MLB Player News

Athletics pitcher Sean Nolin is still experiencing pain in his groin and will be shut down for awhile, reports the Bay Area News Group.

Nolin had hernia surgery over the offseason, but he has not fully recovered.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch told reporters Saturday that he has somewhat of an idea who his closer will be this season, but declined to reveal any names, per the Houston Chronicle. Hinch noted that it "will take a while" before he names his closer.

"I think you got to let it play out," Hinch said. "I don't want to get too far in trying to make that happen in your own mind. But I do have an idea of how I think it's going to play out, but I'm not rushing to judgment, or, I'm not against changing my mind about half a dozen to 10 times between now and April. It's very, very premature.

"There's less need to sort of try out. Competing for it is sort of a hard way to describe it when you've got guys that have some credentials. So I'll stop calling it a competition, but it's more of an alignment of how we're going to use them."

Luke Gregerson signed a three-year, $18.5 million contract with the Astros, and is the highest-paid reliever on the roster. Chad Qualls was the ninth-inning man last season, and Pat Neshek, Tony Sipp and Josh Fields are all viable candidates for the gig.

Athletics LHP Sean Nolin is coming off of offseason sports-hernia surgery and will take the next step in his rehab on Saturday.

Nolin is scheduled to throw off of flat ground, according to John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group. Assuming there are no setbacks, the next step will be throwing off of a mound, according to MLB.com's Jane Lee.

Nolin was acquired in the trade that sent Josh Donaldson to the Blue Jays. He has appeared in two MLB games, with an 0-1 record and 27.00 ERA. 

Rays president of baseball operations Matt Silverman told reporters that pitcher Matt Moore, who is working his way back from April 22 Tommy John surgery, is on track for a "June-ish" return, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

"He's been doing what he's supposed to do ever since surgery and really showed a great work ethic," Silverman said. "He's not pushing himself too hard but he's challenging himself."

Moore went 17-4 in 2013 with a 3.29 ERA and 143 strikeouts. He suffered a torn UCL in his left arm after his second start of the 2014 season.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi has a hole to fill at closer without David Robertson on the roster. He is open to utilizing both Dellin Betances and newly signed Andrew Miller in the role to begin the year.

"I think you could do that," Girardi said. "I think you have to see how people react when they’re in the situation. I feel good about both of those guys doing it. A number of guys down there, I think, are more than capable of closing."

He is expecting a battle throughout spring training to figure out who will take control of the role.

"There are a lot of questions about how it’s actually going to mold together," Girardi said.

Athletics pitcher Sean Nolin will be held back a few days due to a groin issue, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Nolin won't throw a side session for the first few days of camp. The issue seems minor, and Nolin should start throwing soon. The 25-year-old was acquired in a trade from the Blue Jays during the offseason. He could compete for a spot in the team's rotation if he can get healthy. 

Angels pitcher Hector Santiago worked so often this offseason that his club asked him to dial it back a bit, according to MLB.com.

Santiago threw 20 bullpen sessions and pitched in Japan. During the winter, he threw five innings as well. With all that work, the Angels wanted the 27-year-old southpaw to keep his arm fresh for the 2015 season.

Santiago went 6-9 with a 3.75 ERA in 2014.

Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said Wednesday the team is considering using a sixth starter at times in April and May to help reduce a potential early strain on their rotation, per MLB.com. The Yankees have a stretch of 30 games in 31 days beginning April 17.

"It's a result of some of the stuff that's gone on over the last few years, not just here, but everywhere," Rothschild said. "We're aware of situations here and early in the season, we need to get these guys through these stretches. Being that possibly early in the spring, some of them aren't going to be able to throw a lot, we're going to need to build them up too and give them the extra days when we can."

CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Capuano are expected to make up the team's five-man rotation. However, Tanaka, Sabathia and Pineda were all injured last season, as the Yankees used 13 starting pitchers.

Bryan Mitchell, Esmil Rogers, Adam Warren and Chase Whitley are some of the other pitchers that will be stretched out this spring.

"It'd be nice to go through a season with five starters, but there's a good chance we're not going to," Rothschild said. "There's a good chance every team in baseball won't, so it doesn't hurt to see who might fit in as a sixth starter."

Red Sox starting pitcher Joe Kelly has reiterated a few times this offseason he plans on winning the AL Cy Young award in 2015. While manager John Farrell likes Kelly's confidence, he wants him to focus on simpler goals, per MLB.com.

"He made a pretty bold statement this winter, a very bold one," Farrell said. "I love the fact that he believes in himself that strong, but I tried to boil it down to something more simple, and pitch as many innings as you can. That will drive your approach and take care of everything else. If that is your main goal of pitching the highest number of quality innings as possible, then you're going to be around late for decisions in games, you're going to drive your workouts in between starts to uphold that."

Farrell admitted Kelly could be a key to the rotation's success this season.

"The raw stuff is there," Farrell said of the rotation. "(Clay) Buchholz staying healthy certainly goes a long way to that. Joe Kelly's growth will have to take a step forward. … But he has probably the best stuff on our staff and the capability to be that type of pitcher."

Red Sox prospect Matt Barnes said he's been told to prepare as a starting pitcher this spring, according to The Boston Globe. Barnes, who has been a starter in the minors, made his MLB debut in 2014 as a reliever.

Barnes, who was an MLB.com top-100 prospect in 2014, is 21-24 with a 3.64 ERA over three seasons in the minors. He went 8-9 with a 3.95 ERA at Triple-A Pawtucket last season.