Guardians To Select Rhys Hoskins’ Contract
Rhys Hoskins will break camp with the Guardians, as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that Cleveland will be selecting the first baseman’s contract prior to Opening Day. The Guards will have to make a corresponding move to create space for Hoskins on the 40-man roster.
For making the team, Hoskins will now earn a $1.5MM salary for 2026, as per the terms of the minor league contract he signed last month. It’s a nice late birthday present for Hoskins less than a week after his 33rd birthday, though it was widely expected that Hoskins would be part of Cleveland’s roster. As an extremely quiet Guardians offseason comes to a close, Hoskins projects to be the only new offensive addition to a lineup that was one of baseball’s worst in 2025.
While the Guardians are primarily counting on such youngsters Chase DeLauter and Kyle Manzardo to generate more offense, the team will also see what Hoskins can bring in his ninth Major League season. Formerly a prominent power bat in the Phillies’ lineup, Hoskins hasn’t really been the same since missing the entire 2023 season due to a torn ACL.
Hoskins hit .223/.314/.418 with 38 homers over 845 PA with the Brewers over the last two seasons, translating to a 104 wRC+ and 1.1 fWAR. Hoskins’ 2025 campaign was better than his 2024, as he seemed to wear down in the last half of his return year. Last season, Hoskins was hampered by a sprained thumb that limited him to 90 games for Milwaukee.
Once a lefty-masher, the right-handed hitting Hoskins has had more modest numbers against southpaws in 2024-25, akin to his overall lesser production. Since Manzardo and C.J. Kayfus are both left-handed hitters, Hoskins provides cover for both players in the first base/designated hitter mix. Hoskins has never been known as a great defender, but 2025 was one of his best years with the glove, as per the public defensive metrics (+2 Defensive Runs Saved, +1 Outs Above Average).
White Sox Sign Reese McGuire
The White Sox announced that catcher Reese McGuire, has been signed to a one-year, $1.2MM contract. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers was the first to report the signing shortly before the club’s official announcement. No additional roster move was needed since the Sox had an open spot on their 40-man roster. McGuire is represented by Apex Baseball.
McGuire just opted out of a minor league deal with the Brewers yesterday and had 72 hours to explore the market for a new club. It took him about a day to land in a familiar location, as McGuire previously had a 53-game stint with the White Sox in 2022 (and he played on the other side of Chicago with the Cubs in 2025).
Signing a catcher didn’t seem any kind of priority for a Sox team that had Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, and Korey Lee all lined up behind the plate, with Teel and Quero projected to get at-bats from both the catching position and the DH slot. However, Teel suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain during the World Baseball Classic that will keep him out of action for about 4-6 weeks, or roughly mid- to late April.
Teel told MLB.com’s Scott Merkin yesterday that he is “progressing fast,” and hoping to miss only about four weeks of time. Even with this positive update and the presence of both Quero and Lee, the White Sox apparently wanted to reinforce their catching depth, and perhaps retain the three-catcher plan they intend to deploy for the rest of the season. Lee is out of minor league options and sending either Teel or Quero down to Triple-A doesn’t seem to be in Chicago’s long-term interest (unless either is really struggling), so it creates an interesting question as to what will happen when Teel is healthy and the Sox are juggling four backstops.
For now, McGuire will suit up for his former team and look to provide his usual solid glovework. A top prospect back during his time in the Pirates’ farm system, McGuire has settled into a journeyman/backup type of career, playing for six different organizations during his career. McGuire has hit .248/.293/.374 with 25 homers over 1178 career plate appearances, with nine of those home runs coming last year with the Cubs (as part of a .226/.245/.444 slash line in 140 PA).
Mets, Freddy Peralta “Highly Unlikely” To Agree To Extension Before Opening Day
Back in the first week of March, Freddy Peralta and the Mets hadn’t yet begun any real discussions about a possible contract extension, and Peralta said he was looking to land a deal “seven or eight years” in length. In the latest update from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the two sides have had some level of talks in the interim, and things remain far enough apart between Peralta and the Mets that an extension is “highly unlikely” to happen prior to Opening Day.
