24, missed a large chunk of the 2024 season with a fractured wrist, slashing just .248/.293/.336 over 66 contests during his time at Triple-A Durham. He has minor-league options left and could draw interest from a team looking for utility depth.

Bogaerts will be the Padres' starting shortstop during the upcoming season, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

San Diego shifted Bogaerts to second base ahead of the 2024 campaign, and he ended up making 85 starts there. However, the veteran infielder did start 16 times at shortstop, with all of those appearances coming at the end of the season after Ha-Seong Kim landed on the injured list due to a shoulder injury. Kim is now in Tampa Bay, which made Bogaerts' return to shortstop an expected scenario. For fantasy purposes, it's important to note that Bogaerts made 20 appearances at the position in total during the 2024 regular season, so he should have dual-position eligibility from the beginning of the season in most formats.

Rojas said Saturday expects to be ready by Opening Day after undergoing hernia surgery during the offseason, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Rojas revealed that he developed an infection after the procedure, which delayed his offseason program by a few weeks. The 35-year-old infielder said that he is nearly at full health, and unless he suffers a setback, he should be ready for Opening Day. Rojas slashed .283/.337/.410 with eight stolen bases, six home runs and 36 RBI across 337 plate appearances during the 2024 regular season.

The Mets designated De Los Santos for assignment Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

De Los Santos was claimed off waivers by the Mets on Nov. 4 after being let go by the Blue Jays. He spent most of the 2024 season at Triple-A Buffalo, where he slashed .260/375./.441 with six home runs and 16 RBI over 152 plate appearances. De Los Santos was brought in to compete for spot on the Mets' roster for the 2025 campaign, but his removal from the 40-man roster is to make room for Nick Madrigal, who signed a one-year, $1.35 million contract Friday.

The Royals designated Shewmake for assignment Friday.

The Royals made the signing of Carlos Estevez official Friday, leaving no room on the 40-man roster for Shewmake. The 27-year-old infielder will now enter the waiver process for the second time in the last 30 days, and his reputation as a strong defender could get him picked up by another club.