MLB Player News

Taylor signed a contract with the Angels on Thursday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

No details of the deal are currently known, but presumably it's a short-term contract that gives Taylor a good chance of starting the campaign on the big-league roster. He ended the 2025 season with the Angels and hit .179 with two homers and 10 RBI across only 90 plate appearances with the club. Taylor will likely be in a reserve role, but he could get several starts per week due to his ability to play all three outfield spots as well as the infield.

Montero signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Thursday, which includes an invitation to spring training, Hector Gomez of Z101Digital.com reports.

Montero bounced between three teams in 2025 but still covered 60.1 innings in the majors. His primary problem was control, as he walked 37 batters while striking out 58. If Montero earns a roster spot, he'd likely begin the season in a low-leverage role.

Schmidt (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Thursday.

Schmidt underwent an internal brace surgery July 11 and will be out until at least the middle of the 2026 season. This move doesn't come as a surprise and is procedural to create a roster spot for the signing of Paul Goldschmidt.

Murakami will have his Cactus League debut delayed until Feb. 28, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.

It was always the White Sox's plan to bring Murakami along slowly as he adjusts to his first season stateside, though Feb. 28 represents a later exhibition debut than originally anticipated. There doesn't appear to be any cause for concern at this point, as he's still expected to appear in a few Cactus League games before playing in the World Baseball Classic.

Roden, who had surgery in August to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, had a normal offseason, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

It sounds like he's fully healthy as spring training begins. Roden will compete for a starting role in the outfield but could also be part of a platoon in the corner outfield. He struggled in his first taste of the majors last season (hitting .204 with a .589 OPS in 43 games with the Blue Jays) but had a second strong season at Triple-A (.919 OPS). He was traded to the Twins at the deadline and struggled again with a .463 OPS in 12 games before suffering a season-ending thumb injury.

Lewis has been shut down from throwing after he was diagnosed with a moderate subscapularis strain in his right shoulder, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Lewis is coming off a disappointing season as he had an ugly 7.27 ERA and 87:68 K:BB ratio in 73 innings at Triple-A in 2025. He missed some time last season with a right shoulder injury, but it's not clear if this setback is related. Lewis has had an unusual career path, as he's increasingly incorporated a knuckleball in his arsenal. He'll likely be shut down for at least a few weeks before being evaluated.

Rodon (elbow) has thrown 5-to-6 bullpen sessions and is scheduled to throw another one Saturday, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network reports.

Rodon also revealed that he was given two platelet-rich plasma injections in his surgically repaired left elbow in order to expediate the healing process. The expectation is that Rodon will make a few Grapefruit League starts and be ready for his season debut in late April or early May.

The Royals traded Causey to the Athletics on Thursday in exchange for Mitch Spence.

Causey spent time with the Royals' High-A and Double-A affiliates in 2025, posting a 1.72 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 73.1 innings across the two levels. The 23-year-old righty will likely begin his tenure with the Athletics in Double-A and aim to reach Triple-A Las Vegas at some point this summer.

The Royals placed Marsh (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.

Marsh missed all of 2025 due to shoulder problems, and after undergoing surgery in November to address the issue, he's expected to miss the entire 2026 campaign as well. His move to the 60-day IL clears space on the 40-man roster for Mitch Spence, whom the Royals acquired in a trade with the Athletics on Thursday.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that Schlitter will not throw off a mound for a few days due to mid-back inflammation, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

The injury is considered minor, and Schlitter will continue to throw on flat ground. At this point, the Yankees seem to be simply exercising caution, though it's possible Schlittler's Grapefruit League debut gets pushed back. The young right-hander is locked into a spot in the Yankees' rotation after holding a 2.96 ERA and 84:31 K:BB over 73 regular-season innings in 2025.