MLB Player News

The Rays acquired Melton and Anderson Brito from the Astros on Friday in a three-team trade that sent Mike Burrows to the Astros and Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum and Mason Montgomery to the Pirates, Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report.

Melton was one of Houston's top prospects, and the 25-year-old got his first taste of MLB action last season, appearing in 32 games for the Astros. The outfielder slashed .157/.234/.186 with one triple, seven RBI, seven runs scored, seven stolen bases and a 6:29 BB:K across 78 big-league plate appearances. He figures to initially slot into Tampa Bay's outfield mix behind Chandler Simpson, Cedric Mullins, Josh Lowe and potentially even Jake Fraley.

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

It's a big haul for Tampa Bay, but it's a seller's market and Baz is under team control for three more seasons. Overn split last season between High-A and Double-A, and he posted a .753 OPS across both levels while totaling 13 home runs and 63 stolen bases in 114 games.

The Rays acquired de Brun, Caden Bodine, Michael Forret, Austin Overn and a Competitive Balance Round A pick from the Orioles on Friday in exchange for Shane Baz, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

De Brun was the 37th overall pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft and has not yet made his professional debut. The 18-year-old doesn't have power but is known for his hit tool and speed, and he's expected to stick in center field. The Rays will take de Brun's development slowly.

The Mariners signed Davis to a minor-league contract Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training, Aram Leighton of JustBaseball.com reports.

Davis missed time with injuries again in 2025 while in the Yankees organization, but he was productive when on the field, slashing .248/.324/.576 with 12 homers in 36 contests at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The former top prospect is likely headed back to the Triple-A level again to start 2026, but he will compete in spring training for a roster spot with the big club.

The White Sox acquired Peters from the Rays on Thursday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Peters had been designated for assignment earlier this week and now joins a new organization. The 25-year-old outfielder went hitless during his brief time with the Rays in 2025 and slashed .266/.355/.429 at Triple-A Durham. Peters can play all three outfield spots and will likely compete for a reserve role with the White Sox.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian said recently that he's not ruling out Trout playing some center field in 2026, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Trout was moved to right field at the beginning of the 2025 season, but he was a full-time designated hitter from late April on after suffering a bone bruise to his surgically repaired left knee. The three-time MVP has had a normal offseason and hopes to play the outfield in 2026, and Minasian said Trout is an option at all three outfield spots as well as DH. Trout's strikeout rate ballooned to 32 percent in 2025, but he made a late-season mechanical tweak and homered five times in his last seven games.

The Rays designated Peters for assignment Tuesday.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Steven Matz, whose signing was made official Tuesday. Peters went 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts during his brief time with the Rays in 2025 and slashed .266/.355/.429 at Triple-A Durham. He stands a good chance of passing through waivers unclaimed.

The Brewers traded Collins to the Royals on Saturday alongside Nick Mears in exchange for Angel Zerpa, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Collins entered the 2025 season as a relatively unknown player but quickly proved himself as a productive bat, slashing .263/.368/.411 with 54 RBI, 56 runs scored and 16 stolen bases over 441 regular-season plate appearances. However, he struggled down the stretch and didn't have a significant role for the Brewers in the playoffs. His overall performance allowed him to take fourth place in NL Rookie of the Year voting. With Garrett Mitchell (shoulder) expected to return in 2026 and Akil Baddoo signing with the Brewers on Thursday, Milwaukee's outfield room was beginning to become crowded, so the team will now send Collins to Kansas City, where the 28-year-old outfielder should have a much easier path to regular playing time.

Thomas (foot) signed a one-year, $5.25 million contract with the Royals on Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Injuries limited Thomas to playing in just 39 games with the Guardians in 2025, as he missed time at the start of the year with a wrist issue before plantar fasciitis in his right foot ended his season in July. When the 30-year-old was healthy, he struggled to produce at the plate, slashing just .160/.246/.272 over 142 plate appearances. Despite his struggles, Thomas should be able to capture a starting job in a Royals outfield that lacks depth following Mike Yastrzemski's departure.

The Red Sox plan to challenge Abreu to face more left-handers this coming season, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Abreu has mostly been limited to facing right-handers since his MLB arrival in 2023, but the Red Sox are ready to give him a shot against all starters. "With Willy and some of the lefties, we have to see if they can do it," manager Alex Cora said. "It's about that time, especially with Abreu. If he can hit lefties and hit for power and play defense the way he's done the last few years, he can be the guy." Abreu's made just 15 starts against lefties and has 145 total plate appearances against southpaws since 2023, struggling to a .205 average and .589 OPS.