MLB Player News

Helsley was the first name Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak mentioned Tuesday as a potential closing candidate to begin the season in the event Giovanny Gallegos (non-injury related) isn't ready to go for Opening Day, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports.

With Jordan Hicks (elbow) still on the mend from Tommy John surgery and set to open the campaign on the injured list, Gallegos appeared to be the odds-on favorite to close for St. Louis coming off a brilliant 2019 season out of the bullpen and a solid spring training. Unfortunately for Gallegos, the COVID-19 pandemic has created complications with traveling from his native Mexico, as he has yet to arrive in St. Louis since summer camp began last week. Even if Gallegos makes it back to the United States before Opening Day, the Cardinals may not be comfortable using him in high-leverage spots right away, which could pave the way for the fireballing Helsley to see some save opportunities. Helsley's numbers from 2019 weren't exceptional (2.95 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 7.9 K/9 in 36.2 innings), but the Cardinals were encouraged by the strides he made during the spring and seemingly have him earmarked for a key role out of the bullpen in his second MLB season. In addition to Helsley, Carlos Martinez could also enter the mix for saves if Gallegos isn't available, though the Cardinals still intend to give Martinez a chance to lock down the fifth spot in the rotation during summer camp.

Gallegos has yet to arrive at the Cardinals' summer camp while he continues to await clearance to travel to the United States from his native Mexico, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Though Gallegos' health isn't in any question due to coronavirus-related concerns, the pandemic has presented complications with his ability to travel. The Cardinals are unsure when Gallegos will be able to board a flight to St. Louis, so his availability for the July 24 season opener versus the Pirates remains something of a question mark at the moment. Before spring training was suspended in mid-March, Gallegos looked like the frontrunner for the Cardinals' closing role, but the team will likely reopen the competition for the job while his status remains up in the air. Per Mark Saxon of The Athletic, general manager John Mozeliak mentioned Ryan Helsley as a potential replacement for Gallegos, while Carlos Martinez could also get a look in the ninth inning if he's unable to lock down the fifth spot in the rotation.

Castillo exited Tuesday's intrasquad scrimmage with what appears to be a lat strain, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Castillo is set to undergo additional testing in the coming days, after which the specifics and severity of his injury should become clearer. If the southpaw is in fact dealing with a strained lat, there's a good chance it could impact his availability for the start of the season.

Neris (illness) completed an abbreviated bullpen session at the Phillies' summer camp Wednesday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

The Phillies have yet to formally activate Neris from the COVID-19 injured list, but his ability to work out with the rest of his teammates suggests he's at least produced two negative test results while he was quarantined. Since Neris only missed a handful of training sessions, he tentatively looks on track to be ready to handle closing duties when the Phillies begin their season July 24 versus the Marlins.

Thompson was added to the Cardinals' summer camp roster Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

The 2019 first-round pick covered 13.1 innings and had 19 strikeouts for High-A Palm Beach last year, and he was likely to end up at Double-A Springfield at some point in 2020 prior to the cancellation of the minor-league season. Thompson is one of the organization's top prospects and is unlikely to see major-league action this year, but his presence at Busch Stadium should aid in his development.

Kimbrel struck out two batters but also allowed a home run in an intrasquad game Tuesday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

While this is just one outing in a scrimmage, Kimbrel is a player worth watching closely in the early going considering his struggles a year ago. The Cubs and fantasy owners will surely want to see the veteran reliever get off to a fast start. If he looks like he did in 2019 (6.53 ERA and 1.60 WHIP across 20.2 innings) for an extended period of time, Chicago could turn to someone like Jeremy Jeffress or Rowan Wick to close out games.

Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Alexander hasn't reported to camp yet, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports.

Roberts couldn't provide a reason for Alexander's absence, and it's unclear whether the absence is related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It remains to be seen when the southpaw will join the team and whether his absence will impact his availability for the start of the regular season.

Yamamoto remains the most likely candidate to be the Marlins' No. 5 starter, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Manager Don Mattingly confirmed Monday that the club plans to use a traditional five-man rotation rather than get too creative with its pitching staff, and Yamamoto appears poised to slot in behind Sandy Alcantara, Jose Urena, Caleb Smith and Pablo Lopez. The 24-year-old right-hander could find himself on a restricted pitch count, however, as Mattingly suggested the team is considering a "piggyback" arrangement at the back of the rotation -- a move that would limit Yamamoto's already questionable fantasy value.

Pomeranz was removed from Sunday's intrasquad game due to a leg issue, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Pomeranz was in his second inning of work when he apparently made an awkward landing after a pitch. Per Acee, the 31-year-old wanted to continue but was pulled "in an abundance of caution." Pomeranz reportedly walked off the field without apparent discomfort, so there is reason to be optimistic that he is not dealing with a serious injury.

Yates attended the Padres' intrasquad game Sunday evening and played catch afterward, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Yates wasn't with the Padres for the first few days of summer camp, but he joined the club at Petco Park on Sunday. It is unclear whether the closer has completed the intake testing necessary to take part in workouts, though Acee indicates that Yates was expected to take the field Monday.