MLB Player News

Giles (elbow) won't throw for a few weeks due to a tendon issue in his middle finger, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.

Giles appeared set to be part of a closer committee in Seattle this season after making his way back from Tommy John surgery. He should still get the chance to do that, but not right away. He'll have to ramp back up once he resumes throwing, so it's hard to envision him making his Mariners debut until at least May.

Brentz has allowed just one hit and one walk with three strikeouts over four innings in four Cactus League games.

Brentz is looking to build off of a solid rookie campaign -- he went 5-2 with two saves, 15 holds, a 3.66 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 76:37 K:BB across 64 innings last season. The southpaw's strong start to the spring should keep him in the mix for high-leverage situations, along with the likes of Scott Barlow, Josh Staumont and Amir Garrett. Brentz isn't likely to see a lot of save chances early on, but he could help in fantasy formats that count holds.

Staumont has allowed five runs on three hits and six walks while striking out three over 3.2 innings in four Cactus League games.

It's too early to worry much about his performance, but it's a little concerning to see him struggle. The right-hander was excellent as part of a closer committee last season, logging five saves, 16 holds, a 2.88 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 72:27 K:BB in 64 appearances. He only allowed 0.8 HR/9 while flexing a 96.6 mph average on his fastball. Staumont enters the season in the mix for high-leverage innings again, though Scott Barlow is expected to get the majority of the save chances at the start of 2022.

Sandlin (shoulder) struck out two in a perfect inning in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Mariners.

Sandlin ended 2021 with a shoulder strain that cost him the final seven weeks of the season. Now healthy, the right-hander should be in contention for a high-leverage bullpen role, though he's unlikely to unseat Emmanuel Clase as closer. Sandlin went 1-1 with five holds, a 2.94 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 48:17 K:BB across 33.2 innings as a rookie last season.

Akin allowed one run on three hits and a walk and struck out two in three innings versus the Pirates on Thursday.

Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports Akin and Tyler Wells could work as a pitching tandem early in the season as both look to get stretched out after a condensed spring training. Wells is already locked in for the rotation, but Akin would likely have more upside via vultured wins in the early going. Of course, the Orioles aren't expected to be that competitive this season, so any upside is minimal. Akin posted a 6.63 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 82:40 K:BB in 95 innings last season, making 17 of his 24 appearances as a starter. Whether as a starter or a reliever, the southpaw would need to make significant strides to draw much fantasy interest.

Pressly's fastball velocity is roughly three mph lower this spring than his average last season (92.4 vs. 95.4), but he is not concerned, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. "Relievers run off adrenaline and there's no adrenaline here," Pressly said earlier this week. "I'm not really worried about velocity. I'd rather be 92, 94 than 97, 98 all over the place."

A lot of pitchers' velocities are down this spring, so this isn't necessarily a major red flag, but it's something to consider when comparing Pressly to other elite closers in drafts. Hector Neris seems like the obvious next man up if Pressly were to suffer an injury or decline in effectiveness.

Crochet is expected to require Tommy John surgery, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Crochet will receive a second opinion before committing to the procedure, but the outlook doesn't look good for the young lefty. If he winds up undergoing the procedure as expected, he'll miss all of this season and a good portion of next year as well. That may also affect his planned transition to a starting role, something the White Sox had been hoping would happen in 2023.

Foster was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on Friday.

Foster threw 39 innings for the White Sox last season but struggled to a 6.00 ERA. He could return when the team needs bullpen depth, but it's no surprise to see him off the roster to start the year.

Chafin's availability for Opening Day is in question as he continues to receive treatment for groin tightness, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Chafin was scratched from a scheduled Grapefruit League appearance Wednesday, and time is getting tight for him to get back on track and avoid a trip to the injured list. The Tigers brought Jacob Barnes back from minor-league camp Friday, which seems to be a clear sign that they're worried Chafin won't break camp with the team.

Barlow allowed a run on one hit and one walk while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning in Thursday's spring training game against the Dodgers.

Barlow allowed a run for the third time in four Cactus League appearances and sports a 9.82 ERA over 3.2 innings. He had been the presumed closer until Wednesday, when Rangers manager Chris Woodward told Kennedi Landry of MLB.com that he did not want to use the 26-year-old right-hander in that role right away. The manager cited raised expectations following a rookie season in which Barlow converted 11-of-12 save opportunities. Woodward mentioned Spencer Patton, Matt Bush and Greg Holland as candidates to serve in the ninth inning of games.