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Rockies, Patrick Weigel Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Rockies and right-hander Patrick Weigel have agreed to a minor league deal, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic. Sammon doesn’t specify if the GSI client will be receive an invite to big league camp in spring training.

Weigel, 31, made four big league appearances a few years ago. One of those came with Atlanta in 2020 and three with Milwaukee in 2021. Put together, he allowed four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings via six hits, seven walks and one hit-by-pitch while striking out nine opponents. The Brewers outrighted him off the roster in 2021. Since then, he has been bouncing around professional baseball by playing in the minor leagues, indy ball and the Mexican League.

He spent 2025 with the Nationals on a minor league deal, tossing 33 2/3 innings out of their Triple-A bullpen. He threw his slider 62.2% of the time, followed by his sinker at 27% and a changeup at just a 0.5% clip.

There’s no doubting that his 8.29 earned run average was poor but there were some more encouraging things under the hood. He struck out a strong 29.3% of batters faced. His 10.3% walk rate was a bit high but not by too much. His .346 batting average on balls in play allowed and 51.2% strand rate were both to the unfortunate side. His ten home runs allowed also played a role in putting more runs on the board, though that was an unusually high number for him, as was his 27% home run to flyball ratio.

The Rockies are one of the clubs most in need of arms. As a team, they had a 5.99 ERA last year, easily the worst in the majors. They have made a few additions this winter. They signed Michael Lorenzen in free agency. They acquired Brennan Bernardino in a trade with the Red Sox. They claimed Keegan Thompson off waivers from the Reds. They took RJ Petit from the Tigers in the Rule 5 draft.

They have also bolstered the non-roster depth by signing John Brebbia, Parker Mushinski, Ryan Miller and now Weigel to minor league deals. Those arms will be looking to earn jobs on the roster throughout the season. If Weigel makes it, he is out of options.

Photo courtesy of John David Mercer, Imagn Images

Nationals Outright Andry Lara

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The Nationals announced that right-hander Andry Lara has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Rochester. He had been designated for assignment a week ago when the club claimed utility player Mickey Gasper.

Lara, 23, was an international signing out of Venezuela in 2019. He had a bit of a breakout in 2024, tossing 134 2/3 innings over 25 starts between High-A and Double-A. He allowed 3.34 earned runs per nine with a 24.3% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate. The Nats gave him a 40-man spot in November of that year to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft.

His 2025 wasn’t as pleasant. He did get to make his major league debut but posted an 8.79 ERA in 14 1/3 innings. Down on the farm, he had a 7.55 ERA in 56 innings split between High-A, Double-A and Triple-A.

That performance bumped him off Washington’s roster and none of the other 29 clubs were willing to give him a spot either. Since this is his first career outright and he has less than three years of service time, he does not have the right to elect free agency. He will stick with the Nats and try to pitch his way back onto the roster.

The club is rebuilding and had a collective 5.35 ERA in 2025. This winter, they have thinned out the staff by trading away MacKenzie Gore and Jose A. Ferrer. They have also made a few additions by signing Foster Griffin, claiming Gus Varland and selecting Griff McGarry in the Rule 5 draft. On the whole, the staff is lacking in experience and very few guys have spots locked down, so there are paths for Lara or other pitchers to take advantage of the situation.

Photo courtesy of Troy Taormina, Imagn Images

Yankees Claim Dom Hamel; Designate Marco Luciano, Jayvien Sandridge For Assignment

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The Yankees announced that they have claimed right-hander Dom Hamel off waivers from the Rangers. They also designated left-hander Jayvien Sandridge and outfielder Marco Luciano for assignment. The two DFAs open roster spots for Hamel and for Cody Bellinger, whose five-year deal was made official yesterday. Texas designated Hamel for assignment a week ago when they signed Jakob Junis.

Hamel, 27 in March, just made his major league debut not too long ago. He tossed a scoreless inning for the Mets on September 17th, which is still his only big league appearance. Shortly thereafter, the Mets put him on waivers, with the Orioles and Rangers claiming him in quick succession. Texas held him for a few months but put him back on the wire this week.

The righty came up through the Mets’ system as a starting pitcher but a lack of control pushed him to the bullpen in 2025. He logged 67 2/3 innings over 31 Triple-A appearances last year. 11 of those were officially starts but they were mostly in opener style. His 5.32 earned run average wasn’t great but he did strike out 25.2% of batters faced and showed improved control with a 7.4% walk rate. His four-seamer and sinker both averaged in the low 90s while he also mixed in a cutter, slider and changeup.

