MLB Player News

Bowman agreed Wednesday with the Twins on a minor-league contract, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

After failing to secure a spot in the Twins' Opening Day bullpen, Bowman exercised the opt-out clause in his minor-league deal over the weekend. The 34-year-old righty apparently wasn't able to find a more favorable opportunity elsewhere, so he'll return to the Twins organization and serve as relief depth at Triple-A St. Paul. Bowman owns a 4.38 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 240.2 career innings in the big leagues across parts of seven seasons.

Jackson will remain with the Twins organization after accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A St. Paul, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

With the Twins electing to carry two catchers (Ryan Jeffers and Victor Caratini) on their Opening Day squad, Jackson was designated for assignment during the final roster cutdown of the spring. After none of the other 29 teams were willing to take on Jackson and his $1.35 million contract for 2026, he'll end up sticking around in the organization as catching depth. Jackson should be the top candidate for a promotion if Jeffers or Caratini misses time at any point this year.

Leiter allowed two hits and struck out six over four scoreless innings in Tuesday's exhibition start against the Royals.

Leiter dazzled in his fifth and final spring start. Most impressive was his work putting away batters and his strike-throwing ability. The right-hander didn't walk a batter over his final 12.2 spring innings and enters the regular season having posted a 3.38 ERA and an 18:3 K:BB in exhibition contests. Leiter lines up to make his first regular-season start next Monday on the road against the Orioles.

Pepiot (hip) is set to resume a throwing program this weekend, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.

Pepiot was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right hip inflammation, an injury that wasn't previously disclosed. He was examined by a doctor Wednesday and got a favorable result. Pepiot is not with the Rays on their season-opening road trip, but he could rejoin their rotation during their first home stand, perhaps as soon as April 6 when he's first eligible to be activated. Joe Boyle is occupying a spot in Tampa Bay's rotation while Pepiot is out.

The Rangers selected McCutchen's contract from Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday.

Despite remaining unsigned through the first couple weeks of spring training, McCutchen was able to hit the ground running after joining the Rangers on a minor-league pact. Over nine games in the Cactus League, McCutchen slashed .429/.556/.714 with one home run and a 6:5 BB:K across 27 plate appearances en route to securing his spot on the Opening Day roster. The 39-year-old is likely to fill the short side of a platoon at designated hitter with the left-handed-hitting Joc Pederson, though McCutchen may occasionally see action in the corner outfield.

The Blue Jays designated Jimenez for assignment Wednesday.

Jimenez had no minor-league options remaining, so after deciding not to include him on their Opening Day roster, the Blue Jays will have to expose the young infielder to the waiver process. The 24-year-old offers a capable glove at three infield spots but hasn't resembled a big-league-caliber hitter over various stints with Toronto over the past two seasons, as he's produced a .207/.303/.332 batting line (85 wRC+) across 242 career plate appearances.

The Blue Jays placed Yesavage (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.

After an unprecedented rise through the Blue Jays' farm system that culminated in a masterful performance throughout Toronto's long postseason run, Yesavage was held out of action during the Grapefruit League for what was initially believed to be workload-management reasons. The Blue Jays then revealed last week that Yesavage was dealing with a right shoulder impingement, which will result in the team stashing him on the IL to begin the season. The injury isn't viewed as a long-term concern for Yesavage, who hasn't been shut down from throwing and was able to pitch in a minor-league game on the back fields of camp Wednesday. He'll likely head out on a rehab assignment shortly after the minor-league season gets underway and could be an option for the Toronto rotation at some point in April. In the meantime, while Yesavage and Shane Bieber (elbow) are both on the shelf, Eric Lauer will serve as Toronto's No. 5 starter.

The Blue Jays optioned Lee to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday.

Lee put his best foot forward in attempting to win a spot in the Blue Jays' bullpen, tossing 6.1 scoreless innings during Grapefruit League play. While it ultimately wasn't enough, he should get a look when the club inevitably requires relief help.

The Blue Jays placed Santander (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.

Santander underwent surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder in February. He has a chance to return at some point after the All-Star break, but it's possible the Blue Jays wind up holding him back until next season.

The Blue Jays placed Bieber (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.

Bieber has dealt with what had been referred to as forearm fatigue dating back to last season, but the Blue Jays have listed right elbow inflammation as his injury designation. The veteran hurler has been throwing on flat ground, but it's unclear when he'll be ready for mound work and a rehab assignment. A clearer picture of Bieber's status should be available in the coming weeks.