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.
Padres To Select Ty France’s Contract
The Padres have told first baseman Ty France that he has made the Opening Day roster, the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee reports. France will need to have his contract officially selected before the Padres take the field on March 26, but the team has an open space on its 40-man roster.
As per the terms of the minor league contract France signed last month, he’ll earn a $1.35MM salary for making San Diego’s roster. It also officially completes the full-circle nature of France’s signing, as he was drafted by the Padres (as a 34th-round pick) in 2015 and he broke into the majors with the club in 2019.
Now 31 years old, France returns to the Padres as the AL’s reigning Gold Glove winner at first base, and with a track record as a pretty solid regular during his time with the Mariners. Over the last two seasons, however, France’s offense has dipped to a subpar .245/.312/.363 over 1025 plate appearances with the Mariners, Twins, Mariners, and Blue Jays.
Some big numbers in camp helped France earn his spot on the 26-man, and his selection also just about ensures that Sung-Mun Song will begin the season on the 10-day injured list. Song has been battling oblique tightness and only resumed swinging a bat this past week, so he’ll need more time to get fully prepared for his debut in North American baseball.
Song’s injury created room for France, even if he’ll join a crowded first base picture. Gavin Sheets is ostensibly the starting first baseman but he probably won’t face much left-handed pitching, allowing room for France, Miguel Andujar, or newly-converted first baseman Nick Castellanos (all righty bats) to get playing time. The DH spot is also a revolving door in San Diego, giving the team more leeway in finding at-bats for all of these players.
As an Article XX(B) free agent, France has the ability to exercise the first of three opt-out dates in his minor league contract this weekend if the Padres didn’t add him to the 40-man roster. It isn’t known if France actually triggered his opt-out or if the Padres added him to the roster in advance of any decision, but the end result is that France is now sticking around in San Diego.
Orioles Option Dean Kremer To Minors
The Orioles trimmed their spring roster to 43 players with four more cuts today. The team announced that right-handers Hans Crouse, Nestor German, and Trey Gibson were all reassigned to the minor league camp, and in a much more surprising move, right-hander Dean Kremer was optioned to the minor league camp.
Kremer’s move was due to roster needs, rather than a reflection of his performance. Between Opening Day and April 10, the Orioles have three off-days, meaning that even a five-man rotation isn’t really needed for a team that had to choose between six starters. Trevor Rogers, Chris Bassitt, Kyle Bradish, and Shane Baz had four of those rotation spots covered, leaving Kremer and Zach Eflin as the likeliest candidates for the fifth starter’s job.
Eflin underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure last August, leaving his availability for Opening Day in question. The O’s felt good enough in Eflin’s overall health to sign the righty to a one-year, $10MM contract in December, and Eflin has progressed well enough in camp that a stint on the injured list no longer seems necessary.
It leaves Kremer as the odd man out, despite his solid work in Baltimore’s rotation over the last four seasons. The right-hander has a 3.95 ERA over 599 1/3 innings from 2022-25, with a 7.4% walk rate and 20.3% strikeout rate. Kremer is lacking in punchouts and velocity, but he has been a durable starter with mostly strong control, and he has been increasingly good at inducing soft contact over the last two years.
In all likelihood, Kremer will be back in the Show once the Orioles get onto a more regular schedule, or even earlier if an injury arises. It remains to be seen how Baltimore will deploy its starters over the course of the season or if a six-man rotation could eventually be used, but injuries or ineffectiveness usually end up solving any temporary pitching surpluses. For now, at least, the O’s are in the rare “good problem to have” position of too many healthy starters for too few rotation spots.
Angels Release Hunter Strickland
The Angels announced that right-hander Hunter Strickland and utilityman Chris Taylor have been released. Taylor was known to be on the way out after he opted out of his minor league deal with the team yesterday, and Strickland may well be in the same situation as another veteran player in camp as a non-roster invite.
Strickland was making a good case for himself by posting a 1.80 ERA over five innings in Cactus League ball this spring, but it apparently wasn’t enough for the 37-year-old to land a spot in the Los Angeles bullpen. This release marks the end of what is technically Strickland’s fourth different stint with the Angels, and this familiarity could perhaps hint at another contract in the near future.
Because Strickland’s first opt-out date fell this weekend and the Angels had to make a decision, this release could be a way of navigating that deadline and getting the righty back in the organization on another minors deal soon. It would depend on how comfortable Strickland feels with the Angels, if he perhaps has gotten assurances he’ll be called up to the majors in short order, or if he can perhaps find another opportunity elsewhere.