Hamel still has a couple of options, so the Yankees could keep him as depth in the minors. They could also try putting him back on waivers in the future. He doesn’t have a previous career outright and has less than three years of service time, which means he would not have the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

Speaking of players getting put back on waivers, that’s been the story of Luciano’s offseason. Once a top prospect, his stock has dropped as he has exhausted his option years. That has pushed him to a fringe roster position and it seems that there are several clubs hoping to be the one to pass him through waivers, at which point he could be kept in the minors as non-roster depth. He finished the 2025 season with the Giants but has subsequently gone to the Pirates, Orioles and Yankees via the waiver wire.

He has a rough career batting line of .217/.286/.304 in his big league career while striking out in 35.7% of his plate appearances. His Triple-A line of .227/.351/.401 is better but came in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League and still saw him strike out 29.6% of the time. He was moved from the middle infield to left field last year, which only put more pressure on him to produce offensively.

The numbers have not been great but Luciano is only 24 years old and was a top 100 prospect not too long ago. His service time is still under a year, meaning he can theoretically be retained for six full seasons by some club. It’s understandable that teams would hope to have that player on hand in case he does finally break out. Now that he’s in DFA limbo once more, he will be on the move again or outrighted in the next week.

Sandridge, 27 next month, got a major league roster spot for the first time with the Yankees last year. He made just one appearance, which came against the Mets on July 5th. He was given a rude awakening, as he walked Juan Soto and then allowed a home run to Pete Alonso. He settled down somewhat by striking out Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos, but then walked Luis Torrens and hit Jeff McNeil with a pitch before being removed.

That one appearance has some commonalities with his minor league track record, which has featured lots of strikeouts but a lack of control. He tossed 36 2/3 innings on the farm for the Yankees last year with a 4.66 ERA. He struck out 32.7% of batters faced but issued 19 walks, an 11.4% pace. He also hit three more batters and tossed six wild pitches. He averaged around 95 miles per hour with his four-seamer and sinker while also throwing a splitter and slider.

He will now be in DFA limbo for a week at most. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Yankees could take five days to field trade interest, but they could also put him on the wire sooner. Since he has a couple of options, he could have appeal if there’s a club that is both intrigued by the arsenal and looking for some extra relief depth.

Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images

Angels Claim Osvaldo Bido

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The Angels announced that they have claimed right-hander Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the Marlins. Miami had designated Bido for assignment last week when they acquired Bradley Blalock from the Rockies. The Halos have an open 40-man roster spot for this claim but their agreement with infielder Yoán Moncada is not yet official. By filling up their last 40-man spot today, they will now have to make a corresponding move whenever Moncada’s deal does become official.

Bido, 30, seems to fall into an unfortunate fringe roster position where several teams like him but not enough to hold a roster position for very long. He has worked as an up-and-down swingman in recent years with some encouraging results at times. However, he is now out of options. He ended 2025 with the Athletics but has since gone to Atlanta, Tampa, Miami and now Anaheim via waiver claims.

It seems likely that several different teams would like to pass him through waivers unclaimed, which would allow them to have him in the minors as non-roster depth. He has never been outrighted in his career and has less than three years of service time, so he wouldn’t have the right to elect free agency if he were eventually outrighted.

Bido’s best showing in the major leagues thus far came in 2024. He gave the A’s 63 1/3 innings over nine starts and seven relief appearances, allowing 3.41 earned runs per nine. He struck out 24.3% of batters faced and gave out walks at a 10% clip. His fly ball rate was on the high side but that worked well while the A’s were still playing in Oakland and the pitcher-friendly confines of the Coliseum.

The club moved to a minor league park in 2025, which seemed to significantly hurt Bido’s results. He had only allowed three home runs in 2024 but then allowed 19 in 2025, in a slightly larger sample size of 79 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate also dropped a bit to 18.7%. The result was a 5.87 ERA, which presumably helped launch him into the DFA carousel this winter.

Perhaps he will find himself on waivers yet again but he has a spot with the Angels for now. The Halos have a decent amount of question marks in their rotation. Yusei Kikuchi and José Soriano should be in two spots but there’s not much certainty beyond those two. Reid Detmers is going to get another chance but was in relief last year. Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah will be looking to bounce back from injury absences. Caden Dana, Sam Aldegheri, Jack Kochanowicz and various others are on the roster but could be kept in the minors as depth.

