MLB Player News

Rays pitcher Alex Colome still hasn't reported to camp due to a visa issue, according to the Tampa Tribune.

Colome was a candidate for the fifth spot in the team's rotation, at least until Matt Moore was able to return from Tommy John surgery. He's been able to put in work at the club's facility in the Domincan Republic, and manager Kevin Cash doesn't want to rule him out just yet. 

"Colome is getting his work in. We know that. We’ve had communication on that," Cash said. "As I’ve said the whole time, we’d like to have him here. I don’t think it’s fair to punish a guy for being held up, so he’s still very much a factor."

Colome, 26, posted a 2.66 ERA over 23 2/3 innings last year. 

Red Sox starting pitcher Joe Kelly surrendered four earned runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings in his spring debut Thursday, striking out two and walking none.

"Stuff wasn't as crisp as it usually is," Kelly said after his outing. "88 mile fastball, don't think I've done that since I was 13. I know what I need to work on. ... I threw 44 pitches, will look to build up to 100 pitches. I'm not going to beat myself up. Will watch some video, work on things. ... Four-seam not as crisp as I would like. Just not there yet, but that will come. I threw all four pitches today, that's a plus."

Kelly said during the offseason that he planned on winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2015. He went 6-4 with a 4.20 ERA and 66:42 K:BB ratio in 96 1/3 innings between the Cardinals and Red Sox last season.

Twins pitcher Michael Tonkin is hoping to break camp on the 25-man roster, according to MLB.com.

Tonkin has been up and down the past two seasons, but is competing for a bullpen spot this spring. He has one option year left on his contract, but he's hoping he can break camp with the major-league club.

"It would be huge," Tonkin said. "It's a pretty important year for me. Just the business side of it, having just one option left. It's important to show them I can be a big leaguer. I feel like I'm ready."

Tonkin, 25, posted a 4.74 ERA over 19 innings last season. 

Astros starting pitcher Collin McHugh was oustanding in his spring debut Thursday against the Phillies. The right-hander tossed two scoreless innings, allowing just one walk.

He also had strikeouts of Domonic Brown, Cody Asche and Aaron Altherr.

“I think there are a couple things that I want to do,” McHugh said, per the Houston Chronicle. “Obviously, I’d like to develop my changeup a little bit more, figure out where to throw it in counts a little bit better. But overall, just kind of you work through your routine.

“Then, whatever the game kind of throws at you, you make adjustments as you need to. Today I threw a more cutters ’cause they had four lefties in there in the first six hitters. If they had more righties, I’d probably throw more curveballs. You see what the lineup gives you and you go from there.”

Royals pitcher Tim Collins is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his sore elbow Thursday, according to MLB.com. 

Collins left Wednesday's game against the Rangers after experiencing tightness in his elbow. Kansas City won the game 13-2. Though further testing will take place, Collins expressed optimism about the injury. 

"I think it's just spring training," Collins said. "Everybody goes through this. It's just some tightness. I don't know what the plan is yet with the trainers."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Thursday he would like Esmil Rogers to fill the role David Phelps had in 2014 as a long reliever and spot starter, per ESPN.

"We think he’s got good stuff," Girardi said. "It’s learning how to use it and become more consistent. He’s got velocity, he’s got a good breaking ball, he's got a changeup. He has the ability to pitch. We feel he can do a lot of different things. He gives us a lot of flexibility, which is good. We like having that on our pitching staff, because you never know when something’s going to pop up." 

Athletics pitcher Jesse Chavez tossed two scoreless innings in his spring debut on Wednesday.

Chavez is competing for the fifth spot in the team's rotation, and made his case during his first appearance. Chavez allowed two hits and one walk over two innings of work. He struck out one during the outing. 

Chavez said he was nervous for the start, but embraces the competition. "I like the competition," he said. "Every year there's a competition, especially for me in my situation. So I embrace it, I like it, and I think it's challenging for all of us here and will bring out the best in us."

The 31-year-old posted a 3.45 ERA over 146 innings last year. 

White Sox relief pitcher Zach Putnam was held out of Wednesday's game against the Dodgers with a stomach ailment, reports MLB.com.

Putnam, who is also dealing with a back injury during spring training, went 5-3 in 2014 with a 1.98 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings pitched.

Royals reliever Tim Collins is dealing with elbow soreness, according to the Kansas City Star.

Collins will head for an MRI on Wednesday in order to determine the severity of the injury. The team won't have a timetable for Collins until they receive the results of the MRI. 

The 25-year-old posted a 3.86 ERA over 21 innings last year.

Athletics pitcher Jesse Chavez is hoping to lock down a rotation spot, according to the Bay Area News Group.

Chavez performed well in 21 starts with the club in 2014, but lost his job after the team acquired Jon Lester midseason. Chavez blames himself for the demotion. "It wasn’t a case of the job being taken away," he said. "It was a case of I didn’t hold it. I shouldn’t have put the team in a position to doubt me."

After the Athletics brought in a fair amount of pitching in the offseason, Chavez has become somewhat of an after-thought as the team's fifth starter. He believes the opportunity is there, though. "The chance to be a starter is there," Chavez said. "For me, I just approach it like last year when I was trying to just win a spot on the staff. I’m always going to pitch like I’m pitching to win a job."

Chavez, 31, posted a 3.45 ERA over 146 innings last year.