MLB Player News

Valdez won't require surgery as his fractured left ring finger showed "significant healing" during Wednesday's evaluation, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Season-ending surgery was recommended for the 27-year-old after he suffered the injury in early March, but he opted to hold off and still has a chance to pitch this season. Valdez won't be ready for the start of the season and remains without an official recovery timeline, so it's unclear when he might be able to retake the mound.

Houck was optioned to Boston's alternate training site Wednesday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Houck was competing for a back-end rotation spot during spring training, but manager Alex Cora named his five-man rotation Tuesday. Houck wasn't included among the starters, and he should begin the year with Triple-A Worcester. The right-hander made three appearances (one start) this spring and allowed six runs on six hits and 10 walks while striking out four over 6.1 innings.

Manager Alex Cora said Rodriguez will receive the start for the Red Sox's April 1 season opener versus the Orioles, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports.

Based on how Boston's pitching schedule had lined up this spring, Rodriguez had already appeared to be trending toward the Opening Day nod, but it wasn't until after the lefty's third Grapefruit League outing Wednesday that he was locked in for the Red Sox's first game of the season. He was sensational in his latest turn on the mound, limiting the Twins to one run on two hits and no walks while striking out six over five innings. Rodriguez delivered similarly excellent results in his first two starts of the spring, and at this point, he looks to be back in top form after he was sidelined for the 2020 season when he was diagnosed with a heart condition following his positive COVID-19 test over the summer. He returned as a full participant for the start of camp and has thus far avoided any reported setbacks or complications.

Verlander (elbow) has resumed throwing, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Verlander is on the 60-day injured list and is expected to miss the entire 2021 campaign after he underwent Tommy John surgery in early October. However, the 38-year-old is progressing well in his recovery and threw for the first time five months after his surgery. Verlander is slated to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2021 season but has expressed interest in continuing his career once he's healthy.

Houck allowed three runs on three hits, four walks and a hit batsman while striking out one over 2.2 innings in Tuesday's spring game against Atlanta.

Houck's mission was to pound the strike zone as he did in his second spring start, but he walked two batters and hit one in the first inning. He's now sandwiched two shaky, command-challenged outings around a dominant start in Grapefruit League play. The right-hander has permitted 10 walks and hit a batter over 6.1 innings. Boston manager Alex Cora named his five-man rotation Tuesday, and Houck will not be part of it. He will likely start at Triple-A Worcester and work through his location issues.

Rodon allowed one hit and struck out four over three scoreless innings in Tuesday's spring start against the Padres.

Rodon, who has worked fewer than 70 innings in three of the last four seasons due to injury, is making a bid for a back-end rotation spot. The left-hander has thrown five scoreless innings in Cactus League play without a walk. He made adjustments to his core with the help of pitching coach Ethan Katz and feels it's easier to command his four-seamer with additional spin, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Rodon's main competition for the final rotation slot is Reynaldo Lopez, who followed him Tuesday and allowed two runs, four hits and one walk over three innings.

Manager Kevin Cash announced Wednesday that Glasnow will start Opening Day against the Marlins, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

It was expected that Glasnow would start the Rays' first game of the regular season, and Wednesday's announcement confirms as much. Glasnow looked tp already be in regular-season form in his last spring start, punching out seven batters over four scoreless frames. He will take the ball again Wednesday and likely once or twice more before the exhibition slate comes to a close.

Canning logged four innings Tuesday in a Cactus League game versus Cleveland, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out five.

Canning gave up some hard contact early and was far from dominant, but his outing was an improvement over his first two spring starts, during which he yielded a combined five runs across 3.2 frames. The right-hander should get in two more Cactus League appearances before opening the season as one of the Angels' six starters.

Cole hurled 3.2 innings against Detroit in a Grapefruit League game Tuesday, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk while striking out five.

Cole mostly kept the Tigers off the basepaths, but he was burned by a pair of second-inning solo homers. The long balls were the first allowed by the Yankees' ace this spring. Across three Grapefruit League starts, Cole has pitched 7.2 frames, allowing four runs and posting an 11:2 K:BB.

Bassitt allowed an earned run on four hits across 3.2 innings in a Cactus League loss to Cleveland on Monday. He struck out five.

Bassitt lowered his spring ERA to an impressive 2.70 with the strong outing, one which Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports was marred only by some poor location on the slider with which Bassitt has been experimenting this spring. "I just didn't have the slider today," Bassitt said. "I gave up the first double -- which I thought was going to be a home run -- on it. I was trying it, but it was not good today."