Free-agent relief pitcher Jesse Chavez and infielder Danny Mendick were among 11 to sign minor-league deals with invites to major-league spring training with the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. Chavez missed three months in 2023 due to a microfracture in his left shin, but when he was healthy, he was great despite being 40 years old. He posted a strong 1.56 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 39 strikeouts and one save for the Atlanta Braves in 34 2/3 innings pitched. Given how weak the White Sox's bullpen is entering spring training, it would be a surprise if the veteran reliever wasn't pitching for the big-league club in 2024, but he won't be on the fantasy radar. Mendick, 30, spent the first four years of his career in Chicago. The utility man played in 33 games with the New York Mets last year and went 12-for-65 (.185) with a homer and four RBI.

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) took his physical on Thursday and said he's in the second week of his throwing program after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder in November. He couldn't give a timetable for his return in 2024 beyond "summer" for when he hopes he can pitch. "July-ish, August-ish. Somewhere in there. I don't know," Kershaw said. The 35-year-old future Hall of Famer will miss the entire first half but should rejoin LA's starting rotation at some point in the second half. There's also an option for the 2025 season in his new deal, so Kershaw, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow could all be in the team's rotation for the 2025 campaign. Kershaw was still a reliable arm for the Blue when he was healthy in 2023, but Father Time has taken a toll on him in recent years in the injury department.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies are currently being viewed as potential trade fits for current Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen. The Red Sox are fielding offers for Jansen as he finishes off the two-year, $32 million deal he signed with the club last winter. The right-hander worked to a 3.63 ERA across 51 appearances in his first season with the Red Sox, the second-highest ERA of his 14-year MLB career and well above his 2.52 career mark. He spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Dodgers before signing with Atlanta for the 2022 season and Boston in 2023. He saw dips in both strikeout and walk rates last season and also saw his ground-ball rate plummet to a career-worst 22.6%. He could viably see save opportunities with either club but could also take on a lesser role entering his age-36 season.

The Seattle Mariners have signed pitchers Sean Poppen and Casey Lawrence to minor-league deals while both players have received an invitation to big-league spring training. Poppen, 29, didn't appear in the big leagues in the 2023 season but rather scuffled to a 6.33 ERA across 47 outings at Triple-A El Paso within the Padres organization. He owns a career 5.08 ERA across 63 MLB appearances between the Twins, Pirates, Rays, and D-backs. Lawrence, 36, appeared in 15 games for the Cardinals last season but scuffled to a 6.59 ERA across 27 1/3 innings of work. He also tossed a 4.76 ERA across 104 innings at the Triple-A level between the Cardinals and Blue Jays organizations. Lawrence owns a career 6.75 ERA across 59 MLB appearances between the Blue Jays, Mariners, and Cardinals.

Chicago White Sox right-hander Lane Ramsey has cleared waivers and has been outrighted off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Charlotte. Since this is Ramsey's first outright assignment and he has less than three years of MLB service time, he does not have the right to reject the move and become a free agent. The 27-year-old got into 21 games out of the White Sox bullpen in his debut 2023 season, tossing a 5.85 ERA across 20 innings of work. While he also posted a solid 3.46 FIP, his xFIP rose to 5.04 and he produced a weak 37.5% ground-ball rate. Therefore, he was lucky to allow home runs on just 3.7% of the fly balls he surrendered. Ramsey also limped to a 5.50 ERA across 32 appearances with Charlotte in the 2023 campaign.