MLB Player News

Pitching coach Josh Miller said Thursday that Blanco will get stretched out to 40-to-50 pitches this spring, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Blanco reached Triple-A for the first time in 2019 but has struggled to keep a spot on the major-league roster as a reliever. By shifting him toward longer stints on the mound, the Astros hope to give Blanco an additional path to sticking on the roster. He's pitched well early on this spring, throwing three scoreless innings while striking out six.

Merryweather stands a decent chance of securing an Opening Day bullpen role with the Cubs, particularly because he's out of minor-league options, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Merryweather was claimed off waivers back in January, and he's now competing for a role with the Cubs in spring training. The righty struggled last season with a 6.75 ERA and 1.43 WHIP across 26 games with the Blue Jays, so he'd likely slot in as a low-leverage option if he makes the team, putting him off the fantasy radar for the time being.

Brazoban (personal) threw his first bullpen session in Marlins camp Thursday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Brazoban had a delayed arrival to spring training because of visa issues, but those were cleared up this past Tuesday and he said he felt "a lot closer than I thought I was going to feel" during his first official workout with the team. The 33-year-old should be ready to fill a long-relief role for Miami come Opening Day.

Matzek (elbow) is recovering from a bulging disc in his back, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The bulging disc is in addition to his ongoing recovery from Tommy John surgery. Matzek underwent the reconstructive elbow procedure in October and will miss the entire 2023 campaign. He should be fully recovered from both issues come the start of spring training in 2024.

Manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that Leclerc (neck) will no longer play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Leclerc is dealing with some left neck tightness, so he and the Rangers have decided it's best he skip the WBC. It is not clear when Leclerc might be cleared to return to Cactus League play. He is the favorite to open the season as the Rangers' primary closer.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged Thursday that Hudson (knee/ankle) is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Hudson has advanced to full-intensity bullpen sessions, but the Dodgers will continue to slow play his recovery from surgery last June to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. He suffered a minor setback last month in the form of right ankle tendinitis, though that now seems to be in the rearview. The veteran reliever should be an option for Los Angeles by mid-April if there are no further road blocks.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Thursday that Hall (back) won't be able to get built up enough to start by Opening Day, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com.

Hall reported to camp with discomfort on the right side of his lower back and isn't expected to be ready for games until the third week of March, so it's not a surprise that he won't be stretched out enough to start. The plan had been for him to compete for a spot in the Orioles' rotation, although, realistically, he was probably either going to start in the Triple-A Norfolk rotation or big-league bullpen. The club has not yet decided how they will handle Hall's role to begin the campaign, but he's pain-free now and is expected to face hitters soon.

Gilbreath (elbow) said Thursday that he will likely require Tommy John surgery, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Gilbreath is still seeking more opinions on his left elbow, but the writing is probably on the wall for him to go under the knife. He missed time down the stretch in 2022 due to what was diagnosed as a flexor strain, then aggravated the injury when he began mound work this spring at Rockies camp. If the 26-year-old has surgery, he would miss the entire 2023 campaign as well as the start of next season.

White (neck) said Thursday that the injury he's dealing with is similar to the one which cost him most of the second half last season at Double-A Frisco, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The injury he dealt with last year was described as forearm fatigue at the time. More specifically, though, White has nerve inflammation in his neck which causes pain to radiate down his arm. It sounds like he and the Rangers are trying to find a clearer diagnosis before they determine the best course of treatment. In the meantime, White will be shut down from throwing. The 23-year-old right-hander was a 2018 draft pick but has been limited to just 115 innings in pro ball due to injuries.

Nelson allowed two walks and one hit without retiring any batters in a Cactus League contest against Texas on Wednesday.

Nelson missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, so it's no surprise that he was rusty in his first spring outing. The right-hander is attempting to win a spot in the Dodgers' bullpen to enter the campaign after re-signing with the club on a one-year contract in mid-February. Manager Dave Roberts indicated after Nelson's outing Wednesday that he's not concerned about the veteran hurler, suggesting that the rainy weather and poor mound condition may have prevented him from getting comfortable, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.