MLB Player News

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Saturday at the Cubs Convention fan event that Suzuki will be the team's designated hitter "a lot" this season, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Suzuki has said that he prefers to play the outfield, but with Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker slated for everyday roles in that capacity this coming season, Suzuki's path to regular playing time is at DH. Counsell noted he spoke to Suzuki about the plan last week and the 30-year-old is on board. While he will be the Cubs' primary DH in 2025, Suzuki should still see enough action in the outfield to retain eligibility there for fantasy in 2026.

Atlanta signed Casali to a minor-league contract Jan. 17 that includes an invitation to spring training, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reports.

Atlanta has an opening at backup catcher behind Sean Murphy that Casali could potentially fill. The 36-year-old appeared in 41 games for the Giants in 2024, putting up a .543 OPS with one home run.

The Cubs signed Richards to a minor-league contract Monday, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reports.

Richards had a 4.55 ERA in 2024 between the Blue Jays and Twins and saw his strikeout rate dip from 33.3 percent to 22.4 percent year-over-year. That said, as a versatile arm with some swing-and-miss ability, he's a solid get on a minor-league contract. Presumably, he'll receive an invitation to spring training, where he'll compete for a bullpen gig.

The Reds signed Young to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Young began last season with the Reds before being traded to the Giants and then finishing the year with the Mets. The left-handed reliever dealt with back problems in 2024 but has been pretty effective since 2022 when available, posting a 3.28 ERA and 86:38 K:BB over 96 innings. Young has a shot to win a bullpen job in Cincinnati if he has a strong camp.

The Pirates re-signed Ryan to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Ryan, 29, put up a 5.95 ERA and 17:9 K:BB over 20.2 innings out of the Pirates' bullpen in 2024. He'll compete for a relief role in spring training but will probably begin the year at Triple-A Indianapolis.

The Padres re-signed Davis to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Davis, who turns 32 in February, made seven appearances for San Diego in 2024, allowing eight runs (seven earned) over seven innings. The lefty reliever will try to win a spot in the Padres' bullpen but is likelier to begin the 2025 season at Triple-A El Paso.

The Giants signed Lucchesi to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Lucchesi will earn $1.5 million if he's in the majors. The left-hander made 11 starts with the Mets over the last two seasons, compiling a 3.32 ERA but an underwhelming 39:25 K:BB across 57 innings. Lucchesi will likely begin the 2025 season in the rotation at Triple-A Sacramento.

Winn said during the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up fan event Sunday that he's hoping to steal 30-40 bases this season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Winn stole only 11 bases in 16 attempts last season during his 150-game rookie campaign. However, with a sprint speed in the 87th percentile and an average of more than 30 stolen bases per season during his three years in the minors, Winn certainly seems capable of upping his steals total in 2025. It would be a big boost to his fantasy prospects if he is more aggressive on the basepaths this season.

Walker has been working with new Cardinals hitting coach Brant Brown this offseason on rediscovering the swing he had prior to the 2024 season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Upon reviewing video from 2024 and comparing it to 2023, Walker and Brown noticed that the outfielder's hands were separating from his body too soon, while the balance in his lower half was also inconsistent as he gravitated toward a wider stance. The goal, per Walker, is to "hit line drives" and "drive the ball in the gap" instead of putting so much emphasis on lofting the ball in the air. Walker said he's "super-excited" with the early results of his swing changes and can't wait to test it out against live pitching. The Cardinals are committed to youth in 2025, which includes giving Walker a long leash in right field. The 22-year-old Walker slashed only .201/.253/.366 over 52 regular-season games with St. Louis in 2024 while spending a large chunk of the campaign in the minors.

Liberatore said Sunday that he'll build up as a starter during spring training, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

The left-hander found success out of the bullpen last season with a 3.69 ERA in 54 relief appearances, but he'll still get stretched out during camp. Liberatore pointed out it's easier to pare down his workload later on compared to building up midseason, so he could still end up beginning the campaign in a relief role.