MLB Player News

The Phillies signed Kuhnel to a minor-league contract on Dec. 21, Steve Potter of PhilliesBaseballFan.com reports.

Kuhnel, who turns 30 in February, has collected a career 5.86 ERA and 76:24 K:BB over 93.2 innings covering parts of five seasons at the major-league level. The big righty will give the Phillies some experienced relief depth.

The Phillies signed Zuniga to a minor-league contract on Dec. 13.

Zuniga has battled injuries the last two seasons and posted a 5.03 ERA and 16:8 K:BB across 19.2 frames during his time in the majors. The 26-year-old is likely to start the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

The Giants re-signed Burgos to a minor-league contract on Dec. 14.

Burgos made one appearance for the Giants in 2024 before being removed from their 40-man roster, but he'll stick around in the organization on a minors pact. The 26-year-old posted a 1.69 ERA and 27:5 K:BB across 26.2 innings at Triple-A Sacramento in 2024.

Atlanta signed De Los Santos to a minor-league contract on Dec. 15.

De Los Santos pitched for three different teams in 2024, posting a 5.20 ERA and 66:25 K:BB across 64 innings between the Padres, Yankees and White Sox. The 29-year-old will give Atlanta some veteran relief depth.

The Phillies designated Cuas for assignment Monday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Joe Ross, who was signed Monday. Cuas was claimed off waivers in September but never made an appearance for the Phillies. He holds a career 4.37 ERA and 22 percent strikeout rate over parts of three big-league seasons.

The Phillies signed Ross to a one-year, $4 million contract Monday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Ross essentially slides into the swingman role vacated by free agent Spencer Turnbull. The 31-year-old Ross fared much better in relief (1.98 ERA, 24.1 percent strikeout rate) than he did as a starter (4.98 ERA, 18.7 percent strikeout rate) with the Brewers in 2024.

The Pirates signed McCutchen to a one-year, $5 million contract Monday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

It's the same contract terms that McCutchen inked last offseason. The 38-year-old collected a .739 OPS with 20 home runs in 2024 as the Pirates' full-time designated hitter. He should have the same role for Pittsburgh in 2025.

Manaea agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract with the Mets on Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

After posting a 4.73 ERA and 1.27 WHIP over 67 appearances (38 starts) between the Padres and Giants during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, Manaea bounced back during his first season with the Mets last year, generating a 3.47 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 184:63 K:BB while pitching a career-high 181.2 innings across 32 regular-season starts. He'll return to the Mets and be part of a pitching staff that has already added Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes during the offseason. Manaea will be a front-end starter for a team that reached the NLCS in 2024 and enters the 2025 season with lofty aspirations after signing Juan Soto to a record-breaking deal in early December.

The Nationals acquired Lowe from the Rangers on Sunday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Per Passan, the Rangers will receive left-handed reliever Robert Garcia in a 1-for-1 trade. Lowe played in 140 regular-season games for the Rangers in 2024 and finished with a slash line of .265/.361/.401 with 16 home runs and 69 RBI over 565 plate appearances. The trade provides a path for Jake Burger -- who was acquired by the Rangers from the Marlins on Dec. 10 -- to take over as the starting first baseman for the Rangers for the 2025 campaign.

The Phillies designated Gilbert for assignment Sunday, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The left-hander lost his place on the 40-man roster to make room for Jesus Luzardo (back), who was acquired via trade from the Marlins on Sunday. Gilbert allowed three earned runs over 8.1 major-league innings during 2024 and spent most of the campaign at the Triple-A level, where he had a 4.70 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 65:14 K:BB over 51.2 innings.