MLB Player News
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Sean Manaea RP | NYM
Mets' Sean Manaea: Velocity ticks down again
Manaea struck out four and didn't allow a baserunner over four scoreless innings during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins. According to Max Goodman of NJ.com, the left-hander averaged 88.3 mph with his fastball and topped out at 89.9 mph.
Four perfect frames against most of Miami's likely Opening Day lineup are hard to ignore, but Manaea saw his fastball velocity drop after he averaged 89 mph during his previous spring start last week. The 34-year-old has never been a flamethrower, but he averaged 91.8 mph on his fastball last year and has been over 91 mph in each of the past five seasons. Manaea has indicated that he's not worried about the reduced velocity, but it's worth keeping an eye on as spring training winds down.
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Adbert Alzolay RP | NYM
Mets' Adbert Alzolay: Fails to make Opening Day roster
The Mets reassigned Alzolay to minor-league camp Tuesday.
Alzolay is healthy again after missing the entire 2025 season while recovering from August 2024 Tommy John operation, but the 31-year-old righty will need to shake off some rust at Triple-A Syracuse and show that he's regained his pre-surgery velocity and command before garnering another look in the big leagues. He had previously been one of the game's more effective closers as recently as the 2023 season, when he went 22-for-25 in save chances and delivered a 2.67 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 67:13 K:BB across 64 innings with the Cubs.
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Nick Burdi RP | NYM
Mets' Nick Burdi: Cut from big-league camp
The Mets reassigned Burdi to minor-league camp Tuesday.
Burdi made four appearances at the big-league level with Boston in 2025, but he was outrighted off the 40-man roster in August and then joined the Mets on a minor-league deal this offseason. The 33-year-old righty was given the chance to compete for a spot in the Mets' Opening Day bullpen during spring training, but he was cut after yielding two runs in two innings in his two Grapefruit League appearances. Expect Burdi to report to Triple-A Syracuse to begin the season.
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Janson Junk RP | MIA
Marlins' Janson Junk: Could win fifth starter job
Junk made his first start of the spring Monday, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks over two-plus innings in a Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays. He struck out two.
It was far from a clean outing, but the important thing was Junk's usage, as he got stretched out to 49 pitches (24 strikes) while completing three up-and-downs. Per Christina DeNicola of MLB.com, Junk is still in the mix for the Marlins' fifth starter job, as Braxton Garrett may need a bit more time to fully complete his recovery from December 2024 elbow surgery. If Junk doesn't begin the season in the rotation, he's still expected to fill a long-relief role, as he's out of minor-league options.
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Michael Darrell-Hicks RP | PIT
Pirates' Michael Darrell-Hicks: Dismissed from big-league camp
The Pirates reassigned Darrell-Hicks to minor-league camp on Tuesday.
Darrell-Hicks reached the majors for the first time in 2025, making seven relief appearances between the Angels and Pirates while logging a 7.45 ERA and 1.45 WHIP over 9.2 innings. After being outrighted off the Pirates' 40-man roster in November, Darrell-Hicks joined Pittsburgh for big-league spring training but was unable to secure a spot on the Opening Day bullpen. He's poised to begin the season at Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Craig Kimbrel RP | NYM
Mets' Craig Kimbrel: Still battling for bullpen spot
Kimbrel is in the running the final spot in the Mets' Opening Day bullpen, Tim Britton and Will Sammon of The Athletic report.
Left-hander Bryan Hudson is also getting a long look, with Austin Warren and Richard Lovelady in the mix as well. Kimbrel is a shadow of the dominant closer he was a decade ago, but the 37-year-old righty has impressed Mets manager Carlos Mendoza with the late life on his fastball, which sits around 93 mph these days. "He's doing what he is supposed to be doing," Mendoza said Monday. Kimbrel does have a 2.25 ERA through four spring innings, but it comes with a 2:4 K:BB. If he does make the 26-man roster, he would have a base salary of $2.5 million.
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Bryan Hudson RP | CHW
Mets' Bryan Hudson: Could claim final bullpen spot
Hudson may be the favorite to claim the final spot in the Mets' Opening Day bullpen, Tim Britton and Will Sammon of The Athletic report.
Craig Kimbrel appears to be his biggest competitor for the job, with Austin Warren and Richard Lovelady also in the mix. Hudson struggled in 2025 between the Brewers and White Sox, in both the majors and at Triple-A, but the 28-year-old southpaw blamed some tinkering with his mechanics and pitch mix that went awry. "I was working on some delivery stuff and changing some things I really shouldn't change," Hudson said Monday. "So we're getting back to the basics this year to get back after it." In 2024 with Milwaukee, when his cutter was a bigger part of his arsenal, he posted a 1.73 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 62:17 K:BB over 62.1 innings.
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Jacob Waguespack RP | MIL
Brewers' Jacob Waguespack: Reporting to minors camp
Waguespack was reassigned to minor-league camp Monday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
The Brewers signed Waguespack to a minor-league deal over the offseason and offered him an invitation to big-league camp, but he was unable to stand out enough to earn an Opening Day roster spot. He'll report to minor-league camp and projects to begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Nashville.
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Cole Irvin RP | LAD
Dodgers' Cole Irvin: Moved to minor-league camp
Irvin was reassigned to minor-league camp Monday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Irvin signed a minor-league pact with the Dodgers in February and was invited to major-league spring training, but he struggled across four appearances. The 32-year-old posted a 9.00 ERA and 1.75 WHIP with four strikeouts across eight innings. Irvin will report to minor-league camp and appears set to begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
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Orion Kerkering RP | PHI
Phillies' Orion Kerkering: Cleared to pitch in minors game
Kerkering (hamstring) is slated to make an appearance Tuesday in a minor-league game on the back fields of camp, Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Kerkering is no worse for the wear after tossing a live batting practice session over the weekend, so he'll be available to pitch for the first time in spring training, albeit in a controlled setting. The hard-throwing right-hander has been slowed by a Grade 1 right hamstring strain throughout the spring, but he should be able to avoid a stint on the injured list to begin the season if he's able to get a couple of appearances under his belt during the final week of camp.