Over 95 1/3 innings with the 2024-25 Angels, Strickland has posted a 3.30 ERA, though his 18.4% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate are nothing special. These secondary metrics and Strickland’s age perhaps limited him to non-guaranteed offers this winter, and it didn’t help that he missed a big chunk of the 2025 campaign with a shoulder injury. He has looked healthy this spring, and his solid numbers in camp may draw some attention from another team if he indeed doesn’t end up back in Anaheim.
Kirby Yates, Drew Pomeranz, Jordan Romano, and Brent Suter will all be part of the Angels’ bullpen, as the team loaded up on other veteran relievers on one-year contracts. The rest of the relief corps is a little uncertain, as much hinges on the health of rotation candidates Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah. Jack Kochanowicz and Ryan Johnson will be on the 26-man roster in some capacity, either in the pen or as starters if either of Rodriguez or Manoah begin the season on the 15-day injured list. Walbert Urena is also on the radar for a starting or relief role, adding to the Halos’ decisions heading into Opening Day.
Tigers Release Austin Slater
The Tigers have released outfielder Austin Slater, according to several Tigers beat writers (including the Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold). Slater was in camp on a minor league contract, and as an Article XX(B) free agent, the first of his three opt-out clauses fell this weekend. As per Petzold, Slater exercised his opt-out, and the Tigers chose to part ways with the outfielder rather than add him to the 40-man roster.
It is possible Slater could soon re-sign with Detroit, if this release was something of a handshake agreement just to get past the first Article XX(B) deadline. Or, it might be that the Tigers are willing to let Slater go since they’re satisfied with their right-handed hitting depth options. While a Detroit lineup heavy in left-handed bats could get another lefty swinger if top prospect Kevin McGonigle makes the team, the Tigers have Matt Vierling, Jahmai Jones, and Javier Baez set for platoon or bench duty as right-handed hitters.
Slater is entering his age-33 season, and now looking for a job in what would be his tenth MLB season. The majority of that time was spent with San Francisco, but Slater has since bounced around since the Giants dealt him to the Reds in July 2024. Slater has seen time in the bigs with the Giants, Reds, Orioles, White Sox, and Yankees over the last two seasons, with only a .212/.299/.314 slash line to show for 372 plate appearances. Injuries also impacted his 2025 season, as Slater spent time on the injured list with both a meniscus tear in his right knee and a left hamstring strain.
The chances of a potential reunion with Slater and the Tigers may hinge on how much interest Slater can find on the open market. Depending on other roster cuts or perhaps an injury or two, Slater might be able to find another job (and a clearer path to big league playing time) on another team. If nothing materializes after he tests the market, Slater could be open to returning to Detroit’s farm system.
Yankees To Select Randal Grichuk’s Contract
The Yankees will be selecting outfielder Randal Grichuk‘s contract, as manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including the New York Post’s Greg Joyce) that Grichuk has made the Opening Day roster. New York has a full 40-man roster, so another transaction will be required to add Grichuk before the team’s first game on Wednesday.
In making the team, Grichuk locks in a $2.5MM salary for the 2026 season, as per the terms of the minor league deal he signed last month. Grichuk is an Article XX(B) free agent, meaning that his contract included three standard opt-out dates that he could trigger if not added to the 40-man roster. The first of those opt-outs was set for this weekend, so the Yankees have now sidestepped the issue by adding the outfielder to the 26-man roster.
Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, and Cody Bellinger are set as New York’s starting outfield, and utilityman Amed Rosario and Grichuk now line up as the backup outfield options. (Giancarlo Stanton will probably get some time in the outfield this season, but he will be mostly be utilized as a designated hitter.) Bronx fans may not be pleased at seeing Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones relegated to Triple-A to begin the season, though the Yankees want those prized youngsters playing every day, whereas Grichuk is more suited to the sporadic nature of a big league backup job.
The right-handed hitting Grichuk figures to get most or all of his playing time when a southpaw is on the mound. Grichuk’s numbers against right-handers have tailed off over the years but he remained very dangerous against lefties, apart from a lackluster .227/.273/.430 slash line in 183 PA against left-handers last season when Grichuk was playing with the Diamondbacks and Royals.
Grichuk didn’t erase many doubts this spring by posting only a .313 OPS across 16 plate appearances in Grapefruit League games, but the Yankees are looking past that small sample size (and even the 2025 season) to the 34-year-old’s overall track record. While best suited for a corner outfield role, Grichuk can hold his own as a center fielder, making him a decent choice as a fourth outfielder and a candidate to spell the left-handed hitting Grisham when a lefty is on the mound.
