MLB Player News

Kimbrel's (personal) availability for Opening Day is up in the air, Scott Lauber of ESPN.com reports.

Kimbrel is away from the team in order to be with his daughter as she undergoes a heart procedure. The right-hander is still throwing bullpen sessions in Boston in order to stay fresh, so he should be ready to go as soon as his personal situation is sorted out. When that is remains to be seen, but manager Alex Cora didn't seem eager to rush Kimbrel away from his daughter when he was asked about the situation Friday. Consider the closer day-to-day for now. If Kimbrel isn't able to travel with the team to Tampa Bay for the opening series, Joe Kelly or Matt Barnes could pose as the interim closer.

Whalen could be the Mariners' fifth starter if the team opts to utilize a five-man rotation while Erasmo Ramirez (lat) is sidelined, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

Whalen has been really sharp this spring, allowing just two runs in 13 innings pitched while producing a 19:4 K:BB. The Mariners will be able to go with a four-man rotation until April 11 if they so choose, but there is a chance that Ramirez won't be ready by then. Ariel Miranda is another option to fill the void in that case, but Whalen's outstanding spring showing is giving manager Scott Servais a lot to think about. Whalen may still start the season in the minors, but he could spend more time in the majors if he can carry this strong Cactus League performance into the regular season.

Norris is outperforming Mike Fiers this spring and could bump the latter from the rotation at some point early in the year, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Norris has a 9:1 K:BB in nine Grapefruit League innings, while the veteran Fiers is sitting at a 7:8 K:BB in 11.1 frames. Manager Ron Gardenhire suggested he would likely stick with Fiers for now, and Norris does have an option remaining, so the 24-year-old could begin the season at Triple-A Toledo despite his strong spring. If the struggles continue for Fiers, though, it wouldn't be surprising to see Norris get the call fairly soon.

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

He will be stretched out as a starter in the minors despite the fact he has only ever pitched in the majors in a relief role. The Rays are experimenting with using a four-man rotation this year, where they turn to the bullpen whenever a fifth starter is needed. Hu could be an option in such a capacity later this season, where he would be called upon to log two or three innings before handing it over to another multi-inning reliever.

Smith will be used in any spot during the final third of games this season, Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald reports.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora envisions a variety of roles for Smith, who had a nice September run for Boston in 2017, posting a 1.35 ERA over 6.2 innings. With his trademark slider, Smith is a nice change-of-pace out of a bullpen that features several power arms. He could work his way into a few save opportunities along the way, if Cora sticks with his plan to use closer Craig Kimbrel in high-leverage situations outside of traditional closing opportunities.

Fulmer will get another start or two to right himself, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. "We still have a little bit more trust in him than you might think,'' manager Rick Renteria said. "I know we still have two more starts scheduled for him. We'll see how the next one goes.''

Fulmer has had problems locating pitches this spring and is on the verge of losing a spot in the rotation. Pegged as the fifth starter coming into training camp, the 24-year-old right-hander has walked 10 and given up 18 hits, including seven home runs, over 6.2 innings. That's what an 18.90 ERA looks like. If Fulmer can't locate his pitches and ends up in the minors, Hector Santiago is considered the favorite to claim the job as Chicago's fifth starter.

Tate was sent down to the minor leagues Thursday, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic New York reports.

Tate gave up just one run on four hits and struck out three across 4.0 innings this spring. He'll likely start the season at either Double-A Trenton or Triple-A Scranton.

Kittredge was effective working against A-level Red Sox hitters Wednesday, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports.

Kittredge struggled in his last spring outing, allowing three earned runs on two hits and a walk over 1.1 innings. The 27-year-old right-hander was unsurprisingly much sharper Wednesday against inferior competition, compiling five strikeouts over a pair of perfect innings. Manager Kevin Cash sees Kittredge as a bit of a wild card out of the bullpen, one that could be deployed for a single inning or stretched out further on occasion. HIs first foray against major-league bats last season was a successful one, as he generated a 1.76 ERA over 15.3 innings across 15 appearances.

Pomeranz (forearm) threw a simulated bullpen session Thursday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

Pomeranz isn't expected back by Opening Day, but he was able to throw a bullpen session that equated to about 2.0 innings of work. He could throw live batting practice Sunday depending on how his forearm feels after the throwing session. If he continues to progress, there's a chance he could be ready for the start of the regular season, although the team believes he'll need a longer timetable for his recovery.

Duffey gave up two runs (one earned) over three innings to lower his ERA to 4.66 this spring. He's still in the mix for the fifth starter job, but may end up in the bullpen, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

The Twins have a need for a fifth starter in the first four-to-six weeks before Ervin Santana is set to return from a finger injury. Duffey is competing against Phil Hughes for that role, but he more likely will begin the season in the bullpen and serve as a long reliever and swingman.