The bullpen is also fairly open. Four spots are likely taken by Robert Stephenson, Drew Pomeranz, Jordan Romano and Kirby Yates. That still leaves four spots for other arms. Chase Silseth is out of options and could have one. Guys like Ryan Zeferjahn, José Fermín, Sam Bachman and Cody Laweryson will be in the mix but have options.

If Bido hangs onto his roster spot with the Angels, there should be opportunities, especially since he has experience both starting and relieving. If he still has a roster spot at season’s end, he can be retained for future seasons via arbitration.

Photo courtesy of Darren Yamashita, Imagn Images

Cubs To Sign Gabe Klobosits To Minor League Deal

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The Cubs and right-hander Gabe Klobosits have agreed to a minor league deal, reports Ari Alexander of 7News Boston. It wasn’t specified whether or not the righty would receive an invite to big league camp in spring training.

Klobosits, 31 in May, has a limited major league track record. He pitched in 11 games for the Nationals in 2021. In 11 1/3 innings, he allowed seven earned runs, surrendered 13 hits, issued five walks and hit one batter while striking out five.

He had pretty good numbers in the minors that year, tossing 38 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, allowing just 1.64 earned runs per nine. He struck out 28.9% of batters faced while walking opponents at an 8.8% clip.

The years since then have been more challenging. Around Opening Day 2022, he was designated for assignment by the Nats. The A’s claimed him but they also designated him for assignment in June and released him shortly thereafter. A player being released after a DFA is often a sign of injury, since injured players aren’t allowed to be placed on outright waivers. Klobosits’ transaction tracker doesn’t say he was placed on the minor league IL at that time but he hadn’t pitched for about three weeks prior to the DFA.

He was with the Blue Jays in the second half of 2023 on a minor league deal and posted a 4.74 ERA over 19 innings. The past two years, he’s been putting up good numbers in indy ball. In 2024, he posted a 2.18 ERA in 45 1/3 innings for the Gastonia Ghost Peppers of the Atlantic League. He struck out 24.6% of batters faced but with a 14.4% walk rate.

Last year, he split his time between the Cleburne Railroaders in the American Association and the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League. Between those two clubs, he tossed 34 2/3 innings with a 2.08 ERA, 27.6% strikeout rate and 9.9% walk rate.

Alexander says that Klobosits has recently been hitting 98 miles per hour on the gun. That would be a bit above his last affiliated action. He averaged 94.7 miles per hour with the Nats in 2021 and then 93.9 mph with the Jays in Triple-A in 2023.

For the Cubs, there’s nothing wrong with giving him a non-roster pact and taking a close-up look at him. The team has had some good results with unheralded arms. A minor league deal with Brad Keller last year went so well that he got a $22MM deal this offseason, though he had a much better track record prior to becoming a Cub. If Klobosits can get a roster spot, he still has a minor league option remaining.

Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images

Yankees Re-Sign Cody Bellinger

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The Yankees and outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger have reunited on a new contract. The Boras Corporation client reportedly gets a five-year deal with a $162.5MM guarantee, with no deferrals. He gets a $20MM signing bonus followed by salaries of $32.5MM in each of the first two years, $25.8MM in each of the next two, then $25.9MM in the final season. Bellinger can opt out after the second or third season, though those opt-outs are pushed by a year if the 2027 season is canceled by a lockout. Bellinger also gets a full no-trade clause. The Yankees have not yet announced a corresponding 40-man roster move.

It always seemed like a good bet that Bellinger would return to the Yankees, since their first season together was a success. But there was a standoff recently, as the club and Bellinger’s camp had a bit of a gap. It was reported earlier this month that the Yankees had an offer out to Bellinger. No details on that offer were revealed but it was reported a few days later that they had made a second offer.

Subsequent reporting on the negotiations suggested the Yanks had put forth a five-year offer worth more than $150MM, but with Bellinger’s camp hoping to get the length pushed to seven years. That gap seemingly put things on ice for a moment, with alternative paths available to both parties. The Yankees showed interest in other players, including outfielder Luis Robert Jr., while Bellinger still had potential fits with teams like the Dodgers and Mets.

But the market has changed quite a bit in the past week. The Dodgers and Mets got into a bidding war over Kyle Tucker, with the Dodgers coming out on top. The Mets then pivoted to signing Bo Bichette to bolster their infield, followed by trading infielder Luisangel Acuña to the White Sox as part of their package to land Robert.