This doesn’t necessarily rule out a deal altogether. The Mets are reportedly open to talking even after play begins on March 26, and Peralta “didn’t say he was opposed” to continuing negotiations, though he told Heyman he would let his agents at ACES make that determination. Most players set Opening Day as a deadline for extension talks in order to focus exclusively on baseball, though this isn’t a uniform approach, and naturally negotiations often continue if the two sides feel they’re very close to finalizing an agreement.
Peralta is set to become a free agent next winter, which is why the Brewers were looking to trade the ace this offseason rather than just let him walk for a draft pick at season’s end. The Mets won the bidding to pry Peralta away from Milwaukee, and between both the hefty trade return and Peralta’s obvious ability, New York surely has interest in keeping Peralta in Queens for years to come. Exactly how many years seems to be the sticking point between the two parties, as Peralta’s aim for at least seven years runs counter to the Mets’ desire to sign pitchers to shorter-term contracts.
One potential compromise could be a four- or five-year extension worth a high average annual value, and with multiple opt-outs. The Mets used such a structure to land Bo Bichette on a three-year, $126MM free agent pact this offseason, and opt-outs were included in past contracts for Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso. Due to the likelihood of a lockout next winter, an extension that contains an opt-out for perhaps as early as the 2027-28 offseason would allow Peralta to re-enter the market at age 31, and avoid any labor unrest.
Of course, Peralta also projects to be one of the top free agents available next winter, so his market may not be much affected since teams will be lining up to try and get him signed (likely before the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on December 1). Peralta also may not want to compromise on his next contract after already signing what ended up being a very team-friendly extension with the Brewers early in his career. That five-year, $15.5MM extension turned into a seven-year deal worth an extra $14.5MM for Peralta once Milwaukee exercised both club options, yet it still amounted to a gigantic bargain for the Brew Crew as Peralta developed into a frontline pitcher.
David Stearns was the Brewers’ president of baseball operations at the time of Peralta’s extension, and Stearns now holds that same role in New York’s front office. Maybe Stearns is willing to go longer on a contract for a pitcher he obviously knows well and values highly, and with Peralta so close to free agency, the Mets might simply have to pay top dollar in order to keep Peralta from testing the market.
Speaking of the Mets and pitcher extensions, Heyman adds that “there’s no indication” that the Mets and Nolan McLean have discussed any long-term deals. McLean was an instant star in posting a 2.06 ERA over 48 innings in his 2025 debut season, and now looks like a cornerstone piece of New York’s rotation.
As MLBTR’s Contract Tracker indicates, it’s pretty rare for pitchers to sign long-term extensions when they have less than one year of MLB service time. Chris Archer‘s six-year, $25.5MM extension with the Rays from April 2014 remains the largest deal ever given to a pitcher with under a year of service time, and McLean’s reps at CAA would surely be looking to vastly surpass Archer’s number.
Kyle Stowers, Esteury Ruiz Undergoing Testing For Injuries
Both Kyle Stowers and Esteury Ruiz left the Marlins’ Grapefruit League games on Friday due to injury concerns, with Stowers departing due to right hamstring tightness and Ruiz with a left oblique strain. Manager Clayton McCullough updated the media (including MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola) on the situation postgame, and today didn’t have any new information on the results of imaging tests on either player.
Stowers has been dealing with what McCullough described three weeks ago as a “very minor” strain in that same right hamstring, and the Marlins have mostly relegated the outfielder to live batting practice sessions rather than game action. Friday marked Stowers’ sixth Spring Training game, and he didn’t play at all over a two-week span from the end of February until his return to the field on March 14. On Friday, Stowers collected hits in his first two plate appearances before leaving the game in the bottom of the third.
While Stowers was playing in a split squad game against the Astros, Ruiz was playing on the other portion of Miami’s roster in a game against the Nationals, and Ruiz also left during the third inning after an awkward swing on a foul ball. Given that Ruiz’s injury has already been diagnosed as a strain, it would have to be a very minor strain for the outfielder to avoid a pretty lengthy stint on the IL, as even lighter oblique issues usually lead to at least a couple of weeks on the sidelines.
