MLB Player News

Hancock will enter spring training as a starting pitcher, Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reports.

Hancock was moved to the bullpen last August, but with Logan Evans (elbow) out for the season, the Mariners want to have Hancock available to start, if needed. If the Mariners' rotation is healthy on Opening Day, Hancock will likely shift back to a relief role. He allowed four runs (two earned) with a 4:1 K:BB over 8.2 innings as a reliever in 2025.

The Red Sox signed Nittoli to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.

Nittoli saw limited action in the majors every season from 2021-2024 but spent all of 2025 at the Triple-A level, collecting a 4.58 ERA and 46:15 K:BB over 39.1 innings. The 35-year-old will compete for a bullpen role in Boston but is likely ticketed for Triple-A Worcester.

The Rays acquired Williamson from the Mariners on Monday as part of a three-team trade involving the Cardinals, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports.

Brendan Donovan is headed to Seattle as part of the deal. Williamson is a glove-first third baseman who slashed just .253/.294/.310 with one homer in 85 regular-season games for the Mariners in 2025. He is now stuck behind Junior Caminero in Tampa Bay, so Williamson could begin the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Durham.

The Mariners acquired Donovan from the Cardinals on Monday as part of a three-team deal involving the Rays, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

The Cardinals will receive Jurrangelo Cijntje and Tai Peete from the Mariners and Colton Ledbetter and a compensatory draft pick from the Rays. Ben Williamson will go to Tampa Bay. Second base is Donovan's primary position, but he is also an option to see playing time at third base for Seattle and is a good bet to bat leadoff. Donovan slashed .287/.353/.422 with 10 homers over 118 contests for the Cardinals in 2025 and is under team control through the 2027 campaign.

Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said Sunday that he expects Raley to start against most right-hander this season, Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reports.

Hollander does not anticipate a "hardcore platoon" in right field and designated hitter, but as a "baseline," he expects left-handed hitters Raley and Dominic Canzone to play against most righties and right-handed hitters Victor Robles and Rob Refsnyder to start versus most lefties. Raley collected a disappointing .202/.319/.311 batting line during the 2025 regular season, but he slashed .242/.333/.453 versus right-handers.

Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said Sunday that, "as a baseline," he expects Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone to start against right-handers and Rob Refsnyder and Robles to start versus lefties, Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reports.

Hollander does not believe the team will employ a "hardcore platoon" in right field and at designated hitter, but as a general rule, the left-handed hitting Raley and Canzone will start most days versus righties and the left-handed hitting Refsnyder and Robles will be in there against southpaws. Robles missed much of the 2025 season with a dislocated shoulder, and when healthy, he had just an 84 wRC+ in the regular season versus righties.

The Guardians re-signed Allard to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training.

Allard elected free agency after being outrighted off the Guardians' 40-man roster back in November, but he's ultimately found his way back into the organization. The left-hander was effective as a multi-inning reliever in 2025, posting a 2.63 ERA and 1.20 WHIP to go along with a 42:14 K:BB across 65 regular-season frames. Allard will have to win a roster spot but could fill a long relief role again.

The Angels designated Laweryson for assignment Monday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The transaction frees a spot on the 40-man roster for the re-signing of Yoan Moncada, which was officially announced Monday. Laweryson was a waiver claim of the Angels back in November after he yielded two runs (one earned) with a 7:0 K:BB over 7.2 frames covering five relief outings for the Twins in 2025. He could be appealing on waivers to teams in need of bullpen depth.

The Angels outrighted Meckler to Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday.

He's no longer on the 40-man roster, but Meckler will remain in the organization after passing through waivers unclaimed. The 25-year-old slashed .287/.390/.370 at Triple-A Sacramento in the Giants organization in 2025, though he hit just one home run across 87 games.

Yesavage would like to add a curveball to his pitch mix this season, Kristjan Lautens of the Toronto Star reports.

The 22-year-old right-hander rocketed through the Blue Jays' system last season after being the 20th overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, beginning the campaign at Single-A Dunedin and ending it by setting a World Series record for strikeouts in a game by a rookie. Yesavage leaned heavily on his fastball in the majors while mixing in a slider and splitter nearly equally, but he knows he'll need to give big-league hitters another wrinkle now that they've had a look at him. "I have a funky [over the top] arm angle, so I've just got to play around with it. I would love [a pitch] that moves glove side," he said last week. Jays GM Ross Atkins has already indicated Yesavage will begin the year in the rotation, and after he threw 139.2 innings across all levels including the postseason in 2025, he won't have a strict innings limit.