MLB Player News

The Angels claimed Noda off waivers from the Athletics on Friday.

Noda showed some promise in 2023 after the A's plucked him in the Rule 5 Draft, slashing .229/.364/.406 with 16 homers in 128 contests. He couldn't repeat even that level of production in 2024 however, posting just a .465 OPS in 36 games with Oakland while spending most of the year in the minors. Noda will turn 29 in March and could get a chance to compete for playing time at first base, the corner outfield spots and designated hitter.

Stratton (forearm) exercised his $4.5 million player option for the 2025 season Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Stratton threw 58.1 innings out of the bullpen for the Royals in 2024, occasionally working in high-leverage situations. He posted a 5.55 ERA and 1.47 WHIP to go along with four saves and five holds. Stratton's season ended in mid-September due to forearm injury, though he is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

Renfroe exercised his $7.6 million player option for the 2025 season Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The veteran outfielder began the season as the starting right fielder for the Royals, though his role shrunk after the acquisitions of Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman. Renfroe's primary shortcoming was a lack of power, as he posted a career-low .163 ISO across 424 plate appearances. Pham is entering free agency, which could give Renfroe a shot to start again entering 2025.

Alvarez cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Las Vegas.

The 30-year-old Alvarez posted a .967 OPS in Triple-A across 317 plate appearances in 2024 and reached the majors for the first time, going 9-for-37 with two RBI over 16 games. However, he no longer owns a spot on the Athletics' 40-man roster and will remain in Las Vegas as organizational depth.

Adams (forearm) cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Adams turned in a 3.92 ERA and 1.48 WHIP across 41.1 innings in 2024, but forearm tendinitis kept him out of action since mid-August. It's unclear if the 33-year-old will be ready for the start of spring training, but he'll now have to re-earn a spot on the 40-man roster once healthy.

The Athletics traded Cameron to the Orioles on Thursday in exchange for cash.

After slashing .200/.258/.329 with 15 RBI across 186 plate appearances with the A's last season, Cameron will now move across the country to give the Orioles some additional outfield depth. Given how crowded Baltimore's outfield room is already, it's unlikely the 27-year-old takes on a meaningful role with the O's in 2025.

Giolito (elbow) exercised his $19 million player option for 2025 on Thursday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Giolito was unlikely to receive anything close to a $19 million salary in free agency after missing all of 2024 due to an elbow procedure he underwent in March, so it's unsurprising to see him opt into another year with the Red Sox. The 30-year-old right-hander started a throwing program in early August, though it remains unclear if he'll be ready to go for the start of spring training.

The Rangers claimed Contreras off waivers from the Angels on Thursday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.

Contreras looked in 2022 like he might be part of the Pirates' rotation for a while, but he's collected a 5.47 ERA and 111:63 K:BB over 136.2 innings since the start of the 2023 season and is now in his third organization since May. The righty mostly pitched in relief in 2024, but the Rangers could stretch him back out during spring training.

The Angels acquired Soler from Atlanta on Thursday in exchange for Griffin Canning, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.

There's no money changing hands, so the Angels will be solely responsible for the $32 million Soler is owed over the next two seasons. Slated to turn 33 in February, Soler slashed .241/.338/.442 with 21 home runs over 142 regular-season games between San Francisco and Atlanta in 2024. He is likely to be used mostly at designated hitter with the Angels, although general manager Perry Minasian said Thursday that Soler could play some in the outfield, as well, per Taylor Blake Ward of the Sporting Tribune.

Judge went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and two walks in Wednesday's loss to the Dodgers.

Judge sent Yankee Stadium into a frenzy in the bottom of the first inning when he followed a one-out Juan Soto walk with a two-run homer to the opposite field. He also added a double and a pair of free passes. Judge's heroics were ultimately too little, too late as the Yankees blew a 5-0 lead, partly because of a key Judge misplay in the outfield amid a terrible defensive inning for the Yankees, and the Dodgers went on to capture the World Series title. He clubbed three home runs and drove in nine in 14 games this postseason, but Judge also batted just .184 with a 31.3 percent strikeout rate.