MLB Player News

Estevez is focusing on simplifying his delivery to the plate in an effort to produce more consistency, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

The high-octane right-hander set a Rockies' rookie record by amassing 11 saves last season, but things fell apart toward the end of the season as "Wild Thing" stumbled to the finish line with an ERA north of 5.00. The Rockies believe that these issues stemmed from varying arm slots and too many moving parts in his delivery, so they hope to simplify his throwing process in an effort to help him build on his strong debut. The initial returns are promising: Estevez currently holds a 2.57 ERA to go with an 11:1 K:BB through eight Cactus League frames. The 24-year-old is fighting for a big league bullpen role this spring, and if he continues to perform this well to close out camp, he could force his way into a prominent role in Denver to begin the season.

Smith (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery next week, Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area Sports reports.

It appears to be the worst case scenario for Smith, who has been dealing with elbow inflammation throughout spring camp. The left-hander remains optimistic the procedure will allow him to be ready for the beginning of the 2018 season and says he didn't want to risk a failed rehab process, which could have cost him even more time. Smith joined the Giants late last season, compiling a 2.95 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 26 games. Look for Josh Osich and Steven Okert to compete for the role of top left-hander in the San Francisco bullpen.

Treinen allowed one hit and struck out two while working the ninth inning in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.

He's been somewhat overshadowed in camp by the attention given to Koda Glover, but Treinen has been outstanding in his own right, posting a 0.00 ERA and 8:0 K:BB in four innings. In fact, Thursday's hit was the first baserunner he'd given up in Grapefruit League action this spring. The Nats have yet to give a hint as to who will be their closer to begin the season, but Treinen remains firmly in the conversation.

Smith (elbow) is considering undergoing Tommy John surgery after going for a second opinion on his pitching arm this week, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

According to Schulman, Smith will meet with his agent Friday before making a final decision on his course of action. An MRI earlier in the week revealed that Smith had a sprained UCL in his left elbow and now it appears that a Tommy John procedure could be imminent. Smith was acquired by the Giants at the trade deadline and was strong down the stretch with a 1.78 FIP and 26 strikeouts over 18.1 innings. If the Giants lose Smith for a significant amount of time, they'd be missing a significant piece of their bullpen puzzle. More information on Smith's course of action should be made available over the weekend.

Torres, despite allowing five earned runs over 5.0 innings with the Brewers this spring, is a lock to open the season in the Brewers' bullpen, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Torres' numbers this spring (9.00 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 6:3 K:BB) are unsightly, but they have come in just five innings over four outings, so they also carry very little weight in the long run, particularly when compared to the numbers (2.73 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 78:30 K:BB) he posted over 82.1 innings out of the Brewers' bullpen a year ago. Torres will begin the year as one of the top relievers in front of closer Neftali Feliz and figures to work in either the seventh or eighth inning.

Hoffman was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday, The Denver Post reports.

The pitching prospect seemed like a good bet to crack the Rockies' rotation, especially in light of recent injuries to Chris Rusin (oblique) and Chad Bettis (illness), but after serving up nine hits and walking two batters in his 5.2 spring innings, the Rockies opted to send Hoffman back to the minors for more seasoning. The 24-year-old struggled with command at times last season, most notably posting a 4.9 BB/9 in 31.1 big league innings, but given his prospect pedigree, it's likely that he'll get the call back to the majors once he's able to work on his mechanics and fill up the strike zone more consistently. This development likely puts German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela, and Harrison Musgrave in better position to claim one of the final two rotation spots in Denver.

Maurer threw a perfect inning in Wednesday's spring training loss to the Royals.

The outing brought the 26-year-old's ERA down to 3.00 through six Cactus League innings. Carter Capps (elbow) was expected to compete with Maurer for the Padres' closer role this spring, but the former has yet to make an appearance, while the latter has done nothing to relinquish the role. It looks like the veteran pitcher has a firm grasp on the job heading towards Opening Day.

Williams will require Tommy John surgery on his injured elbow and will miss the entire 2017 season, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports.

Williams underwent multiple examinations after injuring his elbow earlier in March, and the decision was ultimately made to send him under the knife. Williams is one of the Brewers' top pitching prospects, but he will need at least a year to recover from his procedure, so he will now be forced to turn his attention to 2018.

Iglesias said his elbow and hip injuries stem from when he fell in the shower about three weeks ago, Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The candidate for Cincinnati saves may need some time to be ready for the start of the season. He's set to begin a throwing program Sunday, though, so any absence at this point may wind up short-lived. Wading through the muddy waters of this closer committee is an unwanted task, but if fantasy players must do it, Iglesias carries the best skills of any Reds stopper option.

Stoffel (shoulder) was reassigned to minor league camp Thursday.

The 28-year-old has never reached the majors and, with this transaction, Stoffel will have to wait longer to do so as an organizational depth reliever.