MLB Player News

Barraclough is expected to set up A.J. Ramos for the Marlins in 2017.

The team did bring in Brad Ziegler and Junichi Tazawa in the offseason to bolster their bullpen depth when they failed to lure a top-shelf closer, but Barraclough and his 14.0 K/9 rate should still take on a late-inning role. His control is still a work in progress, but the 26-year-old should be a strong source of strikeouts and holds this season, and if Ramos falters he could even see some ninth-inning action.

Floro (arm) was outrighted to Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

Floro cleared waivers Friday after being designated for assignment Wednesday. Although he's no longer on the Cubs' 40-man roster, he will report to major league spring training. Floro made 12 appearances with the Rays in 2016, notching a 4.20 ERA with a 1.87 WHIP across 15.0 innings.

Miller lost his arbitration hearing and will receive $4.7 million for the 2017 season, FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman reports.

Miller had been asking for $5.1 million, but the arbiter sided with the team following a season when the righty posted a 6.15 ERA in 101 MLB innings. He will compete with Archie Bradley and Braden Shipley for one of the Diamondbacks' final two rotation spots this spring.

Wittgren will compete for a bullpen role with the Marlins in spring training.

He put together a strong major league debut in 2016 thanks to his plus control, but Miami signed Brad Ziegler and Junichi Tazawa in the offseason to bolster their bullpen, and Wittgren's somewhat pedestrian raw stuff leaves him with no guarantees that he'll break camp with a spot on the 25-man roster. He does have plenty of experience as a minor league closer, but Wittgren's role with the Marlins would be in much lower leverage situations if he does hang onto a job.

Garcia is expected to begin 2017 back in the minors.

Although he got a brief cup of coffee with the Marlins in 2016, he didn't see any game action and has yet to pitch above Double-A in his career. The team's offseason pitching acquisitions shut the door on any chance Garcia might have had of winning a rotation spot in spring training, so the 24-year-old lefty will have to head back to the minors, work on his craft and wait his turn.

Grace will compete for a spot in the Nationals' bullpen this spring.

He's spent the last two seasons bouncing between Washington and Triple-A Syracuse, and while the 28-year-old has shown the potential to be an effective LOOGY in the majors, the team already has Oliver Perez and Sammy Solis locked into two spots in their 'pen, leaving little room for a third lefty. Expect Grace to head back in the minors for now, but with Perez's contract up at the end of the season, he could become a regular bullpen member for the Nats in 2018.

Morris will compete for a spot in the Braves' bullpen this spring.

His major league resume is extremely thin, consisting of just two outs, three walks and five earned runs for the Mets in 2015, but Morris struck out 50 batters in 35.2 Triple-A innings last season. If he can improve his control just a little, he could fill a middle-inning role for the Braves in 2017.

Robles will head into 2017 as one of the Mets' top setup men alongside Addison Reed.

The 26-year-old is coming off a mostly outstanding 2016 campaign, although he did fade late -- 14 of his 28 earned runs on the season came during a nine-game stretch in August. He will likely see most of his action in the seventh inning, making him more valuable in formats that reward holds, but if Jeurys Familia gets suspended due to a domestic violence incident in October, Robles could see some save opportunities while Familia is out.

Gott will head into spring training competing for a bullpen spot with the Nationals.

He spent most of last season at Triple-A after coming over from the Angels, posting a lackluster 4.35 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 31:13 K:BB in 39.1 innings for Syracuse, but Gott was a little sharper in six big league frames. The Nats have a lot of arms competing for just a couple of openings in their 'pen this spring, but Gott's lively fastball gives him a strong chance of emerging with a 25-man roster spot.

Floro (arm) was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Wednesday.

The North-Siders made a move for former top prospect Eddie Butler which required a 40-man spot to be freed up. The Cal State Fullerton product found some success in the minor leagues last season, posting a 2.88 ERA and a 1.6 BB/9 in 50 innings in relief, so he could garner some interest during the waiver period even with the arm soreness he experienced at the back end of 2016.