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  • Athletics' Shea Langeliers: Settles with A's

    Langeliers signed a one-year, $5.25 million contract with the Athletics on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

    Langeliers emerged as one of the top bats in the Athletics' lineup in 2025 while slashing .277/.325/.536 with 31 homers, 72 RBI, 73 runs scored and seven steals across 123 contests. He'll take a $4.48 million raise into his fifth MLB season as a result while maintaining a firm grip on the starting catcher job in Sacramento.

  • Blue Jays' Tyler Heineman: Agrees to terms

    Heineman agreed to a one-year, $1,237,500 deal with the Blue Jays on Thursday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

    The 34-year-old catcher is set to return as Alejandro Kirk's backup after avoiding arbitration. Heineman had a career year in 2025, logging 2.1 fWAR after having never been worth a full win over replacement in any prior season. He slashed .289/.361/.416 with three home runs, two steals and a 17.8 percent strikeout rate in 174 plate appearances.

  • Dom Nunez C | CLE

    Guardians' Dom Nunez: Returns to Cleveland as NRI

    The Guardians re-signed Nunez to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training.

    Nunez went 2-for-7 at the plate during his brief time with the Guardians in 2025 and slashed .176/.330/.349 at Triple-A Columbus. He's likely headed back to Columbus to begin the 2026 season.

  • Jorge Alfaro C | WAS

    Royals' Jorge Alfaro: Inks MiLB deal with Royals

    The Royals signed Alfaro to a minor-league contract Monday, Aram Leighton of JustBaseball.com reports.

    Alfaro got into 14 games with the Nationals in 2025, slashing .256/.256/.308. The 32-year-old hasn't seen significant action at the major-league level since 2022, and with Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen locked onto the big-league roster, that's unlikely to change in 2026.

  • David Fry C | CLE

    Guardians' David Fry: Won't be limited to DH in 2026

    Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said earlier this month that Fry (face) is expected to resume playing defense during the 2026 season, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports. "I'm just excited that David is going to be healthy," Vogt said. "David having a full winter, healthy, completed the [throwing] rehab. It's going to be really exciting to be able to use him the way his skill set is intended."

    After undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow last November, Fry was cleared to make his 2025 debut for the Guardians in late May but ended being limited exclusively to designated-hitter and pinch-hitting duties throughout the season. His campaign came to an early end when he was hit in the face by a pitch from the Tigers' Tarik Skubal on Sept. 23, resulting in Fry requiring surgery to repair nasal fractures. Vogt suggested that Fry has fully healed from that procedure, putting the 30-year-old on track to resume duties as the team's third catch while also being in the mix for playing time at the infield and outfield corners in 2026. Fry's ability to hit lefties -- he had a .996 OPS against southpaws in 2024 -- should provide a boost to the Guardians, who ranked 27th against left-handers in 2025 with a .647 OPS.

  • Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Inks $86 million contract extension

    The Athletics signed Soderstrom to a seven-year, $86 million contract extension Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. The deal includes a club option for 2033.

    The deal buys out at least three free-agent years and can max out at $131 million if Soderstrom reaches all of the escalators in the contract. Soderstrom broke out in 2025 in his first full major-league season, slashing .276/.346/.474 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI. He also learned to play left field on the fly and took to it surprisingly well, finishing as a Gold Glove finalist. Soderstrom will be only 31 in the final year of the contract if the Athletics pick up his option, so it's a deal that is likely to be very team-friendly if he continues his upward trajectory.

  • Cubs' Christian Bethancourt: Goes to Cubs on NRI deal

    The Cubs signed Bethancourt to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

    He'll be paid $1.6 million if in the majors, but with Carson Kelly and an out-of-minor-league-options Miguel Amaya already on the team, Bethancourt is unlikely to crack the Opening Day roster. The 34-year-old catcher spent the 2025 season at Triple-A Buffalo in the Blue Jays organization, posting just a .551 OPS. Bethancourt is a career .229/.259/.362 hitter over parts of eight big-league seasons.

  • Red Sox's Willson Contreras: Will split reps at first base/DH

    The Red Sox plan to have Contreras (shoulder) split his playing time between first base and designated hitter, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

    Triston Casas' recovery from a ruptured patellar tendon is coming along well and there's a chance he's ready for Opening Day, but the acquisition of Contreras allows the Red Sox to slow-play Casas, if needed. Contreras is coming back from a shoulder injury of his own but is expected to be fine for spring training. When both players are healthy, they should soak up most of the reps between first base and DH, though Casas does have minor-league options remaining.

  • Red Sox's Willson Contreras: Headed to Boston

    St. Louis traded Contreras (shoulder) to the Red Sox on Sunday for a package that includes pitcher Hunter Dobbins (knee), Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

    Contreras spent the past three seasons with St. Louis after beginning his career with seven campaigns as a Cub. He transitioned to first base full time last year, with all 120 of his appearances in the field coming at that position after he spent his first nine seasons primarily as a catcher. Contreras reportedly informed Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom in September that he was unwilling to waive his no-trade clause, but clearly the 33-year-old has since had a change of heart. He'll fill a considerable gap at first base for the Red Sox, as they lost Abraham Toro to free agency Friday and DFA'd Nathaniel Lowe in November, leaving only the oft-injured Triston Casas (knee) to compete for at-bats. Contreras' loss of catcher eligibility reduces his fantasy appeal considerably, but he showed in his final season in St. Louis that he can still be moderately productive, slashing .257/.344/.447 with 20 home runs, 80 RBI, 70 runs and five stolen bases over 562 plate appearances. He ended the campaign on the IL due to a right shoulder strain, though the injury isn't expected to impact his readiness for spring training.

  • Caden Bodine C | BAL

    Rays' Caden Bodine: Dealt to Tampa Bay

    The Rays acquired Bodine, Slater de Brun, Michael Forret and Austin Overn from the Orioles in exchange for Shane Baz on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

    The 22-year-old Bodine was selected 30th overall during the 2025 First-Year Player Draft by Baltimore and will now change organizations after just one professional season. He had a .757 OPS in 11 games for Single-A Delmarva in 2025 and should begin 2026 in the lower minors for Tampa Bay.

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