Those moves took away some alternate paths from the Yankees but also removed a couple of logical landing spots for Bellinger. He had also been connected to the Blue Jays, Giants and Phillies throughout the winter but none of those clubs seemed to be strongly in the mix. The Yanks seemingly didn’t budge far from where their reported offer was a few weeks ago, though they did add the opt-outs. It was reported a few days ago that they were willing to include those.

Though Bellinger and Boras didn’t quite get the seven years they were looking for, the deal comes in fairly close to expectations from the beginning of the offseason. For instance, MLBTR predicted Bellinger to land a guarantee of $140MM over five years. Bellinger has secured himself a floor just above that. There’s also a path to boosting his future earnings again with more opt-out opportunities down the line.

He is now 30, turning 31 in July, so he will be 32 years old by the end of the 2027 season. Alex Bregman and Kyle Schwarber both just got five-year deals this offseason, with Schwarber going into his age-33 season and Bregman age-32. Schwarber got a $150MM guarantee and Bregman $175MM, though Bregman’s deals had deferrals which pushed the net present value pretty close to Schwarber’s guarantee.

For Bellinger, he can bank $85MM over the next two years, when factoring in the signing bonus and the front-loaded salaries. When his first opt-out decision comes around, he would still have three years and $77.5MM left on this deal. If he continues to be a productive player between now and then, he should be in a good position to opt out. The lockout-specific provision of the opt-outs appears to be a way for the Yankees to get at least two years of Bellinger’s services.

While Bellinger has maintained some future earning potential, he has also secured himself a strong base after a few years of uncertainty. When he first hit the open market, he had shown both huge upside and a massive downside. In 2019, then with the Dodgers, Bellinger was the National League MVP. He hit 47 home runs that year. Offense was up all around the league thanks to some juiced balls but Bellinger also drew walks at a 14.4% clip and only struck out 16.4% of the time. His .305/.406/.629 line led to a 161 wRC+, even in the heightened offensive environment of that season. He stole 15 bases and got strong reviews for his defense. FanGraphs credited him with 7.8 wins above replacement.

But his production backed up a bit in 2020 and he infamously injured his shoulder in the NLCS during a post-homer celebration with teammate Enrique Hernández, as seen in this video from MLB.com.

Bellinger underwent surgery after the season and his performance was awful for two years after. He slashed .193/.256/.355 over 2021 and 2022, getting non-tendered by the Dodgers after the latter campaign. He latched on with the Cubs for 2023, signing a one-year deal worth $17.5MM. He had a strong bounceback season in Wrigley, hitting 26 home runs and slashing .307/.356/.525 for a 135 wRC+.

Going into 2024, Bellinger and his reps at the Boras Corporation were hoping to cash in. He had seemingly put the low points behind him. He was still young, going into his age-28 season, and had shown MVP upside. The previous offseason, Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts had both secured 11-year deals. This was seemingly a way to lower the competitive balance tax hit of those deals, as a player’s CBT hit is calculated based on a deal’s average annual value.

MLBTR expected this trend to continue with Bellinger, predicting him for a 12-year deal worth $264MM. That seemed to be at least somewhat aligned with what Bellinger and Boras felt he could get, as they reportedly went out looking to top $200MM.

It did not play out that way. Though Bellinger’s 2023 season was a success, there was seemingly some concern about some lackluster batted-ball data. And with the injury-marred seasons still somewhat fresh in the collective memory, his market never quite developed as hoped.

It wasn’t just Bellinger, as several other players lingered unsigned that season. They came to be known as the “Boras Four”, as they were all repped by the same agency. Bellinger, Blake Snell, Matt Chapman and Jordan Montgomery all settled for short-term deals well below expectations. Bellinger returned to the Cubs on a three-year deal with an $80MM guarantee, with chances to opt out after each season.

The first season of that pact wasn’t a roaring success, as Bellinger was good but not great. He hit 18 home runs and slashed .266/.325/.426 for a wRC+ of 108. Bellinger decided to forgo the first opt-out opportunity and stick with the Cubs. The team didn’t hold up their end of the reunion, however, as they shipped Bellinger to the Yankees. It was effectively a salary dump. The Cubs got Cody Poteet in return, whom they designated for assignment a few months later.

