MLB Player News

After grounding out in his first at-bat, Norby smacked a two-out single off of Zach Thornton in the third inning but didn’t advance from there. He then singled with one out in the sixth inning, stole second and advanced to third on an overthrow — but the Marlins still couldn’t cash him in. For the spring, Norby is hitting .250 (6-for-24) with one homer, one RBI and a pair of stolen bases.

Lux had missed time this spring with a “cranky” shoulder but returned to the lineup on Sunday. Apparently, he didn’t recover from that game as well as the Rays would have hoped. While his injury means that Richie Palacios will make the Opening Day roster, it’s unclear if Palacios or Ben Williamson will start at second base with Lux out. Palacios is a left-handed hitter, which would favor him, but neither player needs to be added in fantasy leagues right now.

The good news is that the injury is not related to his arm. The bad news is that, because of pitching mechanics, oblique strains can sideline pitchers for four to six weeks. Strider will not be able to throw while he manages the pain and inflammation. He will then begin some strengthening exercises and work his way back onto the mound and have to ramp up his pitch count again. Fantasy managers should expect Strider back in the rotation sometime in early May. Until then, the Braves will likely turn to either Jose Suarez or Didier Fuentes in their starting rotation; however, they could also decide to add any of Martin Perez, Carlos Carrasco, or JR Ritchie to their 40-man roster as well.

This means Connor Wong has won the job as Boston’s backup catcher. Thaiss put pressure on Wong this spring when he got off to a strong start as a hitter and also showcased his plus defensive skills and ability to manage a pitching staff. However, Thaiss wound up going just 4-for-21 this spring, and the Red Sox will see if they can keep him in the organization as catching depth. Gasper is on the 40-man roster, so he will likely head to Triple-A Worcester.

Eaton had a solid spring, going 9-for-32 with four RBI and two steals. However, he only played the outfield in the spring, so it seems like both Andruw Monasterio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa have surpassed him as true utility players.

With Carmen Mlodsinski being named the fifth starter and both Jose Urquidy and Hunter Barco making the Opening Day roster, it seems like Clevinger may be the Pirates’ seventh or eighth starter right now. This spring, he allowed right runs on 10 hits in 14 1/3 innings while striking out 15 and walking 10. He has pitched only 21 2/3 MLB innings since 2023.

Barco, MLB’s 95th-ranked prospect, made his MLB debut last season with just three innings out of the bullpen. He will presumably start this season in the bullpen as well, with Carmen Mlodzinski already named the team’s fifth starter. That means Barco will be the presumed sixth starter and long reliever and should get a chance to start if Mlodzinski falters. Barco looked good this spring, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits in 9 1/3 innings while striking out 12 and walking six. He might not be worth adding right now in his current role, but fantasy managers should watch Mlodzinski’s early starts closely to see if Barco will get a shot.

The financial details are not public at the moment, but Schneider was heading into the final year of his contract, so he will now be under contract with the Blue Jays through the 2028 season. After taking the Blue Jays to the World Series last season and finishing second in the AL Manager of the Year race, it’s certainly a deserved deal for Schneider.

Katie Woo of The Athletic reported earlier Sunday that Sheehan might not get a start the first time through, but it’s now confirmed that he will. Justin Wrobleski, who was the alternative to Sheehan, will piggyback off one of the starters. Based on spring performance, Sasaki, who will start the final game of the opening series against the D-backs, would seem to be the most likely choice. Given how much Sasaki struggled in spring, fantasy managers in deeper formats could still roster Wrobleski in case Sasaki’s struggles force him into bulk relief appearances or a starting job. Sheehan and Ohtani will get the Guardians next Monday and Tuesday.

Miranda hit .304/.373/.522 this spring, but his fate was sealed when the Padres committed to Ty France as a bench guy. Sears probably would have had a rotation spot with a strong spring, but he turned in an 8.44 ERA in his three starts. If the Padres had it to do over again, they probably would have non-tendered him in November instead of retaining him for $2.75 million.

A 10-run third inning decided this one quickly. Glasnow got whiffs on exactly half of the 36 swings against him. His spring ends with a 3.45 ERA and an outstanding 26/3 K/BB in 15 2/3 innings. He’s pretty obviously not going to contribute for six months this year, but it looks like he might be especially good early on.