MLB Player News

Santiago could make the Tigers' roster as a long reliever whenever the regular season is able to begin, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Santiago looked like an odd man out at the start of spring training, but if MLB teams get to use expanded rosters when the season is able to start, the lefty could find his way into an expanded bullpen. His ability to work as a starter or pitch multiple innings in relief could be beneficial, as teams will likely have fewer off days and more doubleheaders, so bullpens could be taxed.

Adams (knee) had just resumed throwing the day that commissioner Rob Manfred suspended spring training, Eno Sarris of The Athletic reports.

Adams has continued throwing on his own as he makes his comeback from October ACL surgery. The 28-year-old has been assisted by some wearable technology, as he's donning a Motus sleeve that tracks stress on the elbow and provides data that Adams has been transmitting to Mariners coaches so they can monitor his daily workload. Adams has been solid during three separate big-league stints with the Nationals and Mariners over the last three seasons. His most extensive stretch in the majors came in 2019, when he logged a career-high 30 appearances in Seattle and produced a 3.94 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and stellar 40.8 percent strikeout rate across 32 innings.

Beeks was on track to potentially serve as a sixth starter on occasion this season in addition to his relief duties when spring training was suspended, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The young southpaw put together a strong body of work during Grapefruit League play, posting a 1.93 ERA and .100 BAA across 9.1 innings over six appearances. Beeks was deployed as a starter in just three of the 33 appearances he made for the Rays in 2019, but he operated in that capacity on a full-time basis in five of seven minor-league stops across four-plus seasons in the Red Sox's organizational ranks. However, it remains to be seen if what will almost certainly be an abbreviated 2020 regular season largely negates the need for the Rays to manage their set starting rotation as carefully as they'd initially planned to.

The Blue Jays optioned Hatch to Triple-A Buffalo on March 10.

After moving to the 40-man roster over the winter, Hatch could get the chance to make his big-league debut in 2020 if the Blue Jays should require a spot starter or long man out of the bullpen at any point during the season. The 25-year-old compiled a 4.12 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 135.1 innings between two Double-A affiliates in 2019.

The Blue Jays optioned Merryweather to Triple-A Buffalo on March 9.

Merryweather has covered just six total innings in affiliated ball the past two seasons, missing the majority of both of those years while rehabbing from March 2018 Tommy John surgery. The 28-year-old will provide organizational starting depth at Triple-A.

Ramirez, who posted a 12.27 ERA across four Cactus League appearances, was still in contention for a bullpen spot when spring training was suspended, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

The 24-year-old right-hander was a Rule 5 pick from the Astros organization in December, and his rights will revert to Houston if the Mariners ultimately opt to leave him off the Opening Day roster. Ramirez didn't exactly make a strong case for himself this spring, but he's shown plenty of promise at multiple stops during his minor-league career. Given the consequences that would surround his release, it's possible the Mariners use one of three potential extra roster spots to open the season on Ramirez in order to buy more time with which to evaluate him.

Rodriguez is projected open the regular season in the bullpen, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. He allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out two over five spring innings.

Sullivan goes as far as calling Rodriguez a "lock" to make the final roster when MLB eventually begins its season. The 28-year-old left-hander pitched well in Japan over the last two seasons, after posting a 5.40 ERA in two partial seasons with the Phillies in 2016 and 2017. He's a classic reliever, whose mid-90s fastball is his top asset, while he uses a slider to generate swings-and-misses. Rodriguez's strikeout rate jumped to 10.6 per nine innings while he was with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball. He could serve as a late-inning lefty option, but he will need to out-perform Brett Martin first.

Martin is expected to be part of the bullpen when the regular season begins, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

A job in the bullpen was Martin's to lose entering camp, and he pitched well enough during the spring to hold on to it. He allowed five hits and one walk over 4.2 scoreless Cactus League innings.

Chavez (elbow) is starting a throwing program designed to have him pitching off a mound by mid-May, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Chavez was headed for a stint on the injured list before spring training shut down. He made just one appearance during the Cactus League, as the elbow injury has lingered since the end of last season. The Rangers are using the delayed start to the season to get Chavez ready at a measured pace. He's been throwing out to 60 feet and is expected to be long-tossing by the end of April.

Puk has been long tossing from 120 feet and says his shoulder feels the best it has in awhile, Susan Sulsser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Puk is one of the most likely beneficiaries of the delayed start to the season, as he appears to be recovering from a shoulder flare-up. "Coming back from Tommy John, a lot of people always seem to talk about how your shoulder kind of flares up and you've just got to work through it. I think I was at that stage," Puk said. A theoretical shortened, compressed season could cause added stress on big-league rotations, so Puk seems likely to get starts if he remains on this trajectory.