MLB Player News

Vizcaino (shoulder) will not pitch this winter, but he is expected to pitch without restrictions in spring training, MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports.

He ended the year on the DL with a shoulder injury, but it sounds like he should be fine for 2017. Jim Johnson and Mauricio Cabrera will likely open the year ahead of Vizcaino in the pecking order for saves, but it is a potentially volatile situation.

Jansen received a qualifying offer from the Dodgers on Monday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

Jansen posted 47 saves en route to the best year of his career, so it's unlikely that he'll accept the offer given the high demand for elite relievers. However, this move will likely decrease his market value a bit now that teams need to give up a draft pick in order to sign him.

Hoover will not be re-signed by the Reds, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

According to general manager Dick Williams, "it's not in the plans to have him [in Cincinnati]". Hoover spent a bit of time as the Reds closer and is still arbitration-eligible, but the fact that he coughed up 28 earned runs in just 18.2 innings pitched could make things difficult for the right-hander this offseason.

The Giants will pick up the $7 million contract on Moore's contract for next season, Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball reports.

Moore had some ups and downs after being acquired by the Giants at the trade deadline, but he ended the season on a strong note and will come at a major bargain next year, so the Giants undoubtedly did not have to waste much time deciding on his option. Moore will occupy either the third or fourth spot in what will be a loaded 2017 Giants rotation.

Nolin (elbow) was outrighted to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Friday.

With this move, Nolin comes off the 60-day DL but remains off the 40-man roster. A waiver acquisition from Oakland in February, Nolin injured his elbow in spring training and ultimately underwent Tommy John surgery in August. Chances are, he will miss the entire 2017 campaign.

Kohlscheen signed a minor league contract with the Brewers on Tuesday that includes an invitation to major league spring training.

Kohlscheen spent the 2016 season with the Brewers' Double-A affiliate in Biloxi, but the right-hander impressed the entire season, sporting a 2.54 ERA and 12.3 K/9 in 50 appearances out of the Shuckers' bullpen. He'll try to latch onto the major league club's Opening Day roster, but spending more time at the Triple-A level is a very likely outcome for the 28-year-old.

Edwards (hamstring) expects to be available out of the bullpen for Thursday's Game 5 matchup with the Dodgers, Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago reports.

The right-handed reliever had a shortened outing Wednesday due to a left hamstring injury, but Edwards told reporters that he'll be ready if called upon in Game 5. For a righty, Edwards was extremely tough on left-handed batters throughout the season, holding them to a .146 batting average. That ability to fluster lefties is valuable against a Dodgers' lineup that predominantly left-handed.

Edwards departed with two outs in the seventh inning due to a left hamstring injury, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Edwards recorded outs on the first two batters of the inning, but exited the game after walking Corey Seager. The reliever is probably best considered day-to-day heading into Game 5 on Thursday, but it wouldn't be surprising if he's unavailable for the contest.

Jansen will be available for more than one inning in Wednesday's Game 4 matchup with the Cubs, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports.

Plunkett notes that whole Jansen likely wouldn't be called upon to record six outs, the Dodgers' best reliever could be asked to go more than one inning if called upon Wednesday. He had very few outings longer than a single inning during the regular season, but he's had four such outings through just six appearances this postseason.

Ramirez is beginning to transition from first base to pitcher during the Brewers Instructional League, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

After spending three years at the Double-A level with declining offensive production, it appears the Brewers would like to try Ramirez out as a reliever in order to keep him in the organization. The 27-year-old did act as the closer while he was at Cal State-Fullerton, converting 16 saves in his final collegiate season to go with a stellar 1.13 ERA and 11.6 K/9. Those stats did come from 2011, however, so he may need a bit of time to get accustomed to pitching to professional hitters. That being said, left-handed relievers with that kind of strikeout ability are hard to come by, so if the 27-year-old can get back into the same groove he was in during his final season in college, he could finally manage to move past Double-A.