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Twins Sign Harrison Bader

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The Twins officially announced the signing of outfielder Harrison Bader to a one-year deal with a 2026 mutual option. It’s a reported $6.25MM guarantee for the VaynerSports client. That breaks down as a $750K signing bonus, a $4MM base salary, and a $1.5MM buyout on the $10MM option. The buyout price could climb by another $1.5MM based on playing time: $200K at 400, 425 and 450 plate appearances, then by $450K at 475 and 500. There’s also a $500K assignment bonus if Bader is traded.

Bader, 31 in June, is a glove-first guy. From 2018 to 2024, he has been credited with 75 Outs Above Average, the top mark among all outfielders for that span. His tally of 48 Defensive Runs Saved in that stretch is only marginally less impressive, putting him sixth in the majors overall.

His offensive contributions have been less consistent, and more muted of late. From 2018 to 2021, he hit .244/.325/.420 for the Cardinals. That production translated to a 101 wRC+, meaning he was just 1% above average. Since he also stole 38 bases in that time and provided his aforementioned strong defense, he was a very valuable player in that stretch.

But in recent years, his batting has been a notch or two below that. Over the past three seasons, he has bounced from the Cardinals to the Yankees, Reds and Mets, hitting .239/.284/.360 for a wRC+ of 79. The glovework has still be strongly rated in that time and he swiped another 38 bags over those three years, but the diminished offense has naturally tamped his overall contributions.

On the whole, he has still been a useful player, even though the bat has been subpar. FanGraphs credited him with 3.7 wins above replacement over the past three campaigns, with at least 1.0 fWAR in each. Last year, he got into 143 games for the Mets. He hit 12 home runs and stole 17 bases. His batting line of .236/.284/.373 led to a wRC+ of just 85, but he was still worth 1.3 fWAR thanks to his speed and defense.

Bader seems likely to fill the role that Manuel Margot had in 2024. Margot appeared in 129 games for the Twins last year, though he was only in the starting lineup for 70. He spent a bit of time in all three outfield positions, doing some pinch hitting and pinch running. He stepped to the plate 343 times and hit .238/.289/.337 for a wRC+ of 79. He was once a strong glove-first outfielder like Bader, though the defensive metrics have soured on him over the past three years.

The Twins have a strong everyday center fielder in Byron Buxton, though he has struggled to stay on the field in his career. He has never played more than 140 games in a season and only once gone past 102. Last year, he got to that 102 number, which was just the second time in his career playing more than 92 games in a season.

As such, the Twins have seemingly made it a mission to have a strong center-field-capable fourth outfielder on the roster. They acquired Michael A. Taylor for the 2023 season, Margot last winter and are now going with Bader for 2025.

By having Bader on the roster, the club has some cover for if Buxton requires time on the injured list again. They also don’t have a surefire designated hitter, so it’s possible that Buxton serves as the DH with some regularity. Buxton is an excellent defensive center fielder himself, so that would rob him of some of his value, but having Bader take his spot in the field would at least mean there’s no downgrade out there. Going that route on occasion could perhaps allow Buxton stay a bit healthier than in some other years, thus staying with the club for a larger chunk of the season.

With Max Kepler hitting free agency, the Twins project to have Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach in the corners. Bader can spell those two on defense occasionally and also perhaps platoon with them, as he hits from the right side while Wallner and Larnach are lefties with notable career splits. Bader had reverse splits in 2024 but has hit .249/.314/.461 against lefties in his career for a 109 wRC+. That’s compared to a .239/.303/.367 line and 84 wRC+ against righties.

The Twins also have Willi Castro and Austin Martin as guys who could figure into the outfield mix, but they are also capable of playing the infield. Like with Buxton in the outfield, there are some health concerns on the dirt, as Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis and José Miranda have had notable injury concerns over the years.

It’s been a pretty quiet offseason for the Twins overall, with the front office apparently working under some notable constraints. The 2024 payroll dropped by about $30MM compared to the previous year, which was apparently due to the ongoing uncertainty with their broadcast deal with Diamond Sports Group. This year, the Twins are having MLB handle their broadcasts, which is likely to bring in less revenue than their previous arrangement. On top of that, the club is currently for sale. It’s possible that the current owners prefer to keep the long-term books fairly clean, leaving the future spending decisions to the new ownership group.

Going into this week, the Twins hadn’t made a significant trade nor agreed to sign a free agent to a major league deal. They have ramped up their activity, relatively speaking, by giving one-year deals to Coulombe and Bader this week. Bader’s deal does have a mutual option, but those are almost never picked up by both sides. They are essentially just an accounting measure to kick some of the spending to the end of the season.

For much of the offseason, it seemed as though the club might have to clear some payroll to make moves, perhaps by trading someone like Christian Vázquez or Chris Paddack. It remains to be seen whether that is still the case or if they found enough coins in the couch cushions to simply make these additions without subtractions.

There are still some viable infielders and starting pitchers in free agency, but the outfield market has been more picked over. As of a couple of weeks ago, Jurickson Profar was last outfielder still unsigned who profiled as a clear everyday player. He signed a three-year pact with Atlanta, leaving mostly part-time, role-playing types on the market.

Since then, a number of those players have signed fairly similar one-year deals. Austin Hays got $5MM from the Reds, Ramón Laureano got $4MM from the Orioles and Randal Grichuk got $5MM from the Diamondbacks. Those guys can all play center in a pinch but Bader is clearly above them defensively, which has perhaps allowed him to come out ahead. For clubs still looking for outfield help, Mark Canha, Alex Verdugo, Jason Heyward and David Peralta are some of the guys still out there.

Jon Heyman of The New York Post first reported that the Twins were signing Bader to a one-year deal with a mutual option. Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported the $6.25MM guarantee. Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune had the specific salary breakdown. Heyman had the specifics on the buyout escalators and the assignment bonus.

Orioles Claim Roansy Contreras, Designate Daz Cameron

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The Orioles have claimed right-hander Roansy Contreras from the Yankees, according to announcements from both clubs. There was no previous indication that the Yanks had removed Contreras from their roster, so their 40-man count drops to 39. The Orioles designated outfielder Daz Cameron for assignment as the corresponding move. The O’s also announced that infielder Luis Vázquez, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk. The Yankees also announced that right-hander Allan Winans, who was himself designated for assignment this week, has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Both Vázquez and Winans receive non-roster invites to big league camp with their respective clubs.

The players mentioned in today’s announcements have been involved in many transactions this winter, none more so than the 25-year-old Contreras. He finished the 2024 season with the Angels but has since gone to the Rangers, Reds, Orioles, Yankees and now the O’s again via waiver claims.

That is a reflection of both his intriguing numbers and also the fact that he’s out of options, making it hard for him to cling to a roster spot. Back in 2022, he seemed to be cementing himself as a big league starter, logging 95 innings with the Pirates with a 3.79 earned run average, 21.1% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate.

Things went downhill in 2023, as his ERA spiked to 6.59 and he got moved into more of a relief role. Last year, he got his ERA down to 4.35. His 18.8% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate were both subpar numbers, but it was a course correction nonetheless. The O’s are clearly intrigued, since this is the second time they’ve claimed him this winter.

Since this didn’t come in connection with another move for the Yankees, it’s possible they were trying to pass him through waivers since the 60-day injured list opens up next week when pitchers and catchers report to spring training. That will open up many roster spots around the league, making it harder for guys to go unclaimed. The gambit didn’t pay off in this case, but it’s possible the O’s will try the same thing in the coming days.

Cameron, 28, was acquired by the O’s from the A’s in a cash deal at the end of October. Like Contreras, he is also out of options. Since that time, the O’s have added Tyler O’Neill, Ramón Laureano and Dylan Carlson into their outfield mix. Those moves have likely bumped Cameron down the depth chart and into DFA limbo.

The O’s will now have a week to trade Cameron or pass him through waivers. He has a previous career outright, so he would have the right to elect free agency if he clears. He has a .201/.263/.330 batting line in 430 MLB plate appearances but has stolen 14 bases without being caught. He has less than two years of service time and can therefore be controlled for the next five seasons if anyone acquires him.

Vázquez, 25, was designated for assignment by the Cubs last month and flipped to the O’s for cash. Baltimore quickly bumped him off the roster and has now passed him through waivers. Since this is his first career outright and he has less than three years of service time, he’ll give the club some extra depth in a non-roster capacity. He has only 14 MLB plate appearances but solid numbers in the minors. He slashed .268/.356/.448 for a 109 wRC+ over the past two years while playing plenty of shortstop, second base and third base.

The Yankees just claimed Winans, 29, off waivers from Atlanta last month. By passing him through waivers unclaimed now, they get to keep him as non-roster depth. He doesn’t have a previous career outright nor three years of big league service time, meaning he doesn’t have the right to elect free agency. He has a 7.20 ERA in 40 big league innings thus far in his career.

Trey Mancini, Diamondbacks Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Diamondbacks and first baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini have agreed to a minor league deal, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. The Frontline client will be in big league camp as a non-roster invitee.

Mancini, 33 in March, didn’t play last year. He signed a minor league deal with the Marlins in January of 2024 but he opted out of that deal at the end of camp, presumably after being told he wouldn’t make the team. He didn’t sign anywhere else. At the start of November, it was reported that Mancini was planning to make a comeback in 2025. It seems the Snakes will give him a shot, at least by giving him some looks in spring.

It wouldn’t be the first comeback for Mancini, who famously returned to baseball after missing the 2020 season battling Stage 3 colon cancer. Over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, he hit .247/.323/.412 for a 105 wRC+. Most of that came with the Orioles, though that club traded him to the Astros at the 2022 deadline, which allowed Mancini to win a World Series ring with Houston a few months later. That was a bit below his 2016 to 2019 form, when he slashed .276/.335/.485 for a 116 wRC+, but it was a strong performance and an inspiring comeback nonetheless.

He parlayed that performance into a two-year deal with the Cubs, though that deal didn’t go as hoped. Mancini put up a line of .234/.299/.336 in 263 plate appearances with Chicago and was off the roster by the start of August. He then landed a minors deal with the Reds but got released from that pact. As mentioned, a minor league deal with the Marlins last offseason didn’t get him back to the majors.

Though he missed all of last year and struggled badly in 2023, he’ll be looking to get back on track with the Diamondbacks. Mancini has played some outfield in his career but he never got great marks out there and his last significant stint on the grass was in 2019. Given that he has more experience at first base and is now pushing into his mid-30s, he’s probably more likely to wind up at first or slot in as the designated hitter.

Last year, the Diamondbacks had Christian Walker as their primary first baseman, though he hit free agency and signed with the Astros. The Snakes acquired Josh Naylor from the Guardians to take over as the regular there. Joc Pederson was the primary DH, at least against right-handed pitching. He also became a free agent and signed in the AL West, in his case with the Rangers.

As of now, Pavin Smith might project as the top option for the DH spot after a solid showing in 2024. Though he was often sent to Triple-A and back, he got into 60 big league games and slashed .270/.348/.547 for a 140 wRC+. Like Pederson, Smith is a lefty hitter who struggles against southpaws, so a platoon partner would make sense.

The Diamondbacks signed righty-swinging Randal Grichuk this week. He seems likely to serve a fourth-outfielder, short-side platoon role. The Snakes have lefties Corbin Carroll, Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas in their outfield, as well as Naylor and Smith in the first base/designated hitter mix. Perhaps Mancini can work his way into that calculus as well, depending on how he looks in spring after a year away from official action.

White Sox Sign Brandon Drury, Tristan Gray To Minor League Deals

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The White Sox announced Friday that they’ve signed infielders Brandon Drury and Tristan Gray to minor league contracts. Both will be in major league camp as non-roster invitees to spring training.

Drury, a Wasserman client, is a veteran of ten major league seasons who’s suited up for seven teams along the way. The 32-year-old has had multiple productive stretches, most recently hitting .263/.313/.493 with 58 home runs over 1179 plate appearances in the three-year period from 2021-23. Drury was outstanding in a short look with the 2021 Mets and in a lengthier look with the Reds and Padres in 2022. He parlayed that into a two-year, $17MM deal with the Angels and looked like a shrewd pickup in year one of that deal after he batted .262/.306/.497 with 26 homers (his second straight season topping 25 round-trippers).

The 2024 campaign, however, was a nightmare. Drury hit only .169/.242/.228 in 360 plate appearances. He saw a major spike in pop-ups and grounders, with his 57.1% ground-ball rate spiking by 15 percentage points over his 2023 levels. No one in baseball (min. 300 plate appearances) put a higher percentage of batted balls on the ground than Drury. For a player whose sprint speed ranked in the 18th percentile of big leaguers, per Statcast, that’s an obviously alarming and suboptimal trend.

Defensively, Drury can move all around the diamond. He’s played all four infield positions and both outfield corners, with the bulk of his time coming between second base and third base. On the whole, defensive metrics like Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved feel Drury’s body of work at second base, third base and first base have been solid, if unspectacular. He did log below-average grades in 2024, though he was hampered by a hamstring strain and a lengthy bout with an upper respiratory illness that knocked him out of action for nearly two weeks and could’ve had some impact on his play on either end of that infection.

Gray, a BJB Group client, has logged brief MLB appearances with the 2023 Rays and the 2024 Marlins. He’s gone just 5-for-33 with a homer in that tiny sample, though there’s little to be gleaned from what amounts to about a week’s worth of MLB at-bats. The 28-year-old has shown plenty of thump in Triple-A. He popped 33 homers with the Rays’ Durham affiliate in 2022 and slugged another 30 big flies the following year. In parts of four Triple-A seasons, Gray is a .238/.306/.472 hitter.

Like Drury, he brings some infield versatility to the table. He’s played all four infield positions. Unlike Drury, however, his most frequent spot has been shortstop, giving him far more defensive utility. He’s played nearly 2500 innings at short, more than 1400 at third base, more than 1300 at second base and just over 900 at first base. There are some strikeout concerns, but Gray is a left-handed hitter who can move to any spot on the infield and has shown 30-homer pop in the minors.

For a Sox club with little to no infield certainty both players are a sensible fit on a non-guaranteed deal. Andrew Vaughn is locked in at first base, but that’s about the only spot that’s set in stone (and even he could switch to DH if need be; he’s not a strong defender). Free agent signee Josh Rojas will likely handle third base, but he’s plenty familiar with playing second if the Sox prefer to give someone else a look at third. Lenyn Sosa, Brooks Baldwin, Jacob Amaya and top prospect Colson Montgomery are the only middle infielders on the 40-man roster. Montgomery will open the season in the minors, leaving the other three as de facto front-runners at shortstop and second base. Drury or Gray could feasibly work their way into that group with nice showings during spring training.

Cardinals Sign Nick Anderson To Minor League Deal

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The Cardinals announced Friday that they’ve signed righty Nick Anderson to a minor league deal and invited him to major league spring training. Anderson, a client of Gaeta Sports Management, recently worked out for big league scouts to show his readiness after an injury-marred 2024 season. Ari Alexander of KPRC-2 reports that Anderson would earn $1.1MM in the majors. His contract contains an upward mobility clause that allows another team to add him to their Opening Day roster if he’s not going to break camp with the Cardinals.

Anderson also finished out the 2023 season on the injured list due to a shoulder strain. He began the 2022 season on the shelf while mending from an internal brace procedure the prior year, and his ’22 campaign ended due to plantar fasciitis. In his injury-dotted big league career, Anderson has also missed due to a back strain and a forearm issue.

It’s a laundry list of injuries, but Anderson has typically been excellent when healthy. Dating back to his 2019 MLB debut, he’s pitched 158 1/3 major league innings and logged a 3.18 earned run average. Anderson has 39 holds and 10 saves in his career, and his rate stats are eye-catching: 31.6% strikeout rate, 7.3% walk rate and a gaudy 15.4% swinging-strike rate.

The 34-year-old Anderson gives the Cardinals an upside play in their late-inning mix if he can stay healthy. He hasn’t done that over the course of a full season since 2019, but there’s no harm for the Cardinals in taking a look. A healthy Anderson would be a boon to the bullpen, and he’s throwing well this summer he’d be a natural trade chip as St. Louis looks to restock its farm system. Anderson has 5.094 years of major league service to his credit, so there’s no surplus club control here. He’ll reach six years of big league service with another 78 days in the majors, so he’s very likely to end up a free agent at season’s end one way or another.

The Cardinals’ bullpen heading into 2025 — like their roster as a whole — is largely unchanged. The club has reportedly rebuffed interest in star closer (and pending free agent) Ryan Helsley despite taking a step back to focus on player development. JoJo Romero, Ryan Fernandez, Matthew Liberatore and John King are among the other options for manager Oli Marmol. If Anderson makes the club, it seems fair to expect that he’ll factor into setup duties and perhaps even get a crack at closing games if Helsley is moved or lands on the injured list himself.

Twins Designate Ronny Henriquez For Assignment

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The Twins announced that right-hander Ronny Henriquez has been designated for assignment. That opens a roster spot for the signings of outfielder Harrison Bader and left-hander Danny Coulombe, which are now official. The club opened another roster spot yesterday by trading utility player Michael Helman to the Cardinals.

Henriquez, 25 in June, has spent most of the past three years on the club’s roster. He came up as a Rangers prospect, getting added to that club’s 40-man roster in November of 2021, keeping him out of that year’s Rule 5 draft. Texas traded him to the Twins a few months later alongside infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the March 2022 deal to acquire catcher Mitch Garver. Henriquez spent 2022 and 2023 as a depth arm but was non-tendered after the latter of those two seasons. He re-signed on a minor league deal going into 2024 and was back on the 40-man in late April.

Over those three years, he didn’t get much major league action. He has 31 innings pitched at this point with a 2.90 earned run average in that small sample. His 18.2% strikeout rate is subpar but his 6.1% walk rate and 53.1% ground ball rate are both strong.

His numbers in the minors have been somewhat similar. A starter earlier in his career, the Twins have mostly kept him in a multi-inning relief role for the past two seasons. In 2024, he logged 55 innings over 34 Triple-A appearances with a 3.44 ERA, 24.9% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate and 53.8% ground ball rate.

Despite the decent results, Henriquez was likely running out of time on the roster. He exhausted his final option year in 2024, meaning the Twins would no longer be able to move him to Triple-A and back with such fluidity. As such, he got bumped off the roster today. Minnesota will now have a week of DFA limbo to figure out what’s next, whether that’s a trade or some fate on waivers. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so any trade talks would have to take place in the next five days.

Though the Twins couldn’t find room for him, it’s possible another club is willing to grab him. As recently as June, Eric Longenhagen and Travis Ice of FanGraphs ranked Henriquez as the #27 prospect in the Twins’ system, suggesting he had a future as a decent middle reliever. If some club is willing to give him a roster spot now, he has less than a year of service time, meaning he comes with a possible six seasons of club control.

Twins Sign Danny Coulombe

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February 7: The Twins have now officially announced the Coulombe signing.

February 4, 9:49am: It’s a one-year major league deal that comes with a $3MM guarantee, reports Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Minnesota has a full 40-man roster and will need to make a corresponding move when the signing is finalized.

8:07am: The Twins have agreed to a deal with free agent left-hander Danny Coulombe, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The ALIGND Sports client’s contract is pending the completion of a physical. It’ll be the veteran reliever’s second stint in Minnesota.

Coulombe, 35, was with the Twins from 2020-22 and pitched quite well during that stretch. In 49 1/3 innings, he logged a 2.92 ERA while punching out 22% of opponents against a 9.3% walk rate. Those rate stats were both a bit worse than average, but Coulombe did a good job keeping the ball in the yard and avoiding hard contact during his original run in Minneapolis.

Despite that strong run and a big spring in 2023 (nine shutout innings, 13 strikeouts, four walks), the Twins somewhat surprisingly let Coulombe go to the Orioles. He’d been back in camp on a minor league contract, and rather than select him to the roster at the end of spring training, the Twins allowed Coulombe to use an upward mobility clause that granted him the ability to opt out of the contract if another club was willing to place him on the 40-man roster. Minnesota sent Coulombe to the O’s in exchange for cash, and the lefty gave Baltimore two excellent years in manager Brandon Hyde’s bullpen.

From 2023-24, Coulombe tossed 81 innings with a 2.56 earned run average. He showed greatly improved rate stats, fanning 28.4% of batters faced versus a tiny 5.4% walk rate. With the Orioles, Coulombe added a cutter, scaled back his usage of a four-seamer, scrapped his changeup and ramped up the usage of his sinker. It was a new-look pitch selection that’s helped him generate more whiffs and far more grounders. With a sinker sitting just under 92 mph, an 86 mph cutter and a 79 mph knuckle curve, Coulombe isn’t the prototypical power-armed reliever most clubs covet in today’s game, but the results in recent years speak for themselves.

Were it not for some elbow troubles last summer, there’s a good chance Coulombe might still be with Baltimore. The lefty underwent surgery in June to remove bone spurs from his left elbow — a procedure that shelved him until late September. He made it back to the mound and tossed 3 2/3 shutout innings with four strikeouts against two walks, adding a scoreless postseason appearance (two-thirds of an inning) for good measure. The Orioles, however, declined Coulombe’s $4MM club option and allowed him to become a free agent.

Coulombe will return to a bullpen that’s still sporting plenty of familiar faces for him, reuniting with Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Cole Sands and Jorge Alcala — all of whom pitched in the 2022 Twins’ relief corps. The Duran/Jax combo is one of the best one-two punches of any bullpen in the game, and the 27-year-old Sands had a breakout showing of his own in 2024, giving the Twins an outstanding trio of power arms who not only miss bats but show plus command.

One glaring area of need in the ’pen, however, was a reliable lefty. Kody Funderburk and Brent Headrick were the only southpaw relief options on the Twins’ 40-man roster. Neither has established himself in the majors yet. Minor league pickup/non-roster invitee Anthony Misiewicz gave the Twins another option but, like the other in-house candidates, lacks a consistent track record. Coulombe gives manager Rocco Baldelli at least one immediate left-handed option.

Duran, Jax, Sands, Alcala, Coulombe and out-of-options righties Brock Stewart and Michael Tonkin all appear like locks for the bullpen. Rule 5 pick Eiberson Castellano could make the club with a good spring showing, but the Twins are a win-now club in spite of a quiet offseason that’s seen them lie dormant amid payroll concerns and a potential sale of the team. Carrying a Rule 5 pick is tougher for a postseason hopeful, and Minnesota could opt to give that final ’pen spot to veteran Justin Topa (who has minor league options remaining) or out-of-options righty Ronny Henriquez if Castellano struggles during Grapefruit League play.

White Sox Claim Brandon Eisert, Designate Steven Wilson

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The White Sox announced Friday that they’ve claimed lefty Brandon Eisert off waivers from the Rays and designated right-hander Steven Wilson for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster.

Eisert, 27, made his big league debut last season as a member of the Blue Jays — he’d previously gone from Toronto to Tampa Bay in a cash swap following a separate DFA — and allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings. He spent the bulk of his season in Triple-A for a third straight year. Despite generally successful numbers there in seasons past, he didn’t get a big league look until 2024.

In three seasons with Triple-A Buffalo, Eisert posted a 3.83 ERA in 183 1/3 innings. The former 18th-round pick has set down 28.6% of Triple-A opponents on strikes against a tidy 7.9% walk rate. He’s consistently posted ground-ball rates between 42-44%, right around league-average, and allowed either 1.17 or 1.18 HR/9 in all three of those Triple-A campaigns. Eisert doesn’t throw hard, relying on a 90-92 mph heater as well as a slider and changeup that both fall in the 84-85 mph range. He’s consistently generated quality results in the upper minors, however, and has a pair of minor league option years remaining.

Wilson, 30, went from San Diego to Chicago as part of the Friars’ acquisition of Dylan Cease. He wasn’t a headline piece of the return by any means, but the Sox surely hoped that he could build off two solid seasons to begin his career as a member of the Padres’ bullpen. From 2022-23, Wilson totaled 106 innings of 3.48 ERA ball with a 25.4% strikeout rate, 10.9% walk rate, 1.19 HR/9, 27 holds and a save.

Things didn’t pan out as hoped. Wilson had multiple IL stints due to back strains, saw his fastball velocity dip from 94.5 mph to 93.4 mph on average, and served up eight homers in just 34 1/3 innings (2.08 HR/9). His 20.9% strikeout rate and 16% walk rate were both career-worst marks.

The Sox still tendered Wilson a contract after the season and came to terms on a $950K salary. That salary could now help him pass through waivers unclaimed, at which point the Sox could stash him in Triple-A. Wilson would have the right to reject an outright assignment to the minors in favor of free agency, but he’d have to walk away from his contract in order to do so. He’ll likely accept an assignment if it comes to that.

For the time being, the Sox will have five days to trade Wilson. At that point, he’ll need to be placed on outright waivers (a 48-hour process) if he’s to have his DFA resolved within the allotted one-week timeframe.

White Sox Outright Zach DeLoach

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The White Sox announced Friday that outfielder Zach DeLoach cleared waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Charlotte. He’ll remain with the organization as non-roster depth heading into spring training.

Acquired alongside righty Prelander Berroa and a competitive balance (Round B) draft pick in the trade sending Gregory Santos to the Mariners last offseason, DeLoach made his big league debut with the ChiSox last year but struggled in a small sample. He tallied 75 trips to the plate and managed only a .209/.293/.283 output. He was far better in Triple-A, slashing .287/.375/.410, but even that production represented a downturn from his 2023 levels with Seattle’s Triple-A club. DeLoach popped a career-high 23 homers in 2023 but saw that number plummet to seven in 2024.

DeLoach runs well, has experience in all three outfield slots and draws plenty of walks. He’s also been plagued by strikeout issues and is better suited for work in the corners — left field, specifically — than in center. Now that he’s passed through waivers, he’ll likely compete for a backup job in camp and will otherwise head to Charlotte to begin the season.

Chicago’s outfield mix is a mess and only figures to see further turnover, with Luis Robert Jr. standing as a clear trade candidate so long as he’s healthy. (And, if he’s not, that’ll only open more need in the outfield.) Andrew Benintendi and Mike Tauchman will begin the year in the corners, with Austin Slater locked into a fourth outfielder role. Other outfield candidates on the roster include Oscar Colas and Dominic Fletcher, while Corey Julks and Calvin Mitchell will join DeLoach as non-roster invitees to spring training.

Tigers Designate Mason Englert For Assignment

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The Tigers have designated right-hander Mason Englert for assignment, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. He’s the corresponding move for Detroit’s re-signing of Jack Flaherty on a two-year deal, which the team agreed to earlier in the week and formally announced this morning.

Englert, 25, came to the Tigers as a Rule 5 pick out of the Rangers’ system back in 2022. He stuck on the big league roster all season in 2023 in a seldom-used long relief role. He appeared in only 31 of Detroit’s games that season and was roughed up for a 5.46 ERA. His results didn’t improve in 21 2/3 big league innings last year. The righty yielded a 5.40 ERA with very similar strikeout, walk, ground-ball and home run rates.

Though Englert has been hit hard in his 77 2/3 big league frames, he was excellent in the minors last year. The Tigers moved him to more of a short relief role, and in 41 2/3 Triple-A innings, Englert turned in a very strong 3.08 ERA with a massive 35.3% strikeout rate, an 8.2% walk rate and a 49.5% ground-ball rate. At a time when power arms are particularly en vogue, Englert’s 92.7 mph average on his four-seamer isn’t going to garner massive fanfare, but the results in the minors stand out nevertheless.

Add in that Englert still has two minor league option years remaining, and it seems like there’s a good chance another club’s interest could be piqued on a minor trade — or at the very least on a waiver claim. Englert’s blend of strikeouts, command and grounders in Triple-A last year is a general recipe for success. That he’s the roster casualty for Flaherty’s return speaks to the level in which the Tigers’ overall 40-man roster has deepened. It’s true that he lacks big league success, but his recent Triple-A work is far more interesting than that of most players who find themselves on the wrong end of a DFA. Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris seems to agree; asked during today’s media availability about the decision to designate Englert, he replied:

“I would love to keep him. I don’t know that we’re going to be able to. … I think Mason has really grown up as a pitcher since we drafted him in the Rule 5. He’s able to move his (pitch) shapes all around the zone. He’s very confident on the mound, and he is comfortable in any situation, so if we can find a way to keep him, I would love to keep him. I just don’t know that we’re going to be able to, because I imagine there’ll be interest around the league on him.”

The Tigers will have five days to work out a trade of Englert. After that, he’ll need to be placed on waivers (a 48-hour process) in order for his DFA to be resolved within the allotted window of one week.

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