The Rays exercised Walls' (sports hernia) $2.45 million option for 2026 and added a $3.1 million club option for 2027 on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The new deal covers Walls' remaining years of arbitration eligibility, if the 2027 option is picked up. Walls is a career .195/.286/.298 hitter over parts of five major-league seasons but is regarded as a plus defender. He could compete for the starting shortstop job next season with Carson Williams but could ultimately settle into a utility infielder role. Walls is recovering from sports hernia surgery but is expected to be ready for spring training.

Taveras agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Orioles on Wednesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Taveras will head east after spending 2025 with the Rangers and Mariners. The 27-year-old slashed just .205/.226/.304 in the regular season across 180 big-league plate appearances, though he posted a much more respectable .809 OPS in 81 games at Triple-A Tacoma. Now with the Orioles, he is likely to work as a depth piece at Triple-A Norfolk or come off the bench for the big club.

The Athletics outrighted Shuster to Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Shuster was claimed off waivers by the Athletics in August but did not make an appearance for them at the big-league level. The 27-year-old was a full-time reliever for the first time in 2025 and posted an 8.04 ERA and 12:5 K:BB over 15.2 innings this year with the White Sox.

The Rangers claimed Otanez off waivers from the Athletics on Wednesday.

Otanez is a hard thrower with a 34.1 percent strikeout rate but also a 14 percent walk rate over 39.1 big-league innings. The 28-year-old will compete for a spot in the Rangers' bullpen.

The Rangers claimed MacIver off waivers from the Athletics on Wednesday.

MacIver got his feet wet at the big-league level in 2025, slashing .186/.252/.324 over 32 games for the Athletics. The Rangers have Jonah Heim and Kyle Higashioka slated to handle catching duties in 2026, so MacIver is merely a depth addition.

The Mariners acquired Wilcox from the Rays on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations.

Wilcox had been designated for assignment by the Rays earlier this week and will now join a new 40-man roster. The 26-year-old spent most of the 2025 season at Triple-A Durham, holding a 3.71 ERA and 57:24 K:BB over 51 innings. It was his first year as a full-time reliever, and Wilcox is likely to begin the 2026 campaign in the bullpen at Triple-A Tacoma.

The Orioles claimed Soriano off waivers from the Marlins on Wednesday.

In 118 innings across parts of three seasons in the big leagues, Soriano has collected a 5.95 ERA and 117:55 K:BB. The 26-year-old reliever does not have minor-league options remaining, so he would have to go through the waivers process again if he doesn't make the Orioles' Opening Day roster.

The Orioles designated Johnson for assignment Wednesday.

Clearing Johnson from the 40-man roster frees up a spot for waiver acquisition George Soriano. Johnson, 30, slashed .189/.246/.302 over 31 games between the Giants and Orioles this season.

Santos (back) posted an 8.49 ERA, 1.97 WHIP and 15:5 K:BB In 11.2 innings over four appearances between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock upon being activated from Frisco's 7-day injured list Aug. 29.

Santos had been on the shelf for more than four months due to a stress reaction in his back, which he sustained following his second start of the season with Frisco. Due to the extended time Santos missed, the Rangers sent him to the Arizona Fall League, where he submitted a 5.28 ERA, 1.81 WHIP and 15:9 K:BB in 14.1 innings. The 23-year-old righty will be heading into his second straight season as a member of the Rangers' 40-man roster, but he's unlikely to seriously contend for an Opening Day spot with the big club and will likely be ticketed for the Round Rock rotation to begin the 2026 campaign.

The Yankees exercised Hill's $3 million option for 2026 on Wednesday, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports.

Hill has made 105 regular-season appearances for the Yankees since 2024, collecting a 2.68 ERA and 55:25 K:BB over 111 innings. The southpaw reliever posted a 63.7 percent groundball rate and held left-handed batters to a .181/.224/.220 line during the 2025 regular season.