MLB Player News

Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted at Fenway Fest in January that he envisions Mayer getting more playing time against left-handers in 2026, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Mayer was allotted 27 of 136 plate appearances at the MLB level against lefties in 2025, managing a miniscule .416 OPS in the small sample size. With the departure of Alex Bregman, it's likely Mayer will take over at third base this season, and Cora wants a more full-time role for the 23-year-old infielder, who is capable of slotting in at three infield positions. Boston's recent signing of Isiah Kiner-Falefa, a Gold Glove winner at third base in 2020 while with Texas, could impact the eventual infield positioning, but he appears ticketed for a rotation at second base with several other candidates.

With Kenley Jansen the favorite to open the season as Detroit's closer, per the Tiger Territory podcast, Finnegan will likely need to settle for a setup role.

Jansen leads all active MLB players and is fourth all time with 476 career saves, so it's not too surprising that manager A.J. Hinch figures to look the veteran's way first. Finnegan had 24 saves last season, with four of those coming with the Tigers after arriving via trade at the summer deadline, but it looks like his 2026 total will be significantly lower, unless Jansen gets hurt or struggles out of the gate. Detroit's 2025 saves leader, Will Vest, also figures to be in the setup mix in the seventh and eighth innings.

Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million contract with the Tigers on Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The addition of Valdez gives the Tigers one of the most formidable left-handed starter duos in baseball, as he will now join Tarik Skubal atop Detroit's rotation. Valdez, 32, turned in a 3.66 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 192 innings with the Astros last season. Although those ratios are some of the worst he's recorded over his eight-year career, he remains a dependable fantasy asset after making 31 starts and topping 185 strikeouts in three of the past four seasons.

Kiner-Falefa signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Red Sox on Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Kiner-Falefa spent time with the Pirates and Blue Jays in 2025, slashing .262/.297/.334 with 40 RBI, 45 runs scored and 15 stolen bases across 459 regular-season plate appearances. The 30-year-old's career .262 batting average and ability to play three infield positions will help him to crack the starting nine occasionally, but he's unlikely to secure regular starts for the Red Sox.

Anderson (oblique) signed a minor-league contract with the Angels on Wednesday.

After signing a $39 million deal with the Angels in November 2022, Anderson largely disappointed during his three seasons in Anaheim, posting a collective 18-29 record, 4.53 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 8.6 K-BB% over 456.2 innings. Though he'll end up rejoining the Angels, the 36-year-old lefty isn't included among the team's initial list of non-roster invitees for big-league spring training and is seemingly ticketed for the Triple-A Salt Lake rotation. Anderson -- who closed last season on the injured list due to an oblique strain -- is presumably healthy now, but it looks like he'll need to prove he still has something left in the tank at the Triple-A level before the Angels consider adding him back to the 40-man roster.

The Angels signed Saucedo to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to big-league spring training.

Saucedo has posted a 4.36 ERA and 112:58 K:BB over 128 frames covering parts of five major-league seasons. The 32-year-old spent most of 2025 in the minors and faces an uphill battle to make the Opening Day roster, even in an unsettled Angels bullpen.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch indicated Wednesday on the Tiger Territory podcast that Jansen will open the season as the team's favorite to serve as closer.

Speaking about his high-leverage relief options, Hinch said, "I think they're all going to get saves," before adding that "I think we can pretty much guess how it's gonna go given that one of them has a historic number of saves." The latter comment was in reference to Jansen, who is 24 saves away from 500 for his career. It doesn't mean the 38-year-old will finish the 2026 season as the Tigers' closer, but it's a safe bet Jansen will open the year as Hinch's first choice to handle save opportunities. Will Vest and/or Kyle Finnegan would be next-in-line if Jansen slips up. Jansen's strikeout rate dipped to a career-low 24.4 percent in 2025 with the Angels, but he remained effective, posting a 2.59 ERA and 0.95 WHIP while notching 29 saves.

The White Sox designated Hudson for assignment Wednesday.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Austin Hays, whose signing was made official Wednesday. Hudson was a key reliever for the Brewers in 2024, but he regressed in 2025, spending much of the year in the minors and collecting a 4.80 ERA and 19:13 K:BB over 15 frames during his time at the big-league level. The 6-foot-8 lefty doesn't have minor-league options remaining, but his 1.73 ERA and 0.72 WHIP from 2024 could be enough to garner some interest on the waiver wire.

The Rangers signed Thompson (biceps) to a minor-league contract Tuesday.

Thompson permitted 14 earned runs over just 10.2 innings in 2025 for the Nationals and also had a 6.61 ERA in the minors in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. He ended the 2025 campaign on the injured list with biceps tendinitis and it's unclear whether he'll have any restrictions at the beginning of spring training.

The Yankees designated Hamel for assignment Wednesday.

Hamel will be exiting a 40-man roster for the fourth time in under five months; he had previously been DFA'd by the Mets and Orioles in September and the Rangers in January. The Yankees will drop Hamel from the roster in order to clear room for outfielder Yanquiel Fernandez, who was claimed off waivers from the Rockies. The 26-year-old Hamel made his MLB debut last season in a Sept. 17 relief appearance with the Mets but otherwise spent the entire campaign at Triple-A Syracuse, where he turned in a 5.32 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 75:22 K:BB in 67.2 innings.