MLB Player News

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.

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.

Kittredge (knee) remains unsure of a timeline for his return to action, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Kittredge reported left knee soreness over the weekend and the discomfort is lingering. The veteran right-hander said that he is waiting for a small amount of inflammation to go down before he resumes activity, at which point a return timetable could come into focus. Signed to a one-year, $10 million contract in January, Kittredge is expected to be in the mix for the occasional save chance early on while closer Felix Bautista (elbow) is eased back into regular action for Baltimore.

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.

Pivetta tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in a Cactus League contest against San Francisco on Tuesday, issuing one walk and striking out four batters.

Pivetta took the mound in a Padres uniform for the first time after signing with the team in mid-February. The veteran righty looked great in his 2.2 frames, holding the Giants without a hit and punching out four batters while throwing 47 pitches and topping out at 94.6 mph on the radar gun. Pivetta is a big addition to San Diego's rotation, and he's penciled in as the team's fourth starter as the regular-season approaches.

Graveman (back) underwent imaging Monday which came back clean, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.

Graveman will receive treatment for what manager Torey Lovullo described as mid-back tightness. There's still plenty of time left in camp for relievers to be ready for the regular season. Graveman, who racked up 24 saves during a three-year stretch from 2021 to 2023, will be a depth piece in Arizona's bullpen.

Almonte (shoulder) agreed to a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Almonte had a 3.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 20:8 K:BB across 15.2 innings with Chicago last season before requiring season-ending shoulder surgery in July, and he's now back with the organization after he elected free agency in November. It's unclear where the right-hander currently stands in his recovery and rehab, but he was initially expected to return midseason in 2025.

The Mets placed Reid-Foley on outright waivers Tuesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Reid-Foley got off to a promising start last year, posting a 1.66 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 21.2 innings, but his season was cut short in late June due to a shoulder injury. The Mets will now look to create space on their 40-man roster by outrighting him to Triple-A Syracuse. The waivers are irrevocable, however, so if one of the other 29 clubs puts in a claim on the 29-year-old righty, he will no longer be a Met.

Balazovic, who pitched a scoreless frame in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays, now has a 1.80 ERA across five innings this spring.

Balazovic has made three appearances in the Grapefruit League, with two of them covering multiple innings, and he's pitched well so far. The 26-year-old came up as a starter in Minnesota's farm system and had some prospect buzz, but he never really made his mark with the Twins. After spending the end of the 2024 season as a member of Doosan Bears in the KBO, Balazovic will now attempt to crack Detroit's Opening Day bullpen, though he'll likely begin the year in the minors with a chance to get called up down the road.

Pallante permitted one hit and struck out a pair over three scoreless frames in Tuesday's Grapefruit League outing against the Mets.

The bottom line was much improved from Pallante's first spring start when he allowed four runs and walked two in an inning of work. However, Pallante has yet to find the pep on his fastball this spring, with the velocity on his four-seamer down 1.7 mph from last year and the velocity on his sinker down 2.4 mph. It's not overly worrisome yet in early March, but it's something to keep an eye on.