Chris Sale's Offseason Plan Becoming More Clear

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale has had an offseason plan that is geared more towards being successful throughout the season and through the postseason. We have known about the existence of a plan all offseason. Scott Lauber of ESPN has exposed a little more of what the plan actually entails. The lesson thus far […]

J.D. Martinez Getting Closer To Spring Debut

Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez will begin hitting in games soon. Manager Alex Cora stated that he will discuss with Martinez on Saturday when he feels would be a good time to make his spring debut. On Tuesday, Cora stated Martinez would likely start serving as the designated hitter after their day off on Monday. Until […]

Hunter Pence To Play Saturday

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence (neck) will be in Saturday’s lineup, says Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Pence dealt with neck issues earlier in spring training and then battled the flu. He is 1-for-3 so far this spring and will be the Giants everyday right fielder in 2018. Pence has been hurt by injuries the past […]

Mark Melancon Hopes To Put 2017 Behind Him

San Francisco Giants closer Mark Melancon is looking to move on from an unforgettable 2017 campaign. Melancon spoke about his focus for 2018 and how he won’t forget about 2017, but will learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again. He is also focused on being productive and healthy. Melancon dealt with injuries […]

Tom Koehler Leaves Game With Possible Injury

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Tom Koehler (undisclosed), who was recently acquired, left Friday's Cactus League game against the White Sox after a third of an inning. He left with trainer Nate Lucero and got an MRI. He quickly gave up a home run to Adam Engel on his first pitch of the third inning, so things […]

A.J. Cole Looks Like Nationals Fifth Starter

Washington Nationals rookie starter A.J. Cole seems to have the fifth spot in the rotation locked down. The Nationals are still in talks with free-agent starter Jake Arrieta, but his price would seem to be too rich for Washington's blood. Fellow prospect Erick Fedde is also in the mix, but unlike him, Cole is out of […]

Ben Zobrist Close To Game Action

Chicago Cubs second baseman/outfielder Ben Zobrist (back) is getting close to game action and manager Joe Maddon said that he could play in games as early next week. Zobrist has been dealing with back issues for all of spring training, but Maddon has said all along that he is going to take it easy with […]

Kris Bryant Could Play Again On Saturday

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (flu) returned to action on Friday and went 1-for-2 before being pulled in the third inning. Bryant isn’t at full strength but may still play Saturday. Bryant should be good to go and is one of the safest picks if you are looking for hitting early on.

Jacob deGrom To Throw Batting Practice On Sunday

New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (back) is set to throw live batting practice on Sunday, another step towards ensuring he is ready to go by Opening Day. Mets manager Mickey Callaway told the media that deGrom could make his Grapefruit League debut next week, assuming all goes well with Sunday’s batting practice session. deGrom […]

Ryan Zimmerman Makes Solid Contact In His 2018 Debut

Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman went 1-for-2 in his spring training debut on Friday. The veteran 33-year-old had been held from playing earlier due to stiffness and a history of injury. He lined a shot to the right fielder in his first at-bat and doubled the second time up. Zimmerman regained his youthful form […]

Bryce Harper And His Healed Toenail Will Start Saturday

Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper will return to action on Saturday after having a minor surgical procedure on an ingrown toenail. He had a similar situation in 2013 and only missed one game then. He won't play the field, however. He'll serve as the designated hitter while hitting third. Harper is about to become the […]

Christian Villanueva Could Play Both Third and Shortstop

San Diego Padres third baseman Christian Villanueva wants to be the Padres primary third baseman. However, that role belongs to veteran Chase Headley. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports San Diego will test Villanueva at shortstop to back up Freddy Galvis. There's no guarantee Headley will be with the Padres all season and versatility adds to […]

Shohei Ohtani Strikes out Eight

Los Angeles Angels starter Shohei Ohtani struck out eight of the 12 Brewers that he faced on Friday. He threw 52 pitches in the outing. Although he surrendered two runs, he only gave up one hard hit ball and looked sharp throughout. His fastball sat around 93 mph and got up to 96. Overall, Ohtani has […]

Kenley Jansen Given Day Off, Will Still Be Ready

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen has been given the day off from his bullpen session on Friday. He'll still be ready for Opening Day, though, since relievers are given a lighter workload in the spring. The team is also mindful of his innings from last season and hopes to give him a similar number […]

Walker Buehler Impressing In Early Bullpen Sessions

Los Angeles Dodgers top pitching prospect Walker Buehler is impressing his pitching coaches in his first bullpen sessions. Back problems in January have led to a reduced throwing program for Buehler, but the Dodgers likely don't mind. He's two full seasons removed from Tommy John surgery and despite success in the minor leagues last season, […]

