MLB Player News

Machado was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Nationals on Saturday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Machado was attempting to win a spot in the Washington bullpen, but at least to begin 2023, he's going to head to the minors instead. The 29-year-old will likely operate out of the bullpen for Triple-A Rochester.

Cabrera was optioned to Triple-A Memphis by the Cardinals on Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Cabrera has pitched well this spring with a 2.57 ERA over seven innings of work with seven strikeouts, but the southpaw won't be a part of the Opening Day bullpen to begin 2023. The 26-year-old will all but assuredly see time with the Cardinals before the end of the year, but it will likely be as a low-leverage option.

Raley (hamstring) pitched in a minor-league game rather than a Grapefruit League game Saturday but remains on track for Opening Day, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Raley is dealing with a low-grade left hamstring strain but seems to be progressing well. Previous reports held that he'd pitch for the big-league club this weekend, but the Mets apparently changed plans. His next appearance will come in an intrasquad game Monday. Assuming no setbacks, Raley could see saves as the top lefty in a closer committee in the absence of Edwin Diaz (knee), though David Robertson is presumably ahead of him on the depth chart should the Mets anoint a new dedicated closer.

Romero was optioned to Triple-A Memphis by the Cardinals on Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Romero was unable to win a spot in the Cardinals' bullpen to open the 2023 season. The hard-throwing left-hander will likely see time with St. Louis during the season, but only as a short-term option as a low-leverage reliever.

Castillo (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Saturday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Castillo was shut down in mid-March due to left shoulder discomfort, but the shutdown didn't last too long. He won't be ramped up by Opening Day, but he may not miss too much time.

Oller was supposed to pitch Saturday against the Brewers but was held out due to experiencing symptoms of vertigo, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The timing of the issue means that Oller is potentially at risk for a trip to the injured list if it persists, but if he gets back on the mound in the next few days, he should be fine. He's recorded a 3.68 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 14.2 innings this spring.

Suarez is likely to begin the season on the injured list because of arm stiffness and joint inflammation, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

An MRI revealed no structural damage for Suarez, but the right-hander hasn't been able to throw since March 12, and he's unlikely to be ready for the regular season. Suarez was expected to be a big part of the San Diego bullpen behind Josh Hader, and it now appears we won't see him pitch for the Padres before the middle of April.

Fujinami will start once a week on Saturday's to open the season, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Previous reports indicated that Fujinami would start every six days, meaning they could use a five-man rotation in weeks when they have an off day. The decision to lock Fujinami into a once-a-week role to ease his transition from Japan means the Athletics may be forced to turn to six starters on a regular basis, though the team has yet to clarify its full plans. Assuming he does indeed exclusively pitch on Saturday's, Fujinami's first three outings will be home against the Angels, away against the Rays and home against the Mets.

The Twins reassigned Hoffman to minor-league camp Saturday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Hoffman has an opt-out in his minor-league contract, and this could lead to him deciding to test free agency. The right-hander dealt with elbow troubles in the early part of camp, and he posted a 3.60 ERA over five innings in the Grapefruit League before the demotion.

The Twins reassigned De Leon to minor-league camp Saturday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

De Leon's highlight this spring was 5.2 perfect innings for Puerto Rico against Israel in the World Baseball Classic. The former top prospect will likely head to Triple-A St. Paul to be a part of that club's rotation, and there's very little likelihood of fantasy relevance in 2023.