MLB Player News

Hand has sat around 90 to 91 mph with his fastball this spring, below his average of 93 mph last season, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

It's possible this is nothing to worry about, as pitchers are frequently below their usual velocity numbers in spring, due either to their lack of adrenaline in exhibition contests or to the fact that they're still building up to full strength. This year's shortened spring training could make that an even more common problem. Still, the Phillies would certainly prefer to see Hand at his usual velocity as soon as possible. His chances of overtaking Corey Knebel on the closer depth chart would take a hit if he's unable to get back to the 93 mph range.

Blach looks like he's won an Opening Day roster spot, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Blach is in camp as a non-roster invitee, so the Rockies will have to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to add him. The 31-year-old lefty owns a 4.99 ERA in 326.1 career major-league innings, striking out just 12.7 percent of opposing batters. He missed the last two seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Jackson (forearm) recently underwent an MRI that revealed damage to his UCL.

Jackson dealt with forearm tightness this week and was initially labeled as day-to-day, but it appears as though he'll be forced to miss significant time. UCL damage can often lead to Tommy John surgery, and the right-hander is undergoing a comprehensive evaluation process to determine his recovery process. It's possible that he'll be unavailable for most or all of the 2022 campaign following his diagnosis.

Gilbreath has allowed a run on six hits and no walks while striking out four in four innings across four relief appearances this spring.

Gilbreath made his major-league debut in 2021 and logged a 3.38 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 42.2 innings across 47 appearances (one start). In spite of his encouraging results during Cactus League play, he's a lackluster fantasy option due to his likely role as a middle reliever in 2022.

VerHagen allowed seven runs on seven his and three walks while striking out four in three innings in Thursday's loss to the Marlins.

VerHagen is looking to make his major-league comeback after two years in Japan. Prior to Thursday, he had allowed just two runs in five innings, but his latest outing was a setback in his quest to be the Cardinals' fifth starter. He'll likely get one more spring start to make his case, though Jake Woodford and Aaron Brooks are also in the mix to make the rotation while Jack Flaherty (shoulder) is sidelined into mid-May.

Kimbrel was confirmed as the Dodgers' closer by general manager Brandon Gomes on Friday, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

The Dodgers intended to go with a committee approach prior to acquiring Kimbrel from the White Sox, and it was at least conceivable that the plan was merely to use Kimbrel as part of that committee. While Kimbrel's 2021 numbers were comparable to those of top incumbent Blake Treinen, he's clearly more comfortable in a traditional closer role. He'll return to that spot after spending the end of last year setting up for Liam Hendriks.

Kilian, the Cubs' top pitching prospect, will open the year at Triple-A Iowa, Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports.

The headliner in the return from San Francisco for Kris Bryant and the MVP of the Arizona Fall League championship game, Kilian hadn't pitched in big-league spring training, so it's good to hear that he's healthy and ready for the minor-league season. The Cubs' rotation lacks viable depth, so Kilian could get the call to the majors sometime this summer.

Gott has made the Brewers' Opening Day roster, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Gott's last MLB experience came in 2020, when he allowed 13 runs in 11.2 innings of relief. He owns a 5.01 ERA in 140 career innings at the highest level.

Treinen's save opportunities appear likely to drop, as Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports the Dodgers acquired Craig Kimbrel in exchange for AJ Pollock on Friday.

Treinen was already looking at less than a true closer's role, with the Dodgers reportedly planning on having no dedicated closer and giving the right-hander frequent high-leverage usage. Bringing in Kimbrel, who ranks ninth all-time in saves and leads all active players, probably means the team intends to go back to a more traditional setup, but not in a way that benefits Treinen. The team has yet to officially announce its ninth-inning plans, and Treinen did sport a better ERA than Kimbrel last year by a margin of 1.99 to 2.26, but the safe bet seems to be that his save chances will drop considerably.

Kimbrel was traded from the White Sox to the Dodgers on Friday in exchange for AJ Pollock, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The presence of Liam Hendriks in Chicago may have made it tough for Kimbrel to add to his 372 career saves, but he should have an easier path to the closer role for his new team. That's not to say it will be completely easy, however, as the Dodgers had talked about using a committee setup and have a strong late-inning option already in Blake Treinen, whose 1.99 ERA last year beat Kimbrel's 2.26 mark. Just how much this deal improves Kimbrel's fantasy value won't become clear until the Dodgers indicate whether he will walk straight into a true closer's role, but almost any situation is better than being stuck behind Hendriks.