Outfielder Adolis Garcia and the Texas Rangers reached an undisclosed two-year deal on Thursday to avoid a salary arbitration hearing that was scheduled for Thursday. Garcia had filed for $6.9 million for the 2024 season and was offered $5 million by the Rangers. The 30-year-old Cuban is under team control for one more year in 2026. He made his second All-Star team in 2023 by hitting .245/.328/.508 with career-highs in OPS (.836), home runs (39), RBI (107) and runs scored (108) in 148 regular-season games played. Garcia had eight home runs in the playoffs to help lead the team to their first World Series championship as well. He ran less last season, but he made gains in most other categories and should continue to be a valuable contributor in homers, RBI and runs scored in a strong Rangers lineup in 2024. UPDATE: Garcia will receive $14 million over two years guaranteed with performance bonuses.

New York Mets All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season and there has been no sign that a contract extension will be agreed upon before then. The Mets say they are "invested" in keeping Alonso around, but it's looking unlikely that a deal will be reached before he tests the free-agent market. "The best thing for us is for Pete to have a great year and the best thing for Pete is to have a great year, and we'll go forward from there. We're certainly invested in keeping Pete a Met and I'm hopeful, over time, we'll be able to work that out," president of baseball operations David Stearns said. The 29-year-old Alonso hired agent Scott Boras this offseason, essentially assuring he'll play out the 2024 season and reach the open market next winter. Contract issues aside, Alonso is an elite power hitter for fantasy managers after slugging 46 homers and driving in 118 in 2023.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won his salary arbitration case against the team and will earn $19.9 million in 2024, according to a source. Guerrero will receive a $5.4 million raise this year despite seeing most of his numbers drop in 2023. The 24-year-old three-time All-Star slashed .264/.345/.444 with 26 home runs, 30 doubles, 94 RBI, five stolen bases and 78 runs scored in 156 games in his fifth big-league season. He hasn't come close to replicating his 2021 season, in which he led the league in home runs (48), on-base percentage (.401), slugging percentage (.601), OPS (1.002), total bases (363) and runs scored (123). Guerrero still has a strong fantasy floor in a great hitting environment and in a great lineup, but his 2021 season should be considered an outlier at this point.

Free-agent catcher Gary Sanchez signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. Sanchez began last year with the New York Mets but only played in three games with them before eventually being picked up by the San Diego Padres, where he thrived in 72 games, clubbing 19 home runs and driving in 46 runs in 260 plate appearances. However, it also came with a weak .218 batting average (51-for-234). The 31-year-old veteran backstop was particularly effective against left-handed pitching in 2023 and should at least be in play as Milwaukee's designated hitter against southpaws in 2024, in addition to providing the team with a backup catching option to starter William Contreras. Sanchez can provide some pop in two-catcher leagues, but fantasy managers wouldn't be wise to expect a repeat of last year.

The Philadelphia Phillies have claimed right-hander Max Castillo off of waivers from the Boston Red Sox. Outfielder Simon Muzziotti has been designated for assignment in order to clear a 40-man roster spot. Acquired by the Blue Jays from the Royals in a 2022 trade that sent Whit Merrifield to Toronto, Castillo has worked to a career 5.43 ERA and 8.9% K-BB% across 21 outings (six starts) and 59 2/3 innings between the Blue Jays and Royals. He was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox this winter but was designated for assignment by the club on Feb. 2. Muzziotti, 25, has just nine MLB plate appearances under his belt from 2022 and hit .296 with seven homers, 26 stolen bases, and a .762 OPS across 124 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2023, failing to reach the big leagues a season ago.