The Cubs ate $5MM in the swap, leaving the Yanks theoretically on the hook for $47.5MM over two years, though with Bellinger still having another opt-out remaining. As mentioned earlier, the Yankees and Bellinger turned out to be a great match. He hit 29 home runs on the year and slashed .272/.334/.480 for a 125 wRC+. Yankee Stadium and its short porch in right field seemed to be a good fit for him, as he slashed .302/.365/.544 at home on the year. He stole 13 bases overall and continued to get good grades for his glovework, earning 4.9 fWAR.

Bellinger triggered his opt-out and took another crack at free agency, which led to this pact. As mentioned, it’s possible that Bellinger will return to the open market yet again in the future. For now, though it came about in circuitous fashion, he has pushed his earning floor above the $200MM he was looking for a few years ago.

His three-year deal with the Cubs paid him $27.5MM in each of the first two years. He collected a $5MM buyout when he opted out of the final season, meaning he banked $60MM on the pact. Combined with this deal with the Yankees, he’ll earn $222.5MM even if he doesn’t trigger either of the opt-outs in this deal.

For players taking the short-term route and hoping for more earnings later, this is another example of how the path is viable. It doesn’t always work out, as Montgomery will surely tell you, but the hit rate is pretty decent. Chapman, Snell, Bellinger, Bregman, Carlos Rodón, Pete Alonso and Carlos Correa have all signed two- or three-year deals with opt-outs and then later signed a longer deal worth nine figures.

For the Yankees, this gets their outfield back to its 2025 level. Both Bellinger and Trent Grisham became free agents at the end of last season but both have now re-signed. They project to line up in two outfield spots with Aaron Judge in another and Giancarlo Stanton in the designated hitter slot. Bellinger can also play a bit of first base but the Yanks could give Ben Rice the regular job there after his breakout season. Rice can also catch, so perhaps Bellinger would slide to first base if Rice is needed behind the plate.

It’s possible the Yankees now look to move some outfield depth in the wake of this deal. Jasson Domínguez was once a top prospect but had an underwhelming season in 2025. He was roughly league average at the plate but with poor defensive metrics. The Yankees also have Spencer Jones pushing for a job after he hit 35 home runs in the minors last year but he also struck out in 35.4% of his plate appearances.

Neither Domínguez nor Jones has a great path to playing time right now. That could change as the season goes along. Stanton is 36 years old and has made at least one trip to the injured list in seven straight seasons now. Judge will turn 34 soon. Even if he himself stays healthy, the Yanks may want to put Judge in the DH slot if Stanton is hurt.

Perhaps the Yankees will keep both Domínguez and Jones around as depth for such situations, as both players are still optionable, but either or both could also be trade fodder. Club owner Hal Steinbrenner has previously expressed a desire to keep the payroll beneath $300MM. The Yanks are now a bit over that. RosterResource has them at $304MM in terms of pure payroll, with a $318MM CBT number.

That CBT number is over the top tier, which is $304MM. Since the Yankees have paid the tax in at least three consecutive years, that puts them in the highest possible tax bracket. They were at about $285MM or so before the Bellinger deal, so they paid a 95% tax on the part of the deal pushing them to the top line and then a 110% tax on the part that went beyond it. In the end, they’re adding more than $30MM in taxes to their ledger, on top of what they are paying Bellinger. They still arguably need some pitching help, so perhaps they would trade from their outfield depth instead of adding more money via free agency.

For the other clubs in the league, this further narrows down the list of available options. As of the start of the year, there were still many players available in free agency or in trade, but the dominos have been falling in quick succession lately. The Cubs got a deal done with Bregman, which prompted the Red Sox to sign Ranger Suárez and the Diamondbacks to get Nolan Arenado. The Tucker deal pushed the Mets to Bichette and Robert, which may have helped the Phillies reunite with J.T. Realmuto and pushed Bellinger to get back together with the Yankees. The Realmuto deal seemingly led to Victor Caratini signing with the Twins. All that happened in the past 11 days.

Pitchers and catchers will be reporting to spring training in less than three weeks. With Bellinger now off the board, the top unsigned free agents include Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Eugenio Suárez, Harrison Bader, Chris Bassitt and others. There are still a few theoretical trade candidates out there, including Brendan Donovan and MacKenzie Gore.

Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported that the Yanks and Bellinger were in agreement on a deal. Bob Nightengale of USA Today first reported the five-year length and guarantee. Brendan Kuty of The Athletic first reported the lack of deferrals. Passan then reported the opt-outs, signing bonus and no-trade clause. Nightengale then reported the salary for the first two seasons. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported the full salary breakdown. Nightengale added the detail of the opt-outs being pushed in the event of the 2027 season being canceled. Photos courtesy of Wendell Cruz, Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images

Twins, Joe Ryan Avoid Arbitration

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The Twins and right-hander Joe Ryan have reached agreement on a new contract, therefore avoiding arbitration, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. He’ll be guaranteed $6.2MM on the deal, in the form of a $6.1MM salary and then a $100K buyout on a $13MM mutual option for 2027.

Ryan was one of 18 players to not have an agreement in place when the filing deadline passed earlier this month. He is going into his second of three arbitration seasons, having made $3MM last year. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected him for a raise to $5.8MM this year. The Twins filed just above that at $5.85MM, with Ryan himself at $6.35MM, a gap of $500K.

Most teams these days adopt a “file and trial” approach, which means they cut off negotiations of one-year deals after the filing deadline. This is to give them leverage in pre-deadline talks and also to prevent players from filing absurdly high numbers in an attempt to set out an aggressive bargaining stance. An arbiter can only pick the player’s or the team’s number, not a midpoint.

Even if a team does have a “file and trial” policy, exceptions are made for deals that are longer than one year, even if that extra year is an option. That gives the club a path to avoid a potentially contentious hearing while vaguely sticking to their policy. A deal with an option can’t be used as a comparison point in future arb hearings as well, which is a factor.

Arbitration hearings are generally viewed as a normal part of the business but occasional situations have occurred where the relationship between a player and a team have been damaged. Corbin Burnes said as much after his hearing with the Brewers three years ago. Ryan and the Twins have steered clear of that possibility by settling on a number in between their respective filing figures.

The mutual option is mostly just an accounting measure to move part of the payment to the end of the season via that buyout. Mutual options are almost never picked up by both parties. Even if the option is turned down, Ryan would still be under club control for 2027.

Ryan was in a number of trade rumors last summer as the Twins were undergoing a fire sale of sorts. They sold off most of their bullpen and Carlos Correa but held some other players, including Ryan. It was initially expected that they would look to move him this winter but have since pivoted to an attempt to return to contention in 2026.

Given his relatively modest salary and extra year of club control, he would still have a lot of trade value at the deadline if he is healthy and the Twins fall back in the standings, though the club is hoping to avoid that scenario and would prefer Ryan to be pitching meaningful games for the team in September and October.

Minnesota’s arbitration class is now settled. As for the rest of the league, there will now be no more than 15 hearings this year. As mentioned, 18 players didn’t have a deal as of the deadline. Since then, Cade Cavalli, Bryce Miller and now Ryan have reached new deals to avoid hearings.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn, Imagn Images

Braves Claim José Suarez, Designate George Soriano For Assignment

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The Braves have claimed left-hander José Suarez off waivers from the Orioles, according to announcements from both clubs. The southpaw was designated for assignment by Baltimore last week when they claimed infielder Weston Wilson. Atlanta designated right-hander George Soriano for assignment today as a corresponding move for this claim.

It was less than two weeks ago that Atlanta put Suarez on waivers, which is when Baltimore claimed him. It might seem odd for a team to put a player on waivers and then claim him right back shortly thereafter. Simultaneously, it might be strange to see a club claim a guy and then put him right back on the wire so quickly. In these instances, the teams are hoping to be the one to get the player through waivers unclaimed, which would allow them to keep him in a non-roster capacity. Atlanta and Baltimore are two of the most aggressive clubs at attempting this manoeuver.

This appears to be the sixth time in this offseason that one club has claimed a player from the other. Atlanta claimed both Carson Ragsdale and Josh Walker from the Orioles in November, though Ragsdale was later non-tendered and signed in Japan. Walker was put back on waivers in December, when the Orioles reclaimed him. Baltimore passed him through waivers unclaimed in January. Atlanta then claimed Soriano from Baltimore, before Baltimore claimed Suarez from Atlanta. Now Atlanta has claimed Suarez back again.

Suarez, 28, has appeared in the past seven big leagues seasons. He spent most of that time as a swingman for the Angels but also appeared with Atlanta in 2025. For his career, he has thrown 396 big league innings, allowing 5.30 earned runs per nine.

His 2025 season was mostly spent in the minors. He only made seven big league appearances for Atlanta. He had a strong 1.86 ERA but that was in a small sample with strong indications it would not be sustainable. His 51.9% ground ball rate was good but his 19.8% strikeout rate and 12.3% walk rate were both subpar. He was fortunate to allow a .259 batting average on balls in play while posting an 84.7% strand rate.