Dylan Bundy Has Another Rough Spring Outing on Friday

It was another ugly day for Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Dylan Bundy. He gave up five runs on seven hits over the course of his 2 1/3 innings. He didn't walk or strike out anyone. That's 10 runs in four innings, which means a 20.77 ERA. Good thing it's spring training, huh? Don't worry, yet. A […]

Michael Kohn Tears Right Biceps

Minnesota Twins right-hander Michael Kohn tore the coracobraschialis muscle in his right biceps on Wednesday. The 31-year-old right-hander is expected to miss several months after the injury and will be seen at the Mayo Clinic to undergo further testing. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016, Kohn spent the 2017 season pitching in the minors […]

Joe Musgrove Throws Another Bullpen Session

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (shoulder) is slowly getting closer to seeing game action. The Pirates right-hander has not yet appeared in a spring training contest due to shoulder discomfort, but the issue is minor. Musgrove threw an extended bullpen session on Friday, as reported by the Post-Gazette's Bill Brink, meaning he's one step […]

Austin Barnes Will Catch First Game Monday

Los Angeles Dodgers backup catcher Austin Barnes (elbow) will make his Cactus League debut on Monday behind the plate. Barnes has been on a reduced throwing program after he developed elbow problems on the eve of spring training. A clubhouse virus that made its way across the team earlier this week also delayed his first appearance. […]

Ervin Santana Will Have To Wait To Have Cast Removed

Minnesota Twins right-hander Ervin Santana (finger) will have to wait to have the cast removed from his right hand. Santana had surgery on the middle finger of his pitching hand in early February and is expected to miss around 10 to 12 weeks as he recovers. He was originally slated to have the cast removed on […]

Jason Castro Scratched With Migraines

The Minnesota Twins have scratched catcher Jason Castro after he developed migraines on Friday. Castro will be replaced in the lineup by Williams Austudillo. The Twins will likely play it safe with Castro, who spent a part of the season on the concussion list last year. Castro was sent home by the team in attempts […]

Eric Thames Expected To Play Saturday

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Eric Thames (back), who was scratched with back tightness Thursday, is feeling better and is expected to play Saturday, according to manager Craig Counsell. Thames came out of the gates hot last year, hitting 11 home runs in April, but he only hit 20 bombs the rest of the way, and […]

Brandon Crawford In Lineup Friday

San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (finger) is back in the lineup Friday as the team’s designated hitter. Crawford jammed his right index finger while sliding back on a pickoff throw on Wednesday. It’s a good sign that he is able to hit and it shouldn’t be too much longer before he’s back on defense. […]

Brandon Finnegan Throws Simulated Game

Cincinnati Reds left-hander Brandon Finnegan (shoulder) threw a simulated game in Goodyear, Ariz., on Thursday. Finnegan made just four starts during the 2017 season, as he dealt with a strained muscle in his left shoulder and later dislocated his non-throwing shoulder in an off-field accident. In the simulated game, Finnegan faced eight batters in two innings, […]

Jose Quintana Looking For More Consistency

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jose Quintana said he is looking for more consistency in 2018. Quintana fell 11 1/3 innings short of 200 innings in 2017 between the Cubs and White Sox and has a goal of reaching that in 2018. Quintana has to adjust after moving from the American League to the National League […]

Sam Travis To Expand Versatility

Boston Red Sox first baseman Sam Travis is likely to have his positional eligibility expand, according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. The Red Sox are looking for Travis to play some corner outfield later this spring. Travis does not fit the mold of the traditional first baseman ,as he lacks power. Also, another […]

Jacoby Ellsbury A Late Scratch Against Braves

New York Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury was scratched from Friday's game against the Braves due to tightness in his right side. Estevan Florial took his spot in center field. Ellsbury missed 50 games last year after being fairly durable for most of his time in New York, save for his 111-game season in '15. He's […]

Michael Brantley Progresses to Defensive Drills

Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley (ankle) is going to test his lateral movement by participating in some defensive drills on Friday. It's the only thing he hasn't done yet in his rehab from an ankle injury. He's been hitting, throwing, and running, but has not participated in full defensive drills yet. Brantley has nice upside […]

Carlos Martinez Scratched From Friday's Start

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez was scratched from Friday's start due to "personal reasons," according to manager Mike Matheny. Nothing else is known yet, but details are sure to emerge before too long. Still, it doesn't seem to be anything to worry about, at least on the injury front. Martinez is a solid […]

Danny Valencia Signs Minors Deal With Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles signed free-agent third baseman Danny Valencia to a minor league deal. It'll become official when he passes a physical on Saturday. Valencia played for the Orioles once before, in 2013. He'll provide some depth at third and the outfield should there be any injuries. He's not a fantasy star by any stretch […]