MLB Player News

Valdez (1-0) allowed two hits and one walk while striking out six across 6.2 scoreless innings to earn the win Thursday against the Angels.

Many pitchers will struggle this week to work deep into their first starts after a shortened spring training, but Valdez was incredibly efficient and put together a dominant outing. His method to get there was familiar, as he induced nine groundball outs, though he also racked up 11 swinging strikes on 84 total pitches. Valdez has put together two consecutive seasons with an ERA below 3.60, and his first start of the 2022 campaign makes those results look attainable once again.

Kaminsky signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners on Thursday, per the MLB transaction log.

Kaminsky spent the 2021 season with the Phillies, though he threw only one inning due to an elbow injury. He has been assigned to Double-A Arkansas, despite the fact that he has past major-league experience. It's unlikely that Kaminsky will see action in the majors during the 2022 campaign, but if he does, it would likely come in a low-leverage relief role.

Greinke allowed one run on five hits across 5.2 innings but did not factor into the decision Thursday against the Guardians. He walked one and struck out one.

Greinke signed a one-year, $13 million deal with Kansas City this offseason, returning to the team that drafted him in 2002. The veteran was solid in his first appearance of the season, but fantasy managers likely need more strikeout production from a player of Greinke's caliber. While plenty of pitchers around the league will be limited during the first weekend of the 2022 campaign, it appears like Greinke is just about fully stretched out, as he threw 84 pitches (56 strikes) Thursday.

McKenzie allowed two runs on two hits across 3.0 innings and earned the loss Thursday against the Royals. He walked two and struck out one.

As expected, McKenzie's first outing of the season came in relief of Shane Bieber. With two outs in the eighth, the 24-year-old gave up back-to-back RBI hits to Bobby Witt and Andrew Benintendi, which ended up being the difference in the game. Despite the poor box score, McKenzie looked sharp until a leadoff walk in the eighth derailed his outing. When Cleveland finally get its starters stretched out, he's expected to return to the rotation, but for now, he'll likely continue operating as a piggyback.

Bieber allowed one run on three hits across 4.2 innings but did not factor into the decision Thursday against the Royals. He struck out four and didn't register a walk.

Bieber was limited to just 16 starts last season due to a shoulder strain, and it appears like the Guardians will be cautious with their ace to start the season, as he only threw 72 pitches and was replaced by Bryan Shaw in the fifth after giving up a game-tying double to Nicky Lopez. He's lined up to face the Reds in his next outing, which figures to be an advantageous matchup for the 26-year-old even if he still has some workload restrictions coming off a shortened spring training.

Detmers will start Friday against the Astros, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Detmers was originally scheduled to start Tuesday against the Marlins, though he's flipping spots in the rotation with Patrick Sandoval. Detmers got some limited experience in the majors last season, posting a poor 7.40 ERA and 1.79 WHIP across 20.2 innings. However, he had an impressive 43.1 percent strikeout rate across 54 frames at Double-A Rocket City in 2021, which, combined with his prospect pedigree, suggests there is significant room for improvement at the big-league level.

Sandoval is having his first start of the season pushed back to Tuesday against the Marlins, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Sandoval was originally slated to start Friday against the Astros, though he's flipping spots in the rotation with Reid Detmers. Sandoval's 2021 campaign ended prematurely due to a back injury, though he claims that the decision to push him back is unrelated. Instead, he needs more time to stretch out prior to his initial start of the regular season. Assuming Sandoval is healthy enough to take his newly scheduled turn through the rotation, he could benefit with a better matchup against Miami as opposed to Houston.

President of baseball operations Derek Falvey said Thursday that Paddack will be one of six starters the Twins will use in the first turn through the rotation to begin the season, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Before he was dealt to Minnesota on Thursday, Paddack appeared to be on the outs for a spot in a crowded San Diego rotation, but the right-hander looks like he'll make at least one start for his new team. Falvey said that after all six starters have had a start, the Twins will re-evaluate the rotation ahead of the second turn. While Falvey's comments perhaps hint that the Twins could eventually revert to a five-man rotation, Paddack should have a starting role so long as he's pitching well. It can't be taken as a certainty that he'll be able to do that, given that he's turned in a 4.95 ERA over 167.1 innings between the past two seasons.

The Athletics placed Kaprielian (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Kaprielian's move to the IL was a formality after he didn't make any Cactus League appearances following the diagnosis of AC joint inflammation in his right shoulder early in spring training. The 28-year-old was able to complete a 30-pitch live batting practice session Tuesday, so he could be ready to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment as soon as next week if his shoulder continues to respond well. He'll likely need at least two or three outings in the minors to get fully stretched out for starting duty with the big club.

Manager Mike Matheny said Thursday that Lynch will open the season as the Royals' No. 5 starter, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Lynch won out in the battle for the final spot in the rotation over Brady Singer, who is expected to fill a hybrid role out of the bullpen. The 25-year-old lefty earned his place in the rotation despite an uneven spring in which he surrendered four home runs and struck out seven over 12.1 innings. Lynch is set to make his first start of the season Tuesday in St. Louis and lines up for a two step, with his second turn of the week coming next Sunday at home versus Detroit.