MLB Player News

Smolinski missed a large portion of the 2018 season with a blood clot in his left leg and was outrighted off the Athletics’ 40-man roster in October. The 29-year-old outfielder is a .235/.299/.363 career hitter in the major leagues.

This could be a change to help unlock more strikeout upside for Cano. In his 208 2/3 MLB innings, he has just a 23.2 percent strikeout rate, which is well below average for a late-inning reliever. The splitter adds more depth and drop, which could be useful for Cano, whose changeup ran in on right-handed hitters similarly to his sinker. The splitter could play well off the four-seam fastball and give him more swing-and-miss.

Wilson was acquired from the White Sox back in November, but it looks like his debut with his new team is going to be delayed as he deals with “back issues.” There is currently no timeline for his return to the mound.

Melton visited a doctor recently who recommended additional rest time, presumably to let any inflammation subside. With Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander in town, the Tigers don’t need to rush Melton back early in the season but he will likely be an important piece of the team if anybody gets hurt.

According to California Post’s Jack Harris, “They focused on Kim’s legs, trying to get [him] to use the ground to generate more power and stability. Then, they honed in on the alignment of his torso and back, making subtle adjustments aimed at keeping Kim squared up to the ball longer.” Kim struggled in his first MLB season last year, finishing with a .280 batting average, but a .699 OPS and a 30.6 percent strikeout rate. If he’s able to handle breaking balls better this season, Kim could start at second base until Tommy Edman (ankle) returns.

Last season, McMahon had the fourth-widest stance in baseball and also stood 32 inches away from the inside edge of the plate, which was the fourth-longest distance in the big leagues. McMahon said this had happened to him before, so he knew how to fix it. “A lot of good things happen from being a little bit closer together,” McMahon said. “My hands don’t drop as much, which is a super helpful thing.” Considering McMahon’s whiff rate and strikeout rate were career highs and the worst among qualified Major Leaguers, any improvement would be crucial for him.

“Physically, I’m feeling good,” Ober said. “I’m throwing more bullpens this year, just making sure everything mechanically is lined up.” After two strong seasons in 2023 and 2024, Ober took a step back in 2025 and also saw his velocity decrease while he was battling a few injuries. Increased focus on mechanics could get Ober back to previous levels, so his first start will be something to keep an eye on when it happens.

It was a 21-pitch session that featured just four-seam and two-seam fastballs. Afterwards, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said, “The velo was good, the ball flight was good...He felt great. We’ll check him tomorrow, find out how he’s feeling, and get a plan going moving forward.” As of now, Wheeler’s timeline is fluid, and the Phillies have said they will not rush him back because he’s too important to their success this season. As of now, an early May return seems like it might be the most optimistic outlook for Wheeler.

This will be the first time that Crawford has faced live hitters since September 2024. In the intervening months, Crawford has undergone knee and wrist surgery but is allegedly now fully healthy entering spring training. The 29-year-old pitched to a 3.00 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 112/31 K/BB ratio in 114 innings in the first half of 2024 before the knee injury and fatigue started to impact his performance. Crawford is battling for the fifth spot in the rotation, but he does have two minor league options remaining, while Patrick Sandoval has none.

Basallo left Thursday’s game after a play at the plate that had him grabbing at his side. On Friday morning, the 21-year-old said he was “feeling good after getting checked by the medical team yesterday.” Basallo reportedly felt cramping as part of the discomfort, but “everything is good,” so, yeah, that’s good.

Given Lewis’ extensive injury history, there was not a lot of optimism when he was scratched from Thursday’s lineup with side tightness. For now, it appears that the Twins have avoided a major injury.