MLB Player News

Canha returns to Kansas City’s bench as a versatile corner outfield reserve after just a minimum stay on the injured list with a left hip strain. He can be safely ignored in most fantasy formats.

For now, Kolek will be shut down for one-to-two weeks, and then his exact timeline will be determined by how he recovers from that downtime. With the Royals’ rotation seemingly settled, the right-hander was fighting to secure a spot as a multi inning reliever out of the bullpen to begin this season.

Right now, the Pirates are deciding whether or not to carry the 19-year-old phenom on their opening day roster, but signing him to a long-term extension would take service time out of the equation and all but assure he is their opening day shortstop. Last season, number one prospect Roman Anthony signed in eight-year, $130 million extension with the Red Sox months after debuting. However, Anthony is two years older than Griffin, so we should expect any contract that Griffin signs to be for more money.

Gipson-Long, who ended last year on the injured list with a neck injury, has been delayed to start spring training with an oblique injury. His return to the mound on Friday is a good first step. With Troy Melton (elbow) sidelined and Reese Olson out for the season, Gipson-Long’s health could be important for the Tigers early in the season.

Mayer has battled injuries throughout his minor league career, so his goal for the offseason was to add explosiveness but also overall strength to withstand the grind of an MLB season. Part of that offseason training was working out at Trevor Story’s camp, where Mayer “beat both Story and Jarren Duran, two of the fastest players on the team,” in 60-foot races. “Speed was such a big part of my game when I was a little kid,” Mayer said. “That’s the way that I love to play. I love to play hard, I love to run, I love to steal bases, take that extra bag, and I felt it was just a good opportunity to get after it so I could start playing like that again.” Mayer is also currently 220 pounds, which is the most he’d every weighed, and spent the offseason working on his swing mechanics to cut down on his strikeouts. At just 23 years old, Mayer could be in line for a productive season as a full-time player for the Red Sox.

Nothing to be worried about here. The Rangers believe Seager will be sidelined for a couple of days before getting back into the lineup.

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.