MLB Baseball 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 21, 2026, 3:30 PM ET
MLB Roster Finalizations & Moves
As teams solidified their Opening Day rosters across Major League Baseball, several veteran players and top prospects faced immediate assignments or separations. The New York Yankees confirmed that 34-year-old veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk secured a spot, while simultaneously optioning highly touted outfielder Jasson Dominguez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday Yankees option outfielder Dominguez to Triple-A. Similarly, the Washington Nationals sent their top prospect, Dylan Crews, down to the minors due to ongoing hitting struggles Nationals option top prospect Crews to Triple-A. Not all moves involved prospects; the Nationals also released right-handed reliever Drew Smith from his minor league contract Nationals release right-handed reliever Smith.
Several teams utilized the final days of spring training to set pitching structures and clear non-roster players. The Miami Marlins opted to keep right-hander Janson Junk as their fifth starter, consequently optioning left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett to Triple-A Jacksonville. In Queens, the Mets established a five-man rotation plan where southpaw Sean Manaea is slated to begin the season operating in a piggyback role out of the bullpen Manaea to begin in bullpen as Mets set rotation. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies officially named rookie right-hander Andrew Painter as their No. 5 starter for the beginning of the campaign Rookie Painter makes Phils' roster as No. 5 starter.
Player movement continued as free agents sought new opportunities following failure to make initial club postings. Outfielder Austin Slater exercised the release clause in his minor league agreement with the Detroit Tigers after failing to secure an Opening Day roster spot. In Minnesota, the Twins cleared established veterans from their minor league contracts, releasing right-handed pitcher Liam Hendriks, left-hander Andrew Chafin, and infielder Gio Urshela on Friday Twins shape roster, cut Hendriks, Chafin, Urshela.
Separately, the family of former Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a Costa Rican resort Family of ex-Yankees player Gardner sues resort. The suit stems from the death of Gardner’s 14-year-old son, Miller, who was found deceased due to carbon monoxide poisoning while staying at the location.