MLB Player News

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.

Rodon (forearm) completed a 30-pitch bullpen session Monday and was encouraged by how he felt afterward, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Following a two-week shutdown period, Rodon resumed mound work last Thursday, tossing a 15-pitch side session. He doubled up that pitch count Monday and is expected to throw off a mound once or twice more before advancing to facing hitters. While he continues to work through a left forearm strain, Rodon is expected to be on a build-up program that lasts around a month, so fantasy managers who are stashing him early on during the season shouldn't bank on him being ready to debut until late April in a best-case scenario.

Rodriguez will not be part of the Orioles' Opening Day roster, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimore Banner.com reports.

Prior to spring training, Rodriguez cracking the Opening Day rotation seemed like a foregone conclusion. However, Kostka writes that "the internal feeling was that Rodriguez hadn't been consistent enough" during his five Grapefruit League outings. The top prospect struck out 19 over 15.1 innings this spring but also walked seven and held a 7.04 ERA. Rodriguez should be part of Baltimore's rotation soon enough, but for now he'll have to wait.

Manager Kevin Cash confirmed Eflin will start the Rays' second game of the season Saturday versus the Tigers at Tropicana Field, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The Rays are expected to roll out Shane McClanahan, Eflin and Jeffrey Springs as their starters for the season-opening series with Detroit, while Drew Rasmussen, Josh Fleming and McClanahan are slated to pick up starting nods in the following series in Washington next week. Eflin, who signed a three-year, $40 million deal with Tampa Bay in December, built up to 3.1 innings in his most recent Grapefruit League start March 20, so he could have some light restrictions with his pitch count in his regular-season debut.

Waldichuk, who's slated to open the regular season in the starting rotation, allowed five earned runs on four hits, four walks and a wild pitch across 3.1 innings in a Bay Bridge Series exhibition loss to the Giants on Sunday. He struck out six.

Waldichuk is heading into the regular season with a worrisome spring body of work in tow, as the left-hander allowed multiple earned runs in each exhibition appearance and gave up four home runs across 13.2 innings. Nevertheless, with Paul Blackburn (finger) and Drew Rucinski (hamstring) both unavailable for Opening Day, Waldichuk will still have a chance to turn his fortunes around early in the campaign.

Blackburn (finger) is slated to throw off a mound Monday after his flat-ground session Thursday went well, the team's official site reports.

Manager Mark Kotsay noted that Blackburn was able to spin some curveballs during the flat-ground session without issue. Consequently, Monday's activity is considered the next step in the natural progression of his recovery. If the right-hander emerges from Monday's session without setbacks, a firmer regular-season debut date could come into focus.

McKenzie was removed from Sunday's Cactus League start against the Reds as a precautionary measure due to right arm tightness, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

The 25-year-old delivered a scoreless first inning during his final start of spring training Sunday but never returned to the mound. Any arm injury is a concerning development -- especially this late in spring training -- which leaves McKenzie's availability for the start of the regular season up in the air.

Wells allowed an unearned run on two hits and struck out two over five innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game versus the Pirates.

Wells has had shaky ratios with a 5.74 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over 15.2 innings this spring, but he's also posted a 16:2 K:BB. The Orioles' rotation still has two spots up for grabs, with Wells, Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish all in contention. Of those three pitchers, Wells' numbers look the best on the surface, though he'd also be the easiest to move to a bullpen role if the Orioles want to open the year with all of them in the majors. For now, Wells is stretched out as a starter, but his placement to start the season will likely come down to a decision just before Opening Day.

Manager Aaron Boone said Brito could start the Yankees' third game of the season next Sunday versus the Giants in New York, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports.

Boone didn't officially confirm that Brito would be part of the Opening Day rotation, but the 25-year-old righty appears to have all but clinched a starting role with all of Frankie Montas (shoulder), Carlos Rodon (forearm) and Luis Severino (lat) set to open the season on the injured list. Brito initially appeared in line to take the hill for the Yankees' fifth game of the season, but the team may be incentivized to move him up in the pitching schedule after he dazzled Sunday in his final Grapefruit League outing of the spring. Brito retired all 16 batters he faced in a 6-2 win over the Blue Jays, striking out three hitters while lowering his spring ERA to 2.08. If Brito ends up getting the starting nod for the Yankees' third game, Domingo German would presumably be pushed to the back of the team's pitching schedule.

Watkins was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.

Watkins had a 4.15 ERA and 10:4 K:BB over 13 innings during spring training but was unable to secure a spot at the back end of Baltimore's rotation. The 30-year-old had a 4.70 ERA in 23 outings for the Orioles last season and will be one of the top candidates for a call-up when the club requires spot starters this year.