MLB Player News

Kikuchi notched four strikeouts and didn’t hand out a free pass, building up his pitch count to 63 (37 strikes) across three frames. He surrendered six hits, but only one of them went for extra-bases. The 34-year-old southpaw is coming off an underwhelming Angels debut last season where he posted a pedestrian 3.99 ERA — 4.47 xERA — 1.42 WHIP and 174/74 K/BB ratio across 178 1/3 innings over 33 starts. The sudden spike in walks and declining strikeout rate remain blinking warning lights and limit his appeal to deeper mixed leagues as an end-game roster filler.

Ryan was among candidates to start a potential WBC championship game after being added to Team USA’s pitcher pool earlier this week. That’s no longer happening. The 29-year-old Twins ace has been battling a back issue this spring but it doesn’t sound like this specific decision was made for health-related reasons. According to Leach, Ryan wasn’t an option to pitch in relief during a potential WBC finale, so the decision was made to go in a different direction with the roster spot. He’ll presumably be ready to take the ball when Minnesota kicks off the regular season later this month.

Keirsey was in Braves camp as extra outfield depth and won’t make the club’s season-opening roster, even after left fielder Jurickson Profar was hit with a 162-game PED suspension. The 28-year-old got into 74 games for the Twins last year and is more of a defensive specialist than anything else. He could be up as a temporary stopgap at some point during the season.

The move paves a relatively unobstructed path for veteran Adam Frazier to open the year as the Angels’ starting second baseman. Technically, Oswald Peraza, Nick Madrigal and Vaughn Grissom remain in the mix but they’ve struggled this spring and make more sense in bench roles. Los Angeles took Moore with the eighth-overall pick back in 2024, one spot before Pittsburgh grabbed baseball’s current top prospect Konnor Griffin. The 23-year-old second baseman has hit just .198/.284/.370 with seven homers in 53 games at the highest level and has struggled to emerge as an everyday option.

It’s a potential worst-case scenario and a crushing blow for Stephenson, who previously underwent Tommy John surgery back in 2024. The 33-year-old veteran reliever suffered a setback earlier this week after experiencing nerve issue and thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms during the offseason. He’ll visit with Dr. Meister to evaluate his options and determine whether he’ll be able to pitch at all this season. The most likely outcome is some kind of surgical procedure if he’s dealing with UCL damage. He’s no longer in the mix to close for the Angels with Kirby Yates, Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz the leading candidates.

Speaking with reporters for the first time since undergoing a cleanup procedure on his left shoulder earlier this week, Gonzalez expressed confidence he’ll be ready to return when first eligible in late May. The 29-year-old infielder was placed on the 60-day injured list earlier this week. His absence creates a short-term platoon issue for the Red Sox at the cold corner because he was one of their most effective bats against left-handed pitching last year.

It was García’s first time throwing off a mound in Blue Jays camp since undergoing elbow surgery last August. The 35-year-old veteran reliever won’t be ready in time for Opening Day but he’s progressing towards an early-season return to Toronto’s high-leverage mix behind closer Jeff Hoffman and new setup specialist Tyler Rogers.

Richardson will open the year back at Triple-A Louisville after being removed from Cincinnati’s 40-man roster during the offseason. The 26-year-old righty posted a serviceable 4.54 ERA and 30/21 K/BB ratio across 37 2/3 innings over a career-high 34 appearances in the big leagues last year.

Lowe returns to Los Angeles’ lineup for the first time since suffering a left oblique injury back in late February. The 28-year-old corner outfielder has expressed optimism about being ready for Opening Day, and his return to game action suggests he’s absolutely trending in that direction. He’s a late-round option for fantasy purposes given his checkered injury history.

Uceta won’t be ready for Tampa Bay’s season opener later this month but he’s trending towards being ready to return at some point in early-to-mid April following a brief rehab assignment. The 28-year-old high-leverage specialist has been brought along slowly this spring after receiving a cortisone shot to alleviate shoulder inflammation earlier in camp. His absence opens the door for Griffin Jax to handle the ninth-inning role at the start of the regular season.

It was Wheeler’s first time facing hitters since undergoing surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome last September. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace is trending towards a return to Philadelphia’s rotation at some point in April but remains without a firm timeline. There should be a definitive target date once Wheeler begins ramping up from a pitch count and endurance standpoint in game action. He’s a top 25-30 range starter in fantasy drafts at the moment, especially since all signs point to him only missing a few weeks at the outset of the regular season.