MLB Player News

The White Sox and Wilson (shoulder) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $950,000 contract Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Wilson receives a bump in pay in what was his first year of arbitration eligibility. The 30-year-old struggled mightily with his control in his first season with the White Sox, walking 26 over 34.2 innings while posting a 5.71 ERA. Wilson spent the final six weeks of the 2024 season on the injured list with a back issue, but it was a shoulder injury suffered on a rehab assignment which shut him down for the year. It's not clear whether he will be limited in spring training.

Hendriks (elbow) said Wednesday he's been throwing bullpen sessions for a month and a half and is having "a pretty normal offseason," Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Hendriks was limited to just six rehab appearances in 2024 after making it back from Tommy John surgery and threw only 10 innings in 2023 after returning from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It would appear he will enter spring training without restrictions, but it's a mystery what Hendriks' stuff will look like considering how much time he's missed and the fact that he'll turn 36 in February. Browne writes that Hendriks "might be a slight favorite" to open 2025 as Boston's closer, but it's a tentative designation to say the least.

Jax and the Twins avoided arbitration Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.365 million contract, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Jax was arbitration eligible for the first time, coming off a 2024 campaign in which he turned in a tidy 2.03 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 95:15 K:BB while collecting five wins, 10 saves and 24 holds in 71 innings out of the bullpen. Though reports earlier in the offseason suggested that Jax could be a candidate to move into the rotation in 2025, general manager Jeremy Zoll confirmed Wednesday that the right-hander will remain a key part of the late-inning ranks during the upcoming season. Jhoan Duran will presumably head into spring training as the Twins' preferred closer, but Jax will likely be first in line for save chances if Duran misses time or is removed from the role for performance-related reasons.

The Rays and Cleavinger avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.2 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Cleavinger gets a well-earned raise after putting up a 3.75 ERA and 71:31 K:BB over 60 innings during 2024 in his first year back from knee surgery. The left-handed reliever will be in line for high-leverage work again with the Rays in 2025.

The Tigers and Rogers avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.64 million contract Thursday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Rogers had been arbitration-eligible for a second time. The catcher slashed a disappointing .197/.255/.352 with 10 home runs in 2024, but he remains a trusted receiver and is slated to open 2025 at the top of the Tigers' catching depth chart.

Mize and the Tigers avoided arbitration after agreeing to a one-year, $2.34 million contract Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The Tigers declined Mize's $3.1 million club option for 2025 earlier in the offseason, but the 27-year-old right-hander will stick around in Detroit at a more team-friendly price. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 First-Year Player Draft has struggled to bounce back from his June 2022 Tommy John surgery, which cost him the entire 2023 season. He broke camp last season as a member of Detroit's rotation but proceeded to turn in middling ratios (4.49 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 10.8 K-BB%) over his 102.1 innings with the big club spanning 22 appearances (20 starts), and the Tigers ultimately moved him to the bullpen down the stretch. Mize will likely have to compete for a back-end spot in Detroit's rotation once again this spring.

Burke signed a one-year, $1.15 million contract with the Angels on Wednesday to avoid arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Burke logged a 3.54 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 20.1 innings upon joining the Angels in August -- good enough to earn the southpaw a nice $90,000 raise for the upcoming season. He didn't pitch often in high-leverage situations, finishing 2024 with just one hold and a blown save, though that could change if his success carries over into 2025.

Garcia (elbow) signed a one-year, $1.875 million contract with the Astros on Wednesday to avoid arbitration, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Garcia's salary won't change much from the $1.88 million he received last season, which makes sense considering he hasn't appeared in a big-league game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of 2023. However, the 28-year-old righty has been throwing live BP since September, so he figures to have a good chance at being ready for the start of spring training.

The White Sox designated Amaya for assignment Wednesday, LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Josh Rojas, whose signing was officially announced Wednesday. Amaya was a waiver claim of the White Sox in August and slashed just .179/.225/.194 over 23 games for them down the stretch of the 2024 season.

The Mariners claimed Danner off waivers from the Blue Jays on Wednesday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

Danner made one appearance for the Blue Jays in 2023 before spending most of the 2024 campaign at Triple-A Buffalo, holding a 3.15 ERA and 34:13 K:BB over 34.1 frames. He'll compete for a bullpen job in Seattle but has minor-league options remaining.