MLB Player News

Bass will not break camp with the Cubs, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.

Bass failed to earn an Opening Day roster spot and will begin the 2018 season back at the Triple-A level. The final bullpen spot seemingly went to Eddie Butler, who worked primarily as a started for the Cubs last year. Bass will serve as organizational depth moving forward.

Maton will be sent to Triple-A El Paso after failing to earn a spot on the Padres' Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

In a surprising move, the club decided to send Maton back to the minors after the right-hander posted a 2.45 ERA over 7.1 innings of work this spring. He was expected to take on a bigger role in the bullpen this year, but perhaps the Padres think he needs a little more seasoning before becoming a mainstay at the major-league level. Expect to see him back with San Diego in the near future.

McGrath (elbow) will be on the Padres' Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

McGrath earned a spot in the bullpen even though he's been sidelined for a majority of the past two weeks due to elbow soreness. There hasn't been any word as to weather the left-hander will be available against the Brewers on Thursday, but it's expected that he will return to action in the near future.

Strop, who battled a calf injury in spring training, is expected to be on the Opening Day roster, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Strop didn't make his Cactus League debut until last Thursday, but he was able to get in three appearances and seemingly did enough to convince the organization that he's ready to go for Opening Day. The 32-year-old righty will slot in as a key setup man in front of new closer Brandon Morrow and will look to build upon the 21 holds he posted each of the last two seasons.

Gearrin will be included in the Giants' Opening Day bullpen, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Gearrin was one of manager Bruce Bochy's more reliable relievers last season with a 1.99 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 64 strikeouts over 68 innings, but a 3.94 FIP, .265 BABIP and 86.4 percent strand rate all point to his production not being repeatable. Even if his numbers predictably slip, Gearrin should at least be a mainstay in the middle innings for the Giants, though his non-elite ratios and lack of opportunities for holds probably take him off the radar in most NL-only formats.

Gomez has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and will be on the Giants' Opening Day roster, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The Giants sent Gomez to the minors in mid-March but have apparently changed their mind and decided that the 28-year-old has earned the right to break camp with the big club. Gomez posted a 3.24 ERA over 8.1 innings of spring ball and is expected to work in long relief to begin the year.

Johnson has made the Giants' Opening Day roster, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. He will be recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.

Johnson was informed that he'll be making his first Opening Day roster just two weeks after being optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. The 26-year-old -- who has just one inning of major-league experience -- is expected to occupy a long-relief role with the club to begin the season.

Garcia has made the Marlins' Opening Day roster, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Garcia was sent to Double-A Jacksonville earlier in March to continue his transition to the bullpen, but an injury to Dan Straily (forearm) and the departure of Justin Nicolino to the Reds have since opened up a spot for the 25-year-old on the team's active roster. It's unclear if Garcia will work as a starter or long reliever at this moment. Either way, there are higher-upside options to consider over Garcia if you're looking for a streamer to start the season.

Peters will start the Marlins' fourth game of the season, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Peters was expected to open the season in the minors after being optioned to Triple-A earlier in March, but the departure of Justin Nicolino to the Reds and an injury to Dan Straily have since opened up a spot for him in the big-league rotation. The 25-year-old struggled in his major-league debut in 2017, posting a 5.17 ERA and 1.63 WHIP across six starts (31.1 innings), but he showed some upside and could prove to be a decent streaming option in his sophomore season, especially when pitching in his home ballpark (4.64 ERA at home in 2017, 6.30 ERA on the road).

The Giants are unsure if Melancon (arm) will be ready for Opening Day, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Melancon is apparently feeling something in his arm, though manager Bruce Bochy wouldn't elaborate. This is certainly a concern after a series of arm issues derailed his first season with the Giants in 2017. He hasn't pitched since Friday, but the veteran is expected to play catch Tuesday and Wednesday, after which there should be a clearer idea regarding his status for the start of the season. If Melancon is ultimately forced to open the year on the disabled list, Sam Dyson would likely step in as the team's closer.