MLB Player News

Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson allowed 10 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in a Triple-A outing Monday and has posted a 6.23 ERA in four Cactus League starts, but he and pitching coach Rick Kranitz are focusing on the positives, MLB.com reports.

"This is a tough game, but everybody here is good at taking the positives out of things, and that's what you have to do in this game or it will break you down pretty good," Nelson said. "I've been trying to take the positives from every outing I've had and keep them in the back of my mind and remember how that felt, whether it's mechanically or mentally or anything like that. The pieces are there, I'm just putting them together."

Kranitz indicated that he saw improvement in Nelson's slider Monday.

"We saw some really good things," said Kranitz. "We needed to have him put guys away with the slider, and yesterday, there it was."

Nelson said his confidence remains high heading into Saturday's final spring start.

"I really have just been focused on attacking the strike zone," Nelson said. "Things we can control as pitchers are walks. Hits are going to happen. I've really been trying to cut down my walks first and foremost, and build off that. It's building blocks. First you have to get the strike zone. Then you have to command certain parts of the strike zone. Then you can start doing more advanced stuff."

Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman was removed from Tuesday's game for precautionary reasons due to concerns about his right hamstring, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Chapman, who looked like he wanted to stay in the game, pitched to just one batter and did not allow a hit in his brief outing. He has posted a 3.18 ERA and 16:3 K:BB ratio in 11 1/3 innings this spring.

Rockies pitcher John Axford left camp last Wednesday, after his son was bitten by a rattlesnake, per MLB.com.

The two and a half year old was in danger of losing his foot, but his condition has improved and doctors believe the foot will be saved.

Axford has played catch and threw a bullpen session on Tuesday, but it's not sure when he'll return to game action.

Phillies pitcher Ken Giles was taken out of Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays with a 1-2 count on a batter in the eighth inning for an apparent lower back injury, reports MLB.com.

Manager Ryne Sandberg said Giles felt a muscle grab in his lower back. Giles doesn't think the issue will keep him out for long and isn't worried about Opening Day.

"It’s just tightness," Giles said. "It’s just stiff. It doesn’t hurt. I’m able to move around and stuff like that, but I’m not really concerned about it."

The team did not specify the reasoning for Giles' exit in the middle of the inning. He has thrown 8 1/3 innings with a 5.40 ERA and seven walks.

Mets pitchers Bobby Parnell (elbow, hamstring) and Vic Black (shoulder) will see action in a minor-league game on Wednesday, according to the New York Daily News. Both players are candidates to start the season on the disabled list.

Mets pitcher Vic Black is "unlikely" to avoid a season-opening stint on the disabled list, according general manager Sandy Alderson per ESPN New York.

Black is still battling to get back on the field after a shoulder suffered in the middle of March and threw off a mound for the first time Saturday. He posted a 2-3 record with a 2.60 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings in 2014.

The Diamondbacks announced that Chase Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Josh Collmenter, Rubby De La Rosa and Jeremy Hellickson will fill out the five-man rotation to start the season. 

With Cahill and Anderson making the rotation, Daniel Hudson will move to the bullpen. According to MLB.com, a final decision on the order of the rotation has yet to be determined.

However, Collmenter is expected to start on Opening Day and De La Rosa is the most likely candidate to pitch the second game. Hellickson is slated to start the third, leaving the coaching staff a decision to make on which games Anderson and Cahill will start. 

Brewers starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson threw in a minor-league game Monday in order to stay on schedule, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Unfortunately, Nelson's spring struggles continued.

The right-hander allowed 10 runs on 11 hits and four walks, while striking out six in 4 1/3 innings. He threw 86 pitches.

Nelson is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in four Cactus League starts. He has allowed 17 runs (12 earned) on 17 hits and one walk in 13 innings.

Mets pitcher Rafael Montero showed Monday against the Marlins why some within the organization want him to replace Zack Wheeler in the rotation rather than Dillon Gee. Montero threw six scoreless innings during a 7-1 win against the Marlins.

Montero retired the first nine batters he faced before Dee Gordon led off the fourth inning with a double. Michael Morse also had a two-out single in the inning, but those were the only hits Montero would allow. 

He didn't issue a walk and struck out six. Montero is 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA through four spring outings. Although, in his two starts, he has allowed just one run on five hits in 10 innings.

While Dillon Gee is on track to replace Zack Wheeler (elbow) in the team's rotation, the Mets still might trade Gee, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jone Heyman. Gee is expected to open the season in the rotation, but some team officials would rather see prospect Rafael Montero take Wheeler's spot.

Mets manager Terry Collins has yet to officially name Gee as Wheeler's replacement and continues to keep Montero in the mix. Although, it seems Montero could end up in the bullpen, if Gee claims the final spot in the rotation.

Gee is expected to open the season with the Mets since there are no active trade talks, a source told ESPN.com.