Imanaga accepted a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer from the Cubs on Tuesday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.

The Cubs declined Imanaga's three-year, $57.75 million option earlier this month, but the left-hander will remain in Chicago after taking the team's qualifying offer. Imanaga held a 4.70 second-half ERA and 8.10 ERA in two postseason starts, but he boasts a 3.28 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 291:54 K:BB over 318 regular-season innings since the beginning of the 2024 campaign.

The Nationals selected Bennett's contract from Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday.

After missing the 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Bennett held a 2.27 ERA and 64:19 K:BB over 75.1 innings covering three levels in 2025. The left-hander is now protected from next month's Rule 5 Draft.

The Reds selected Arroyo's contract from Double-A Chattanooga on Tuesday, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.

Arroyo slashed .284/.345/.371 with three home runs and 12 stolen bases over 120 games with Chattanooga in 2025 after missing the 2024 campaign due to shoulder labrum surgery. The 22-year-old is now on the 40-man roster and could move up to Triple-A Louisville to begin the 2026 season.

The Mets designated Montas (elbow) for assignment Tuesday, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.

The club needed to free up a spot on its 40-man roster ahead of Tuesday's Rule 5 protection deadline. Montas posted a 6.28 ERA in seven starts and two relief appearances in 2025 and is slated to miss the entire 2026 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He will become a free agent after clearing waivers and the Mets will be responsible for his $17 million salary for next season.

The Mets selected Morabito's contract from Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Morabito spent all of the 2025 campaign at Binghamton, slashing .273/.348/.385 with six home runs and 49 stolen bases over 118 contests. The 22-year-old can play all three outfield spots and has logged 130 steals in 300 pro games. Morabito is now protected from the Rule 5 Draft.

The Pirates are "strongly considering" giving Griffin the opportunity to win their starting shortstop job, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, Griffin slashed .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases across three levels in 2025 in his first professional season, finishing the year at Double-A Altoona. Griffin will not turn 20 until late April, and the last teenage position player to debut in the big leagues was Juan Soto in 2018. The Pirates have a clear opening at shortstop, though, and the organization is sending signals that it wants to surround ace Paul Skenes with more talent. Griffin's stock in redraft leagues will soar if it looks like the Pirates will indeed give him a real chance to crack the Opening Day roster.

The Diamondbacks outrighted Montes De Oca (back) to Triple-A Reno on Monday.

The transaction frees up a spot on the Diamondbacks' 40-man roster. Montes De Oca is recovering from surgery to repair a stress fracture in his back and it's not clear when he will be ready to pitch again. The reliever tossed 2.2 scoreless frames in his lone appearance for Arizona in 2025 and held a 4.07 ERA and 26:6 K:BB over 24.1 innings at Triple-A Reno.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said during last week's GM Meetings that Ward is expected to "get a bunch of opportunities at some point this year," Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Ward was never called up by the Dodgers in 2025 despite slashing a robust .292/.382/.558 with 36 homers and 16 steals at Triple-A Oklahoma City, but he was added to the 40-man roster earlier this month. The 27-year-old can play the corner outfield spots and first base and is worthy of an opportunity at the big-league level. While the Dodgers appear to have a starting job in the outfield available and Gomes has talked Ward up, it still seems unlikely the club would head into 2026 counting on Ward to be a regular presence in its lineup.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes indicated during last week's GM Meetings that the team hasn't ruled out giving Rushing some reps in the outfield, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Rushing has made a total of 32 starts in left field in the minors, but 37 of his 38 starts with the Dodgers in 2025 were at catcher and the other came at first base. Catcher and first base remain blocked with the big club, but the left-field job with the Dodgers is open. While it seems unlikely the Dodgers would commit to Rushing as their primary left fielder, the position offers the 24-year-old a potential path to playing time. Rushing struggled in a reserve role with the Dodgers this season, slashing just .204/.258/.324 with a 37.4 percent strikeout rate over 53 regular-season tilts.

The Padres re-signed Hart to a one-year, $1 million contract with a $2.5 million club option for 2027 on Monday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

The Padres declined Hart's $5 million club option for 2026 earlier this month, but they've now brought him back at a lesser rate. Hart split his time between the majors and minors in 2025, finishing with a 5.86 ERA and 37:13 K:BB over 43 regular-season innings covering six starts and 14 relief outings with the big club. The southpaw will compete for an Opening Day roster spot -- perhaps in a swingman role -- but does have minor-league options remaining.