According to the Yankees’ official account on X, “Prior to today’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves: Recalled RHP Elmer Rodriguez (#71) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Designated OF Randal Grichuk for assignment.” The transaction places Rodriguez back in the major league bullpen setup while ending Grichuk’s brief stint with the club.

Grichuk struggled during his limited opportunity in New York, posting a .194 batting average with a .212 on-base percentage and a .535 OPS across 31 at-bats. He recorded eight runs, six hits, two RBIs, and no home runs, failing to establish consistent production before the roster decision was made.

Yankees turn to youth and pitching depth

The recall of Rodriguez underscores the Yankees’ continued emphasis on pitching depth as they manage workload and performance across the roster. The right-hander now rejoins the major league staff after a strong stretch in Triple-A, where he posted a 1.27 ERA and is ranked as the organization’s No. 3 prospect, reinforcing his status as a developing option for multiple roles.

Grichuk’s struggles lead to early exit from Yankees plans

Grichuk’s short tenure highlights the difficulty of carving out consistent playing time in a competitive Yankees roster. Despite veteran experience, his limited offensive output ultimately led to the club moving in a different direction.

With roster competition intensifying, the Yankees continue to adjust based on early-season performance indicators, signaling that roles remain fluid as the team evaluates its long-term mix.

Speaking to Foul Territory, Nimmo sent a clear message to the Mets, stating that now at least he feels cherished. “You want to be where you’re wanted, where you’re appreciated, and the Rangers made it abundantly clear.”

Nimmo had a career-high 25 home runs in 2025, but the Mets still traded him. He slashed .324/.436/.760 but the fact was that David Stearns wanted a change, and that ultimately was the factor that determined Nimmo’s fate.

Steve Cohen spoke about Nimmo too

Per Will Sammon of The Athletic, Cohen spoke to Nimmo explaining the situation and why he was getting traded. “This is really hard for me [Cohen] because you’re someone that I have developed a really good relationship with, and I’m trying to look at this from a business standpoint, but I also care about the person that you are.” Cohen then expanded on the reasoning behind the move.

“But also, this is David’s team,” Cohen said. “There’s a reason that I hired David, and it was to run the team. I can’t make all these decisions, and I love you as a person, but if this is what David feels like is best for the team, then I’m gonna go with him.”

Nimmo’s role with the Rangers is almost defined

Skip Schumaker, who is the Rangers manager, said that Nimmo will likely hit leadoff, as well as playing right field. Nimmo spent most of the 2024 season batting second, but as the leadoff, Nimmo has been incredibly effective.

Across 2,647 trips to the plate as a leadoff hitter, Nimmo has been a model of consistency, posting a .268/.372/.448 slash line. His ability has earned him 319 walks, while his sneaky power has made Nimmo go for 80 home runs from the top of the lineup.

The Texas leadoff spot became an irregular mess in 2025 where the team failed to find a rhythm once Marcus Semien moved out of the role. The Rangers’ production plummeted due to that. The team’s leadoff hitters limped to the fifth-lowest OBP in the MLB. This makes Nimmo’s elite on-base skills a plug-and-play solution for the lineup.

The 38-year-old right-hander is a two-time World Series champion, having won titles with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024. While injuries slowed him down last season, he has shown in recent years that he can still be effective when healthy, especially in high-leverage situations.

According to a report from MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, Brasier and the Texas Rangers are finalizing a contract, with Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News adding that it is expected to be a minor-league deal that includes a non-roster invitation to spring training.

A proven arm with postseason pedigree

Brasier’s career has included clear ups and downs, but his postseason résumé stands out. During Boston’s 2018 playoff run, he allowed just one earned run in 8 2/3 innings, playing a key role in the bullpen.

With the Dodgers in 2024, Brasier served as an opener in two postseason games, including an elimination matchup against the Padres that ended in a shutout win. Overall, he logged nine innings across eight playoff appearances that year.

New opportunity in Texas

Last season with the Chicago Cubs, Brasier spent most of the year on the injured list due to a groin strain. He appeared in just 28 games, finishing with a 4.50 ERA, though his underlying numbers suggested he pitched better than the results showed.

The Rangers’ bullpen is an area that could use added depth, giving Brasier a realistic path to earn a role if he stays healthy. Pitching for his hometown team adds another layer of motivation as he heads into spring training looking to extend his career and make an impact in Texas.

