MLB Player News

Hultzen is expected to make his spring training debut early next week, Bob Dutton of The News Tribune reports.

The Mariners have put Hultzen on a "go-slow" program and are being cautious with him due to his history of shoulder injuries. The former second overall pick has only pitched in 29 games since 2012 as a result of his injuries and will look to save his career in 2016 by staying healthy and transitioning into a reliever. He appears to be too much of a risk to be a viable fantasy option this season.

Loup has been diagnosed with a flexor tendon strain and will be shut down for two weeks, Sportsnet's Barry Davis reports.

While Loup's injury will cost him two weeks of preparation and could land him on the disabled list to open the season, the good news is doctors did not find any ligament damage in his forearm, so he is not looking at a lengthy recovery period.

Harvey threw an inning Thursday and allowed two hits with a strikeout.

This was Harvey's first game action since last spring before ankle and elbow injuries ruined all of his regular season. The Orioles should take another look or two at him this spring before reassigning him to minor league camp. The good news is it seems he is fully healthy at this point. An innings limit is a certainty. Look for Harvey to start at High-A and if all goes well he will move up to Double-A.

Loup resumed throwing Thursday after experiencing some forearm tightness but reportedly didn't feel good afterward, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsbet reports.

It's unclear when the tightness in his forearm emerged, but apparently it's affecting him quite a bit at the moment. The Blue Jays are going to assess his arm to determine the next steps, so we should know fairly soon how long Loup will have to stay out of action.

Loe signed a minor league contract with the White Sox on Thursday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Loe had trouble finding a team due in part to poor performance in recent years, but also due to a 50-game suspension he received in January. The contract does not include an invitation to major league spring training, which means the tall right-hander will likely begin the 2016 campaign in the minor leagues.

May enters spring training as a candidate for the fifth starter role but could also return to a relief role, manager Paul Molitor told MLB.com. May threw two scoreless innings with a strikeout in his spring debut Wednesday.

May thrived in relief by posting a 2.87 ERA and 37:8 K:BB ratio in 31.1 innings last season but his strong 8.6 K/9 rate and good control (2.0 BB/9) could make him one of the team's top starters. Still, the team appears to prefer him in relief. And his appearance as a reliever rather than starter in the first spring game could indicate he's a long shot for the rotation.

Johnson pitched in game-conditions Wednesday for the first time since Aug. 2015, WEEI.com reports. He walked two batters, allowed two hits and two runs and was unable to finish off two scheduled innings, but was pleased to be able to come off a mound again. "I think I came off the mound and hugged our Triple-A pitching coach Bob Kipper," the left-hander said. "I said, 'I felt like myself again.' He just said, 'it looked like night and day, the last time I saw you to this time.' It looked like myself."

Johnson was shut down last August after attempting to pitch through nerve irritation in his left elbow, an ailment he kept to himself until it became bad enough. The irritation created numbness in his fingers, which predictably led to a lack of command. More than most pitchers on the roster, Johnson needs to precisely command his low-90s fastball to get the most out of his stuff. This spring is all about his health and proving to the Red Sox he's the same pitcher they saw at the start of the 2015 season, when he had a 2.73 ERA and allowed opponents to hit .217 at Triple-A Pawtucket.

Jackson (back) will be shut down for two weeks, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Jackson has been bothered by his lower-back since the start of camp, and after being evaluated Tuesday, he's been diagnosed with a stress reaction, an injury that's affected him in the past. As is often the case with stress-related injuries, rest has been prescribed, and the plan is for Jackson to be reevaluated in a couple of weeks.

Duffey will be in the Minnesota rotation this season unless something "fairly significant" happens, Manager Paul Molitor told Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Duffey was set to compete with Tommy Milone, Ricky Nolasco and Trevor May for one of the final two spots in the rotation. If Duffey is set in the rotation, that likely means Nolasco, Milone and May are competing for the fifth starter role.

Chapman was suspended 30 games in relation to a domestic violence incident over the offseason, Billy Witz of the NY Times reports.

Chapman had reported earlier that he would appeal any suspension handed to him, but he'll apparently accept his ban without appealing. The hard-throwing lefty didn't end up facing any criminal charges for the incident, but MLB's new domestic violence policy implemented last season still grants commissioner Rob Manfred the ability to levy a suspension in such cases. Chapman will continue to play during spring training and will be eligible to make his Yankees debut May 9, figuring to slot in as the team's closer at that time.