MLB Player News
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Riley O'Brien RP | STL
Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: On track for spring debut Friday
O'Brien (calf) is tentatively scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut Friday against the Orioles, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The right-hander has been slowed in Cardinals camp by a mild right calf strain. O'Brien got through a live batting practice session Monday with no issues, and as long as he bounces back well, he'll get into game action Friday. The hard-throwing O'Brien is competing to open the season as St. Louis' closer.
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Mike Clevinger RP | PIT
Pirates' Mike Clevinger: Making push for roster spot
Clevinger threw 3.0 scoreless innings while allowing one hit to go along with three strikeouts and two walks in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.
Clevinger joined the Pirates in February on a non-roster deal, but he appears to have a legitimate chance to make the roster as either the fifth starter or a long reliever. He reports being fully healthy, per Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and touched 97 mph in his first spring outing Feb. 25. Adding in Monday's outing, Clevinger has thrown five scoreless innings, though he's managed only a 4:4 K:BB.
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Edwin Uceta RP | TB
Rays' Edwin Uceta: Status in doubt for Opening Day
Uceta (shoulder) is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Pitching coach Kyle Snyder said Monday that Uceta, who's still limited to playing catch, is "probably still another couple of weeks away from getting back on the mound." The 28-year-old right-hander entered Rays camp in the mix for save chances, but now he's at serious risk of having a delayed start to the season. With Uceta's Opening Day status in real jeopardy, Griffin Jax and Garrett Cleavinger appear to be the most likely candidates to close games for Tampa Bay early in the season.
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Jacob Latz RP | TEX
Rangers' Jacob Latz: Rebounds after rocky start
Latz allowed two runs on three hits and struck out one over three innings in Sunday's spring start against Seattle.
Two batters into Latz's second Cactus League start, the Rangers trailed, 2-0, after the left-hander served up a middle-middle slider that Cole Young drove 442 feet over the fence in right field. He allowed another hit in the inning, and then retired eight consecutive batters before calling it a day. Latz threw 41 pitches (26 strikes) and did not walk a batter for the second straight start. He was used mostly as a reliever the last few seasons, but the Rangers are building him as a starter and letting him compete with Kumar Rocker for the final spot in the rotation. Of the two, Latz has performed better thus far in spring action.
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Jared Shuster RP | STL
Cardinals' Jared Shuster: Removed from big-league camp
The Cardinals reassigned Shuster to minor-league camp Monday.
Shuster had been in contention for the second lefty spot in the Cardinals' Opening Day bullpen, but his removal from the competition leaves Justin Bruihl, Packy Naughton and Nick Raquet as the primary candidates for that role. The 27-year-old southpaw worked primarily out of the bullpen for the White Sox the past two seasons, but it's possible that the Cardinals opt to have Shuster get stretched for a starting role or deploy him as a swingman at Triple-A Memphis in 2026.
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Zack Thompson RP | STL
Cardinals' Zack Thompson: Removed from big-league camp
The Cardinals reassigned Thompson (shoulder) to minor-league camp Monday.
Thompson was attending big-league spring training as a non-roster invitee, but he hadn't appeared in any Grapefruit League games while continuing to work his way back from arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder, which he underwent back in August. The southpaw has initiated a throwing program but hasn't yet gotten back on a mound, so he still has multiple checkpoints to reach in the recovery process before being deemed ready for game action.
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Beau Brieske RP | DET
Tigers' Beau Brieske: Exits with ribcage injury
Brieske was lifted from Monday's Grapefruit League appearance versus Atlanta due to right ribcage tightness, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Making his first appearance this spring after being slowed by back spasms, Brieske lasted only three pitches Monday before being pulled. It's unclear whether the two injuries might be related. Brieske will be evaluated further before the Tigers determine what the next steps for him will be.
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Beau Brieske RP | DET
Tigers' Beau Brieske: Pulled from outing with injury
Brieske was removed from Monday's Grapefruit League appearance versus Atlanta after only three pitches with an undisclosed injury, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Brieske was making his first appearance of the spring after previously being sidelined with back spasms. It's safe to assume he encountered a setback with his back, but the Tigers should have more clarity on the reliever's status soon.
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Kyle Hurt RP | LAD
Dodgers' Kyle Hurt: Gearing up for bullpen role
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Hurt isn't considered a candidate for a rotation spot and is competing for a bullpen role on the team's Opening Day roster, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Hurt rose through the Dodgers farm system as a starter and looked to be making a case for a full-time appointment in the big-league rotation following a breakout 2023 campaign in which he amassed 155 strikeouts in 94 innings across three stops. However, after he required Tommy John surgery in July 2024, Hurt's trajectory appears to have changed. Though Hurt pitched effectively out of the Triple-A Oklahoma City bullpen late last season upon completing his recovery from surgery and benefited from a normal offseason, the Dodgers won't ask him to get stretched back out again in 2026. The Dodgers' ample depth is likely a major factor in the decision; even with Blake Snell (shoulder) and Gavin Stone (shoulder) expected to open the season on the shelf, the team still has plenty of appealing candidates (Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, River Ryan, Ben Casparius and Landon Knack) to fill out the final two spots in the projected six-man rotation.
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Kyle Nelson RP | ATL
Braves' Kyle Nelson: Goes to Atlanta on minors deal
Atlanta signed Nelson to a minor-league contract Feb. 25.
Nelson struggled in 2025 in his first season back from thoracic outlet surgery, allowing two runs in two innings with the Diamondbacks and posting a 9.09 ERA in 42 appearances with Triple-A Reno. The 29-year-old will give Atlanta some experienced left-handed relief depth at Triple-A Gwinnett.