Tyler Alexander Throws Bullpen On Wednesday

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Tyler Alexander (lat) was able to throw a bullpen session at spring training on Wednesday. Alexander suffered a left lat strain while pitching for the Detroit Tigers last year and didn't make an appearance after July 2. The 29-year-old southpaw finished his fifth and final season in Detroit with a 4.50 […]

Shane McClanahan Moved To 60-Day Injured List

The Tampa Bay Rays placed left-hander Shane McClanahan (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday to make room on the 40-man roster for right-hander Phil Maton, who was signed to an undisclosed major-league contract. McClanahan is recovering from his second Tommy John surgery in August of last year and is expected to miss all […]

Pirates Sign Josh Fleming To One-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that they signed free-agent left-hander Josh Fleming to a split one-year deal. The 27-year-old southpaw will make $850,000 if he's in the big leagues in 2024. The Pirates are planning to use him in a long-relief role, which won't give him much fantasy appeal for the rebuilding Bucs. Fleming […]

Pirates Place Johan Oviedo, Endy Rodriguez On 60-Day Injured List

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed right-hander Johan Oviedo (elbow) and catcher Endy Rodriguez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. Oviedo will miss all of the 2024 season after having Tommy John surgery in December. The 25-year-old was inconsistent in his first full season as a starter for the Pirates last year, going 9-14 with […]

Orioles Put Felix Bautista On 60-Day Injured List

The Baltimore Orioles placed right-hander Felix Bautista (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday to make room for outfielder Peyton Burdick, who was acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins in exchange for cash considerations. Bautista emerged as one of the best closers in the game in 2023 for an Orioles team that […]

Ryan O'Hearn, Orioles Avoid Arbitration

The Baltimore Orioles and infielder/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn avoided salary arbitration on Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year, $3.5 million deal for the 2024 season that includes a $7.5 million club option for the 2025 season. O'Hearn will have escalators for his 2025 club option that include $500,000 for 120 games played and another $500,000 for […]

Garrett Whitlock Competing For Rotation Spot

Boston Red Sox right-hander Garrett Whitlock is competing for a starting rotation spot at spring training this year. Whitlock opened last year as a starter, but he was moved to the bullpen eventually and finished 2023 with a career-worst 5.15 ERA (4.27 FIP), a 1.33 WHIP, one save, 13 walks and a career-low 72 strikeouts […]

Michael Kopech Throws Bullpen On Wednesday

Chicago White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech (knee) appears to be healthy and threw a bullpen session at spring training on Wednesday. Kopech had minor knee surgery to remove a cyst from his right knee last year and finished the season on the injured list, but the 27-year-old appears to be fully healthy and should be […]

Zack Wheeler, Phillies Have Started Extension Negotiations

Right-hander Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies have started negotiations on a potential contract extension, according to Wheeler. It's early in the process, but Wheeler is hoping they can get something done before the start of the 2024 regular season. "I love it here. We're happy here," Wheeler said. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal said on […]

Chargers Hire Marc Trestman As Senior Offensive Assistant

The Los Angeles Chargers hired former Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman as a senior offensive assistant coach on Wednesday. In addition to Trestman, the Chargers also hired Andy Bischoff as run-game coordinator/tight ends coach, Shane Day as quarterbacks coach, Sanjay Lal as wide receivers coach, Mike Devlin as offensive line coach, Rick Minter as […]

Commanders Hire Anthony Lynn To Offensive Staff

The Washington Commanders hired former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn to their offensive staff as their running-game coordinator for the 2024 season on Wednesday, according to a source. Lynn was most recently with the San Francisco 49ers as their assistant head coach/running backs coach the last two years. In addition to adding Lynn, […]

Chiefs, Steve Spagnuolo Reach Contract Extension

The Kansas City Chiefs and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo reached an agreement on an undisclosed contract extension on Wednesday. It's much-deserved, as Spagnuolo led the Chiefs to the second-best scoring defense in the regular season in 2023 on their way to their eighth straight AFC West championship while allowing an average of 17.3 points per […]

Bengals Release AJ McCarron

The Cincinnati Bengals announced on Wednesday that they released quarterback AJ McCarron. The Bengals signed McCarron back in November for more quarterback depth after starter Joe Burrow (wrist) was lost for the season. The 33-year-old veteran signal-caller appeared in two contests for Cincinnati in relief of Jake Browning down the stretch and went 4-for-5 for […]

Jameis Winston Hopes To Stay In New Orleans

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston, who will become a free agent in March, said he "would love to stay in New Orleans forever." Winston has spent the last four seasons with the team and would remain ticketed for a backup role yet again in 2024 behind Derek Carr if he chooses to re-sign. The […]

