The Washington Nationals hired former left-handed relief pitcher Sean Doolittle as a pitching strategist on Tuesday. The former two-time All-Star and World Series winner will serve as a liaison between the analytics department and pitching staff while also assisting the manager and pitching coach with strategy, mental preparation and mechanics for the team's pitching staff. The 37-year-old southpaw spent six years in D.C. with the Nats but retired last year after an 11-year big-league career. Doolittle ranks tied for third in Nationals history with 75 saves, and his 153 relief appearances are second-most by a Nationals pitcher since 2017 and 13th-most in Nationals history. He won the World Series in 2019 and finished his career going 26-24 with 112 saves, a 3.20 ERA and 522 K's in 450 2/3 innings pitched.

The Texas Rangers acquired right-hander Daniel Duarte from the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations. The Rangers now have 40 players on the major-league roster. Duarte's season ended early last year due to a shoulder injury, and it's unclear if he's going to be ready for spring training. The 27-year-old Mexican pitcher had a 3.69 ERA (5.84 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP while walking 20 and striking out 23 in 31 2/3 innings over 31 appearances out of Cincinnati's bullpen in 2023. He's only thrown 34 1/3 innings at the big-league level over the last two seasons and is most likely to begin the 2024 regular season in minor leagues in the Rangers organization as relief depth.

The Texas Rangers signed free-agent right-hander Jose Urena to a minor-league deal on Tuesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. The veteran hurler combined for 10 starts with the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox in 2023, going 0-7 with a rough 6.45 ERA (7.28 FIP) and 1.61 WHIP with 22 walks and 29 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings pitched. The 32-year-old will provide the Rangers with starting-rotation depth to open spring training, but Urena is likely to open the year pitching for Triple-A Round Rock in the minors. In nine seasons in the big leagues with the Marlins, Rockies, Tigers, White Sox and Brewers, Urena has a 4.89 ERA (4.90 FIP) and a 1.41 WHIP with a weak 15.5 percent strikeout rate in 839 1/3 innings over 199 outings (143 starts).

The Seattle Mariners signed free-agent right-hander Joey Krehbiel to a minor-league deal on Tuesday that includes an invite to major-league spring training. Krehbiel has made 70 relief appearances over parts of four years in the big leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles, posting a 3.65 ERA (4.74 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with one save, 27 walks and 57 strikeouts in 74 innings pitched. The 31-year-old only made six relief appearances for Baltimore in 2023 and allowed just one earned run while walking two and striking out five. At Triple-A Norfolk, he went 1-1 with a 3.89 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 25 walks and 32 strikeouts in 39 1/3 relief innings. Krehbiel will represent minor-league relief depth for the M's in 2024.

Baltimore Orioles right-handed reliever Felix Bautista (elbow) said that his surgically repaired right elbow is feeling good and he's been rehabbing in Sarasota, Florida, at the team's spring training complex this offseason. Bautista's goal is to be ready for Opening Day in 2025, but if he's ahead of schedule and able to pitch late in 2024, he wants to do it. The 28-year-old had Tommy John surgery in October and can be ignored in single-year fantasy leagues, even though there's a chance he could pitch late in September if all is going great in his rehab by then. The Orioles aren't going to take any chances with their full-time closer the last couple of years, though. With Bautista on the shelf in 2024, veteran Craig Kimbrel will open the regular season as the locked-in closer for the ninth inning.