Free-agent right-handed reliever Hector Neris and the Chicago Cubs are in agreement on a one-year, $9 million contract that includes an option for the 2025 season, according to a source familiar with the deal. The $9 million team option converts to a player option at 60 games. The total maximum value of the deal with incentives is $23.25 million. The 34-year-old gives the Cubs another high-leverage, late-inning option alongside Adbert Alzolay, and Neris could also see some save chances, making him plenty valuable in mixed fantasy leagues in 2024. He's coming off the best season of his career in 2023 with the Houston Astros, going 6-3 with a 1.71 ERA (1.05 FIP), two saves, 31 walks and 77 strikeouts in 68 1/3 relief innings pitched. Neris tied for the league lead with 31 holds and will at least be very popular in those formats yet again.

San Diego Padres catching prospect Ethan Salas was one of 32 player to receive an invitation to major-league spring training on Friday. The 17-year-old is already the top catching prospect in the game after reaching Double-A San Antonio in 2023. He hit .248/.331/.421 with nine home runs, 41 RBI, five stolen bases and 40 runs scored in 290 plate appearances over 66 games at three minor-league levels in 2023 and will now get a chance to impress at his first big-league spring training. Salas isn't going to be rushed to the majors and probably won't debut for the Friars in the Show for another couple years, but he already should be firmly on the radar of fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues. He hits from the left side and is also a great defensive catcher for his age. Salas was the first 16-year-old to play in a full-season league as a professional since Adrian Beltre, who was just elected to the Hall of Fame this week.

Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said that the team views left-hander DL Hall as a starting pitcher in the long-term. Elias said that Hall could remain in the bullpen in 2024, depending on how spring training goes, before he's eventually stretched out over the next year. There's also a possibility that Hall is stretched out immediately. The 25-year-old southpaw spent most of the 2023 season as a reliever and threw 19 1/3 innings of relief at the big-league level for the Orioles, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 18 hits (two home runs) while walking five and striking out 23 over 18 appearances. Hall has not exceeded 100 innings pitched in any of his six professional seasons, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect much out of him in 2024.

San Francisco Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (elbow) is scheduled to throw from 120 feet on Saturday as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery that he had last May. Ray is slowly progressing from his surgery and is hoping to start throwing off a mound early in spring training and eventually make his season and team debut around the All-Star break in a "best-case scenario." The Giants acquired Ray from the Seattle Mariners in a trade early in January to give the Giants more rotation depth in the second half of 2024. The 32-year-old former American League Cy Young winner in 2021 only made one start with Seattle last year before going on the shelf and having surgery. When healthy, Ray misses a lot of bats, but the long layoff could be bad news for a pitcher that showed very shaky command of his pitches before 2021.

The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are two big-market teams that have expressed interest in veteran free-agent reliever Ryne Stanek this winter. In his third season for the Houston Astros and seventh overall in the big leagues, Stanek had a 4.09 ERA (4.60 FIP), 1.24 WHIP, 21 walks and 51 strikeouts in 50 2/3 relief innings during the regular season last year. Stanek has the ability to operate as solid relief depth near the back end of a bullpen after recording a 2.90 ERA (3.91 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with three saves, 89 walks and 196 strikeouts in 173 2/3 relief innings over the last three campaigns for Houston. The Red Sox, in particular, could use more bullpen depth, especially if they end up trading closer Kenley Jansen.