MLB Player News

The Rangers signed Strickland to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training.

Strickland had a respectable 2024 campaign with the Angels, finishing with a 3.31 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 57:24 K:BB over 73.1 innings. The 36-year-old has some past history with manager Bruce Bochy, as the two were both with the Giants for the first five years of Strickland's career. He'll compete for a role in middle relief but might not have enough time to work his way onto the Opening Day roster.

Minter (hip) will make his Grapefruit League in Wednesday's game versus the Cardinals, Manny Gomez of NJ.com reports.

Minter will be in line for his first game action since he underwent hip surgery last August. He has just over two weeks to ramp up for Opening Day, but since he'll be deployed as a one-inning reliever, he'll likely need only a handful of appearances in spring training to get himself ready. He's projected to help set up for closer Edwin Diaz in the Mets bullpen this season.

Martinez threw a scoreless two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's spring game against Kansas City.

Martinez came on in the fourth inning to relieve starter Merrill Kelly, who left with one out and runners at the corners. Martinez needed just two pitches to get out of the jam, inducing a double-play groundout to end the inning. It was the fourth scoreless appearance in five Cactus League outings for Martinez, who is competing with A.J. Puk and Kevin Ginkel for the closer role.

Kittredge (knee) said Wednesday that his timetable for a return is between June and the All-Star break, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The veteran right-hander added that he is optimistic he can make it back on the earlier side of that timetable. Kittredge's knee had begun nagging him during live bullpens this spring, which ultimately led to left knee debridement surgery last Friday. Baltimore signed Kittredge to a one-year, $10 million contract in January, and he will likely pitch important innings for the team down the stretch, if healthy.

Graveman (back) threw his first live batting practice session of the spring Tuesday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Graveman was signed to a major-league deal after camp opened but then missed time with back tightness. The Diamondbacks believe he has enough time to be ready for the start of the regular season.

Chapman's spring struggles along with those of Liam Hendriks leave Boston's closer role unsettled, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports.

Chapman has a 4.91 ERA with six walks through 3.2 spring innings, which is better than Hendriks, who has a 13.50 ERA and 11 hits allowed over four innings. Manager Alex Cora acknowledged both pitchers have been knocked around but is taking an optimistic view that both are "going to be OK." If neither Chapman nor Hendriks improve over the last two weeks of the Grapefruit League, then Justin Slaten, unaccustomed to the mental aspects of closing, might sneak in to take on the ninth-inning role.

Boston manager Alex Cora is not panicked by Hendriks' spring results thus far, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports. "The velo's good, he's just got to execute," Cora said Monday. "I think it's too early to be worried about that. As long as he's healthy, we're going to keep running him out there."

Hendriks was most recently tagged for two runs on three hits over one inning Sunday, the third consecutive outing in which the Red Sox's potential closer has given up runs. The manager pointed to Hendrik's velocity, which was at 91 mph early in camp before increasing to 96 mph in Grapefruit League games. Cora takes an optimistic tack, while others, like one rival scout told McAdam, see Hendriks has been missing location over the middle of the plate. There's still time for Hendriks (13.50 ERA, 11 hits, four spring innings) to stabilize, but at this point in the Grapefruit League, Boston's closer situation remains unsettled. Aroldis Chapman (4.91 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 3.2 spring innings) and Justin Slaten (no earned runs, three innings) are also in the mix.

Halvorsen allowed five earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one across two-thirds of an inning in Monday's Cactus League game against the Reds.

Halvorsen entered the game in the eighth inning and was tasked with protecting a one-run lead. He served up a leadoff homer and proceeded to allow two walks and two extra-base hits. Halvorsen is in the mix for saves and had previously allowed only one earned run across five innings while maintaining a 4:2 K:BB, and it's unclear how this poor outing may affect his role to begin the regular season.

Vodnik pitched a scoreless seventh inning in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Reds.

Vodnik allowed two earned runs in his prior outing Saturday, so this was a needed bounce-back performance. That inconsistency is a microcosm of his entire spring, however, as he's allowed three earned runs across five innings -- albeit with a 5:1 K:BB. Vodnik is a candidate to earn the closer role in Colorado, though Tyler Kinley has had a more impressive spring.

Gallegos was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Gallegos made six appearances out of the bullpen during spring training, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out six batters over 6.1 innings. The right-hander appears set to begin the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City after signing a minor-league deal with Los Angeles in November.