MLB Player News

Brewers starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson has not had a banner spring. The right-hander has allowed 12 runs (nine earned) on 17 hits and one walk in 13 innings (6.23 ERA).

However, despite poor spring numbers, manager Ron Roenicke has not lost faith in Nelson.

“He was the most dominant pitcher in Triple-A,” Roenicke said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “That tells you if we can get back to that guy, then we have a really good major-league starter.

“(The struggles) are because he doesn’t command the ball. When he was in Triple-A, he commanded the ball better, for whatever reason. Maybe it was the confidence he had there. He’s got overpowering stuff but there’s not too many guys who can overpower a major-league hitter if you don’t put it in the right spot. The difference is he’s facing guys that are really good hitters.

“It’s not that he doesn’t throw strikes. When I talk about commanding the ball, that doesn’t mean it’s not a strike. It means when you want to throw it inside, you can throw it inside instead of being outside for a strike. Or if you want to throw it down and you miss up for a strike, that’s not commanding the ball. Commanding it is throwing it in an area you want to throw it, and repeating an offspeed pitch.”

Dodgers pitcher Yimi Garcia tossed a scoreless inning Wednesday as he continues to battle for a spot in the team's Opening Day bullpen.

"Obviously, he's pretty impressive," manager Don Mattingly said Wednesday after the outing, per MLB.com. "He's still here. As long as he's not in the [minor-league] barracks …"

Garcia has yet to allow a run in 8 1/3 innings, giving up just four hits and two walks while striking out 10. He believes he's ready to make the major-league team.

"In my mind, yes," Garcia said. "But I don't have control."

Garcia made his major-league debut in 2014 and allowed two earned runs in 10 innings while striking out nine and walking one.

Phillies pitcher Jeanmar Gomez may be headed for one of the team's open bullpen spots after putting together an excellent performance this spring, MLB.com reports.

"He's been pretty impressive," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I like him with his command. He works ahead in the count. For me, he's a candidate for a two-inning stint out of the bullpen. He has the experience. He also throws strikes, and he throws strikes with his slider right from the get-go out of the bullpen."

Gomez has seen plenty of major-league action, but last year was his first season working exclusively as a reliever, and he delivered a 3.19 ERA and 38:23 K:BB ratio in 62 innings with the Pirates. He has allowed one earned run in 8 2/3 innings this spring while striking out four batters.

Mets pitching prospect Rafael Montero most likely punched his ticket to make the big club Wednesday with a solid four-inning start against the Yankees.

In his first start of the spring, Montero allowed one earned run, three hits and struck out four.

Montero officially remains in competition with Dillon Gee for the rotation's fifth spot, but it appears he'll be added to the Mets bullpen when the season begins.

When asked where Montero fits into the Mets' pitching staff, manager Terry Collins said "On the team - somewhere."

Montero suggested he is fine with any role.

"[In the] minor leagues I was a starting pitcher," Montero said through an interpreter. "Now, in the big leagues, I'm ready to pitch ... In the minor leagues, I want to start. That's in the minor leagues. But here in the big leagues that's their decision."

Montero has pitched nine innings in the spring so far, posting a 4.00 ERA with nine hits and eight strike outs.

While Dillon Gee is considered the favorite to take Zack Wheeler's spot in the Mets' rotation, starting pitcher prospect Rafael Montero still remains in the mix, team insiders told the New York Daily News.

Montero's high ceiling has led some in the organization to hold off in anointing Gee as Wheeler's replacement. Montero, who has a 5.40 ERA through two relief outings, will get his first spring start Wednesday against the Yankees.

Diamondbacks pitchers Patrick Corbin and David Hernandez were both able to throw bullpen sessions Tuesday for the first time since they both underwent Tommy John surgery.

"It was awesome, exciting," Corbin said on Tuesday to MLB.com. "I woke up this morning and it felt like it was my first start of the season. Tomorrow it will be one year from surgery, so just a great feeling to get back out there. I wasn't really nervous because I knew my elbow felt great from all the work that we've been doing this past year. Just super excited to get on the mound and be able to throw again."

Hernandez is expected to be back before Corbin and was able to throw without worrying about his elbow.

"To be honest with you, I didn't think about it at all when I started throwing," Hernandez said. "It's kind of on the back burner. I just kind of felt like it was my first bullpen in Spring Training. Next is your next bullpen, and then you'll face batters and then you'll be in games. That's the way I'm looking at it."

Diamondbacks pitcher Rubby De La Rosa will be a part of the team's starting rotation when the season begins, manager Chip Hale confirmed Tuesday.

De La Rosa, who has allowed five earned runs over 12 innings this spring, was reported to have won a spot in the rotation after his start Sunday.

"I think he's one of our five starters, yes," Hale said. "I think Rubby's proven enough to us. Like I said, there's two weeks left. Right now, he's one of our five. He's a difference-maker, being a power guy in our rotation with Hellickson and Collmenter being more of the finesse-type pitchers. He's a nice mix in there, so I feel good about him starting for us."

De La Rosa posted a 4-8 record with a 4.43 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 101 2/3 innings in 2014 for the Red Sox.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson expressed more optimism Tuesday for second baseman Daniel Murphy (hamstring), who was cleared to begin baseball activities, being ready for Opening Day than reliever Vic Black (shoulder), per ESPN.

"We're a little more hopeful today that Murphy will be ready," Alderson said. "I think Vic's a question mark at this point. He's going to play catch (Tuesday), but I'm not sure where he'll be on Opening Day."

Diamondbacks pitcher Daniel Hudson went three innings Monday against the Dodgers and was able to get through the outing unscathed, reports MLB.com.

"It felt good to get out there for the top of the third and everything is feeling great, arm-wise," Hudson said. "That second outing, it didn't quite bounce back the way I wanted it to. So that's why we kept it at two innings for that third outing. But in between that one and this one, and then right now, it feels great."

Mets pitcher Vic Black won't throw until Tuesday, assistant GM John Ricco said, per ESPN's Adam Rubin. 

Initial reports over the weekend said that Black would begin throwing off of flat ground on Monday, as he returns from shoulder soreness. 

Ricco said that was never the team's plan.