Ruiz was acquired from the Dodgers in a December trade, and the lightning-fast outfielder is looking to win a spot on the Marlins’ bench. After leading the AL with 67 stolen bases for the A’s in 2023, Ruiz has appeared in only 48 Major League games with the Athletics and Dodgers, due to both a lack of hitting and some knee problems. A huge Triple-A performance in 2025 perhaps indicates that Ruiz has unlocked something at the plate, though he hadn’t hit much in the small sample of 41 plate appearances during Miami’s camp.
If Ruiz’s injury simply impacts the back end of the Marlins’ bench, losing Stowers would have a much more negative impact on Miami’s season. Stowers is coming off an All-Star season that saw him hit .288/.368/.544 with 25 home runs over 457 PA, but (ironically, given Ruiz’s situation) Stowers’ breakout year was ended by an oblique strain in mid-August. Considering how the 79-83 Marlins finished only four games back of the Reds for the final NL wild card berth, it isn’t a reach to suggest that losing Stowers might’ve cost the Fish a playoff trip.
Should Stowers need to start 2026 on the 10-day IL, Javier Sanoja, Heriberto Hernandez, or perhaps Christopher Morel (slated for now as a first baseman) or Connor Norby (who has been getting some time as an outfielder) could all fill in for Stowers in left field. The Marlins are thin on other outfield options on their 40-man roster, so if a prospect isn’t added to the 40-man, Miami might also explore the trade or free agent market for outfield help as teams continue to make their late-camp cuts.
Pirates Assign Konnor Griffin To Minor League Camp
The Pirates announced that star prospect Konnor Griffin has been reassigned to the team’s minor league spring camp. Barring something surprising like a last-minute contract extension, the transaction seems to confirm that Griffin won’t be part of Pittsburgh’s Opening Day roster.
This was probably always the likeliest scenario, as Griffin is still just over a month away from his 20th birthday and has yet to even make his Triple-A debut. Though Griffin crushed Double-A pitching to the tune of a .337/.418/.542 slash line in 2025, those big numbers came in the relatively small sample size of 98 plate appearances over 21 games. In Spring Training action, Griffin showed some big power but not much else, hitting .184/.279/.526 over 43 PA and striking out 11 times.
If Griffin had dominated the Grapefruit League, the Pirates might’ve felt more compelled to immediately see what the shortstop could do at the Major League level. An Opening Day assignment would’ve also put the Pirates in line for a potential future bonus draft pick under the Prospect Promotion Incentive plan, though the temptation of an extra pick isn’t as important to the Bucs as Griffin’s continued development. For context, the Pirates also didn’t bring Paul Skenes up for his MLB debut until May of the 2024 season, even though Skenes’ immediate dominance indicated that he might well have been ready for the Show on Opening Day.
A pre-career extension might’ve also done the trick in getting Griffin to the Opening Day lineup, and last month, both Griffin and the Pirates had some interest in such a deal. Such an extension surely would’ve topped Jackson Chourio‘s eight-year, $82MM pact with the Brewers as the largest deal ever given to a player before his MLB debut, and the New York Post’s’ Jon Heyman writes “and some believe” the Pirates (never known for their big spending) are comfortable going to such record lengths in a nine-figure contract.
Griffin looks like the kind of special talent that merits this kind of investment. The ninth overall pick of the 2024 draft hit a combined .333/.415/.527 over 563 PA split between the A-ball, high-A, and Double-A levels in 2025, with 21 home runs and 65 steals (in 78 attempts). All of the major scouting outlets have Griffin atop their preseason top-100 prospect rankings, with scouting reports raving about his five-tool skills. Primarily a shortstop, Griffin has dabbled a bit in center field since his athleticism translates so well to either position, and whatever the spot, he looks like a future fixture in Pittsburgh’s lineup.
