
Jose Urena Struggling Lately
Starting pitcher Jose Urena has already been named the Miami Marlins Opening Day starter, though he's looking to regroup from an ugly spring. Marlins skipper Don Mattingly tabbed Urena as the team's No. 1 starter last week, so a stumble in spring training shouldn't be too concerning. In 7 1/3 innings, Urena has an 8.59 ERA […]

Matt Adams Scratched
Washington Nationals first baseman Matt Adams (leg) was a last-minute scratch before Saturday's Grapefruit League game versus the Mets. He had leg cramps and the move was precautionary, according to the team. Adams looks to start the season as the team's backup first baseman to Ryan Zimmerman. But given how often Zimmerman is hurt, Adams […]

Magneuris Sierra Still Sidelined With Hamstring Injury
Miami Marlins prospect Magneuris Sierra remains out of the lineup after suffering a hamstring injury against the Mets on Thursday, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Sierra, who is competing for the starting center field job with Lewis Brinson and Braxton Lee, was acquired from St. Louis as part of the Marcell Ozuna trade. In 28 […]

Michael Taylor Returns To Lineup Saturday
Washington Nationals outfielder Michael Taylor (side) has returned to the Nationals lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit game. He'll man his usual position in center field and bat fifth. That's a few slots above his normal position of eighth, which would be notable but Anthony Rendon is sitting and manager Dave Martinez is tinkering with batting his […]

J.T. Realmuto Hoping To Be Ready For Opening Day
The Miami Marlins are hopeful that catcher J.T. Realmuto will be ready for Opening Day as he deals with a bone bruise in his lower back, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Realmuto, who hit .278 with 17 homers and 65 RBI last year, has been out of action for the last week. With Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell […]

Jeremy Hellickson Jumps Right In With Nationals
Washington Nationals starter Jeremy Hellickson took a red-eye flight to be with his new team first thing Saturday morning. Upon arriving in Florida, he threw four simulated innings (60 pitches) and looks ready to go. Hellickson was signed to a minor league contract and given his major league experience, instantly becomes the front-runner to become the […]

Martin Prado To Begin Season On Disabled List
Miami Marlins third baseman Martin Prado will once again open the season on the disabled list after aggravating his right knee while running the bases on Tuesday. According to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, Prado and the Fish are hoping that the DL stint will be brief. Prado played in just 37 games last season after injuries […]

Daniel Mengden Is First Athletics Starter To Go Five Innings
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Daniel Mengden provided the longest outing of the team's spring, going 5 2/3 innings against the Indians on Friday. Mengden struck out four, allowing two runs on two hits. Mengden has surely locked down a spot in the rotation. "It’s not really up to me, I can only control what I […]

Mallex Smith To Get Minor League Game Before Return
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Mallex Smith (hamstring) will perform drills this weekend and then get a minor league game either Monday or Tuesday. He is still expected to be ready for Opening Day. Smith is all about speed, and he's stolen exactly 16 bases each of the last two seasons. He played in just 81 […]

Robbie Erlin Strong In Unscheduled Start
Battling for one of the final two spots in the Padres rotation, San Diego Padres starting pitcher Robbie Erlin took to the mound in an unscheduled start on Saturday night. Bryan Mitchell was scratched with a neck injury, giving Erlin a chance to prove himself. Erlin threw 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball, allowing only […]

Alex Reyes Won't Pitch This Month and Won't Have a Defined Role in 2018
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Alex Reyes won't pitch in any Grapefruit League games this spring. Pitching coach Mike Maddux said it is not due to any setbacks, just a precautionary measure to make sure Reyes stays healthy. Reyes will not have a defined role in the 2018 season, instead pitching in a "hybrid" role […]

Luke Gregerson Faces Live Hitters on Friday
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Luke Gregerson (oblique) faced live hitters on Friday in his continued return from injury. Gregerson's next step will likely be to appear in a Grapefruit League game. If he pitches well and avoids any setbacks, he may still start the season as the team's closer. For now, that job seems […]

Mike Clevinger Will Be Back on the Mound on Sunday
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (illness) will return to the mound on Sunday. Clevinger was scratched from his last Cactus League start due to an illness, but it was never considered serious and he should be back on track on Sunday. Clevinger has made the Opening Day rotation, and should be able to keep […]

Yan Gomes Sidelined With Minor Arm Soreness
Cleveland Indians catcher Yan Gomes is currently sidelined with what is being described as "minor arm soreness." Gomes will not be behind the plate again until Monday at the earliest, and he won't make the trip to Las Vegas with the team. He will stay back and work as the designated hitter in minor league […]

Ian Desmond Homers Twice In One Inning
Colorado Rockies outfielder/first baseman Ian Desmond was apparently paying attention to the press this morning. Shortly after an article came out headlining Desmond's terrible spring at the plate, he took the Angels to task. Desmond ignited Colorado's offense in the second inning by blasting a towering home run off Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani, and the […]

