MLB Player News

Beck was diagnosed Thursday with an aneurysm in his upper right arm, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The diagnosis was made after Beck visited with a vascular specialist regarding an issue with his pitching hand. Beck will weigh his treatment options over the next few days before deciding what to do, but surgery would seem to be a possibility. Giants manager Bob Melvin said Thursday that Beck won't be ready for Opening Day and could be sidelined for a while, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The right-hander had tentatively been penciled into the rotation, but his long-term status is now up in the air.

Atlanta reassigned Widener to minor-league camp Thursday.

Widener logged 49 appearances in the majors with the Diamondbacks between the 2020 and 2022 seasons before making a one-year stop in the Korea Baseball Organization in 2023 with the Samsung Lions. After compiling a 4.54 ERA and 1.32 WHIP over 115 innings for the Lions, Widener returned stateside this offseason, settling for a minor-league deal with Atlanta. As anticipated, Widener fell short in his bid for Atlanta's Opening Day roster, so he'll likely open the 2024 season as a member of the Triple-A Gwinnett rotation.

Treinen (shoulder) pitched a scoreless inning in a Cactus League game against the White Sox on Tuesday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter.

This was a significant outing for Treinen, as he didn't pitch in the majors at all last season and hurled just 3.1 minor-league frames after undergoing shoulder surgery in November 2022. The veteran reliever entered in the sixth inning Tuesday and began his outing by giving up a single to Gavin Sheets but rebounded with a punchout and two infield popouts. Treinen's successful outing further puts him on track to be ready for the Dodgers' opening series in Korea that begins March 20.

The Padres reassigned Carlton (elbow) to minor-league camp Wednesday.

Carlton posted a 4.35 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 20.2 innings out of the San Diego bullpen last season before he was placed on the injured list July 1 with elbow inflammation. He proceeded to miss the remainder of the 2023 campaign before he was outrighted to Triple-A El Paso in the offseason. Though Carlton remains in the organization and had been invited to big-league spring training, he hadn't made any Cactus League appearances, so it's not yet clear if he's overcome the elbow issue. Whenever Carlton is ready to pitch, he'll likely join the El Paso bullpen.

Thompson will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Thompson will be getting the second Tommy John surgery of his career, as he also needed the operation back in high school. He'll miss the entirety of the 2024 campaign and possibly the start of next season as well, since rehab from a second UCL repair is usually more deliberate.

Faucher (biceps) is scheduled to make a relief appearance in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Faucher, whom the Marlins acquired from Tampa Bay in November, closed the 2023 season on the 60-day injured list after developing right biceps tendinitis in mid-August. He hasn't faced any apparent limitations in spring training, however, as he'll be making his second Grapefruit League appearance Wednesday after he gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk while retiring two batters in Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Nationals. Faucher projects to fill a middle-relief role out of the Miami bullpen.

Montas struck out two over two hitless and scoreless innings in Tuesday's spring start against the Cubs.

Montas logged two perfect innings in his Cactus League debut, which left him feeling ebullient following the outing. The right-hander underwent shoulder surgery in February 2023 and made one relief appearance for the Yankees last season. "It's been a long time," Montas told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. "I think two years [ago] when I was pitching in spring training. Being back on the mound is exciting for me. I feel happy and blessed about that." He threw 27 pitches and used his entire arsenal -- four-seam and two-seam fastball, splitter, cutter and slider -- with his velocity sitting 94-to-96 mph.

Martinez, Andrew Abbott and to a lesser extent, Brandon Williamson, are competing for the Reds' fifth starter role, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Martinez would still pitch in a high-leverage role out of the bullpen should he lose out to Abbott, a role he has filled before. This presumes Hunter Greene, Frankie Montas, Graham Ashcraft and Nick Lodolo (lower leg) are all healthy enough to begin the season, which is no sure thing.

Kranick struck out two batters over two perfect innings in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.

The 26-year-old didn't pitch in the majors at all last season while still in the Pirates' organization, but after being claimed off waivers by the Mets in January, Kranick has a chance to crack the big-league rotation. Monday's outing came against a Washington squad that featured most of its likely Opening Day lineup, but the right-hander will need to keep pitching well this spring to emerge from a pack of arms that includes Tylor Megill, Jose Butto and Joey Lucchesi and seize the fifth starter role.

Beck has been sent back to San Francisco to be evaluated due to right hand discomfort, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Beck has not made a Cactus League appearance yet this spring but evidently has felt something in his hand while throwing. More should be known about a potential timetable for his return after he's examined. Beck and Keaton Winn (elbow) are expected to slot into the final two spots in the Giants' rotation, but both players are now dealing with injuries.