MLB Player News

The Rays optioned Cook to minor-league camp Sunday.

The 24-year-old was added to Tampa Bay's 40-man roster in November but was always a longshot to crack the Opening Day roster. Cook missed some time in 2025 due to injuries but pitched well for Double-A Montgomery when available, finishing with a 2.30 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 18:3 K:BB over 15.2 innings.

The Rangers optioned Lopez to Double-A Frisco on Sunday.

Texas awarded Lopez a spot on its 40-man roster over the winter after he compiled a 2.40 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 116:41 K:BB between Frisco and High-A Hub City in 2025. The 23-year-old righty will head back to Frisco to begin the upcoming campaign, but a strong start to the season could put him on track for an early promotion to Triple-A Round Rock.

The Guardians optioned Aleman to Triple-A Columbus on Sunday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

Aleman struggled to a 7.85 ERA over 36.2 innings at Columbus last season, so it's hardly a surprise he'll return there to begin 2026. The 25-year-old has yet to make his MLB debut and will need significantly better results to have a chance of changing that this year.

The Rangers optioned Davalillo to Double-A Frisco on Sunday.

Texas added Davalillo to its 40-man roster over the winter, but the 23-year-old righty is still in need of further seasoning in the minors. He'll return to Frisco to open the upcoming campaign after logging a 2.73 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 58:17 K:BB across 56 frames in the Texas League in 2025.

The Guardians optioned Espino to Triple-A Columbus on Sunday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

Espino fired two scoreless innings during spring training but unsurprisingly won't make Cleveland's Opening Day roster. The 25-year-old made an appearance for Triple-A Columbus late last season, which was his first game action since 2022 after requiring multiple shoulder surgeries.

Ort (elbow) struck out one batter in a perfect inning of relief Thursday in the Angels' 16-11 loss to the Athletics in Cactus League play.

While he was a member of the Astros last season, Ort didn't make any appearances after Sept. 4 due to right elbow inflammation. The right-hander was briefly a member of the Yankees' 40-man roster over the offseason before being claimed off waivers in late January, and New York outrighted him just over a week later. Ort is attending big-league spring training as a non-roster invitee and will look to string together a few more quality relief appearances in the Cactus League to make his case for a spot in the Angels' Opening Day bullpen.

Murakami (fatigue) has gone 2-for-10 with two walks, three runs, one RBI and one stolen base in three games for Team Japan during the World Baseball Classic.

Murakami was scratched from the White Sox's Cactus League lineup Feb. 26 due to a bout of fatigue, but as expected, he's been fully cleared to play in WBC games with Japan. The 26-year-old infielder will remain with Japan for the duration of its WBC run before rejoining the White Sox for the final week of spring training.

The Rangers placed Montgomery (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday.

The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for outfielder Dairon Blanco, whom the Rangers claimed off waivers from the Royals. The move to the 60-day IL won't affect Montgomery's return timeline, as the veteran southpaw was already expected to miss multiple months as he continues his recovery from hybrid UCL reconstruction surgery, which he underwent last April.

The Rangers claimed Blanco off waivers from the Royals on Sunday.

Kansas City cut him loose after signing free-agent outfielder Starling Marte, but Blanco could be in decent position to secure a spot on the Rangers' Opening Day roster. A right-handed hitter with exceptional speed, Blanco could profile as an ideal short-side platoon mate for Evan Carter, a career .083 hitter versus left-handed pitching.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sunday that Mayer is "doing a good job" but wouldn't guarantee the young infielder will make the Opening Day roster, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports.

The 23-year-old is batting just .200 through four spring training games, though one of his two hits was a home run. Mayer struggled to a .228/.272/.402 slash line in 44 regular-season games as he received his first taste of the majors in 2025, and the offseason acquisitions of Caleb Durbin and Isiah Kiner-Falefa have resulted in a more crowded infield. If Mayer doesn't win a starting job, the Red Sox could prioritize getting him everyday opportunities in the minor leagues rather than keeping him in the majors as a bench option.