MLB Player News

Martinez said Thursday that he prefers starting but is willing to handle a bullpen role, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "I haven't been shy in saying that I prefer starting, but I also find a lot of things I am passionate about as a reliever," Martinez said.

Martinez, who has been a swingman the last two seasons for San Diego, is one of 10 arms competing for a spot in Cincinnati's rotation. The Reds signed him to a two-year, $26 million deal during the offseason and expect him to fill a pivotal role. If the right-hander isn't starting, then he'll be called on in high-leverage situations. Martinez's versatility wasn't his only attractive trait; he was in the 98th percentile with an average exit velocity of 84.7 mph and 95th percentile in hard-hit rate (29.9 percent) in 2023.

Brazoban has yet to report to Marlins camp because of a visa issue, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Non-roster invitees Elvis Alvarado and Jhonny Pereda have also been delayed by visa problems. The 34-year-old Brazoban still seems ticketed for a spot in the Marlins' bullpen provided his absence from camp doesn't drag on too long.

Barnes signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Barnes' most recent big-league experience came with the Cardinals last year, as he held a 5.93 ERA and 1.54 WHIP with eight strikeouts over 13.2 innings. The veteran reliever will provide the Nationals with some experienced depth.

The Blue Jays are building up Francis to serve as a starter, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

The vast majority of Francis' minor-league appearances have come as a starter, though he has yet to begin a game on the mound through 21 MLB appearances. Francis holds an impressive 1.70 ERA and 0.84 WHIP through 37 career big-league frames, but even if he has a solid spring as a starter, he would need some attrition ahead of him to earn a spot at the back of Toronto's rotation.

Santos is dealing with soreness in his right lat/teres major area, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Santos ended last season with right elbow soreness, but now he's got a new injury which cropped up following a bullpen session this spring. It's not clear at this juncture whether the setback might be significant enough to delay his start to the season. Santos was acquired via trade from the White Sox earlier this month and, if healthy, is slated to serve as a setup man.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that he does not expect Jameson (elbow) to pitch this season, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Jameson had Tommy John surgery in September, so even if he came back as a reliever it always was unlikely he'd pitch in 2024. The 26-year-old right-hander will focus on rehabbing this year with eyes of contributing for Arizona again in 2025.

Ginkel is dealing with soreness in his right elbow, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Manager Torey Lovullo said the issue first appeared about a week ago, but nothing alarming showed up when Ginkel went in for imaging. While the D-backs don't expect Ginkel's elbow to become an problem, they will still postpone his ramp-up process as a precaution. The 29-year-old reliever logged a 2.48 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 65.1 innings last season and figures to serve as Paul Sewald's primary setup man in 2024.

Zimmermann could be in the mix for a rotation spot with John Means (elbow) and Kyle Bradish (elbow) likely to miss the start of the season, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Zimmermann covered 13.1 major-league innings last season, posting a 4.73 ERA and 14:0 K:BB. With Triple-A Norfolk, he featured as a starter, but ended up with middling results -- a 4-7 record, 4.42 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 110:39 K:BB through 99.2 innings across 21 starts. Zimmermann will need a strong spring to secure a spot in the rotation -- Cole Irvin and Tyler Wells will likely be favored to fill out that group if the Orioles begin the year with a five-man rotation. Zimmermann could ultimately find himself in a swingman role.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that Phillips is in line to receive "the brunt" of the save chances for the team, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The Dodgers flirted with signing Josh Hader and have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Kenley Jansen if he's traded. For the time being, however, Phillips is the clear best option to close, having posted a dominant 1.74 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 152:33 K:BB across 134.2 innings during his time in Los Angeles. The 29-year-old notched 24 saves in 27 chances last season.

White is projected to break camp on the Blue Jays' 26-man roster by Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star.

The 29-year-old right-hander has struggled during his time in Toronto after being acquired from the Dodgers in August 2022 and even lost his spot on the 40-man roster for a couple months this offseason, but he's out of minor-league options and the Jays can't afford to lose him on waivers given their lack of rotation depth. Should White open the season in the majors, he would likely be penciled into a long-relief role.