MLB Player News

Blanco is prioritizing an attack of the strike zone this season, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Blanco had one of the biggest breakout performances in 2024, but he struggled to consistently find the strike zone, as his 10.1 percent walk rate in the regular season was the highest mark of any qualified starter. He escaped relatively unscathed thanks to a .187 BABIP with runners on base and .160 with runners in scoring position, both of which are unlikely to repeat in 2025. As a result, he plans to be less precise with his pitches in hopes of finding the strike zone more consistently.

Woods Richardson gave up three runs, all unearned, in three innings with four strikeouts and no walks in Sunday's spring training loss to Baltimore. He has a 1.29 ERA with a 7:2 K:BB in seven innings this spring.

Woods Richardson entered spring as the leading candidate for the fifth starter role and hasn't done anything to lose that position after three spring starts. He's in a competition with David Festa and Zebby Matthews, and the Twins' fourth starter spot could be up for grabs as well if Chris Paddack falters.

The Rays reassigned Gerber to minor-league camp Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Gerber made 17 appearances out of Seattle's big-league bullpen, but he's since toiled in the minors while also missing significant time with injuries. He landed a minor-league contract with the Rays in the offseason after he most recently spent the 2024 season in the Yankees organization. After failing to win a spot in Tampa Bay's Opening Day bullpen, Gerber is likely to report to Triple-A Durham.

The Tigers reassigned Miller to minor-league camp Sunday.

While with the Angels last season, Miller reached the big leagues for the first time and produced a 4.15 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in 13 innings. After being cut loose in November, Miller caught on with the Tigers on a minor-league deal and was given a chance to compete for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen, but he ultimately fell short in his battle for a roster berth. The reliever will likely open the season at Triple-A Toledo.

Manager Dave Martinez said Sunday that Brzykcy is considered day-to-day due to a right quad injury, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

The right-hander hasn't pitched in Grapefruit League action since making his spring debut Feb. 25, though he's recently thrown a few bullpen sessions. Assuming Brzykcy can soon progress to facing live batters, he may still have enough time to be ready for the start of the season.

Walters is returning from right shoulder stiffness and threw a bullpen session Sunday, SI.com reports.

Walters was shut down after giving up three runs over one-third of an inning during his spring debut Feb. 24, but he's been cleared to resume mound work. The right-hander delivered 8.2 scoreless frames in his first taste of the majors last season, but it's unclear if he'll be past the shoulder issue in time for Opening Day.

The Tigers optioned Lee to Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Lee will unsurprisingly begin the season at Toledo after being added to the Tigers' 40-man roster in November. The 26-year-old made 17 appearances with the affiliate last year and had a 3.27 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 31:4 K:BB across 22 innings.

Manager Rob Thomson said Sunday that Strahm is dealing with a bit of left shoulder soreness and that the club will "back him off for a few days," Paul Casella of MLB.com reports.

Strahm's last Grapefruit League action came Wednesday, and he showcased some diminished velocity while giving up four runs across two-thirds of an inning. Thomson indicated that medical imaging came back clean, so the left-hander could be back on the mound in the near future.

The Twins reassigned Ramirez (shoulder) to minor-league camp Sunday, Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

As a non-roster invitee, Ramirez was already facing an uphill battle to win a spot in the Twins' Opening Day bullpen before he recently suffered a significant tear in his right shoulder. He'll likely report to Triple-A St. Paul but could be in store for a long-term stay on the injured list before making his 2025 debut.

The Twins reassigned Dobnak to minor-league camp Sunday, Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Dobnak had been attending camp as a non-roster invitee after the Twins had removed him from their 40-man roster following the 2024 season. The 30-year-old right-hander spent most of the past season at Triple-A St. Paul but made five relief appearances for Minnesota in the second half of the campaign, logging a 5.59 ERA and 1.66 WHIP over 9.2 innings. He's poised to once again serve as pitching depth at the Triple-A level in 2025 before likely heading into free agency next offseason, when Minnesota is expected to decline his $6 million team option for 2026.