The Rays and Walls avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.35 million contract with a $2.45 million club option for 2026 on Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The buyout on the option is $50,000, so Walls is guaranteed at least $1.4 million. Walls, 28, slashed only .183/.282/.248 over 84 games for the Rays in 2024 but remains an excellent defender and should get ample time at shortstop in 2025.

The Astros have extended Smith an invitation to big-league camp during spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, Smith slashed .313/.396/.609 with seven home runs over 32 games across three levels in his pro debut in 2024 after being taken in the first round of last year's First-Year Player Draft. He's likely to begin the 2025 season at Double-A Corpus Christi, but the Astros will let him get his feet wet in major-league spring training.

Baty is expected to compete for the Mets' third base job during spring training, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

With Pete Alonso expected to move on and Mark Vientos shifting to first base, the Mets have an opening at the hot corner. Baty has slashed just .215/.282/.325 over 169 games at the big-league level, but he's still only 25 and is a former top prospect. It's possible the Mets go outside the organization for additional competition at third base, but for now Baty will battle Ronny Mauricio (knee) and Luisangel Acuna for the gig.

The Mariners acquired Mastrobuoni from the Cubs on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Mastrobuoni had been designated for assignment but will now get to join a new 40-man roster. A .219/.279/.263 hitter across 272 career plate appearances in the majors, the utility player will compete for a reserve role this spring but does have minor-league options remaining.

Alvarez signed a minor-league contract with the Twins on Jan. 2.

Alvarez spent the 2024 campaign with the Athletics organization, batting .315 with 15 home runs, 54 RBI, 46 runs scored and four stolen bases over 75 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. Additionally, the 30-year-old played in 16 games with the A's, batting .243 with a double, two RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base over 37 at-bats. Alvarez will report to Triple-A St. Paul ahead of the 2025 season, and he'll look to impress in order to potentially garner a shot with the Twins' major-league roster at some point during the year.

Diaz signed a contract with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball on Friday.

Diaz put together a solid 2024 at Triple-A Las Vegas, slashing .301/.362/.529 with 22 homers and 85 RBI across 436 plate appearances. Rather than spend another season in the Athletics' farm system, the 24-year-old infielder will look to further his career overseas, though a return to the States may still be possible if his stock improves while in Japan.

Jung said Thursday that he's "full-go" after right wrist surgery and doesn't anticipate any restrictions during spring training, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

Jung missed most of the first four months of the 2024 season following surgery to repair four fractures in the wrist. He then underwent a follow-up procedure in October to alleviate irritation in the tendon, which Jung said has made a huge difference. The third baseman has been swinging a bat without issue and appears poised to enter camp next month with a clean bill of health. If he can stay off the injured list, Jung could bounce back in 2025 and regain the form he flashed as a rookie in 2023, when he put up a .781 OPS with 23 home runs.

Sosa agreed on a one-year, $3 million contract with the Phillies on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Sosa will get a $1.3 million raise in 2025 after batting .257 with seven home runs, 31 RBI, 39 runs scored and seven stolen bases over 249 at-bats in 90 regular-season games with Philadelphia last season. The 28-year-old can play in both the infield and outfield and will likely operate as a utility option for the team in 2025.

Urias and the Orioles agreed to a one-year, $3.2 million contract to avoid arbitration Thursday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Urias is one of the top utility infield options in baseball, and he earned 301 plate appearances in 2024. He matched his career-best mark with a 115 wRC+, though he still had only 11 homers and one stolen base. Urias will earn a $1.1 million raise from 2024.

The Cubs designated Mastrobuoni for assignment Thursday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.

The 29-year-old will end up as the Cubs' roster casualty following the acquisition of Matt Festa from Texas on Thursday. Mastrobuoni has slashed just .219/.279/.263 across 272 career plate appearances in the majors, and his .634 OPS at Triple-A Iowa last season could cause him to pass through waivers unclaimed.