The New York Yankees have claimed reliever Matt Gage off waivers from the Houston Astros. Gage had been designated for assignment by Houston after Josh Haders' historic five-year contract became official. The left-handed Gage debuted with 1.38 ERA ball across 13 innings with the Blue Jays in 2022 before appearing in just five games for the Astros in 2023, working to a solid 2.70 ERA in 6 2/3 innings of work. Add it up and Gage owns a 1.83 ERA across 16 MLB appearances, although his 3.74 SIERA in that time is nearly two runs higher than his surface ERA. For what it's worth, he posted a vastly inferior 4.58 ERA and 5.29 FIP across 34 appearances at Triple-A Sugar Land in 2023, as well.

The St. Louis Cardinals have claimed first baseman/outfielder Alfonso Rivas off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. The 27-year-old was designated for assignment last week after the club's signing of reliever Robert Stephenson became official. Rivas appeared in 48 big-league contests between the Padres and Pirates in 2023 and hit .229 with three home runs, one stolen base, and a .725 OPS across 123 trips to the plate. He also raked to the tune of a .332 average with nine HR, eight SB, and a 1.044 OPS across 58 games at Triple-A El Paso in the Padres organization. He is a career .243 hitter with seven HR, seven SB, and a .673 OPS in the big leagues with the Cubs, Padres, and Pirates.

The Los Angeles Angels have designated outfielder Trey Cabbage for assignment. The lefty-swinging outfielder was the 40-man roster casualty required to make room for reliever Matt Moore, whose one-year, $9 million deal has become official. Cabbage got into 22 games with the Halos in the 2023 season and hit .208 with one home run, one stolen base, and an enormous 46.4% strikeout rate across 56 trips to the plate. He was far better in the minors, hitting .306 with 30 homers, 32 stolen bases, and a .975 OPS across 107 games at the Triple-A level. The 26-year-old is a career .261 hitter in the minors with 96 homers and 62 steals across 567 games. His big-time production at the Triple-A level in 2023 should attract some interest on the open market, although he can still be traded or retained by the Angels.

The Los Angeles Angels have signed outfielder Aaron Hicks to a one-year deal. Since Hicks is still being paid by the Yankees through the 2025 season, the Angels will only pay Hicks the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the big-league roster. The veteran was released by the Yankees after 28 games and a .188 average last season but rebounded in 65 games with the Orioles, hitting .275 with seven home runs and an .806 OPS across 236 plate appearances, also missing some time due to injuries. The 34-year-old is a career .233 hitter with 108 HR, 73 stolen bases, and a solid 12.7% BB% across 963 games with the Twins, Yankees, and Orioles. He will compete for reps in an Angels outfield that includes Mike Trout, Taylor Ward, Micky Moniak, and Jo Adell, among others.

Free-agent infielder/designated hitter Justin Turner is expected to make a decision on free agency this week regarding where he will be playing in 2024. The 39-year-old slashed .276/.345/.455 with 23 home runs in 146 games played, posting a 114 wRC+ last year with the Boston Red Sox. Turner has maintained a wRC+ of at least 114 every season since 2014, showcasing his ability to remain a productive hitter despite his age. The Giants, Mets, Blue Jays, and Cubs are all seeking to add an impact corner outfielder, and Turner is likely to land with one of those teams after spending 2023 with the Red Sox and the previous nine seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.