MLB Player News

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Cardinals pitchers Shelby Miller and Joe Kelly, who are competing for the final spot in the team's rotation, will pitch during Tuesday's spring game against the Marlins. Miller will start and Kelly will follow.

Miller, who is considered a top 100 prospect by Baseball America (No. 6) and MLB.com (No. 25), is 1-0 with a 7.04 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in three spring outings (one start), while Kelly is 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.25 WHIP through three spring starts (eight innings).

Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman made his fourth appearance of the Cactus League on Saturday against the Giants. He allowed a run on two hits over four innings. The left-hander also walked three and struck out two.

Chapman, who has a 2.25 ERA this spring, is competing for the fifth spot in the rotation but said after the game that he'd prefer returning to the role he had last season.

"I would like to be a closer, but that's not in my hands," Chapman said.

Rockies pitcher Drew Pomeranz endured a rough outing in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Mariners. Pomeranz, who made his fourth appearance of the spring, fared well early, but ran into trouble in the fifth inning when he allowed five runs, including a solo home run by Kendrys Morales. He gave up four runs on nine hits in five innings. He also struck out five and issued a walk. His ERA increased to 5.54 this spring.

"I really threw my fastball well today, but I don’t think my off-speed location was there today," Pomeranz told the Denver Post. "I made a bad pitch to Morales (an inside fastball). Actually, it was a good pitch, just the wrong time to throw that pitch."

Just a day after blowing a save in the ninth inning, Braves closer Craig Kimbrel bounced back with a solid inning of work for Team USA in Friday's game against Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. Kimbrel entered in the ninth inning and allowed an infield single to Luis Figueroa for his only damage of the night. He forced the next two batters to pop out and left the frame unscathed. Kimbrel finished the tournament with a 4.91 ERA.

Dusty Baker's comments Wednesday -- essentially, that the Reds' fifth-starter competition is an actual competition, and not Aroldis Chapman's job to lose -- came as a bit of a surprise to many of us.

It seemed like it was all but assured that Chapman would be the team's fifth starter this season, with Mike Leake going to the bullpen and Jonathan Broxton closing. But now, there's some doubt, with this alternate universe that has Chapman closing, Leake starting and Broxton bumped to middle relief. The good news is that Chapman as a closer will still have a good value. And Leake, who was drafted just a few spots behind Stephen Strasburg, has more skill than a typical starter-who's-been-bumped-to-the-bullpen.

But Chapman seems like he would be happiest as a starter, and the team invested in Broxton to close. Leake makes stellar rotation insurance (or even attractive trade bait, seeing as super-prospect Tony Cingrani could slide into the rotation if an injury occurs), so the idea that Chapman will start seems the most likely way for this to play out.

Chapman will be solid no matter where he lands, but exercise a wee bit of caution with Broxton, who stands to lose the most if this unlikely scenario comes to fruition. 

The New York Mets continued trimming their roster Friday by sending infielder Wilmer Flores, first baseman Josh Satin and pitcher Carlos Torres to their minor-league camp. Flores, one of the team's top prospects, is the only player among the group on the 40-man roster. Flores, 21, spent most of the spring playing second base as he continued his transition from third base.

Cardinals top prospect Shelby Miller and his primary competition for the fifth starter role, Joe Kelly, both pitched in the same game Thursday. Kelly allowed just one earned run in four strong innings. Miller gave up three on six hits in 2 2/3.

And then came this fun quote from manager Mike Matheny after the game: "You have a hard time really ignoring what Joe did," Matheny told MLB.com, referring to Kelly's 16 starts last year. "He came in and gave us a great opportunity to win every time he started. He gave us quality starts."

Hmm. Sounds to me like he's leaning toward Kelly, and based on spring performance, you really can't blame him. Miller was looking like a terrific late-round sleeper in head-to-head leagues because of his RP eligibility, but now I'm a little wary of drafting him.

Craig Kimbrel, the closer who blew only three saves for the Braves during what was arguably the most dominant season ever for a reliever, blew one with national pride on the line Thurday. But from a Fantasy perspective, it doesn't mean much. The most unfortunate part about it was the stage.

Those who care about the World Baseball Classic -- and no doubt, a contingent of Fantasy-playing types do -- had their hearts broken by it when, if it happened in Grapefruit League play, they wouldn't have even noticed. It really shouldn't change your opinion of Kimbrel on draft day.

Of course, seeing how early you'd have to take him relative to other closers, you're better off letting someone else form an opinion on him.

After not allowing more than one hit in any of his outings last season, Braves closer Craig Kimbrel could not close out the side in the ninth inning and was pegged with the loss for Team USA on Thursday night against the Dominican Republic.

With the score tied at a run apiece, Kimbrel allowed a leadoff double to Nelson Cruz. Erick Aybar then singled in the go-ahead run and stole second base. Jose Reyes then slapped a single off Kimbrel to seal the game. Kimbrel allowed two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. He also struck out one and did not issue a walk in a 3-1 defeat. It was the first time Kimbrel has allowed more than a run in an outing since Sept. 19, 2011. 

"That's just the way it went today," Kimbrel said. "They got the momentum. Cruz got on with the double to start it off. Any time that happens, it's tough to rebound and get back. We had a chance against Aybar to possibly get the strikeout. It didn't happen."

Cardinals rotation candidate Joe Kelly turned in a solid performance Thursday afternoon against the Braves. Kelly, who made his third Grapefruit League start, went past two innings of work for the first time this spring. He cruised through four innings, allowing just three hits and an earned run in a 5-4 victory. He stuck out one and did not walk a batter.

Kelly, who walked five combined in his first two appearances, chose to work on his tempo against the Braves, which had been a bit slower in his first two appearances. He is competing with Shelby Miller for the final spot in the rotation.

Manager Mike Matheny told MLB.com Thursday that he is not ready to announce the fifth starter and could allow Miller and Kelly to pitch again before he makes his decision.

"Today wasn't a drop-dead, have-to-make-a-decision day," Matheny said. "Just take in more information and another opportunity to go out there. I thought they both did the most with it."