Liam Hendriks Hoping To Sign By Thursday

Free-agent reliever Liam Hendriks (elbow) has multiple offers and has set a deadline of Thursday to sign with a team, according to sources. If he doesn't sign now, he would keep rehabbing from Tommy John surgery on his own and throw for teams in late July before signing for the stretch run. The Chicago White […]

Casey Mize Had Back Surgery Last Year

While Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize (back) was recovering from Tommy John surgery last spring, he also revealed that he had an unspecified back procedure to correct an injury he had been dealing with for "years." The former first overall pick in 2018 didn't pitch at all for Detroit in 2023 and hasn't pitched in […]

Tarik Skubal Tinkering With His Slider, Curveball

Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal said he's been tinkering with his slider and curveball while maintaining his fastball and changeup as he prepares for the 2024 season. Skubal had a strong 2023 campaign, but he'd like to generate more whiffs with his slider. The 27-year-old was a front-line starting pitcher for Detroit last year, going […]

Josh Staumont, Anthony DeSclafani Full-Go In Spring Training

New Minnesota Twins pitchers Josh Staumont (shoulder) and Anthony DeSclafani (elbow) have both been throwing for months after ending last year on the injured list and are full-go entering spring training. Staumont had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last July but should be good to go for Opening Day with his new club. The 30-year-old could […]

Ronny Mauricio Moved To 60-Day Injured List

The New York Mets moved infielder Ronny Mauricio (knee) to the 60-day injured list on Wednesday to make room on the 40-man roster for right-hander Shintaro Fujinami, whose deal became official. Mauricio will most likely miss all of the 2023 season after he tore the ACL in his right knee in early January while playing […]

Kodai Senga Working On A New Pitch?

New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga said that he's working on adding a new pitch to his arsenal as he enters his second year in the big leagues. "Yes, but it's still a work in progress so maybe we'll find out soon," Senga said when asked if he was developing a new pitch this spring. […]

Robbie Ray Cleared To Throw Three Times A Week

San Francisco Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (elbow) has been cleared to throw three times a week and is on schedule in his recovery from Tommy John surgery that he had in May of last year. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw and former American League Cy Young winner in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays only made […]

No Hitting Restrictions For Austin Slater

San Francisco Giants outfielder Austin Slater (elbow) has no hitting restrictions in spring training and is finishing his throwing program. Slater had surgery to remove a bone spur in his right elbow in the offseason and still needs to gain clearance in order to play in Cactus League games this spring. But as long as […]

Alex Cobb Hopes To Be Cleared To Throw Off Mound Soon

San Francisco Giants right-hander Alex Cobb (hip) said his hip feels great and he's hoping to be cleared to throw off a mound soon. His goal is to face hitters by the end of spring training and go from there. Cobb started throwing on flat ground a few weeks ago after having left-hip surgery in […]

Jung Hoo Lee Expected To Be Giants Leadoff Hitter

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin said that he "would be shocked" if outfielder Jung Hoo Lee isn't the team's leadoff hitter on Opening Day. The plan is for Lee to bat leadoff against both right-handers and left-handers in his first year in the big leagues. The Giants added the 25-year-old Korean this offseason on […]

Kenley Jansen Has "General Lat Soreness"

Boston Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow said that closer Kenley Jansen (lat) reported to camp with some "general lat soreness" and will not be throwing for now. However, Jansen did take part in other drills on Monday and had been throwing bullpen sessions at home. This isn't good news for the 36-year-old reliever, especially […]

Jacob deGrom Starts Throwing Program

Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (elbow) said that he started to throw on Monday and will be throwing again on Wednesday at spring training. deGrom is slowly recovering after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last June. If everything goes as planned, the 35-year-old veteran should be able to return to Texas' rotation […]

J.P. France Dealing With Shoulder Inflammation

Houston Astros right-hander J.P. France (shoulder) is dealing with shoulder inflammation at the start of spring training. General manager Dana Brown said France is playing catch and "if he was shut down it would be more concerning." No pitcher ideally wants to already be injured as he reports to camp, but it's still early, and […]

Josh Hader To Close, Ryan Pressly To Serve In Setup Role

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that left-hander Josh Hader would be the team's closer in 2024, with right-hander Ryan Pressly serving in a late-inning setup role. "Hader will pitch the ninth inning if both guys are available," Espada said. It's no surprise that Hader will be Houston's closer after they signed him to a […]

Justin Verlander A Couple Weeks Behind

Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander (shoulder) said he's a couple weeks behind scheduled and his timetable is to be determined right now. "When I first started playing catch I usually shut it down for a while and this time when I shut it down and picked a ball back up, my shoulder didn't feel so […]

Jose Abreu Could See More Days Off

Houston Astros first baseman Jose Abreu could be rested more often in 2024. At the very least, Abreu should see more at-bats as the team's designated hitter to keep him fresh. The 37-year-old Cuban veteran was a disappointment in 2023 in his first year in Houston, hitting a career-worst .237 (128-for-540) with a career-low 18 […]