Grichuk will be the only new face in a Yankees position-player mix that is basically unchanged from 2025. Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt were re-signed and will join Grichuk in backup roles, plus Bellinger was re-signed to a five-year, $162.5MM contract and Grisham stayed put by accepting the qualifying offer. Anthony Volpe will begin the season on the injured list, moving Jose Caballero into regular shortstop duty and increasing Rosario’s importance as the backup infielder.
Braves Sign Dominic Smith, Kyle Farmer To Split Contracts
The Braves announced that Dominic Smith and Kyle Farmer have been signed to Major League split contracts for the 2026 season. The two veterans were already in camp on minor league deals, but as Article XX(B) free agents, Smith and Farmer had the ability to opt out of their contracts five days before Opening Day if they weren’t added to the Braves’ 40-man roster.
These new deals mean that Smith and Farmer will be breaking camp with the club. The Braves have two open spots on their 40-man roster, so they can easily accommodate officially selecting Smith and Farmer closer to the team’s first game. Both players are out of minor league options and the Braves would have to designate either for assignment and then sweat out any waiver claims before sending either to the minors, plus Smith and Farmer have enough MLB service time to just reject a minor league assignment anyway.
It seemed like the two veterans were both somewhat long shots to make Atlanta’s roster, yet some opportunity was created when Jurickson Profar was issued a season-long PED suspension, and Ha-Seong Kim suffered a torn finger tendon that will keep him out until at least the start of May. The door may now be open for Smith to earn some at-bats as a left-handed hitting option for the DH spot, even if his usual first base spot is obviously filled by Matt Olson on an everyday basis. Smith has played in just one Major League game as an outfielder over the last four seasons, but he could get some occasional backup work if Ronald Acuna Jr. or Mike Yastrzemski needs a rest day.
For Farmer, Mauricio Dubon taking over the shortstop role in Kim’s absence means the Braves are short some versatile infield depth. Jorge Mateo and Brett Wisely are also competing for bench jobs and Eli White is expected to be the primary backup outfielder, and both Wisely and White are also out of minor league options.
Martin Perez is another minor league signing in Atlanta’s camp, and MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reports that Perez has been told he isn’t making the team. However, the veteran southpaw will forego his first Article XX(B) opt-out clause and remain in the organization as a Triple-A depth farm.
Phillies To Select Justin Crawford’s Contract
The Phillies have told outfield prospect Justin Crawford that he’ll be breaking camp with the team, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. The widely-expected move means that Crawford will need to have his contract officially selected to Philadelphia’s 40-man roster before Opening Day, but that isn’t an issue since the Phils currently have only 38 spots filled.
There was some speculation that Crawford would receive his first call to the majors last summer, though the Phillies instead chose to keep him in Triple-A for the entirety of his age-21 season. Crawford (who turned 22 in January) hit .334/.411/.452 with seven homers and 46 steals (out of 57 attempts) over 506 plate appearances with Lehigh Valley, which represented Crawford’s first taste of Triple-A action.
It was an impressive performance that only cemented Crawford’s status as a key plank of the Phillies’ future. The offseason saw Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos subtracted from the Phils’ outfield picture, Harrison Bader left to sign with the Giants, and another unexpected development emerged earlier this week when Johan Rojas was issued an 80-game PED suspension. Philadelphia signed Adolis Garcia to take over in the right field, and with Brandon Marsh returning to take the bulk of the left field at-bats, Crawford will line up as the Phillies’ regular choice in center field.
Pundits are mixed on whether or not Crawford will be able to stick in center field, or if he’ll eventually need to move to left field (like his dad, former four-time All-Star Carl Crawford). As a hitter, Crawford’s ability to consistently put the ball in the air may be his biggest challenge against Major League pitching, as he has posted high grounder rates throughout his minor league career. On the positive side, Crawford has at least reduced his grounder rates every year, and his 70-grade speed allows him to beat out several of those grounders.
The 17th overall pick of the 2022 draft, Crawford has drawn regular attention on top-100 prospect lists. Heading into 2026, the Athletic’s Keith Law has Crawford highest on his list in the 48th spot, while MLB Pipeline (53rd), ESPN (69th), and Baseball America (75th) continue to include the outfielder in their rankings.