His Triple-A results were more impressive, despite the fact that his 3.53 ERA was higher. He struck out 27.6% of batters faced at that level while only giving out walks 5% of the time. He averaged around 93 miles per hour with both his four-seamer and sinker last year, while also featuring a slider, curveball and changeup.

At the end of the season, he and Atlanta avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $900K salary for the 2026 season. He is out of options and but it seems the club was hoping to get him to the minors by passing him through waivers. Baltimore intervened in their first attempt but Atlanta has snagged him back. He has a roster spot for now but perhaps Atlanta will make another attempt to get him through waivers in the future.

Soriano, 27 in March, is in a somewhat similar position. He pitched for the Marlins over the past three years but exhausted his options in the process. Now that he’s out of options, it seems there’s a small battle as these clubs hope to be the one to pass him through waivers unclaimed, therefore keeping him as non-roster depth in the minors. The Marlins put him on the wire in November, when he was claimed by the Orioles. Baltimore put him back on waivers about three weeks ago but Atlanta claimed him.

He hasn’t yet found major league success but is coming off a good year on the farm. He has a 5.95 ERA in 118 major league innings. He tossed 42 2/3 innings in Triple-A last year with a 2.32 ERA, 28.8% strikeout rate, 8.8% walk rate and 55.7% ground ball rate. He averages about 96 mph with his four-seamer and sinker while also featuring a slider and a changeup.

Now that he has been designated for assignment again, he is in DFA limbo and can be there for a week at most. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the club could hold him for the next five days while exploring trade interest, but they could also put him back on the wire sooner if they so choose.

Photo courtesy of Denis Poroy, Imagn Images

Nationals Sign Bryce Montes de Oca, Tres Barrera To Minor League Deals

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The Nationals announced that they have signed right-hander Bryce Montes de Oca and catcher Tres Barrera to minor league deals. Both players also receive invites to big league camp in spring training. The righty is represented by Excel Sports Management and the backstop by ACES.

Montes de Oca, 30 in April, debuted with the Mets in 2022. He only made three appearances but the stuff was intriguing. He averaged 99.9 miles per hour with his sinker, 95.4 mph with his cutter and 86.8 mph with his slider. As is often the case with power pitchers, he could get guys out but also put them on first base. He tossed 51 1/3 minor league innings that year with 3.33 earned run average, 34.6% strikeout rate and 49.1% ground ball rate but a massive 16.5% walk rate.

Unfortunately, those three appearances still make up the entirety of his major league track record to this point, as he’s been on a brutal injury odyssey since then. In March of 2023, he underwent elbow surgery. Doctors were planning to simply remove bone chips but discovered during the surgery that the pitcher required Tommy John surgery. He stayed on the injured list through the 2023 season and was outrighted at the end of the campaign.

He got back on the mound in 2024, making some rehab appearances in June and July. But then he required yet another Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter. Mike Mayer of Metsmerized reported in February of 2025 that the surgery occurred late in 2024. Today, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post relays that the surgery took place in August of that year. Montes de Oca spent 2025 on the minor league injured list and became a free agent at season’s end.

The righty is clearly a big wild card. He had poor control even when he was healthy and has now essentially missed three whole seasons. But the stuff is tantalizing and the Nats are one of the clubs best positioned to take a flier on him. They are clearly in rebuilding mode, with five straight seasons of at least 91 losses. They just traded two years of MacKenzie Gore for five prospects, most of whom aren’t close to the majors. Trades of CJ Abrams and Jacob Young are reportedly possible as well, with those players having three and four years of remaining club control, respectively. In short, they don’t expect to be competitive soon.

Washington’s bullpen had a collective 5.59 ERA last year, the worst such mark in the majors. They further thinned out their relief corps by trading Jose A. Ferrer to the Mariners last month. If Montes de Oca can stay healthy and pitch his way onto the roster, he has a full slate of options. Thanks to spending the 2023 season on the IL, he has one year and 33 days of service time, which still puts him years away from arbitration and even further from free agency.

Barrera, 31, played in 57 big league games from 2019 to 2023. Most of that came with the Nats though he also spent some time with the Cardinals. He has a career batting line of .228/.313/.310 but a decent defensive reputation.

