MLB Player News

Rodon (elbow) is in the second week of his throwing program, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Working his way back from surgery in mid-October to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur in his left elbow, Rodon most recently made 30 throws from 60-75 feet. The southpaw anticipates making some Grapefruit League starts, but he will begin the season on the injured list and isn't expected to make his regular-season debut for the Yankees until late April or early May.

Perez suffered a left thumb injury Sunday while playing in the Venezuelan Winter League, Al Son de la LVBP reports.

Perez posted a video on Instagram of himself working out and he didn't seem to be overly affected by the injury, so it seems to be a day-to-day situation that shouldn't affect his availability for spring training. The 35-year-old Perez has gone 6-for-29 with two home runs for Leones del Caracas in winter ball thus far.

The Rangers signed Velazquez to a minor-league contract Dec. 8.

Velazquez spent all of this past season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees organization, slashing .242/.304/.345 with five homers and 25 steals. A career .189/.244/.293 hitter over parts of six big-league seasons, Velazquez will give the Rangers some experienced infield depth at Triple-A Round Rock.

Sanchez signed a minor-league contract with the Angels on Dec. 8.

Sanchez will remain with the Angels after slashing .246/.357/.329 with four home runs, 36 RBI, nine stolen bases and 61 runs scored over 120 games at Triple-A Salt Lake in 2025. He's played exclusively at Triple-A for the least three seasons, and his last big-league appearance dates back to the 2022 campaign with the Red Sox.

Bennett was traded from the Nationals to the Red Sox on Monday in exchange for Luis Perales, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Bennett pitched well during the 2025 season in his first year back since Tommy John surgery, posting a 2.56 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 33 strikeouts across 45.2 innings at Double-A. He's yet to pitch above the Double-A level, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him begin the 2026 campaign in Portland now that he's joined Boston's farm system. Chief baseball officer for the Red Sox, Craig Breslow, is clearly high on the southpaw. "We feel like Bennett is a high probability starter that excels in some things that are hard to teach," said Breslow, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. "Fastball playability driven by above average extension and strike throwing ability. His whiff rates and ability to manage hard contact have us confident in his ability to be a major league starter."

The Blue Jays designated Bruihl for assignment Monday.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Tyler Rogers, whose signing was officially announced Monday. Bruihl made 15 appearances out of Toronto's bullpen in 2025, collecting a 5.27 ERA and 18:7 K:BB across 13.2 frames. The southpaw has been outrighted previously, so he would have to approve an outright assignment by the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays signed Plassmeyer to a minor-league contract Dec. 6.

Plassmeyer spent all of the 2025 season at Triple-A Round Rock in the Rangers organization, posting a 4.43 ERA and 99:34 K:BB over 105.2 innings while splitting time between the rotation and bullpen. It's unclear what role the Blue Jays have in mind for the southpaw, but he's likely headed to Triple-A Buffalo to begin the 2026 season.

The Twins signed Bell to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2027 on Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

It's the first major-league free-agent signing this offseason for the Twins. Bell should see most of the playing time at first base in Minnesota but is also an option for starts at designated hitter. The 33-year-old slashed .237/.325/.417 with 22 home runs across 140 games this past season for the Nationals.

Elko (knee) agreed to a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Sunday, Jack Ankony of SI.com reports.

The 26-year-old hit the opening market in November after Chicago elected not to tender him a contract for 2026, but he's now back with the organization on a minor-league deal. Elko underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee after the season, so he'll be unavailable for at least the first few months of the 2026 campaign.

The Brewers traded Mears to the Royals on Saturday alongside Isaac Collins in exchange for Angel Zerpa, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Mears enjoyed the best campaign of his career with Milwaukee in 2025, finishing the regular season with a 3.49 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over 56.2 innings while also notching his first career save. The 29-year-old righty is unlikely to beat out Carlos Estevez and Lucas Erceg in the race for high-leverage opportunities, but Mears will provide some depth into Kansas City's middle-relief unit.