This top-100 prospect status and Crawford’s inclusion on the Opening Day roster means that he can qualify for the Prospect Promotion Incentive. If Crawford logs a full year of MLB service time and either wins the 2026 Rookie of the Year Award or finishes within the top three in NL MVP voting in his pre-arbitration seasons, Philadelphia would earn a bonus draft pick down the road.
Between Crawford and Andrew Painter, the Phillies have two PPI-eligible players as part their Opening Day roster. The two highly-touted prospects face some extra pressure in joining a Phils team expecting to contend for a World Series this year, plus there’s the bigger-picture importance of how having two everyday contributors (or even breakout stars) on inexpensive pre-arb contracts can help the big-spending Phillies somewhat balance their payroll.
Red Sox To Use Marcelo Mayer As Starting Second Baseman, Kristian Campbell Optioned To Triple-A
In an unsurprising move, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe) that Marcelo Mayer will make the Opening Day roster and act as Boston’s regular second baseman. It isn’t quite an everyday role, as Cora said the left-handed hitting Mayer will be protected against some southpaw pitchers. Veteran infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa or utilityman Andruw Monasterio are both right-handed batters and should be part of this platoon at the keystone.
Mayer didn’t exactly force the issue by hitting only .214/.389/.321 over 36 plate appearances in Grapefruit League action, but it always seemed like the former top prospect was being lined up for some type of regular role in the Red Sox infield as either the second or third baseman. After the Sox didn’t land such targets as Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette this winter, Caleb Durbin was acquired from the Brewers and will handle third-base duties, leaving second as Mayer’s landing spot.
Selected fourth overall in the 2021 draft, Mayer was a fixture within the top-15 of MLB Pipeline and Baseball America’s top-100 lists in each of the last four years. He made his big league debut last season and hit .228/.272/.402 over 136 plate appearances before suffering a wrist sprain that eventually required surgery. Mayer mostly played third base last year since his call-up coincided with an IL stint for Bregman, though he did make eight appearances at second base and two cameos at shortstop.
Mayer was initially drafted as a shortstop, and that could eventually still end up as his position in the majors once Trevor Story‘s contract is up following the 2027 season. For now, the plan is just to get Mayer acclimated to playing in the bigs and for the 23-year-old to establish himself as at least a solid regular. The Sox don’t need for Mayer to be a star just yet, as it’s a good step in his development for Mayer to just stay on the field altogether after a few injury-marred years.
In other roster news, the Red Sox have optioned Kristian Campbell to Triple-A Worcester, MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reports. This decision was also no surprise given the crowded state of Boston’s roster, and playing everyday in Worcester makes more sense for Campbell than playing sparingly in a part-time role with the Sox.
A year ago at this time, Campbell was preparing to make his MLB debut, as the Red Sox chose to include the breakout prospect on their Opening Day roster. A fourth-round pick for Boston in the 2023 draft, Campbell tore up minor league pitching in his first two pro seasons, and was hitting so well that he’d earned a promotion to Triple-A before the 2024 season was over. Within a week of his first game in the Show, the Red Sox cemented Campbell’s spot as a cornerstone by signing him to an eight-year, $60MM extension.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly when Campbell hit .313/.420/.515 over his first 119 PA in the majors, but what looked like an epic rookie season quickly came to a halt, as he hit only .157/.241/.220 over his next 141 PA. Campbell’s defense was also a big concern, as he posted -16 Defensive Runs Saved and -8 Outs Above Average across only 471 2/3 innings at second base.
The Red Sox chose to option Campbell to Worcester last June 20, and he didn’t receive another call-up over the remainder of the 2025 campaign. Campbell hit a decent but unspectacular .273/.382/.417 over 319 Triple-A PA, and he spent most of his time on the diamond as a first baseman, as well as seeing time at all three outfield slots in addition to second base.
Where Campbell might end up on the big league roster remains speculative. The Red Sox outfield is already crowded (Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu), plus Masataka Yoshida remains in the outfield and DH mix. Mayer and Durbin have second and third base covered for now. As for first base, offseason acquisition Willson Contreras has two years remaining on his contract, so that’s still a while for Campbell to wait if the Sox potentially now view him as Contreras’ heir apparent. Triston Casas is also still in the first base picture, looking to bounce back from his injury-shortened 2025 season.
Some future trades could potentially clear this situation up to some extent, with Duran, Casas, and Yoshida often mentioned as speculative trade candidates. Campbell’s contract keeps him part of Boston’s future plans and also probably keeps him off the trade market, as any interested teams would be making a $57MM investment in a belief that Campbell will emerge in the big leagues.