MLB Player News

Zimmerman will start the third game of the season against the Red Sox on April 4, Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The 26-year-old entered spring training under consideration for starting and relief roles, and he'll open the season in the rotation. Zimmerman pitched well throughout camp with only one hit allowed and a 10:3 K:BB over nine scoreless innings during Grapefruit League action.

Richards was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The 27-year-old surrendered eight runs with an 8:0 K:BB over 7.1 innings during spring training and was unable to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. Richards could work as a spot starter or multi-inning reliever if promoted by the Rays this season.

Fleming was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The 24-year-old made his major-league debut last season and impressed with a 2.78 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 25:7 K:BB over 32.1 innings, but he won't begin 2021 in the big leagues. The move isn't performance related, as Fleming gave up only three hits with an 8:1 K:BB over 8.2 innings during spring training. The young southpaw should receive a starting opportunity for the Rays this season, but he'll open the campaign in the minors.

Abreu allowed two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out three over three innings in Saturday's spring game against the Mets.

Abreu, who was informed that he made the Opening Day roster prior to starting Saturday's game, could see meaningful usage as a stretched-out, multi-inning reliever during the first few weeks of the regular season. The Astros have two rotation slots not yet stretched out. Cristian Javier, who's scheduled to throw the second game of the regular season, has thrown just 3.1 spring innings. The No. 5 slot will eventually go to Jake Odorizzi, but he needs to build up innings and pitch count before entering the rotation. That means Abreu, Brandon Bielak and Luis Garcia, each stretched out for multiple innings, could see significant usage, and possibly a start, early on.

Raley is projected to claim a roster spot in the Astros' bullpen, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Raley has allowed one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six over 5.2 Grapefruit League innings. The left-hander is expected to be a middle reliever.

Graveman owns a 6.52 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and .324 BAA across 9.2 innings over eight Cactus League appearances.

The veteran right-hander snapped out of a two-appearance skid with a solid one-inning scoreless outing against the Padres on Friday, but Graveman was never able to truly hit his stride for very long this spring. The 30-year-old allowed multiple earned runs in two trips to the mound, and he was scored upon once in another appearance while also occasionally running into control issues (four walks). Graveman did post five holds last season after transitioning to the bullpen and flashed a high-90s fastball this spring, so there's certainly hope for him to eventually settle in as a possible eighth-inning option in front of closer Rafael Montero.

Montero, projected to serve as the Mariners' primary closer, has posted five consecutive clean one-inning Cactus League appearances after giving up five runs across his first two spring outings.

Montero was a late arrival to spring training due to a visa issue and was unsettled over his first pair of trips to the mound in a Mariners uniform, but he's literally been unhittable since then. He's also demonstrated pinpoint control in the form of a 5:0 K:BB across that span and certainly appears regular-season ready with the Cactus League schedule about to wrap up.

Swanson was optioned to the Mariners' alternate training site Saturday.

Swanson cruised to a 2.84 ERA and 0.63 WHIP in 6.1 spring innings, but that evidently wasn't enough to earn an Opening Day roster spot. With a career 6.58 ERA in 65.2 major-league innings, Swanson will presumably fill a low-leverage role if and when he returns to the majors.

Fleming recorded five strikeouts over 3.2 scoreless innings in a Grapefruit League win over the Red Sox on Friday, allowing a hit and a walk while hitting a batter.

The southpaw kept his spring ERA unblemished in another impressive outing, his fourth overall in exhibition play. Fleming now has an 8:1 K:BB and .107 BAA across 8.2 Grapefruit League frames, and although manager Kevin Cash isn't committing to any final decisions on his roster just yet, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports the 24-year-old has certainly put his best foot forward in the Rays' skipper's eyes. "He works so fast. He just attacks the zone. His stuff's good. He can really pitch," Cash said. "See how this shakes down here in the next couple days, certainly, but he's made every strong impression possible."

Abreu was informed Saturday that he'll make the Astros' Opening Day roster as a reliever, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Abreu was ramping up his innings during Grapefruit League games but will begin the 2021 season in the major-league bullpen rather than joining Triple-A Sugar Land's rotation. The right-hander has made three appearances (two starts) this spring and posted a 3.68 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 7.1 innings. Abreu should serve as a middle reliever for Houston early in the year.