The Nats acquired catching prospect Harry Ford in the aforementioned Ferrer trade. He is perhaps the catcher of the future, though the club also has Keibert Ruiz, Drew Millas and Mickey Gasper on the roster. Riley Adams was designated for assignment this week and would stick in the system as non-roster depth if he clears waivers. Even if Adams ends up with another club, the Nats will have some non-roster depth in the form of Barrera.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images

Mariners Acquire Cooper Criswell

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The Mariners announced that they have acquired right-hander Cooper Criswell from the Mets in exchange for cash considerations. He was designated for assignment this week when New York acquired Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers from the Brewers. Left-hander Jhonathan Díaz has been designated for assignment by Seattle as a corresponding move for Criswell. Jorge Castillo of ESPN first reported that the Mariners would be acquiring Criswell. Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reported the cash going the other way.

Criswell, 29, has the reputation of a serviceable swingman or back-end starter. His most extensive big league look came in 2024 with the Red Sox. He tossed 99 1/3 innings for Boston that year over 18 starts and eight relief appearances, allowing 4.08 earned runs per nine. His 17.2% strikeout rate wasn’t especially high but he limited walks to a 7.2% pace and induced grounders on 50.3% of balls in play.

Despite that solid season, he got pushed down the depth chart in 2025. The Sox acquired Garrett Crochet, signed Walker Buehler and got Lucas Giolito back from his injury absence. Criswell only made seven big league appearances last year. He spent most of the year in Triple-A, where he tossed 65 2/3 innings with a 3.70 ERA, 24.5% strikeout rate, 10.1% walk rate and 49.4% ground ball rate.

He exhausted his final option in 2025, pushing him to a fringe roster position. He and the Sox agreed to a deal in November, guaranteeing him $800K in 2026, even though he had not yet qualified for arbitration. That salary is only marginally above the $780K minimum in 2026.

The hope with a deal like that it would disincentivize other clubs from claiming him via waivers. It would also make Criswell less likely to elect free agency after clearing. He has a previous career outright and therefore has the right to reject further outright assignments in favor of the open market. But since he has less than five years of big league service time, he would have to walk away from the money in exercising that right.

That hasn’t gone as planned. The Sox designated Criswell for assignment in December but the Mets claimed him off waivers. As mentioned, the Mets bumped him off the roster this week. If they had any hope of passing him through waivers, the Mariners presumably called and told them it wouldn’t happen.

Seattle has a strong rotation but the depth isn’t amazing. The front five of Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo is one of the best in the game. But beyond that group are guys like Logan Evans, Emerson Hancock and Blas Castano who haven’t yet proven themselves to be effective big leaguers. Switch-pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje is on the way but he has only seven Double-A starts under his belt and hasn’t reached Triple-A yet.

Criswell gives the M’s a useful guy to add to the mix, though the roster fit is a bit tight at the moment. As mentioned, the club already has five good starters. Criswell could be in the bullpen as a long reliever but the relief group is also crowded. The Mariners currently project for an eight-man bullpen consisting of Andrés Muñoz, Matt Brash, Jose A. Ferrer, Eduard Bazardo, Gabe Speier, Carlos Vargas, Casey Legumina and Jackson Kowar. No one in that group can be optioned to the minors except for Brash or Ferrer and they’re too good to be sent down. Perhaps the M’s will try to pass Criswell, or someone else in that group, through waivers at some point for extra flexibility.

As for Díaz, the 29-year-old began today in the rotation depth group alongside Evans, Hancock and Castano but the Mariners evidently prefer Criswell to Díaz in that mix. Some websites list Díaz as still having a minor league option but he was optioned for extended stretches throughout the 2022, 2024 and 2025 seasons. Teams are sometimes granted a fourth option on a player but only if they don’t have five “full” professional seasons, where a “full” season is defined as 90 active days. Díaz first reached full season ball way back in 2017 and has been fairly active since then, so he shouldn’t qualify for a fourth option.

His major league track record is still fairly short. He has appeared in five big league seasons but with just 46 1/3 total innings pitched across those. He has a 4.66 ERA, 15.1% strikeout rate, 12.3% walk rate and 45.2% ground ball rate. He only made one big league appearance last year, spending the rest of the season on optional assignment with Triple-A Tacoma in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He gave that club 138 2/3 innings with a 4.15 ERA, 19.8% strikeout rate, 4.1% walk rate and 46.9% ground ball rate.

The lefty will be in DFA limbo for a week at most. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Mariners could field trade interest for as long as five days. He has a previous career outright and would therefore have the right to elect free agency if he were to clear waivers.

Photo courtesy of Eric Canha, Imagn Images

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