Alex Verdugo Won't Rush Back For Opening Day

Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo (back) said, "There’s no reason to rush back and make it for Opening Day if I’m not fully back, because then you’re going to start messing around with getting re-injured. I’ve been out this long, might as well keep it a little longer and make sure it’s 100%." Verdugo, […]

Russell Martin Intends To Play In 2020

Free-agent catcher Russell Martin intends to play in 2020, according to sources. Martin has turned down some opportunities in the offseason in order to tend to a family matter, but he's expected to re-enter the market in the next few weeks and resume talks with interested teams. The 36-year-old (37 on Saturday) is a veteran […]

Hyun-Jin Ryu Expected To Be Opening Day Starter

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu is expected to be the team's starter on Opening Day. “It’s going to be hard to see a scenario where it’s not Ryu,” general manager Ross Atkins said. “That’s health dependent obviously, and breaking camp, that would be the most likely scenario.” Ryu had a great 2019 season […]

Ryan Borucki Shut Down With Elbow Tightness

Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo revealed on Friday that starting pitcher Ryan Borucki (elbow) is being shut down in camp with left elbow tightness, a troubling development after his 2019 season was basically lost due to elbow issues. The 25-year-old is coming off surgery to clean up bone spurs. He initially started feeling pain […]

Red Sox Officially Add Kevin Pillar

The Boston Red Sox officially signed outfielder Kevin Pillar to a one-year, $4.25 million deal on Friday, according to a major league source. There are no incentives or bonuses included in the deal. The 31-year-old has played in the majors for seven seasons and spent the first six years of his career with Toronto before […]

Mike Clevinger Expected To Return To Game Action In 6-8 Weeks

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (knee) is expected to return to game activity in six to eight weeks after having surgery on Friday to fix a partial tear of the medial meniscus in his left knee. With Opening Day almost exactly six weeks away, Clevinger shouldn't have to miss much time to open the […]

Carter Kieboom Looking Like Opening Day Third Baseman

With no trade in sight, Washington Nationals infielder Carter Kieboom is looking a lot like the team's Opening Day third baseman. Kieboom only hit .128/.209/.282 in a 43-PA cup of coffee in 2019, but his .287/.378/.469 career minor league better demonstrates the hype that has long surrounded him. If he busts in spring training, he […]

Corey Knebel Could Be Ready By Early May

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Corey Knebel (elbow) is scheduled to throw his fourth bullpen session on Friday, in which he'll throw around 20 pitches at 80 percent intensity. Barring setbacks, Knebel could return to the team's bullpen around the first week of May. The hard-throwing right-hander is coming back from Tommy John surgery that kept […]

Josh Hader Loses Arbitration Case

Milwaukee Brewers All-Star closer Josh Hader lost his salary arbitration case and will make $4.1 million in 2020 instead of the $6.4 million he was requesting. Hader, who turns 26 in April, had 37 saves in 44 chances in 2019 and was 3-5 with a 2.62 ERA in his second straight All-Star campaign in 2019. […]

Jeremy Hellickson Announces Retirement

Free-agent starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson announced his retirement on Friday after 10 seasons with 10 teams. The 32-year-old suffered a shoulder setback a few weeks ago that would have required surgery. Hellickson went 76-75 in his career with a 4.13 ERA in 232 games with the Rays, Diamondbacks, Phillies, Orioles and Nationals. In that time, […]

Anthony Santander Won't Be Limited In Camp

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander (shoulder), who dealt with right labrum inflammation last September, spent the winter rehabbing and avoided surgery. Santander arrived to camp three weeks early and will not be limited in spring training. The 25-year-old Venezuelan hit .261/.297/.476 with a surprising 20 home runs and 59 RBI in 93 games with the […]

Zack Greinke Healthy

Houston Astros starting pitcher Zack Greinke is "100 percent healthy" but will report to camp on Feb. 22, 10 days later than his fellow pitchers. “We’re not worried about him,” manager Dusty Baker said. “This guy, he works. When he comes to camp, we expect him to fall in place with everyone else.” Greinke didn't […]

MacKenzie Gore Facing Steep Climb To Crack Roster

San Diego Padres pitching prospect MacKenzie Gore is working out in big league camp this spring but holds long odds to crack the Opening Day roster. Last year’s MLB Pipeline Pitcher of the Year and the top pitching prospect in baseball annihilated the minors in 2019, tallying a 1.69 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 12.0 K/9 […]

Brad Peacock Suffers Setback With Neck

Houston Astros starting pitcher Brad Peacock (neck) suffered a recurrence of the nerve damage in his neck. He is back throwing from 90 feet, but it's a setback to his throwing program and could blow his chances of winning the No. 5 rotation spot to start the regular season. Peacock had a decent 4.12 ERA […]

Randal Grichuk To Open As Starting Center Fielder

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said that the team's current plan is for outfielder Randal Grichuk to start the season as the starting center fielder. Grichuk hit .232/.280/.457 with a career-high 31 home runs and 80 RBI in 151 games in his second year in Toronto in 2019. The power is real and […]

