MLB Player News

Sandoval tossed 79 pitches in a minor-league game Sunday, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

Sandoval spent time this spring pitching for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, notably holding eventual champions Japan scoreless over 4.1 innings in a semifinal matchup. The southpaw appears to be pretty well ramped up for the regular season, as he followed his 79-pitch outing Sunday by doing some additional throwing in the bullpen. Sandoval is tentatively slated to start the Angels' second game of the campaign, April 1 in Oakland.

Gaddis is scheduled to start the Guardians' second game of the season Friday versus the Mariners in Seattle, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Gaddis appeared poised to open the season in a long-relief role, but he'll end up moving into Cleveland's rotation as a replacement for Triston McKenzie (shoulder), who could be sidelined for up to eight weeks. Gaddis has piled up a good number of strikeouts in the minors, but he's struggled against lefties and with keeping the ball in the yard. Fantasy managers should probably look in another direction.

Bubic will open the season as the Royals' No. 5 starter, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

A spot opened up with Daniel Lynch (shoulder) going down and Bubic was the obvious replacement to step in. The left-hander has been a disappointment at the major-league level, most recently posting a 5.58 ERA over 129 innings in 2022. He's not a desired fantasy target.

Gaddis is expected to move into the Guardians' rotation to replace the injured Triston McKenzie (shoulder), Mandy Bell and Jesus Cano of MLB.com report.

Gaddis had been projected for a bullpen role, but it should be a seamless transition since he's still stretched out from spring training. The right-hander pitched well during Cactus League play with a 2.77 ERA and 17:3 K:BB over 13 innings. Gaddis was much less successful in two spot starts for Cleveland in 2022 (18.41 ERA), but he struck out 158 across 121.1 frames between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. With McKenzie potentially sidelined for two months, Gaddis could get a long look in the rotation.

Sears has made the Athletics' Opening Day roster, but whether he'll serve as a starter or reliever is yet to be clarified, Ben Ross of MLB.com reports.

Both Sears and Adam Oller (illness) will open the regular season with the big club after each garnered experience as starters and relievers during their rookie 2022 campaigns. If the decision on which of the two will open in the rotation were to be based solely on last season's numbers, Sears would be the clear-cut choice -- his 6-3 record and 3.86 ERA was exponentially better than Oller's respective 2-8 and 6.30 figures in those categories. However, Sears was shakier this spring, posting an 0-1 mark and 5.19 ERA in 17.1 Cactus League frames. The revelation on who'll get the starting call may not come for several days, as the first turn in the rotation that would go to either Sears or Oller isn't slated to come until Tuesday, April 4.

Suarez is lined up to start the Angels' fifth game of the season, which will take place April 4 in Seattle, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Suarez was essentially a lock for a starting role coming into spring training after posting a 3.96 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 22 games (20 starts last season). He has been fine in three Cactus League starts, allowing five runs (four earned) and posting a 6:3 K:BB over 8.2 innings. Suarez doesn't have the strikeout numbers or history of consistency to be an exciting option in fantasy, but he can give managers in deeper leagues decent ratios at a reasonable cost.

McKenzie underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed a right teres major muscle strain. He'll be shut down from throwing for two weeks and could remain sidelined for up to eight weeks.

The MRI didn't bring the favorable news the Guardians were hoping for with Opening Day only a few days away, but they'll undoubtedly elect to play it safe with one of the top arms in their rotation. A more precise target date for McKenzie's return as well as a plan for his rehab program could come into focus once he's re-evaluated in the second week of April.

McKenzie is awaiting results of an MRI performed on his right arm Monday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

McKenzie felt what he thought was normal soreness in his tricep/shoulder area while warming up prior to Sunday's Cactus League start against the Reds. He then alerted the coaching staff when the feeling returned after the first inning, prompting his removal from the game. You'd have to think a stint on the injured list is likely even if the tests come back relatively clean.

Baltimore optioned Rodriguez to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.

Multiple reports earlier Monday indicated that Rodriguez wasn't going to be part of the Orioles' Opening Day rotation, and now he's officially been sent down to the minors. While the top prospect endured some struggles this spring, the odds are good that he'll get off to a strong start with Norfolk and join the O's rotation sooner rather than later.

Bradish is expected to begin the season as a member of the Orioles rotation after Grayson Rodriguez was informed Monday that he won't be part of the 26-man Opening Day roster, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Neither Bradish nor Tyler Wells pitched particularly well in spring training, but with Rodriguez likely to head to Triple-A Norfolk and John Means (elbow) likely out until at least mid-season, Baltimore should have back-end rotation spots available for both Bradish and Wells. A string of poor outings ended up taking Rodriguez out of the Opening Day mix, but the talented right-hander remains Baltimore's top pitching prospect and likely won't require much time to iron things out at Norfolk. With that in mind, both Bradish and Wells may need to show improved results in their first few starts of the regular season to lock themselves into a permanent spot whenever Rodriguez is deemed ready for the big leagues.