MLB Player News

The Mariners optioned Thomas to Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday.

Thomas did everything he could to claim a spot on Seattle's Opening Day roster, slashing .486/.535/.784 with two home runs, eight RBI and six runs scored over 43 plate appearances, but he will instead head back to Tacoma to begin 2026. The 25-year-old outfielder has batted .327 and stolen 45 bases across 181 Triple-A games since joining the Mariners organization in 2024, but Seattle's crowded outfield corps will likely make it hard for him to find playing time in the majors.

Moore (foot) signed a major-league contract with the Phillies on Saturday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Moore triggered an opt-out clause in his minor-league deal with the Phillies on Thursday, which gave the club 48 hours to add him to their 40-man roster before he entered free agency. Now that the two sides have agreed to a major-league deal, Moore will remain in the organization and is expected to be part of Philadelphia's Opening Day bench. The 33-year-old utility man has posted a .566 OPS with six RBI, four runs scored and two steals through 38 plate appearances in spring training.

The Reds optioned Maxwell to Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.

Maxwell struggled to limit traffic on the basepaths during spring training, posting a 5.40 ERA and 2.04 WHIP over 8.1 innings, though he managed to collect 13 strikeouts in that span. If the 25-year-old can right the ship at Louisville, the Reds may consider recalling him to join the big-league bullpen as a depth piece.

The Reds optioned Hinds to Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.

Hinds will head back to the minors to begin the new season despite swinging a scorching bat this spring (1.388 OPS). The 25-year-old was a major offensive threat in the minors last season too, as he slashed .302/.359/.563 with 24 homers, 83 RBI, 79 runs scored and 21 steals across 435 plate appearances. If his impressive offensive performance continues into the start of the 2026 Triple-A season, he could earn a spot on the big-league roster relatively soon.

The Reds optioned Bleday to Triple-A Louisville on Saturday.

Bleday made a great case to be included on the Opening Day squad by slashing .317/.364/.683 with four homers, 11 RBI and eight runs scored over 44 plate appearances in the Cactus League. However, he will come up short and instead begin his first season with the Reds in Triple-A, where he posted a .980 OPS over 132 plate appearances in 2025.

Akin suffered an adductor injury while warming up in the bullpen during Baltimore's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies on Saturday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Manager Craig Albernaz said after the game that he doesn't know how severe Akin's injury is, but the skipper kept him out of the game as a precaution. More information on the 30-year-old's status for Opening Day should be available in the next couple days.

Tauchman was removed from Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros with a left knee injury, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports.

Tauchman seemingly injured himself while running out of the batter's box in the third inning. He attempted to play through it but was still visibly bothered by his knee until he was removed in the fifth. The 35-year-old non-roster invitee had been in the running to grab a spot on the Mets' bench, but he now may be in jeopardy of beginning the year on the injured list.

The Pirates reassigned Griffin to minor-league camp Saturday.

Despite being included in several roster projections, the 19-year-old will officially head back to the minors to begin the 2026 season after going 7-for-38 (.184) in spring training with four homers, nine RBI and seven runs scored. Although he missed the cut for the Opening Day roster, a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis is certainly possible, and his MLB debut could still come in the near future if he continues to dominate minor-league pitching as he did in 2025 (.941 OPS).

The Blue Jays granted Seabold his release Saturday.

Seabold tallied an impressive 13 strikeouts in just 6.2 innings this spring, but he did so while allowing five earned runs to score. Now a free agent, he'll likely have to settle for a minor-league contract after posting a 6.07 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over 69.2 Triple-A frames in 2025.

The Blue Jays optioned Estrada to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday.

Estrada will finish the Grapefruit League with a 4.76 ERA and 1.32 WHIP through 11.1 innings. Those numbers are improvements from the 5.73 ERA and 1.45 WHIP he posted in 97.1 Triple-A frames last year, but the Blue Jays will send him back to the minors to continue developing.