MLB Player News

Twins pitcher Trevor May (illness) said he was able to throw 15-to-20 pitches Tuesday without issue, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

May plans to face hitters Wednesday to get back on schedule. He was one of five players sent home from Monday's workouts due to illness, but he was able to return one day later. May is competing for a rotation spot this spring.

All five Twins players -- Byron Buxton, Trevor May, Oswaldo Arcia, Jordan Schafer and Kurt Suzuki -- that were sent home due to illness on Monday, returned to the clubhouse on Tuesday and rejoined the club for workouts, reports the Star Tribune.

The Twins begin exhibition season Wednesday with a game against the University of Minnesota.

Rays pitcher Alex Colome may not be ready for the start of the regular season, according to the Tampa Tribune. 

Colome has been delayed by visa issues thus far, though he's been able to throw at the Rays facility in the Dominican Republic. Colome is facing hitters, but manager Kevin Cash still expressed some doubt about his availability once the regular season begins. 

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

Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe (illness) was back at workouts Monday, but the Twins sent five other players home due to illness before Monday workouts began, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Pitcher Trevor May and outfielders Byron Buxton and Jordan Schafer missed a second straight day of workouts, while catcher Kurt Suzuki and outfielder Oswaldo Arcia also had to miss the Monday session.

The Twins begin exhibition season Wednesday with a game against the University of Minnesota.

White Sox manager Robin Ventura was not optimistic pitcher Chris Sale would be ready to pitch by Opening Day, reports ESPN.com.

“He was slated to go for Opening Day and there is a slim chance that he would be able to do that," Ventura said. "I would expect it not to be that way, but being that it's his ankle, we can treat that. It's not as though it’s his elbow where we would really be cautious."

Sale is recovering from a broken foot and if he is not ready by opening day, pitching coach Don Cooper said Brad Penny, Scott Carroll, Frankie Montas or Chris Beck would be given a chance to replace Sale.

"I think all of the guys that I've mentioned have a shot at making the rotation if [Sale] is not ready to go," Cooper said. "And then we'll make some adjustments to the schedule. Maybe it's me, but it feels like we've dealt with stuff like this before. That's OK, it is what it is. It sucks and I wish it didn't happen, but there are a lot of things people wish didn't happen. This is one with Chris and we'll deal with it."

The Astros are leaning toward pitcher Collin McHugh as their starter for the opening of spring training, reports The Houston Chronicle.

"It's trending toward Collin McHugh starting that first game and getting our pitching lined up," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Everybody should pitch in the next four or five games, so [pitching coach Brent Strom] and I are putting that list together. He's got another live BP, so that's why I hesitate to put it in pen. But right now we're planning on seeing him early."

However, Hinch indicated the starter for Opening Day has not been determined.

"Truthfully, I mean, that and even who throws game one of the regular season — game one of the regular season's a little more kind of like a nod to more what you did in the past year, usually," he said. "But, yeah, all five of us are going to get a chance somewhere through the rotation. It's just where we fall."

The Yankees will open the first three games of spring training with pitchers Adam Warren, Nathan Eovaldi and Esmil Rogers as their starting pitchers, reports Newsday. All three are expected to compete for a fifth or sixth starting rotation spot.

White Sox pitcher Zach Putnam has been dealing with a tight back, but he said it's a minor issue, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

Putnam has had his back wrapped the last two days.

Twins starting pitcher Trevor May has looked to improve flexibility coming into his competition for a rotation spot this spring by turning to yoga to help repeat his delivery, the Star Tribune reports.

"I’ve been doing yoga for 30 or 40 minutes every morning, and I’m much fresher than ever before," May said. "Every scouting report I’ve ever seen on myself says, 'Has trouble repeating his delivery.' Well, yoga is literally repeating moves, keeping your body under your control. I do the warrior pose, which is [the same as] striding and throwing a baseball. It has to help."

May initially struggled in his major-league debut last season, but he hopes the perseverance he showed and his improvements near the end of the season help set him apart in the battle for a rotation spot this spring.

"Obviously I don’t know exactly what the people who are making decisions are thinking, but showing I can be successful after having my face beat up for two months, showing I can work through it, it’s a trait you have to have," May said. "I take pride in the fact that I didn’t give up. I didn’t let it get me down."

Rays president of baseball operations Matthew Silverman said Saturday Alex Colome is currently throwing at a Dominican Republic complex and is hopeful he will join the team next week after his visa gets approved, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

Colome posted a 2.66 ERA over 23 2/3 innings in 2014.