MLB Baseball 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 21, 2026, 11:30 AM ET
MLB Roster Moves & Prospect Assignments
Major League clubs finalized significant cuts ahead of Opening Day, with several top prospects being optioned down to Triple-A. The New York Yankees sent outfielder Jasson Dominguez to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while the Washington Nationals made the same move with highly touted Dylan Crews due to ongoing hitting struggles. In contrast, the Philadelphia Phillies officially secured their rotation, announcing that rookie right-hander Andrew Painter earned the fifth starter role on the Opening Day roster, manager Rob Thomson confirmed Friday. Furthermore, the Miami Marlins elected to send lefty Braxton Garrett to Triple-A Jacksonville, slotting right-hander Janson Junk into the No. 5 starter position for the immediate future.
Player Status & Legal Developments
Off-field issues and contract statuses created news across the league as several players faced roster uncertainty or legal action. The Minnesota Twins released veteran righty Liam Hendriks, hard-throwing lefty Andrew Chafin, and infielder Gio Urshela from their minor league contracts on Friday. Meanwhile, two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, were moved to unpaid non-disciplinary leave as both await trial proceedings related to an alleged pitch-rigging scheme, following an agreement between the club and the players' union. Separately, the family of former Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a Costa Rican resort after their 14-year-old son, Miller, was found deceased due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Collectibles Market Breaks Records
In the sports memorabilia sector, the market saw another astronomical sale involving two of baseball’s biggest current stars. A highly coveted 2025 Topps Chrome dual MVP gold Logoman card, numbered 1-of-1 and featuring game-worn patches from both players, fetched $2. 16 million at auction. The card, which is signed on-card by both reigning Most Valuable Players, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, underscores the intense collector demand for unique assets tied to current baseball royalty.