MLB Player News

The Mets signed Olivares to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Olivares slashed only .224/.291/.333 with five home runs in 55 contests with the Pirates in 2024, but he had a 108 OPS+ as a part-timer with the Royals over the previous two seasons. Slated to turn 29 in March, Olivares will compete for a reserve outfielder role with the Mets but will likely start next season at Triple-A Syracuse.

The Padres re-signed McCoy to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports reports.

McCoy was non-tendered by San Diego last month but now returns as a spring training invitee. The utility player put up a .523 OPS in 19 games with the Padres in 2024.

The Diamondbacks are likely to use Jameson (elbow) as a reliever next season, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Jameson came up through the minors as a starter and broke into the majors in that role. However, he was mostly used in relief in 2023 and pitched well in the bullpen with a 2.81 ERA and 29:11 K:BB over 32 frames. Jameson missed the 2024 season following Tommy John surgery but is expected to be ready for spring training.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has said the team would like to see Gorman receive close to 600 at-bats next season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Gorman spent the final five-plus weeks of the 2024 season in the minors and finished with a .671 OPS and 37.6 percent strikeout rate. However, the Cardinals are committed to giving their younger players a long leash in 2025 and Gorman will be one of the beneficiaries. What position Gorman plays is not yet clear. He's seen most of his starts at the major-league level at second base and could play there, but moving back to his natural third base position is also an option if the Cardinals trade Nolan Arenado.

Freeman underwent surgery on his right ankle Thursday that involved the removal of loose bodies from the area.

Ankle issues plagued Freeman throughout the Dodgers' postseason run, but the 35-year-old first baseman was able to play through the injury, winning World Series MVP honors in the process. He is still expected to participate in baseball activities during spring training, and his status for Opening Day shouldn't be affected.

Mattson signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Thursday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Mattson appeared in three games for the Pirates last season, during which he allowed three earned runs over 5.1 innings while striking out six batters and walking five. Most of his time was spent at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he turned in a 3.19 ERA over 62 frames. The 29-year-old will almost certainly return to Indy to begin the 2025 campaign, though a strong start could earn him another look in Pittsburgh's bullpen.

The Pirates plan to play Reynolds at first base, at least on a part-time basis, in 2025, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Reynolds has never played first base in pro ball, but he began working out there in September of this past season. The soon-to-be 30-year-old graded out as one of the worst outfield defenders in baseball in 2024, ranking in the first percentile in Outs Above Average. How much action Reynolds ultimately sees at first base could depend not only on how well he takes to the position but also how the Pirates address the position this offseason.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Tuesday that Phillips (arm/shoulder) is feeling "fine" and should be ready to go for spring training, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Phillips dealt with arm fatigue during Game 6 of the NLCS and was left off the Dodgers' World Series roster as a result. He hasn't started up a throwing program since then, but it appears the team isn't concerned about his availability for the start of spring training and Opening Day. The 30-year-old righty turned in a 3.62 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 54.2 innings in 2024 -- his worst regular-season line since joining the Dodgers in 2021 -- but he figures to continue seeing regular high-leverage opportunities in 2025.

The Cardinals signed Vilade to a minor-league contract Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training.

Vilade saw limited action with the Tigers in 2024, producing a .453 OPS in 17 games. He spent most of the year at Triple-A Toledo, slashing .278/.346/.449 with 13 homers and 20 stolen bases. Slated to turn 26 in February, Vilade saw starts at every position but shortstop, catcher and pitcher with Toledo.

The Mets re-signed Ramirez to a minor-league contract Monday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Ramirez was non-tendered by the Mets last month but will remain in the organization on a minor-league pact. The outfielder hasn't progressed as the Mets had hoped, most recently slashing just .210/.291/.299 in 2024 at Double-A Binghamton, but he'll turn just 22 in January.