MLB Player News

Hartwig was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse by the Mets on Friday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.

Hartwig tossed three scoreless innings this spring but nonetheless finds himself on the outside looking in for a roster spot. The 26-year-old reliever held a 4.84 ERA in 28 appearances out of the Mets' bullpen in 2023.

Hjelle received a second opinion on his right elbow Friday and will be shut down from throwing for one week, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The 26-year-old was expected to be shut down for at least a couple weeks after being diagnosed with a UCL sprain earlier this week, so the second opinion appears to have brought encouraging news. Hjelle still figures to begin the season on the injured list, but the shorter shutdown should allow for a quicker return.

Mejia was optioned to Double-A Hartford by the Rockies on Friday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Mejia was added to the 40-man roster this offseason and permitted two runs in three appearances this spring. His control needs work, but Mejia misses bats and will turn 24 this season, so he could push for his big-league debut sometime in 2024.

Chivilli was optioned to Double-A Hartford by the Rockies on Friday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Chivilli made a nice impression this spring with three scoreless appearances, but the 21-year-old needs some more development. He'll return to Hartford, where he finished last season.

Gibaut (forearm) hopes to begin throwing off a mound Sunday or Monday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Gibaut said Friday that he feels "a night and day difference" in his right forearm as he recovers from a pronator strain. The reliever still doesn't have a timeline for his return and Opening Day remains very much in question, but he looks to be trending in the right direction.

Lopez struck out four and walked one over three scoreless, no-hit innings during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox.

He didn't enter the game until the fifth inning, but Lopez still got to face a number of Boston regulars and counted Rafael Devers and Masataka Yoshida among his strikeout victims. The 30-year-old still appears to be in the lead for Atlanta's fifth starter job thanks to his 1.13 ERA and 7:2 K:BB through eight spring innings, but Bryce Elder got the start Thursday and also pitched well, fanning six batters in 3.1 frames. Given that Elder made 31 starts last season and Lopez hasn't thrown more than 66 innings in a season since 2021, this competition could come down to the wire.

Atlanta reassigned Giles to minor-league camp Friday.

Giles was in camp as a non-roster invitee and allowed one run on one hit with five strikeouts and three walks in three innings across his three Grapefruit League appearances. The veteran right-hander has just nine big-league appearances since 2019 but has a strong track record and could receive a look later on with Atlanta if he can stay healthy.

Uribe tossed a scoreless inning of relief in Thursday's Cactus League contest against the White Sox.

Uribe was tagged for two earned runs in his spring debut, but he has since thrown three scoreless frames over three appearances, allowing two runners to reach base over that span. After a sterling rookie season in which he struck out 39 batters over 30.2 innings and posted a 1.76 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, he is on track to open the regular season with a high-leverage role in Milwaukee's bullpen.

Atlanta optioned Kerr to Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday.

The 29-year-old was acquired from San Diego for Matt Carpenter and cash in December but won't make Atlanta's Opening Day roster. Kerr had a 4.33 ERA in 22 relief outings for the Padres last season, and he allowed three runs with an 8:1 K:BB over 4.2 innings during Grapefruit League play this spring.

The Giants signed Garza to a minor-league deal Thursday, which includes an invitation to spring training, Ari Alexander of KPRC2 reports.

Garza has thrown 47 innings in the majors throughout his career, though he's managed only a 5.74 ERA in that span. He's likely to serve as organizational depth and could contribute sparingly out of the big-league bullpen.