As dire as the last seven seasons have been for Pirates fans, Griffin’s impending arrival, Skenes’ presence, a bunch of other quality arms in the pipeline, and the fact that the Bucs spent some money on bats this winter are all signs that things could be turning around in the Steel City. Exciting as it would’ve been to have seen Griffin’s debut this week, the Pirates are okay in playing the slightly longer game, even if Griffin might still be in the Show before the All-Star break.
Merrill Kelly To Begin Season On Diamondbacks’ 15-Day IL
Back problems have limited Merrill Kelly to just two Spring Training outings, and thus it isn’t any surprise that Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo announced today that Kelly would start the season on the 15-day injured list. Lovullo told reporters (including Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports) that the club’s starting five will consist of Zac Gallen, Ryne Nelson, Eduardo Rodriguez, Michael Soroka, and Brandon Pfaadt while Kelly recovers.
Kelly’s injury issues surfaced about a month ago, and it was enough to immediately scuttle plans for Kelly to get the Opening Day start. The right-hander received some injections that helped ease the discomfort enough that there was hope that the IL could be avoided altogether, though Kelly didn’t get into any game action until March 13. Over two Cactus League starts, Kelly has been rocked for an 8.31 ERA in 4 1/3 innings, so it’s clear he isn’t quite ready for prime time.
The results themselves aren’t really a red flag, since Kelly is still in the relatively early stages of his ramp-up given how his normal routine was interrupted by his bad back. Assuming he is able to get through extended Spring Training as expected, Kelly may just miss the minimum amount of time on the injured list.
A right shoulder strain 2024 and a nerve impingement in 2020 were both notable injuries for the right-hander, but Kelly has by and large been pretty durable over his seven MLB seasons, including a 184-inning campaign with the D’Backs and Rangers in 2025. After being traded to Texas at the deadline, Kelly returned to Arizona on a two-year, $40MM deal with a vesting option for the 2028 campaign (which would be Kelly’s age-39 season).
Between Kelly’s return and Gallen also somewhat surprising re-signing with Arizona on a one-year deal after his free agent market failed to develop, Soroka is the only new face within a familiar Diamondbacks rotation mix. Corbin Burnes will be back at some point in the second half once he recovers from his Tommy John surgery, so if all goes well, the D’Backs might be dealing with a surplus of arms later in the season if everyone is pitching well. Soroka is the likeliest candidate to move to the bullpen once Kelly is activated from the IL.
Reese McGuire Opts Out Of Brewers Contract
The Brewers announced that catcher Reese McGuire has become a free agent after exercising an out clause in his minor league contract. Rather than an Article XX(B) free agent situation, this was a specific clause in McGuire’s deal, and Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that McGuire can return to the Brewers if he doesn’t sign elsewhere within the next 72 hours.
William Contreras has Milwaukee’s starting catching job on lock, and Gary Sanchez was signed to a guaranteed big league deal in February. The Sanchez signing was a major roadblock to McGuire’s chances of winning the backup job, plus highly-touted catching prospect Jeferson Quero is at Triple-A and is likely to make his MLB debut before 2026 is over.
This crowded depth chart made it unlikely McGuire would be breaking camp with the team, which is probably why this interesting release clause was negotiated into his contract in the first place. McGuire has over five years of big league service time and can’t be optioned to the minors without his permission, so this 72-hour window gives him some time to access his options before deciding whether or not to accept a trip to the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate.
Catching depth is enough of a need around baseball that McGuire could find another job on a team with a clearer path to MLB playing time. McGuire has a good reputation as a defensive catcher, and he has carved out an eight-year career with four different teams at the Major League level, including a 44-game stint with the Cubs last year that saw the backstop hit .226/.245/.444 with nine homers over 140 plate appearances. That little power surge in Wrigleyville was an outlier, as McGuire has hit only .242/.286/.352 over his last 1040 PA.
Rangers Release Ryan Brasier
The Rangers announced that right-hander Ryan Brasier has been released from his minor league contract. As an Article XX(B) free agent, Brasier could use the first of three opt-out dates if Texas didn’t add him to its 40-man roster this weekend, and the Rangers have apparently chosen to let Brasier explore his options elsewhere.
