MLB Player News

Espada re-signed with the Padres last month shortly after being non-tendered, but will head to Japan for 2024 rather than compete in spring training for a spot in San Diego’s bullpen. The 26-year-old righty made his big league debut back in September with the Padres.

With the Reds seemingly poised to give him another look in the two hole despite last season’s struggles, things are really looking up for McLain right now. His homers today both left the bat at over 107 mph and were projected at 412 and 421 feet. He’s 8-for-14 with three homers, three walks and just one strikeout in 17 plate appearances this spring. Last spring, he had a 17/2 K/BB in 57 plate appearances.

The first five hitters in the first collected three doubles, a single and a walk before Singer got a double play ball and a strikeout. The second was a little better, but he still gave up one run before Scott Kingery was thrown out at home to end the frame. Singer got just one miss on 20 swings today. His rotation spot is surely safe this spring, but if Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder stay healthy, one wonders if Singer will be one of the Reds’ five best starters for the long run.

Canada’s ace is not off to a good start ahead of the World Baseball Classic. With two more homers allowed today, he’s sporting a 19.50 ERA this spring, having given up 13 runs and six homers in six innings. His velocity is fine, and he obviously has a lot of fine-tuning to do with his expansive arsenal. There probably still isn’t any reason for concern yet.

Terry Francona likes his veterans, so it’d be for the best if Stewart left nothing to chance this spring as far as forcing his way into Cincinnati’s lineup. He’s 6-for-14 with two homers, three walks and two steals thus far. Consider him one of the NL Rookie of the Year favorites.

Exit velocity has never been the issue for Hayes, but it was nice that his two balls in play today were hit 111 and 104 mph. He’s being penciled in as the Reds’ starting third baseman, but the team does have Sal Stewart and Christian Encarnacion-Strand available as alternatives if he doesn’t hit. Heck, Eugenio Suárez and Noelvi Marte both played third last year, too.

The Michael Conforto addition gives the Cubs an intriguing alternative should Ballesteros get off to a slow start, but the 22-year-old deserves a chance to show when he can do before having to worry about playing time. The appearance today was Ballesteros’s second of the spring after his late arrival due to visa issues.

Neto’s lone hit of the contest was a 101.3 mph laser beam to left field that would’ve brought home a pair of runs had Adam Frazier not been cut down at the dish on the play. The 25-year-old shortstop, who is coming off a 26-homer, 26-steal season in just 128 games last year, has been a late-second or early-third round pick in NFBC fantasy drafts since the start of February.

The fact that Rodriguez, who struck out three and only issued one walk in this latest outing, is healthy qualifies as a major fantasy storyline this spring. The 26-year-old is just a few years from being widely regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the sport before an avalanche of injuries derailed his career and kept him from reaching those lofty expectations. He’s impossible to trust right away in shallow mixed leagues but fantasy managers should monitor his early-season outings, especially if he’s going to keep missing bats with a near 25-percent strikeout rate.

The results don’t matter but Cameron surrendered three run-scoring hits and failed to record a strikeout in this outing. The 26-year-old lefty was an unexpected revelation last year for fantasy managers but the lack of strikeouts significantly diminished velocity this spring are serious red flags.

Webb will be followed by Tigers ace Tarik Skubal against Great Britain before Pirates stalwart Paul Skenes toes the rubber against Mexico with Mets rookie sensation Nolan McLean rounding out the pool play rotation against Italy. The international showcase kicks off later this week with the quarterfinals set to begin on Friday, March 13.