More cuts came down on March 14, as teams began to prep their 2026 rosters in earnest. Former first-round pick Christian Moore was one of those cuts, as he was arguably the most notable player optioned on the day.
Mets claim Lovelady
The Mets claimed Richard Lovelady off waivers on the 14th, reuniting the left-hander with the team from Queens.
It’s been an interesting offseason for Lovelady, who was designated for assignment on January 22 by the Mets after he re-signed with the team back in October. His DFA came one day after the team officially acquired Freddy Peralta and signed reliever Luis Garcia.
However, his DFA was a corresponding move after the Mets acquired Vidal Brujan from the Twins for cash. Washington claimed him shortly thereafter.
Nationals option three
The Nationals optioned three pitchers to Triple-A on March 14: Jake Eder, Andrew Alvarez, and Mitchell Parker.
With a new-look rotation for 2026, one had to expect some cuts. And Parker, who finished second on the team last year in innings pitched, was one of them. The left-hander didn’t induce a ton of swing-and-miss and conceded a lot of hits.
Alvarez, who made his MLB debut late last season, struck out 11 over nine Grapefruit League innings this spring.
Philles make spring cuts
The Phillies announced two cuts on March 14.
Pitcher Alan Rangel was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, while Keaton Anthony was sent to Minor League camp.
Angels demote Moore
The Angels optioned second baseman Christian Moore to Triple-A Salt Lake on the 14th.
Moore didn’t hack outside of the zone (15% Chase%) too much, nor swing-and-miss a lot. However, it wasn’t Moore’s best impression, as the 2024 first-round pick slashed .175/.233/.250 over 17 Cactus League games.
He wasn’t the only infielder optioned on the day. The Angels also sent Kyren Paris back to Triple-A.
Other moves
The Mariners optioned reliever Robinson Ortiz to Triple-A Tacoma. Additionally, Kade Anderson was sent to Minor League camp alongside Randy Dobnak, Guillo Zuniga, Brian O’Keefe, Will Wilson, and Patrick Wisdom.
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