Mike Clevinger To Undergo Surgery On Knee

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (knee) will undergo surgery on Friday after he suffered a partial tear of the medial meniscus in his left knee while working out at spring training this week. Clevinger has been on crutches, and a timetable for his return will be established after the surgery. The 29-year-old right-hander made […]

Mitch Haniger Has Disc Removed From Back

Updating a previous report, Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger (back, core) underwent a discectomy on Thursday, a procedure that removes part or the whole intervertebral disc. It was Haniger's second surgery in three weeks, as he had a hernia surgery in late January. The two injuries combined will push his timetable deeper into the 2020 […]

Michael Chavis To Play Both First And Second Base

Boston Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said that infielder Michael Chavis will play both first and second base this year, splitting time with Mitch Moreland at first and Jose Peraza at second. Chavis had his ups and downs in his rookie season in 2019, most notably against left-handed pitching. Roenicke thinks Chavis can improve in […]

Mitch Haniger Has Another Core Surgery

Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger (hernia) underwent his second core surgery in three weeks on Thursday. There remains no timetable for Haniger's return, but his 2020 season will be significantly delayed. The 2018 breakout star was plagued by injuries last season and played in only 63 games as a result, and now it looks like […]

Gregory Polanco Expected To Report Healthy

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco (shoulder) is expected to report to camp healthy, according to director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. The Pirates will monitor Polanco closely in spring training after another injury plagued season in 2019 in which he played just 42 games. Polanco hit just .242/.301/.425 with six home runs, 17 RBI and […]

Felix Pena Should Be Healthy For Opening Day

Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon said that pitcher Felix Pena (knee) should be healthy by Opening Day. Pena is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last August, but he's ahead of schedule and could be an option to win the team's No. 5 rotation spot if he proves himself in spring training. The […]

Felix Hernandez Has Chance To Win Rotation Spot

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Felix Hernandez has a chance to win a rotation spot with his new team with Cole Hamels (shoulder) expected to miss at least half of April. Hernandez has slimmed down and is confident that he's healthy enough to win a rotation spot in Atlanta. The six-time All-Star and former Cy Young […]

Johnny Cueto Says He's Healthy

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (elbow), who missed most of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, said his arm feels great. "I feel like the arm is a baby," Cueto said. There's a chance he could be the team's Opening Day starter. After throwing just 16 innings to close out the 2019 […]

Nick Senzel Has Been Hitting

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Nick Senzel (shoulder), who had surgery in September to fix a torn labrum in his right shoulder, has been hitting. Manager David Bell said that Senzel is picking up his throwing program this week and is on pace to be ready around Opening Day. Barring a setback, Senzel may not have to […]

Mike Leake Has Fractured Left Wrist

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Mike Leake (wrist) has a fracture on his non-throwing wrist, but he is still hoping to be ready for the start of the regular season. The 32-year-old underwent an MRI exam on Wednesday that revealed an old fracture that was aggravated by a fall caused while chasing his dog. Leake was […]

Trent Grisham The Front-Runner In Center Field Competition

The San Diego Padres expect outfielder Trent Grisham to be their Opening Day center fielder, according to San Diego Union-Tribune beat writer Kevin Acee. The 23-year-old was acquired in the offseason for infielder Luis Urias from the Milwaukee Brewers. Grisham lit up the minors last year before debuting with the Brewers to a .738 OPS […]

Joey Lucchesi And Cal Quantrill Battling For Fifth-Starter Gig

The San Diego Padres No. 5 starter could come down to Joey Lucchesi or Cal Quantrill. San Diego Union-Tribune beat writer Kevin Acee expects the top four rotation positions to be secured by Chris Paddack, Garrett Richards, Dinelson Lamet and Zach Davies. Both Lucchesi and Quantrill are homegrown youngsters that showed well in spurts last […]

Brusdar Graterol Will Be A Reliever

Los Angeles Dodgers pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol, who was acquired in the three-team blockbuster trade that sent Kenta Maeda to the Twins, will be a reliever with his new team, according to manager Dave Roberts. The Red Sox saw something in Graterol's medicals that they did not like, and they viewed him as a reliever […]

Joc Pederson, A.J. Pollock To Platoon In Left Field

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielders Joc Pederson and A.J. Pollock are set to platoon in left field this year. Pollock's fantasy value was hurt the most when the Dodgers trade with the Angels for Pederson fell through, although LA could still ship Pederson somewhere else before the start of the season. If Pederson stays with the […]

Tommy Milone Signs With Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles signed starting pitcher Tommy Milone to a minor league deal on Thursday, according to an industry source. Milone will be a non-roster invite in spring training. The 32-year-old lefty, 33 on Sunday, went 4-10 with a weak 4.76 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 23 outings (six starts) for the Mariners last year […]