The 38-year-old was having a tough time of it in camp, with a 7.36 ERA over 7 1/3 spring innings. It wasn’t specified if Brasier exercised his opt-out clause or if the Rangers just released him, yet it didn’t seem like there was much chance he would be part of the Opening Day bullpen.
Brasier has had plenty of ups and downs over a nine-season MLB career, with the highs including World Series rings with the 2018 Red Sox and 2024 Dodgers. His move to Los Angeles partway through the 2023 season seemed to get Brasier back on track, as he had a 1.89 ERA over 66 2/3 innings in a Dodgers uniform. L.A. still chose to designate Brasier for assignment and then trade him to the Cubs last winter, and Brasier posted a 4.50 ERA, 4.8% walk rate, and 19% strikeout rate over 26 innings for Chicago.
Groin problems limited Brasier’s playing time in 2025, and a calf strain also kept him on the injured list for a good chunk of the 2024 campaign. Between these health concerns, his so-so numbers with the Cubs, and his age, Brasier was limited to just the non-guaranteed deal with Texas this winter. He’ll probably have to settle for another minors contract in his next destination as well, as Brasier didn’t do much to boost his stock in Cactus League play.
Nationals Release Drew Smith
The Nationals announced that right-hander Drew Smith has been released. Smith signed a minor league deal last month, and the Nats had to make a decision by this weekend about including the righty on the 40-man roster, or else Smith could trigger the first of three built-in opt-out dates within his contract.
Smith hasn’t pitched in the majors or minors since June 2024, as a UCL surgery kept the veteran reliever in rehab and recovery mode for the entirety of the 2025 season. Back in November, the Mets declined their $2MM club option on Smith’s services for next year, sending him to free agency for the second straight winter. The minor league deal with Washington seemed to provide a good opportunity for Smith given the unsettled state of the Nats’ bullpen, and 5 1/3 scoreless innings this spring seemed to be boost for Smith’s bid for a roster spot.
Instead, the Nationals have decided to move on from the 32-year-old. It could be that the Nationals wanted to focus more on younger arms, or the timing of the opt-out clause forced the Nats into a decision they didn’t yet want to make about Smith’s status. As is sometimes the case with the Article XX(B) deadline, Smith could possibly re-sign with Washington on a fresh minors deal in a few days, with today’s release just a means to sidestep the first opt-out deadline and give the team a little more time to evaluate their options.
If Smith does test the market, he might well find some interest given his past track record with the Mets. Smith posted a 3.48 ERA, 24.5% strikeout rate, and 9.3% walk rate for New York over 196 1/3 innings from 2018-24. That walk rate spiked upward in 2023-24 but his 29.1K% in 2024 was also a career best, and Smith has pretty evenly solid numbers against both right-handed and left-handed batters over his career.
Phillies Acquire Carter Kieboom From Guardians
The Phillies have acquired infielder Carter Kieboom from the Guardians in exchange for cash considerations, as reported by MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins shortly before the Guards officially announced the trade.
Kieboom signed a minor league deal with Cleveland during the offseason and had only a .512 OPS over 26 Spring Training plate appearances. Since Kieboom didn’t appear to be in the Guardians’ plans, the Phillies stepped in to trade for the 28-year-old, likely just as a depth option for Philadelphia at the Triple-A level.
At one point it seemed like Kieboom was going to be a prominent division foe for the Phillies, as the former first-rounder was a top-100 prospect during his time in the Nationals’ farm system. However, Kieboom just hasn’t produced against big league pitching, with just a .200/.297/.300 slash line to show for 516 career plate appearances in the Show. He didn’t play in the majors at all in 2024, and a minor league deal with the Angels last winter resulted in only three MLB games for Kieboom in 2025.
It is anyone’s guess if a late-career breakout of some kind may still be possible, but for now, Kieboom would be happy with sticking on a Major League roster in any capacity. Kieboom has primary been a corner infielder for the last few years with a handful of games at second base, so he could provide some utility infield depth should the Phillies ever have a need to select him to the 26-man roster.