MLB Player News

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday that the team will open the season with a four-man rotation and stick with that setup into May before adding a fifth starter to the mix, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Cash's revelation means that Honeywell will likely report to Triple-A Durham to begin the campaign.

There was some hope that Saturday's trade of Jake Odorizzi to the Twins might create an opening for Honeywell to break camp with the big club, but the team will instead forgo replacing Odorizzi's rotation spot and go with Chris Archer, Blake Snell, Jake Faria and Nathan Eovaldi as their Opening Day starting staff. A spring injury to one of the four aforementioned pitchers could provide renewed hope for Honeywell to get his first look in the majors, but for now, it appears the Rays want to see him get some further refinement in the International League. It wouldn't seem that Honeywell is in need of much more finishing, given that he posted a 3.64 ERA (2.84 FIP) and 152:31 K:BB over 123.2 innings in his first season at Triple-A in 2017.

Diekman is set to compete with Alex Claudio and Keone Kela for the Rangers' closing gig during spring training, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Diekman received some good news Saturday when free-agent pickup Seung Hwan Oh's agreement with the Rangers was nixed due to a failed physical, leaving three pitchers left to contend for the ninth-inning vacancy. Alex Claudio, who finished last season as closer while notching 11 saves in 15 opportunities, looks like the tentative frontrunner, though Diekman and Kela would offer harder-throwing options from the left and right side, respectively, if manager Jeff Banister wants more of a power pitcher at the back end. Diekman quickly established himself as a dependable setup arm for the Rangers upon making his season debut last September following an extended recovery from surgery to address ulcerative colitis. He turned in scoreless outings in 10 of his 11 appearances and collecting five holds and a save.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday that Andriese would work in a multi-inning relief role through at least mid-May while the team deploys a four-man rotation, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Cash didn't rule out the possibility of Andriese making a spot start or two in scenarios where a fifth starter is required due to a heavier game schedule, but it appears the right-hander isn't being considered for the No. 4 spot in the rotation that looks to be up for grabs. Though Andriese has been far more effective as a reliever in the majors (3.54 ERA, .222 batting average against in 56 innings) than as a starter (4.55, .272), his fantasy value would take a hit if he ends up sticking in the bullpen for the bulk of the 2018 season.

Kimbrel will be deployed in non-save situations this season, per manager Alex Cora, Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com reports.

Cora explained his philosophy is to use his best reliever in the most important part of the game, whether that be the seventh, eighth or ninth inning. What constitutes as the 'most important' part of the game will change from game to game, but the manager doesn't feel it will cost Kimbrel too many saves. "People think it's a big adjustment. If you start looking at the numbers you don't lose too many saves if it's the way you want to use him," Cora said. "We're not talking about the lower third of the lineup. We're talking the middle of the lineup, eighth inning, certain situations. What I feel is game-on-the-line." Kimbrel had been off-the-charts bad in non-save situations in 2016 (5.12 ERA 14 BB, 19.1 IP), but improved dramatically last season when he posted a 0.64 ERA over 28 innings when a game was not on the line.

The Twins placed May (elbow) on the 60-day disabled list Sunday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for Anibal Sanchez, whose signing is expected to be officially announced later Sunday. Though May has gradually increased his throwing distance and hasn't hit any notable snags in his recovery since undergoing Tommy John surgery last spring, he wasn't in line to join the Twins for the first two months of the season, so his placement on the 60-day DL is merely a formality. If all goes well during what's expected to be an extended rehab assignment across multiple affiliates, May could rejoin the Minnesota at some point over the summer as either a starter or reliever.

Moore is dealing with some soreness behind his right knee, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The issue kept Moore from participating in fielding practice Saturday, though it doesn't sound like anything overly serious given it didn't affect his ability to throw a bullpen. Moore was also able to do some light jogging on the side. That said, it's unclear if the issue will keep him sidelined for any Cactus League action.

White Sox manager Rick Renteria said Covey will get opportunities during spring training to prove he belongs in the major leagues, Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Covey, a Rule 5 draft pick last year, stayed with Chicago for the entire season, but his numbers suggest he's not yet ready for prime time. In 18 games -- 12 of them starts -- the right-hander finished 0-7 with a 7.78 ERA. That outcome was utterly predictable given that Covey entered 2017 with just six games of experience at Double-A. The organization no longer needs to harbor him on the major-league roster, so we fully expect the White Sox to allow him to develop in the minors.

Maurer will make $2.95 million in 2018 after losing his arbitration case, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports.

Maurer came in at $3.5 million. The right-hander dealt with a bit of bad luck over the course of the 2017 season, although he did struggle tremendously with throwing strikes and limiting home runs. He posted a 6.52 ERA -- with a 3.96 FIP -- over the course of 68 appearances between the Royals and Padres, and had a 59:19 K:BB in 59.1 innings of relief. If he's able to regain his form, Maurer should be in line to receive a bunch of high-leverage opportunities during this upcoming campaign.

Garton underwent hip surgery to repair his labrum during the offseason and isn't expected to take the mound for a few more weeks, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Garton split the 2017 season with Tampa Bay and Seattle, accumulating a 4.91 ERA and 16:6 K:BB over 22 innings as a reliever. He recently signed a minor-league deal with the club in January, which included an invitation to spring camp. Due to this setback, it remains highly unlikely that he will find a role with the big-league team to start the year.

McHugh will make $5 million in 2018 after winning his arbitration case Thursday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

He made just 12 starts last season, but McHugh still pitched well when he was healthy, as he posted a 3.55 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP in that span. As a result, he'll make $450K more than the Astros offered him in arbitration as he looks to bounce back with a healthy 2018 campaign. With no room in Houston's projected starting rotation, McHugh will use spring training to prove he's healthy and facilitate a trade to a team in need of a starter.