MLB Player News

Yamamoto allowed three runs (two earned) in two innings during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

He was victimized by some shaky outfield defense in the first inning -- Monte Harrison lost a Pete Alonso flyball in the sun, and JJ Bleday followed by misplaying a Wilson Ramos fly after the wind pushed it into the corner for a bases-loaded ground-rule double -- but Yamamoto rebounded in the second. He threw 38 pitches in total (22 strikes) and at least showed he can handle some adversity. The right-hander, who posted a 4.46 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 82:36 K:BB in 78.2 big-league innings last year, is fighting for a spot in the Marlins' rotation this spring.

Jansen has been working with a number of former pitchers on new slider grips, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Per Plunkett, Jansen felt particularly comfortable with one new grip shown to him by Rick Honeycutt and Orel Hershiser. Though Jansen's primary pitch is a cutter, he went to the slider 12.3 percent of the time last season, more than doubling his 2018 mark. The veteran closer could look to mix things up more in 2020 after accumulating a career-worst eight blown saves last season.

Nelson appears healthy after Thursday's bullpen session, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Nelson began the week dealing with injuries to both his groin and back, but all appears well following Thursday's bullpen session. The positive news should allow the 30-year-old to re-start his spring-training battle for a roster spot. Should he make the club, Nelson could either be a starter or fill a high-leverage bullpen role.

Arano (elbow) threw off a mound Thursday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Arano underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery back in May, and Gelb adds that he also experienced a bout of offseason shoulder soreness. The fact that he's throwing off a mound means he'll have a shot to be ready by Opening Day, but a trip to the injured list can't be ruled out.

Bard signed a minor-league deal with the Rockies on Wednesday that includes an invitation to big-league camp, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Bard announced his retirement from professional baseball in January 2018, but he'll make another run at a comeback bid with Colorado. The 34-year-old had 66 holds and 150 strikeouts in 143 appearances for the Red Sox between the 2010 and 2011 seasons, but fell out of the majors in 2013 and moved around the minors over the next few years. There shouldn't be significant expectations, but Bard is a good zero-risk flier for the Rockies.

Neris and the Phillies settled their arbitration case Friday, agreeing to a one-year, $4.6 million deal, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Neris is set for a substantial raise after making $1.8 million last season. He saved a career-high 28 games with a 2.93 ERA last season and looks set to close again under new manager Joe Girardi, who has a reputation for preferring much more rigid bullpen roles than his predecessor, Gabe Kapler, did. The deal also includes a club option for the 2021 season which will pay Neris a base salary of $7 million with the potential to earn more in incentives, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Hudson is slated to pitch in Saturday's Grapefruit League opener against a Mets split squad, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Hudson is slated to slot in as the third or fourth starter in the rotation this coming season when Miles Mikolas (forearm) is healthy. Hudson will get his first turn against an opposing uniform Saturday at some point after starter Jack Flaherty exits, with Brett Cecil and Kwang-Hyun Kim also slated to log innings during the contest.

Betances faced live batters for the first time since partially tearing his Achilles in September, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Betances reported no setbacks after the work, saying, "It's always good to get the first one out of the way." He entered camp still limited by his injury, and it's unclear whether he has cleared the hurdles necessary to fully participate in team workouts. Still, this was a step forward for Betances, who expects to be ready to take the mound by Opening Day.

Stephenson spent a good part of his offseason working on improving against opposing baserunners, who were six of seven in stolen-base attempts against him, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

After struggling to gain a foothold in the majors, Stephenson took a major step forward in the bullpen in 2019 and can now afford to refine certain weaknesses, like his ability to hold runners. He'll likely be deployed in a higher-leverage role than he was last season.

Rodriguez is scheduled to start Saturday's Cactus League opener against the Dodgers, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Rodriguez started 16 games for the Giants in 2019, recording a 5.64 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 71:36 K:BB across 99 innings. The 27-year old is among a plethora of pitchers vying for a back-end spot in the starting rotation following San Francisco's offseason additions of experienced major-league arms Kevin Gausman and Drew Smyly. While it is encouraging that Rodriguez is getting the nod to begin spring training, he is likely heading for a move to the bullpen or the minor leagues unless the Giants' pitching staff is plagued by preseason injuries.