MLB Player News

Newcomb will start the 2024 season on injured list due to left knee irritation, MLB.com reports.

Newcomb underwent surgery on his lateral meniscus in his left knee this past September, but he was able to make his spring debut March 13 against the Royals. However, the left-hander is still not ready and will miss the start of the 2024 season. In addition to Newcomb, the Athletics will also be without Luis Medina (knee) and Ken Waldichuk (elbow) to begin the season.

The Cubs released Edwards on Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Manager Craig Counsell confirmed Saturday that Edwards opted out of his minor-league contract. He gave up one earned run on two hits and three walks while striking out six over 6.2 innings in spring training. Edwards could latch on with a team looking for veteran bullpen depth.

Smith will begin the season in the Guardians' bullpen unless the team acquires another reliever in the next few days, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

At the moment, Smith's 2.25 ERA and 1.00 WHIP through eight spring innings has earned him a spot in Cleveland's bullpen, though it's unclear how aggressive the Guardians will be in pursuing another reliever to replace the 24-year-old righty. Smith spent most of last season in Triple-A Columbus, where he turned in a 4.65 ERA and 1.39 WHIP across 40.2 frames. If he does remain on Cleveland's Opening Day roster, he likely will be limited to low-leverage situations to begin his MLB career.

The Giants reassigned Enlow to minor-league camp Saturday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Enlow signed a minor-league contract with the Giants on Dec. 16 and was invited to the team's spring training. He posted a 3.27 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 12:2 K:BB over 11 innings during Cactus League play. It was an improvement on Enlow's Triple-A numbers in 2023 when he registered a 7.94 ERA over 45.1 innings.

The Giants reassigned Howard to minor-league camp Saturday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Howard signed a minor-league contract with the Giants on Nov. 10 and was competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster. He posted a 1.86 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 8:5 K:BB over 9.2 innings, but it ultimately wasn't enough. Howard has struggled at the big-league level, but a productive stint in Triple-A could give the Giants a reason to call him up to the majors this season.

Manager Pat Murphy said Saturday that Clarke (knee) underwent imaging earlier in the week, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

The results of the MRI are unknown, but Hogg notes that it's unlikely that Clarke will be on the Brewers' Opening Day roster. His last spring training appearance was March 17 against the Royals, when he threw three scoreless innings with two hits and one walk allowed.

The White Sox released Chavez on Saturday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

The White Sox signed Chavez to a minor-league contract Feb. 8 and invited the right-hander to compete for a bullpen spot in spring training. The 31-year-old struggled over his seven innings pitched as he allowed nine runs on 12 hits and two walks while striking out eight. Chavez will weigh his options in free agency.

Wood allowed an earned run on two hits, a walk and a wild pitch over three innings in a Cactus League win over the Reds on Friday. He struck out four.

The veteran, who's already been tabbed for an Opening Day start against Cleveland on Thursday, tuned up well for that outing with his three-inning stint on the mound. Wood's one stumble came in the form of an RBI double surrendered to Will Benson in the third inning, and the left-hander will finish spring having allowed just two earned runs over the eight innings covering his last two starts while generating an impressive 10:1 K:BB in that span.

King will not pitch in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals due to an illness, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The 29-year-old lefty should return to the mound in a few days once he's recovered from his illness. After giving up seven runs on 14 hits and six walks over his first six spring training games, King has not allowed a run over his last three appearances.

The Mets reassigned Adams to minor-league camp Saturday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Adams joined the Mets in November on a one-year deal to compete for a spot in the team's bullpen. He allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out 12 over 6.1 innings in spring training. Adams will start 2024 in the minors and look to work his way back to the majors.