MLB Player News

The Rockies claimed Johnston off waivers from the Marlins on Wednesday.

Johnston reached the majors for the first time in 2025 as a 28-year-old and fared well, slashing .277/.331/.420 with four home runs over 121 plate appearances. He can play first base and the corner outfield spots and should have a decent path to playing time on a talent-deficient Rockies roster.

Atlanta exercised Sale's $18 million option for 2026 on Wednesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

The decision was fait accompli, as Sale has re-emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball since joining Atlanta, collecting a 2.46 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 390:71 K:BB over 303.1 innings since the beginning of the 2024 campaign. Sale missed more than two months of action this season with a left ribcage fracture, but he finished the year healthy and was superb after returning from the injury with a 2.72 ERA and 51:6 K:BB over his final 36.1 frames. The veteran lefty will turn 37 just after Opening Day next season.

The Pirates placed Little on outright waivers Tuesday, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.

The Pirates claimed Little off waivers from the Dodgers in August, but he never made an appearance for Pittsburgh. He posted a 2.79 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 19.1 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis, however, which could be enough for another team to give the 27-year-old reliever a 40-man spot early in the offseason.

The Pirates placed Peguero on outright waivers Tuesday, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.

Peguero will lose his place on the 40-man roster after appearing in just 33 MLB games in 2025, during which he slashed .200/.273/.363 over 88 plate appearances. If the 24-year-old passes through waivers unclaimed, he will most likely begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Indianapolis.

Contreras underwent a minor procedure on his fractured left middle finger Tuesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

General manager Matt Arnold said Contreras is roughly 5-to-6 weeks away from resuming baseball activity, so his surgery isn't expected to affect Contreras' availability for the start of the 2026 season. The 27-year-old backstop also had his $12 million club option declined Tuesday after posting a .754 OPS in the regular season -- his worst as a Brewer. However, he will remain under team control as an arbitration-eligible player.

The Pirates placed Bae on waivers Tuesday, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.

Bae spent nearly all of 2025 at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he slashed .292/.380/.424 with 21 RBI, 55 runs scored and 23 steals over 67 games. Any club interested in adding the 26-year-old to its 40-man roster will now have the opportunity to do so; otherwise, Bae will most likely report to Indianapolis to begin the 2026 campaign.

President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Tuesday that Atlanta will pick up Albies' (hand) $7 million club option for 2026, Mark Zinno of 92.9 The Game reports.

Albies endured one of the worst offensive seasons of his career in 2025, slashing just .240/.306/.365 with 16 homers, 74 RBI and 14 stolen bases across 667 plate appearances. He also suffered a fracture in his left hand toward the end of the season. Despite the infielder's hardships, Atlanta will stand pat with its commitment to Albies at the keystone rather than pay him the $4 million buyout he would have been owed.

The Brewers declined Contreras' $12 million option for 2026.

Contreras will receive a $100,000 buyout instead, and he remains under team control for 2026 and 2027 as an arbitration-eligible player. The catcher slashed .260/.355/.399 with 17 home runs over 150 regular-season games for the Brewers in 2025. Contreras was scheduled to visit a hand specialist last week to determine whether he needs surgery to repair a fractured left middle finger, but there's no word on whether an operation is required. Even if he does have surgery, his availability for spring training is not expected to be in peril.

Darvish will miss the 2026 season following a right elbow UCL repair with an internal brace and flexor tendon surgery on Oct. 29.

Darvish has missed time each of the last three seasons with elbow issues, having been limited to 72 regular-season innings in 2025. It's unclear how long he's been pitching with UCL damage, but the decision was finally made to have surgery on the elbow. It's the second UCL repair for Darvish, who had Tommy John surgery in March 2015. Darvish turned 39 in August, but he intends to rehab and return to the Padres for the 2027 season.

The Mets re-signed Waddell to a one-year contract Tuesday.

Waddell held a 3.45 ERA and 22:11 K:BB over 31.1 innings for the Mets in 2025. He was used primarily as a starter this season at Triple-A Syracuse, where he posted a 5.02 ERA and 63:25 K:BB in 75.1 innings. Waddell does not have minor-league options remaining, so he would have to be passed through waivers in order to be sent to the minors if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster.