MLB Player News
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Eric Wagaman 1B | MIN
Marlins' Eric Wagaman: Loses 40-man roster spot
Wagaman was designated for assignment by the Marlins on Monday, Kevin Barral of FishonFirst.com reports.
Wagaman is the roster casualty following the addition of Esteury Ruiz from the Dodgers. Wagaman slashed .250/.296/.378 with nine home runs and four steals in 514 plate appearances for the Marlins in 2025. He has some intriguing offensive traits, including strong bat speed and solid swing decisions, but Wagaman's lack of notable power (.128 ISO) in his age-27 season while playing at the bottom of the defensive spectrum made him expendable.
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Matt Mervis 1B | MIA
Nationals' Matt Mervis: Coming home on minors pact
Mervis signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Wednesday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Mervis, who turns 28 shortly after Opening Day, has a career .165/.238/.322 slash line with 10 home runs, a 7.7 percent walk rate and a 34.5 percent strikeout rate in 261 MLB plate appearances over the past three seasons. He has been worth -1.5 fWAR over that span, in part because he is also a negative defender at first base. Mervis is a native of Washington D.C. and will be competing with players like Jose Tena, Warming Bernabel and Yohandy Morales for opportunities this year if injuries strike the big club.
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Ryan O'Hearn 1B | SD
Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn: Gets $29 million from Pirates
The Pirates signed O'Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract Tuesday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
He'll have the opportunity to stretch the total guarantee to $30 million if he reaches $500,000 in incentives each year of the deal. O'Hearn has slashed .277/.343/.445 over the last three regular seasons between the Orioles and Padres and made his first All-Star team in 2025. The left-handed hitter reversed a career trend and hit better versus lefties (.832 OPS) than righties (.795 OPS) in 2025, so he could be an everyday player in Pittsburgh. With Spencer Horwitz manning first base, O'Hearn will likely see most of his playing time at designated hitter.
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Jake Bauers RF | MIL
Brewers' Jake Bauers: Settles with Brewers
The Brewers and Bauers avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract Friday.
Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the deal is for $2.7 million. Bauers re-signed with the Brewers on a minor-league deal last offseason before slashing .235/.353/.399 with seven home runs over 85 regular-season contests. The left-handed-hitting Bauers should see semi-regular reps between first base, left field and designated hitter against right-handed pitching in 2026.
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Michael Toglia 1B | COL
Rockies' Michael Toglia: DFA'd by Colorado
The Rockies designated Toglia for assignment Tuesday, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.
Toglia looked like he was set to be Colorado's first baseman of the future heading into last season, when he opened as the team's primary first baseman. However, the 2019 first-round draft pick struggled mightily during his time in the majors, posting a .190/.258/.353 slash line with a 39.2 percent strikeout rate. While Toglia flashed big power with 25 homers across 457 plate appearances in 2024 and went deep 11 times across 42 games with Triple-A Albuquerque last season, his poor contact against major-league pitching ultimately led to his removal from the Rockies' 40-man roster.
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Esmerlyn Valdez OF | PIT
Pirates' Esmerlyn Valdez: Added to 40-man
The Pirates selected Valdez's contract from Double-A Altoona on Tuesday, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.
Valdez split his time between High-A and Double-A ball in 2025, slashing .284/.375/.521 with 27 homers, 87 RBI and 76 runs scored between the two levels. His impressive performance will grant him a place on Pittsburgh's 40-man roster heading into the 2026 campaign, but he's likely to begin the year at Double-A Altoona or Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Troy Johnston RF | COL
Rockies' Troy Johnston: Goes to Rockies via waivers
The Rockies claimed Johnston off waivers from the Marlins on Wednesday.
Johnston reached the majors for the first time in 2025 as a 28-year-old and fared well, slashing .277/.331/.420 with four home runs over 121 plate appearances. He can play first base and the corner outfield spots and should have a decent path to playing time on a talent-deficient Rockies roster.
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Freddie Freeman 1B | LAD
Dodgers' Freddie Freeman: Plays hero in Game 3
Freeman went 2-for-7 with solo home run, two RBI, two walks and a stolen base in Monday's 6-5 victory in Game 3 of the World Series against the Blue Jays.
Freeman came up clutch in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 4-4 on an RBI single to right field, though his biggest moment would come much later in the evening. Freeman stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 18th inning and cracked a solo home run to dead center, propelling the Dodgers to a 2-1 series lead. He's scuffled to a 3-for-13 start to the series but perhaps Monday's key blow will help him gain some juice at the dish heading into Tuesday's Game 4.
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Jake Bauers RF | MIL
Brewers' Jake Bauers: Getting another turn in left field
Bauers will start in left field and bat eighth in Thursday's NLCS Game 3 versus the Dodgers.
Bauers drew the start in left field in Game 2 and went 0-for-3 at the dish, but he'll get another opportunity in Game 3 as the series moves to Los Angeles. The 30-year-old Bauers was one of the Brewers' best hitters down the stretch of the regular season, slashing .360/.458/.560 with a pair of home runs in September. He's gone 3-for-8 with one home run, one double and a 1:1 BB:K in four games this postseason.