MLB Player News
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Max Kranick RP | NYM
Mets' Max Kranick: Making case for bullpen spot
Kranick has posted a 7:0 K:BB over 6.1 scoreless innings through his first three Grapefruit League appearances, and Will Sammon of The Athletic reports that Kranick could be putting himself into position to win a spot in the Mets' Opening Day bullpen.
The 27-year-old righty appeared to be on the outside looking in for a spot on the 26-man roster, but the Mets waived Sean Reid-Foley on Tuesday, and neither Dedniel Nunez (elbow) nor A.J. Minter (hip) are guaranteed to be ready for Opening Day. Kranick hit 98 mph with his fastball out of the bullpen at Triple-A Syracuse last year, and his sweeper has drawn raves from scouts. He could provide New York with a long-relief option to begin the campaign.
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Abner Uribe RP | MIL
Brewers' Abner Uribe: Ready for spring debut
Uribe (knee) will make his Cactus League debut Wednesday against the White Sox, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
Uribe has been brought along slowly in Brewers camp after surgery last July to repair a lateral meniscus tear. The 24-year-old has the stuff to fill a high-leverage role in the Milwaukee bullpen, but Uribe struggled during his stint in the majors last season and might go to Triple-A Nashville for a while to make up for lost time.
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Evan Phillips RP | LAD
Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Could be ready by early April
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Phillips (shoulder) could be active by the first or second week of April, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Phillips has been slow-played this spring as he comes back from a right shoulder injury, but Roberts was impressed with how the reliever looked during his most recent bullpen session. While a stint on the injured list is in the offing, Phillips' absence might be brief. The former closer could be looking at more of a middle-relief role this season as part of a loaded Dodgers bullpen.
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Joe La Sorsa RP | PIT
Reds' Joe La Sorsa: Makes spring debut
La Sorsa (illness) struck out two batters in a perfect inning of relief in Monday's 5-4 win over the Brewers in Cactus League play.
La Sorsa wasn't available for the start of spring training while recovering from an illness, which put him behind the other relievers competing for a spot in the Reds' Opening Day bullpen. After moving past the ailment and completing his throwing progression, La Sorsa finally got the chance to make his Cactus League debut earlier this week and came through with an impressive outing. The southpaw is attending camp as a non-roster invitee, so he'll likely need to string together a few more strong performances to build a more serious case for a bullpen job with the Reds.
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Ethan Small RP | SF
Giants' Ethan Small: Misses out on Opening Day roster
The Giants reassigned Small to minor-league camp Wednesday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Small spent most of last season on the Giants' 60-day injured list while recovering from a right oblique strain, and once he was finally activated from the IL in mid-August, he was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. He struggled to a 6.00 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in nine innings with Sacramento before the Giants non-tendered him in November, only to re-sign him less than a month later on a minor-league deal. Small has enjoyed a healthy spring training but will head back to Sacramento to begin the 2025 season after falling short in his bid for a spot in the Giants' Opening Day bullpen.
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Raymond Burgos RP | SF
Giants' Raymond Burgos: Sent to minors camp
The Giants reassigned Burgos to minor-league camp Wednesday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
The lefty reliever reached the big leagues for the first time last June, giving up one earned run on three hits and one walk in one inning before the Giants booted him off the 40-man roster. He re-signed with the Giants on a minor-league deal over the winter and is expected to serve as bullpen depth at Triple-A Sacramento for the majority of the upcoming season.
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Erik Miller RP | SF
Giants' Erik Miller: Will return to mound Friday
Miller (illness) will return to Cactus League action Friday against the Reds, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Miller missed time earlier in camp after experiencing numbness in his throwing hand, but he overcame that issue before falling ill last week due to an elevated fever. He seems to be feeling healthy again, however, and is closing in on making his Cactus League debut. The left-handed reliever collected a 3.88 ERA and 87:38 K:BB across 67.1 innings for the Giants in 2024.
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Hunter Stratton RP | ATL
Pirates' Hunter Stratton: Throwing simulated game
Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that Stratton (knee) will throw a simulated game Wednesday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Stratton is coming back from a ruptured patella tendon in his left knee he suffered last August. He's been throwing off a mound for a while and began a running progression last month. Stratton is in camp as a non-roster invitee and it doesn't seem as though he'll be ready for Opening Day. Once healthy, he'll head to Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Andrew Nardi RP | MIA
Marlins' Andrew Nardi: Shut down after setback
Nardi has halted his throwing program after feeling more tightness in his back, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Nardi came into camp with a back injury and had been ramping things up, but now he's suffered a setback. He will be re-evaluated in the coming days, and his readiness for Opening Day would now appear very much in question.
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Chase Petty P | CIN
Reds' Chase Petty: Shines against champs
Petty allowed one run on four hits and struck out four over three innings in Tuesday's split-squad start against the Dodgers.
This was Petty's first Cactus League start -- he appeared twice previously out of the bullpen -- and the 2021 first-round draft pick held his own against the World Series champs, who brought a stacked lineup to the game. The right-hander's first pitch of the night was a 98.1 mph fastball to Shohei Ohtani -- the first of 21 pitches that registered at least 97 mph. He ended the night after 51 pitches, freezing Freddie Freeman with a slider. The lone blemish was a home run by Mookie Betts. Petty finished up 2024 at Triple-A Louisville and is expected to head back there to begin 2025.