“Though Team USA reached out about adding the Rangers’ right-hander to its World Baseball Classic roster, ultimately, the second-year starter will not participate, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Dallas Morning News,” Evan Grant wrote.

In his article for The Dallas Morning News, Grant makes it clear that it is still unknown who was behind the decision to prevent Leiter from playing in the WBC. “It is unclear if insurance was at the heart of the Leiter situation or if there were other concerns expressed by the Rangers,” Grant wrote.

Not a heavy workload for Leiter

While it is still not clear who was responsible for keeping Leiter off Team USA’s roster, it’s worth noting that his participation in the World Baseball Classic would not have placed significant stress on his arm. Grant reports that Leiter was expected to be used primarily during the opening phase of the tournament.

“Leiter, 25, was expected to be added as a piggy-back reliever, who likely would have appeared only in the first round for Team USA, which is scheduled to open the tournament March 6 against Brazil in Houston. It likely would have taken him away from the Rangers for at least one start, perhaps more,” Grant wrote.

Leiter finished the 2025 season with a 3.86 ERA, a strong mark that officially made it his best year as a starter. He appeared in 29 total games for the Rangers, marking his second MLB season alongside Seager.

Grant also notes that one possible reason Leiter could be out of the 2026 WBC picture is organizational change within the Rangers, including the arrival of a new manager, Skip Schumaker, and a new pitching coach. “This will be the first time Leiter will go to camp with the opportunity to simply prepare for his job, rather than trying to win a roster spot,” Grant wrote.

Joel Sherman recently detailed the situation in an article for The New York Post: “The Rangers felt the relationship between Marcus Semien and Corey Seager had become so toxic that they were willing to take Nimmo and $5 million from the Mets to move the three years and $72 million owed to Semien.”

The Rangers were not concerned about parting ways with their team captain. Their priority was putting an end to the ongoing drama surrounding Seager, one of the most important players on the roster, who finished the 2025 season with 103 hits, 21 home runs, 50 RBIs, and a .271 batting average.

Semien tried to keep the Rangers together

While Nimmo’s arrival in Texas came as a surprise, Semien had reportedly never stopped trying to bring his teammates closer together, as Colton Stites wrote for The Prospect Times.

“Marcus Semien, on the other hand, brought a high-energy, vocal presence to the clubhouse. Known for his durability (playing all 162 games in multiple seasons) and Gold Glove defense, Semien actively tried to foster team unity during 2025’s rough patches. As reported by DLLS Rangers insider Jeff Wilson, Semien organized several team get-togethers, but attendance was disappointingly low—often just a handful of players showed up.”

Last season, Semien appeared in 127 games for the Rangers, recording 108 hits, 15 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a .230 batting average in what became his fourth and final season in Texas alongside Seager.

“Tensions reportedly peaked late in the season, with an alleged remark from Semien to Seager about ‘talking a lot for someone who only played around 30 games,’ underscoring frustration over injuries and perceived uneven contributions,” Stites wrote

The deal was first reported by Jon Heyman, who wrote, “Breaking: MacKenzie Gore traded to Rangers,” on X. It quickly became one of the most impactful trade stories of the day, especially with Texas parting ways with a third-base prospect who could have played a significant role in the team’s future.

According to Robert Murray on X, the Rangers sent Gavin Fien, Alejandro Rosario, Abimelec Ortiz, Devin Fitz-Gerald, and Yeremy Cabrera to Washington in exchange for Gore.

Was it a good or bad idea to let Gavin Fien go?

The Rangers parted ways with the No. 2–ranked prospect in their farm system, a player they drafted in 2025 and viewed as one of the organization’s future cornerstones. According to Talkin’ Baseball on X, none of the prospects sent to Washington are currently ranked inside MLB’s Top 100.

“What you need to know about new Nats prospect Gavin Fien: 12th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. He demolished top prep arms the summer before his senior year, posting a 1.262 OPS. Analytics people love him for his strong plate discipline and bat speed,” Paul Cubbage wrote on X (@PaulCubbage23).

Fien isn’t the only name drawing attention. Jeff Passan also pointed out that another prospect included in the Gore deal is highly regarded. “A big return for the Nationals. Fien was the 12th pick last year. Evaluators love Fitz-Gerald,” Passan wrote on X.

