MLB Player News

Nelson (shoulder) reaffirmed Sunday that there is no timetable for his return, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, but according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, pitching coach Derek Johnson hinted that the Brewers are expecting Nelson back "around June."

Like Nelson said, it's still not clear exactly when he will be ready to make his 2018 debut, but Johnson's comments are the first time a target date has been attached to Nelson's recovery timeline; and they at least provide an initial estimate for fantasy players trying to determine how much to invest in Nelson in drafts and/or auctions. Nelson has made good progress in his rehab work and has been throwing for more than a week already.

Hader is likely to work out of the bullpen to begin the season, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Hader was stellar in relief last season, striking out 68 batters across 47.2 innings and accruing a 2.08 ERA for Milwaukee. That allowed general manager David Stearns to install the 23-year-old left-hander in the same role for this campaign, although that could change. The Brewers are in pursuit of a starting pitcher, so if they pull the trigger on a trade before spring training begins, that would solidify Hader's role in the bullpen for the time being.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak suggested earlier this month that Hicks could get a look in the big-league bullpen at some point in 2018, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

While Mozeliak indicated last week during the Cardinals' annual Winter Warm-up event that free-agent pickup Luke Gregerson would enter spring training as the team's closer, he acknowledged that the team is still "kicking tires" on other options to upgrade the back of the bullpen, both externally and within the organization, according to Goold. While lefty Tyler Lyons, the newly acquired Dominic Leone and top prospect Alex Reyes (elbow) look like the top challengers to Gregerson's role, it's not difficult to envision Hicks entering the late-inning mix at some point in the second half. Though he's been developed as a starter through his first two seasons as a pro and has yet to pitch above the High-A level, Hicks' upper-90s fastball -- which touched the triple digits during the Arizona Fall League -- and above-average athleticism could allow him to find immediate success against upper-level competition while coming out of the bullpen. The Cardinals probably won't completely pull the plug on Hicks starting in the minors this season, but the erratic command he's shown up to this point in his development and a lack of quality secondary offerings makes it likely that he'll be destined for a high-leverage relief role in the long run.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said earlier this month that Helsley will likely contribute to the St. Louis bullpen in 2018, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Mozeliak didn't put a firm timeline on when Hensley will receive a look in the majors, but given that he's only made seven career appearances above the High-A level, it's unlikely that he would break camp with the big club. Though Hensley has been developed as a starter and has thrived in that capacity during his three seasons in the minors, transitioning the 23-year-old to the bullpen at some point in 2018 would allow the Cardinals to limit his innings count and potentially upgrade a bullpen lacking in power right-handers. With an upper-90s fastball and a breaking ball capable of inducing plenty of swings and misses, Helsley has drawn comparisons within the organization to former Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal, who posted a 37.6 percent strikeout rate last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery in August.

Magnifico will attend major-league spring training with the Pirates as a non-roster invitee, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

Magnifico, who the Pirates selected in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 draft earlier this winter, made one appearance at the big-league level with the Angels last season and saw action with three different Triple-A clubs in 2017. Though he'll attend camp with the Pirates, he's a long shot to win a spot on the Opening Day roster and looks most likely to fill a bullpen role at Triple-A Indianapolis.

Leone was traded to the Cardinals on Friday along with Conner Greene in exchange for Randal Grichuk.

The 26-year-old righty posted a 2.56 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 81 strikeouts in 70.1 innings of relief in his breakout 2017 campaign. St. Louis has yet to acquire a legitimate closer this offseason, so Luke Gregerson and Tyler Lyons are the current favorites to get saves in 2018. Barring any further moves (the Cardinals have been a rumored landing spot for Alex Colome), Leone could enter that ninth-inning mix at some point in 2018 if Gregerson or Lyons struggles.

McGowan was designated for assignment by the Mets on Wednesday, Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record reports.

The Mets needed to clear a spot on their 40-man roster for the signing of Jay Bruce, and it appears McGowan was the roster casualty. The 26-year-old spent most of his time in 2017 with Triple-A Las Vegas, compiling a 4.15 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 65 innings. He did appear in eight games for the big club, though he posted a lackluster 5.19 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in 8.2 innings. McGowan will report to Las Vegas if he goes unclaimed.

Nelson (shoulder) will begin a throwing program Friday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

This is very encouraging news for Nelson and the Brewers, as the 28-year-old was originally expected to be shut down from throwing until the start of spring training. Still, while the righty is well ahead of schedule in his rehab, he remains without a firm timetable for his return, and likely won't have one until he's further along in his throwing program.

Reyes (elbow) is expected to head to Florida next week in preparation for spring training and begin throwing bullpen sessions when he arrives, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.

A candidate to open last season in the Cardinals' rotation, Reyes' bid was foiled after he required season-ending Tommy John surgery Feb. 16. The 23-year-old was able to resume throwing by last September, but he'll have to continue building up his arm again in preparation for a return to game action in 2018. Assuming Reyes hits no major snaps in his recovery, he'll open the upcoming season on the disabled list while he continues to progress through his throwing program. The organization is tentatively targeting May 1 for Reyes' reinstatement from the DL, with the team likely to deploy him out of the bullpen at that time in order to better control his workload. Reyes' return from a major arm injury in addition to his projected relief role limits his fantasy upside in single-season formats in 2018, but since the Cardinals still envision him as a starter over the long haul, he remains one of the more attractive young hurlers in dynasty settings.

Hand agreed to a three-year extension with the Padres on Saturday which includes a club option for the 2021 season, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Although Hand had been involved in various trade rumors over this offseason, it appears as though the club will move forward with the the left-hander as its closer for 2018 and beyond. At this point, the specifics on the deal haven't been announced, but Rosenthal stated that the monetary figures would be within the $18-to-20-million range. During this past year, Hand posted a 2.16 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 21 saves once he took over the ninth-inning role in July. He ranked in the top 15 of all relievers with an 11.5 K/9 and cut down on his free passes as well, trimming a 3.6 BB/9 mark in 2016 to 2.3 last season. With a rebuilding Padres club, he may not receive the same amount of save chances as other closers in the game, but Hand should provide strong value heading into the upcoming campaign.