MLB Player News

White (shoulder) will throw around 50 pitches over three innings in a minor-league game Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

White has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring because of a right shoulder impingement. That could come after Wednesday's minor-league outing, although at this point White is no longer under serious consideration for the final spot in Toronto's rotation. If healthy, he figures to get a shot eventually.

Hall (back) is scheduled to appear in relief of starter Kyle Bradish in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

The upcoming appearance will mark Hall's first of the spring after he had been building up slowly during camp while he's worked to move past discomfort in the lower right side of his back. He'll likely work only an inning or two Monday but is still expected to be stretched out as starter, even though he won't be a candidate to break camp as a member of the Opening Day rotation. The Orioles are likely to place Hall on the injured list in the coming days, but he'll still be able to continue his buildup program at the team's spring facility in Florida before eventually heading out on a rehab assignment once the minor-league season begins in early April.

The Marlins optioned Villalobos to Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Villalobos was added to the Marlins' 40-man roster in November, but he'll miss out on a spot in the big club's Opening Day bullpen after giving up two runs on five hits -- including a pair of solo home runs -- and no walks over 4.2 innings in Grapefruit League play. The 27-year-old righty submitted a 2.86 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 101:29 K:BB while holding opposing batters to a .191 average over 78.2 innings in 2022 between stops at Jacksonville and Double-A Pensacola.

The Marlins optioned Simpson to Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Miami protected Simpson from the Rule 5 Draft over the winter by adding him to the 40-man roster, but with only 12.1 career innings above the Double-A level under his belt, the 26-year-old southpaw was never considered especially likely to win a spot in the Marlins' Opening Day bullpen. Between stops with Jacksonville and Double-A Pensacola in 2022, Simpson logged a 3.97 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 112:34 K:BB in 68 innings.

The Tigers optioned Uceta to Triple-A Toledo on Monday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

A waiver pickup from the Diamondbacks in January, Uceta was sent out to the minors after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits and four walks over seven innings in Grapefruit League play during his first camp with the Tigers. The 25-year-old right-hander will probably need to show sharpened command and control at Triple-A for at least his first few appearances of the season before the Tigers entertain the idea of calling him up.

Smith is scheduled to pitch Monday after being out of camp for several days to attend the birth of his son, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Smith has thrown just two innings this spring and hasn't been on the mound in a week. He was acquired by the Rangers as insurance after projected closer Jose Leclerc was shut down briefly due to neck spasms. Leclerc is pitching again, meaning Smith is expected to be part of the setup crew.

McGough allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and struck out two over two-thirds of an inning in Sunday's spring game against the Royals.

The runs were the first allowed during the Cactus League by McGough, whose work included seven swinging strikes, including three each on his splitter and slider, per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The right-hander figures to be a strong candidate for save opportunities early in the season.

Martin (shoulder) is likely to miss the entire 2023 season.

Martin suffered the injury March 15, and he has opted for surgery, according to Arizona manager Torey Lovullo. The manager added Martin is doubtful to return in 2023 while noting it's uncertain when the pitcher will undergo the procedure.

Martinez has returned to the Padres after playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, 97.3 The Fan San Diego reports.

Though Team USA remains alive in the tournament and is set to face Japan or Mexico in the final Tuesday, Martinez has opted to return to Padres camp to prepare for the regular season. The right-handed hurler pitched in one WBC game, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two batters over 2.2 innings against Mexico. Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Martinez's decision to rejoin San Diego stems from the fact that he wasn't scheduled to pitch again for Team USA. He's slated to fill a spot at the back end of the Padres' rotation this season.

Duran sustained a leg contusion after being struck by a line drive during a backfield game Sunday, and manager Rocco Baldelli said the right-hander was "moving pretty well," Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

There doesn't seem to be much concern regarding the incident, so it appears Duran escaped with only a minor injury. The 25-year-old may be held out for a couple days but should return to the mound relatively quickly. Duran had eight saves and 18 holds with a 1.86 ERA over 67.2 innings as a rookie last season, and he may not see consistent saves this year since Baldelli prioritizes late-inning matchups over the usage of a traditional closer.