Another prospect in the trade package is Rosario, who has dealt with an elbow injury. Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young told David Laurila of FanGraphs in November 2025 that Rosario will not be able to play in 2026.

“Alejandro had an elbow injury and is going to miss all of next year as he recovers,” Young said. “We’re hoping to have him back in 2027, hopefully by spring training of 2027.”

The news were broke by Jon Heyman of the New York Post. After, Robert Murray of Foul Territory indicated the Nationals gave up Gavin Fien, Alejandro Rosario, Abimelec Ortiz, Devin Fitz-Gerald and Yeremy Cabrer.

According to Spotrac, Mackenzie Gore will earn $5.6 million. Gore and the Nationals avoided arbitration a couple of weeks ago, when they agreed to a one-year deal. Now, two weeks later, he is headed to the Rangers to bolster their rotation.

Gore is looking for a bounce back season

The 27-year old had 30 starts in 2025 where he was hampered by an ankle injury that ended his season in September. Also, he had 4.17 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 185/64 strikeouts-to-base-on-balls ratio. He also had 5-15 record. The ERA could improve but Gore has never been an ERA leader. He did have a career-high in strikeouts. On the flip side, he led the majors in wild pitches for a second straight year.

Gore is a high-upside pitcher with an elite four-pitch mix and he has established himself like a strikeout artist. His curveball is very dominant and he also has a strong slider. His changeup is a swing-and-miss kind of throw. He brings a lot of heat to the mound.

Texas rotation is looking scary

While the Nationals used this trade to get five prospects, the Rangers are the ones getting a huge boost in their rotation. Looking at the names, the only thing stopping this rotation from becoming one of the MLB’s best is health.

• Jacob deGrom
• MacKenzie Gore
• Nathan Eovaldi
• Jack Leiter
• Kumar Rocker
• Jacob Latz

“Tyler Mahle has agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants, per source. Physical is complete and the deal is done,” reported Mark Feinsand of MLB.com via his X (formerly Twitter) account.

Mahle arrives in San Francisco to join a rotation led by Logan Webb, where he can provide depth and experience to a Giants team looking to return to postseason contention.

The right-handed pitcher comes off a stint with the Texas Rangers, where he posted strong numbers despite his limited time on the mound. There, he recorded a career-best 2.18 ERA with a 6-4 record and 66 strikeouts over 86 2/3 innings across 16 starts.

Giants aim for a healthy Mahle next season

Injuries have plagued Mahle over the past few seasons, and the Giants are hopeful they can get him in peak form, as a healthy right-hander could be a major asset in 2026.

During the 2024 season, Mahle was only able to appear in three games for the Rangers while recovering from right elbow surgery and later suffering from right shoulder tightness. Additionally, during this past season, he was sidelined for about three months due to right shoulder fatigue, which limited him to just 16 appearances.

His previous tenure with the Minnesota Twins also fell well below expectations due to recurring injuries that kept him off the field for long stretches. During the 2022 season, he managed only four starts with the Twins before suffering right shoulder inflammation, which kept him out for the remainder of the year. 2023 saw no improvement for Mahle, who made only three starts before right arm posterior impingement and a flexor pronator strain forced him out again.

While Mahle’s injury history is certainly concerning, the Giants decided to take a gamble on the former Rangers pitcher since the risk of the deal is minimal, being only a one-year contract. Should he avoid any setbacks this season, Mahle could be a significant help to a San Francisco team looking to return to MLB relevance.

According to journalist Jeff Passan on X, the Rangers have agreed to bring in Alexis Diaz, the free-agent pitcher who was an All-Star during his time with the Cincinnati Reds. The right-handed reliever is joining Texas on a one-year contract.

Earlier, catcher Danny Jansen joined the team on a two-year, $14.5 million contract, as did left-hander Tyler Alexander, who also agreed to a one-year deal with the franchise.

Skip Schumaker’s team is looking to end a two-year streak of missing the playoffs, and surrounding Corey Seager with the best possible support could be one of the key factors in making that happen.

Diaz’s MLB numbers

Following his 2023 All-Star season with the Cincinnati Reds, closer Alexis Diaz faced a sharp decline in his subsequent MLB performance. The pitcher endured a tumultuous campaign, splitting time between the Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves across just 18 games.