Danny Salazar Long Tossing from 130 Feet
Cleveland Indians pitcher Danny Salazar (shoulder) has been long tossing from 130 feet. Manager Terry Francona also implied that Salazar was close to returning to throw on the mound. Salazar has been dealing with a rotator cuff injury in his throwing shoulder and has already been ruled out for Opening Day. Josh Tomlin will be […]

Jon Gray Struggling With Fastball Control
Spring is always a time for experimenting with new pitches and approaches, but Colorado Rockies ace starting pitcher Jon Gray is having some trouble with his go-to pitch, his fastball. While Gray's fastball has been sitting comfortably in the mid-90s throughout the spring, his control has faltered. Gray has also been experimenting with a new […]

Jeremy Hellickson Signs Minor League Deal With Nationals
Washington Nationals new starter Jeremy Hellickson has signed a minor league deal with the club, a source has told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. The details of the deal aren't know yet. Hellickson was not very good last season for the Phillies and Orioles, amassing a 5.43 ERA (FIP of 5.77) across 164 innings in 30 starts. […]

After Brief Scare, Gio Gonzalez Finishes Solid Outing
Washington Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez (leg) scared everyone during his third Grapefruit League start on Friday. He grabbed his leg and shook it after a play to first, something that he says he does often. It was indeed nothing and Gonzalez finished up the outing by scattering four hits and three strikeouts while walking one batter […]

Jose Altuve Nearing Massive Extension
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is nearing a five-year, $150 million extension that would begin in 2020, per MLB.com. The reigning MVP's deal ensures he will be in the heart of the Houston lineup for a long time after slashing .346/.410/.547 with four triples, 24 home runs, 32 stolen bases, 39 doubles, 81 runs […]

Adam Eaton To Make Grapefruit Debut Saturday
Washington Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton (knee) will make his Grapefruit League debut on Saturday. He'll play left field and bat third in the order. Eaton has been recovering from a torn ACL in the early part of last season and the club has been slowly ramping up his baseball activities. He's played in some minor league […]

Twins Acquire Jake Cave, Designated Kennys Vargas For Assignment
The Minnesota Twins acquired outfielder Jake Cave from the New York Yankees on Friday, sending right-handed pitcher Luis Gil to New York in exchange. To make room for Cave, the team has designated first baseman Kennys Vargas for assignment. Vargas' days in Minnesota were numbered from the moment they signed Logan Morrison as a free […]

Reds Reassign Dilson Herrera, Others
The Cincinnati Reds have reassigned second baseman Dilson Herrera, catcher Chadwick Tromp, and infielder/outfielders Darnell Sweeney and Patrick Kivlehan to minor league camp. Herrera is the biggest name of the group and was once considered the team's second baseman of the future but shoulder surgery in July of 2017 is still preventing him from playing […]

Craig Kimbrel Still In Boston With Daughter
Boston Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel is still in Boston with his daughter Lydia, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. Manager Alex Cora is very supportive of the family and stated, "That’s about Lydia. ... They’ll make a decision as a family." Kimbrel has been away from camp since Feb. 27. He did […]

Nick Senzel Still Part Of Plans
The Cincinnati Reds and third baseman Eugenio Suarez agreed to a long-term contract extension on Friday. The team announced that Suarez has signed a seven-year, $66 million extension, which will keep him in Cincinnati through the end of the 2024 season. General manager Dick Williams was asked what the extension means for top prospect Nick […]

Atlanta Sends Max Fried To Triple-A
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried will be spending time in Triple-A Gwinnett. He was sent there by the Braves largely because he wasn't appearing in games and needs to have innings. Fried should be back at some point during the season, so keep an eye on call-ups or rumors of impending call-ups. Until then, […]

Braves Sign Anibal Sanchez To Minors Pact
The Atlanta Braves signed free-agent starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez to a minor league deal after the Minnesota Twins cut him loose. Sanchez hasn't really been an effective pitcher since 2014 and his starts with the Twins didn't do much to alleviate concerns about his decline. All he's got is a camp invite and the Braves […]

Franchy Cordero Day-to-Day With Groin Tightness
According to MLB.com beat writer AJ Cassavell, San Diego Padres outfielder Franchy Cordero is listed as day-to-day as he deals with tightness in his groin muscle. San Diego's No. 12 prospect, according to MLB.com, Cordero was hitting .343 with two home runs and a 1.179 OPS over 16 games this spring as he battled for […]

Jharel Cotton Getting Second Opinion
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jharel Cotton (elbow) is getting a second opinion in Dallas on Friday, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Cotton says he remains optimistic he will get good news, as he feels his elbow has full strength. Cotton was removed from his start on Monday and an MRI revealed on […]

Clayton Richard Officially Named Opening Day Starter
As many have speculated, the San Diego Padres have officially announced that starting pitcher Clayton Richard will be their Opening Day starter, according to MLB.com beat reporter AJ Cassavell. Richard will take the mound on March 29 at Petco Park against the Milwaukee Brewers. Last year, he compiled an 8-15 record with a 4.79 ERA […]