MLB Player News
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Clarke Schmidt SP | NYY
Yankees' Clarke Schmidt: Avoids arbitration with Yankees
The Yankees and Schmidt (elbow) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million contract Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Schmidt ended the 2025 season on the 60-day injured list after undergoing an internal brace procedure on his right elbow in mid-July, and he may not be available to pitch for the Yankees until after the All-Star break in 2026. Prior to his injury, Schmidt posted a 4-4 record across 14 starts with a 3.32 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 73:30 K:BB over 78.2 innings.
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Grayson Rodriguez SP | LAA
Angels' Grayson Rodriguez: Starting mound work in January
Angels general manager Perry Minasian said Wednesday that Rodriguez (elbow) will begin throwing bullpen sessions in January and is expected to be ready for the start of spring training, Taylor Blake Ward of The Sporting Tribune reports.
Acquired from the Orioles on Tuesday in exchange for Taylor Ward, Rodriguez missed all of the 2025 campaign due to multiple arm issues and eventually underwent a right elbow debridement to remove a bone spur in August. He had been slated to begin a throwing program in October and will progress to mound work in January. Staying healthy has been difficult for Rodriguez, but he's flashed big upside when on the bump and will carry a career 4.11 ERA and 259:78 K:BB over 238.2 regular-season frames into the 2026 season. Rodriguez is sure to have some kind of workload restrictions with his new club in 2026 following a lost season.
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Grayson Rodriguez SP | LAA
Angels' Grayson Rodriguez: Shipped to Anaheim
The Orioles traded Rodriguez (elbow) to the Angels on Tuesday in exchange for Taylor Ward.
Rodriguez missed the entire 2025 season due to multiple injuries to his right arm. He's expected to be ready for the start of spring training, but his extensive injury history and 4.11 ERA through two MLB seasons have given the O's cause to ship Rodriguez out to the Angels, upgrading their own offense in the process. Rodriguez, meanwhile, should have little trouble claiming a spot in a Halos rotation that finished the year with a 4.91 ERA (third worst in MLB).
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Chen Zhuang SP | ATH
Athletics' Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang: Grabs 40-man spot
The Athletics selected Zhuang's contract from Double-A Midland on Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Zhuang spent the entire 2025 season at Midland and finished the year with a 4.08 ERA and 1.28 WHIP to go with a 145:35 K:BB over 145.2 innings. The 25-year-old right-hander is ineligible to be taken in the Rule 5 Draft now that he owns a spot on the Athletics' 40-man roster, and he could be bumped up to Triple-A next year. However, his unimpressive performance in Double-A doesn't inspire much confidence in his chances of reaching the big leagues in 2026.
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Braden Nett SP | ATH
Athletics' Braden Nett: Joins 40-man roster
The Athletics selected Nett's contract from Double-A Midland on Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
The A's acquired Nett at the trade deadline as part of the return for Mason Miller. Upon joining his new organization, the 23-year-old Nett posted a 4.60 ERA and 1.61 WHIP with a 30:14 K:BB across 31.1 innings (seven starts). The team will ensure he sticks around a bit longer by giving him a 40-man roster spot ahead of the Rule 5 Draft, though he may need to show some improvement at Midland before being granted a promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas, let alone the majors.
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Connor Prielipp SP | MIN
Twins' Connor Prielipp: Shielded from Rule 5 Draft
The Twins selected Prielipp's contract from Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday.
Prielipp spent most of the 2025 season at Double-A Wichita before receiving a promotion to St. Paul, where he posted a 5.14 ERA and 1.57 WHIP across 21 innings in five appearances (four starts). The 24-year-old is ineligible for the Rule 5 Draft now that he holds a spot on the Twins' 40-man roster, though he will most likely be sent back to Triple-A to begin 2026 so he can continue his development.
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Andrew Morris SP | MIN
Twins' Andrew Morris: Receives 40-man spot
The Twins selected Morris' contract from Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday.
Morris spent the entirety of 2025 at St. Paul, where he turned in a 4.09 ERA and 1.34 WHIP alongside an 89:28 K:BB over 94.2 innings. His addition to the 40-man roster will grant him protection from the Rule 5 Draft in December and improve his chances of winning a spot in Minnesota's rotation during spring training.
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Yoendrys Gomez RP | TB
Rays' Yoendrys Gomez: Shipped to Tampa Bay
The White Sox traded Gomez and Steven Wilson to the Rays on Tuesday in exchange for Everson Pereira (back) and Tanner Murray, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Gomez joined the White Sox last May as a waiver claim from the Dodgers, who had previously claimed him from the Yankees. The right-hander ended up appearing in 12 contests (including nine starts) for Chicago, posting a 4.84 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 47:16 K:BB over 48.1 innings. Gomez mostly worked as a starter during his time in the minors, but Tampa Bay may elect to use him out of the bullpen.
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David Davalillo SP | TEX
Rangers' David Davalillo: Lands 40-man spot
The Rangers selected Davalillo's contract from Double-A Frisco on Tuesday.
Davalillo split the 2025 campaign between High-A Hub City and Double-A Frisco, posting a dominant 2.44 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 126 strikeouts over 107 innings between the two affiliates. His impressive season will now afford him a spot on the 40-man roster entering 2026, and he's likely to reach Triple-A Round Rock next year if he continues at his current pace.
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Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz SP | NYY
Yankees' Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz: Added to 40-man roster
The Yankees selected Rodriguez-Cruz's contract from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday.
Rodriguez-Cruz reached Triple-A at the very end of the 2025 season after beginning the year at High-A Hudson Valley. He finished the season with a 2.51 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with a 176:57 K:BB through 150.1 innings across three different affiliates. The 22-year-old righty will most likely return to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to begin the 2026 campaign, though he will be a candidate to make his MLB debut at some point next year if he continues to dominate against minor-league hitters.