MLB Player News

Phillips (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.

Phillips isn't expected to be ready for a return from a right shoulder injury until the first or second week of April, and the team has decided a stint on the injured list is in the team's best interest to begin the 2025 regular season. A timetable for his return should come into focus as he gains clearance to face live hitters

Graterol (shoulder) was placed on the 60-day injured list Monday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.

Graterol has yet to begin throwing after undergoing surgery in November to repair his right labrum and a right shoulder ligament, so this move is simply procedural. A timetable for his return has yet to be established.

The Cubs optioned Palencia to Triple-A Iowa on Monday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Palencia was in the mix for a back-end bullpen spot to begin the season, but he'll instead head back to Iowa, where he spent most of the 2024 campaign. The righty ultimately appeared in 10 games for the Cubs last season and will serve as organizational depth once again in 2025.

Rogers has allowed just one run with a 10:4 K:BB over seven innings during his first seven Cactus League outings this spring.

Alexis Diaz has made just three appearances this spring due to injury and was roughed up his last time out. The Reds will have him pitch in a minor-league game Tuesday as he works on his issues. With Diaz's status looking shaky, Rogers, Emilio Pagan, Tony Santillan and perhaps others could have an opportunity to stake claim on the Cincinnati closer job. Rogers has the most ninth-inning experience of the bunch and performed well last season with the Giants, posting a 2.40 ERA and 64:22 K:BB over 60 innings.

Diaz will pitch in a minor-league game Tuesday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Diaz was shelled for five runs on three hits and three walks while recording just one out in his last Cactus League appearance Saturday. Reds manager Terry Francona had a less than favorable review of Diaz's outing afterward, saying the reliever has "got to lock it in here," per Sheldon. It appears the team has determined the best spot for Diaz to attempt to get back on track, at least initially, is in a less pressurized situation. Diaz has made only three appearances this spring due to a hamstring issue and he also developed a cut on his right thumb during Saturday's appearance, although Francona contended that the thumb issue had nothing to do with Diaz's struggles in the outing. The 28-year-old entered camp as the clear favorite to serve as the Reds' closer, but his grip on the job might be tenuous. Taylor Rogers, Emilio Pagan, Tony Santillan and Scott Barlow loom as closer alternatives if Francona wants to go in another direction, with Rogers perhaps the favorite of the bunch.

Young traveled back to Cincinnati to be examined by the Reds' orthopedist to determine whether he needs Tommy John surgery, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

It's not clear when Young was injured, but he last appeared in a Cactus League game March 8 and was reassigned to minor-league camp Sunday. The Reds should have more information on his status later this week.

The Mets reassigned Gose to minor-league camp Monday.

Gose has turned in a 4.78 ERA and 41:17 K:BB in 32 innings over parts of three seasons in the majors as a pitcher since he made the conversion from the outfield earlier in his career, but the 34-year-old lefty was attending big-league camp as a non-roster invitee and faced an uphill battle to win a spot in the Mets' Opening Day bullpen. He's likely to begin the season in a relief role at Triple-A Syracuse.

Imanaga -- who will start Tuesday's opener against the Dodgers in Tokyo -- has allowed seven runs with a 13:2 K:BB over 11 Cactus League innings this spring.

Imanaga has served up three home runs but has been elite in terms of his K:BB, which essentially sums up what he did during his rookie season with the Cubs, as well. The left-hander faces a tall task in going up against the Dodgers' lineup in his first outing of the season. Imanaga threw 75 pitches in his last Cactus League start a week ago, so he should be available for 85-to-90 or so pitches Tuesday.

Manager Mike Shildt announced Monday that King will start the Padres' March 27 season opener versus Atlanta, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

In a surprising decision, King is getting the ball instead of Dylan Cease, but the two are essentially co-aces for the Padres. King broke out in 2024 in his first full campaign in the big leagues as a starting pitcher, collecting a 2.95 ERA and 201:63 K:BB over 173.2 innings during the regular season.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Monday that Myers will begin the season on the 15-day injured list after an MRI revealed a left oblique strain, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

The good news is the MRI was actually "better than we were expecting," according to Murphy, who added that Myers could rejoin the rotation before the end of April. Tyler Alexander is likely to occupy a spot in Milwaukee's rotation for as long as Myers is shelved.