MLB Player News

Holmes said Tuesday that he wants to throw at least 160 innings in 2025, Metsmerized Online reports.

Whether the Mets share the same goal is not clear. Holmes is making the move from the bullpen to the rotation in 2025 after spending each of the last six seasons exclusively pitching in relief. The most innings the 31-year-old has ever thrown in a season came back in 2016, when he tossed 136.1 frames with Double-A Altoona in the Pirates organization. Holmes threw 75 innings between the regular and postseason with the Yankees in 2024.

The Diamondbacks signed Vargas to a minor-league contract Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reports.

Vargas was non-tendered by the Nationals last month after he slashed just .246/.295/.316 in 2024. The 33-year-old first reached the majors with the Diamondbacks in 2017 and has spent parts of five seasons in the big leagues with Arizona. Vargas has a shot to win a utility job with the Diamondbacks.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer indicated Tuesday that Busch is not under consideration to play third base and will instead remain focused on first base, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The Cubs have an opening at the hot corner following the trade of Isaac Paredes and Busch has some experience at third base. However, the team views Busch as a potential Gold Glove-caliber first baseman and wants him to remain there. Top prospect Matt Shaw looks to be the current favorite to start at third base.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on Dec. 10 in an interview on MLB Network that Bart will enter 2025 as the favorite to start at catcher, The Bucco Beat reports.

The Pirates acquired Bart shortly after Opening Day and he eventually emerged as the team's primary catcher, slashing .265/.337/.462 with 13 home runs over 280 plate appearances. Endy Rodriguez will be back from elbow surgery and Henry Davis is still around, so Bart will have competition for playing time behind the plate, but he'll enter the season with a leg up for the starting job.

The Red Sox traded Valdez to the Pirates on Sunday in exchange for minor-league pitcher Joe Vogatsky.

Valdez was DFA'd by Boston on Wednesday, but he'll get a fresh start in the Pirates organization. Valdez slashed .214/.270/.363 with six home runs in 223 plate appearances in 2024 while primarily playing second base.

Atlanta signed De La Cruz on Sunday to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract.

De La Cruz began the 2024 season with Miami before being dealt to Pittsburgh at the deadline. The outfielder slashed .233/.271/.384 on the year with a career-high 21 home runs, 61 runs scored and 68 RBI. The soon-to-be 28-year-old will look to compete for a spot on Atlanta's regular-season roster.

Uribe (knee) is a candidate to earn save chances after Devin Williams was traded to the Yankees on Friday, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.

Uribe began the 2024 season as the closer for the Brewers with Williams on the injured list, though he lost the role in mid-April and didn't appear in the majors after May 1. His primary appeal in the ninth-inning role is his velocity, as he averages over 100 mph on his fastball. However, he has a 16.6 percent walk rate in 45 career innings in the majors, leaving Trevor Megill as seemingly the top option entering 2025.

Megill is a top candidate to pick up saves after Devin Williams was traded to the Yankees on Friday, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.

Megill served as Milwaukee's primary closer for much of 2024 due to a long stint on the injured list for Williams, and Megill had an excellent season, converting 21 of 24 save opportunities while maintaining a 2.72 ERA and 1.01 WHIP to go along with a 50:14 K:BB. Murphy also mentioned Abner Uribe (knee), who began the season as the primary ninth-inning option, as a candidate for saves.

Fulmer signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Friday and received an invitation to spring training, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Over a career-high 86.2 innings with the Angels last season, Fulmer logged a 4.15 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 37 appearances (eight starts). If the right-hander looks capable of offering similar ratios during spring training, he could have a decent shot at making the Pirates' Opening Day roster, though it's unclear if Pittsburgh will prefer to use him as a starter or out of the bullpen.

Kelly signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract with the Cubs on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Over 91 games between Detroit and Texas in 2024, Kelly slashed .238/.313/.374 with nine home runs and 37 RBI. While his numbers may not jump off the page, he'll still provide competition in spring training to Miguel Amaya, who managed just a .645 OPS last season.