MLB Player News

The White Sox expect Crochet (elbow) to return in mid-May, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

The lefty, nearing the end of his recovery from Tommy John surgery, will sit out the White Sox's Cactus League slate before likely beginning a rehab assignment in April. Crochet posted a 2.82 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 54.1 relief innings in 2021, and he could be a valuable piece of Chicago's bullpen if he returns to form following April 2022 Tommy John surgery.

Nelson (elbow) agreed Wednesday with the Dodgers on a one-year, $1.2 million deal, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Nelson's deal includes incentives that could push his contract up to $4 million in total value. After Nelson missed the entire 2022 season while on the mend from August 2021 Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers declined their $1.1 million team option for the right-hander, who will end up getting a slight pay raise for 2023 after all is said and done. He'll have a chance to help the Dodgers' pitching staff at some point in 2023, but it's unclear if Nelson enters spring training with a clean bill of health or still has a few hurdles to clear in the rehab process.

Sewald (heel/elbow) is a full-go for the start of spring training, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.

Sewald had a procedure on both of his heels during the offseason called Tenex, and he also had some loose bodies removed from his elbow. Those procedures were "minimally invasive" according to Brock, so they won't cause the right-hander to miss Cactus League time, as once feared. Sewald has been one of the most effective relievers in baseball over the last two seasons, and while he isn't guaranteed an overwhelming majority of chances in 2023, the combination of his ability to miss bats and a solid amount of save opportunities makes him a fantasy-relevant hurler for the upcoming campaign.

Manager David Bell reluctantly confirmed Diaz as the Reds' closer to begin the season when asked about the matter Tuesday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports. "I guess the only reason I'm hesitant to say that -- and I'm not, he's going into the season as our closer -- there are times where it's an important game and he's fully available, we might use him earlier than that," Bell said of Diaz. "He's that good."

Bell's quote is important, but his managerial tendencies are still going to be a little frustrating for fantasy players when he sees a situation where Diaz needs to put out a fire in the seventh inning. Even so, Bell's comments represent a more affirmative statement about his plans at closer than he's typically provided during his tenure as Reds manager. Diaz's ascension to closing duties comes in part due to the Reds' lack of reliable alternatives, though he certainly earned the role on merit as a rookie in 2022. The 26-year-old converted 10 of 14 save chances while providing a 1.84 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 83:33 K:BB across 63.2 innings in his first taste of the big leagues.

King (elbow) said Wednesday that he's thrown about 10 times from a mound over the past six weeks, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

King is not only throwing off the mound, but he's using all of his pitches and has already faced live hitters. The right-hander believes he'll be ready for the start of the season after missing the final two months of 2022 because of a fractured elbow that required surgery. Assuming he continues to make steady progress as spring training unfolds, King should be a strong late-inning option for the Yankees during the 2023 campaign.

Holton was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

As a result of the team officially signing Andrew Chafin, Holton was removed from the 40-man roster. The left-hander will now either get claimed by another team, be released outright or remain with Triple-A Reno, the last of which seems the most likely. Overall, Holton appeared in 10 games with the Diamondbacks in 2022, allowing three runs over nine innings while recording six strikeouts.

Nelson (elbow) will be ready for the start of spring training, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Nelson missed the final few weeks of the season while he was dealing with inflammation in his left shoulder. Prior to the injury, the 26-year-old was one of the most effective members of the Arizona bullpen, posting a 2.19 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over 37 innings from 43 appearances. Assuming he carries his health into the start of the regular season, Nelson should be a bridge in the middle innings to Mark Melancon or whoever wins the Diamondbacks' closing job.

Sims (back) reported to spring training earlier this week and will be a full participant in camp, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Sims was limited to just 6.2 innings at the big-league level 2022 before undergoing season-ending surgery, and he gave up seven runs over that span. The right-hander has been an effective relief option when healthy, however, and he's expected to re-enter the high-leverage mix for Cincinnati now that he's made a full recovery from back surgery. Reds manager David Bell has named Alexis Diaz the closer, so Sims will have to settle for setup work early on.

Reds manager David Bell said Tuesday that Santillan (back) may not be ready to pitch by the start of the regular season, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Santillan is making steady progress in his recovery from the lower-back strain that he suffered last summer, but he hasn't quite returned to full strength yet. The 25-year-old right-hander projects to fill a middle-relief or setup role for Cincinnati whenever he's fit enough to do so.

Winder will be developed as a starter during spring training, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Winder was able to make 11 starts and 15 total appearances for the Twins in 2022, and while there were some flashes in his time with Minnesota, he ultimately finished with a 4.70 ERA over 67 innings of work. The right-hander will have a chance to win the fifth starting spot, but there's just as much risk in his profile -- if not more -- than there is reward.