His statistics highlighted the struggle, featuring a high 8.15 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP over only 17.2 innings pitched. Most concerning were the 16 earned runs and six home runs conceded, leading to an alarming 3.1 home runs per nine innings rate.

Despite these poor numbers, the Texas Rangers recently signed Diaz, making a clear bet that he can rebound to the reliable late-inning form he demonstrated in his earlier, more successful seasons.

“The Mets would not have brought this trade if they didn’t feel like it put the Mets in the best position to win going forward,” Nimmo said, speaking calmly and sounding fully aligned with the decision. “They made it very apparent that they weren’t actively shopping me but that the Rangers really, really, really wanted me.”

In the long message posted by SNY Mets, Nimmo admitted he’s starving to win a World Series. “I would not have waived the no-trade clause if I did not think that I could come here [Texas] and win and be a part of chasing that World Series.”

A World Series is at the center of Nimmo’s priorities

Among the many things Nimmo addressed, he emphasized twice how important winning a World Series is to him. He called it a major goal and made it clear that personal stats or franchise records, things that could’ve helped define a strong career with the Mets, were not what he truly wanted.

“We wanted to know that there was a willingness and a want, if we went to the Rangers, that they wanted to win. That is my ultimate goal. The personal stuff, that’s all great, and I think it’s evident by this decision that there’s a solid chance that if I stay healthy, if I just kept producing — me and David Wright would’ve been pretty much the only ones that started and finished with the Mets. I could’ve had a pretty good chance of having the numbers in the rafters, but that’s not what it all means to me. I would honestly rather win a World Series.”

Nimmo admits the trade caught him off guard

Fans wanted to know if Nimmo was upset by the trade. In his recent comments, he admitted it wasn’t something he saw coming. “It definitely took me as a shock. I was surprised to hear that.” And as previously reported, it took him several days to accept the move.

Nimmo also revealed he spoke with Jacob deGrom, his former Mets teammate until 2022. The pitcher helped him work through the decision, and according to Nimmo, he is “really, really excited” to have him in Texas. “I would not have waived the no-trade clause if I did not think that I could come here and win and be a part of chasing that World Series.”

But as he said himself, if the trade was truly what the Mets believed was best for their future, then that’s how he viewed it too. He accepted it as something that could benefit the organization.

President of Baseball Operations David Stearns spoke briefly about that “benefit,” saying cautiously, “I don’t know if it’s necessarily wanting to change the clubhouse dynamics. I think it’s a recognition that what we did last year wasn’t good enough and running back the exact same group wasn’t the right thing to do,” when asked whether moving Nimmo was meant to alter locker room chemistry.

Mets fans get one last message from Nimmo

Before heading to his new team, Nimmo made sure to say goodbye to the Mets fans who supported him through the years, from the minors to the majors. He thanked them for their loyalty and love.

“There is truly no way I could adequately put into words how much my tenure with the Mets has meant to me. All I can say is thank you. Thank you Mets fans for embracing and welcoming a kid from Cheyenne, Wyoming to the Big Apple. I always aspired to become a big leaguer—I never knew I’d have the opportunity to accomplish that dream in a city so wildly passionate about the game of baseball. The last 14 years have felt like a dream, and it has been an absolute honor to share them with you. You made me feel like family, and I hope you felt the same. I will always be grateful for our time and memories together. With love, always,” Nimmo wrote on Instagram.

Both teams enter the trade following difficult seasons: the Rangers missed the postseason in consecutive years since winning the 2023 World Series, while the Mets failed to reach the playoffs in Juan Soto’s first season.

“BREAKING: The New York Mets and Texas Rangers are finalizing a trade that would send second baseman Marcus Semien to the Mets and outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, sources tell ESPN,” reported Jeff Passan. Nimmo waived his no-trade clause to facilitate the move, ending a decade-long tenure with the Mets.

Why did the Mets and Rangers make this trade?

The trade gives Semien a new home in New York, addressing a key infield need, while the Rangers add Brandon Nimmo, a 2015 first-round pick and longtime Met.

This is not the first major deal between the Rangers and Mets during the Steve Cohen era. In 2023, Texas acquired Max Scherzer from New York during their World Series run, with the Mets covering most of the contract while gaining top prospects.