MLB Player News

Walker was one of several Mariners present at the team's spring complex in Peoria, Arizona on Tuesday for informal workouts, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The Mariners became the latest team to start welcoming players back into either their home or spring facilities Tuesday, allowing them to work out in groups of three for two-hour windows. Walker was able to play catch and run under staff supervision, and johns notes the team has instructed to players to keep their volume and intensity at a "winter workout level" for the time being until there is more clarity on a possible 2020 season. Before spring training was suspended, the veteran right-hander had built up some momentum for what was to be a comeback season of sorts, displaying good velocity and also flashing a new spiked curve that was good enough to strike out the Brewers' Christian Yelich in Walker's one spring start.

Kikuchi, who has remained in the Arizona area while spring training has been suspended, should be one of the players that begins participating in informal workouts at the team's Peoria facility this week, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

With MLB teams now allowed to grant restricted access to their spring training or home facilities in accordance with local guidelines, the Mariners will begin hosting staggered groups of players for informal workouts early this week. Given his proximity to the Peoria complex, Kikuchi is fully expected to be one of those participating moving forward. The southpaw, readying for his second season stateside after a successful career in Japan, was thought to be making impressive progress with both his velocity and command before Cactus League play was paused. Having access to certain amenities and equipment at the spring facility should allow Kikuchi to start getting back on track after he was forced to work out in more limited fashion in recent weeks.

Paxton will be ready to go when the 2020 season begins and is working on increasing the spin rate on his fastball, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

Paxton indicated that he has thrown 12-14 bullpen sessions since beginning his recovery from February back surgery and confirmed that he will be "ready to go as soon as the season comes about." Some of Paxton's bullpens have included simulated innings with batters standing in so that the southpaw can gain a feel for the strike zone, according to Ackert. Paxton also indicated that he is experimenting with his fastball grip in an effort to increase his spin rate. With the back issue now behind him, Paxton should slot into the No. 2 or No. 3 spot in the Yankees' Opening Day rotation.

Dunn, who's remained in Arizona while play has been paused, should be one of the players that begins working out at the team's spring training facility next week, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The promising pitcher has had the opportunity to work out regularly with several of his teammates during the shutdown at a facility near the team's complex in Peoria, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports. However, with the Mariners being granted permission to reopen their spring facility next week and host small groups of players, Dunn figures to be front and center as far as returning to a regular training routine. With expanded rosters fully expected to be part of any 2020 season that does unfold, the 24-year-old seems very likely to stick with the big-league club.

Schmidt could be given a spot on the Yankees' taxi squad if the 2020 season is able to be played, Peter Gammons of The Athletic reports.

Many questions remain about how a potential 2020 MLB season would play out, but the proposal of a 20-man taxi squad would enable prospects such as Schmidt to gain some experience during the campaign in the likely absence of a minor-league season. Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake specified Schmidt as a player who could earn a taxi-squad role out of a restarted camp, though such a designation would not guarantee that the 24-year-old would actually garner big-league playing time during the season.

Hill (elbow) expects to be ready when spring training resumes, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

When exactly play resumes remains to be seen, though reports suggest that won't happen before mid-June at the earliest. That fits with Hill's timeline, as he's been targeting a return in June or July since undergoing elbow surgery back in October. He's been able to throw throughout the shutdown, allowing him to stay on his original timetable.

Lynn has been throwing the equivalent of two bullpen sessions per week while awaiting the start of the MLB season, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Lynn, who was poised to be the Rangers' Opening Day starter, is home in Nashville (Tenn.) throwing in a tunnel he built for himself or into a net in his driveway. Once the league and the players' union agree to a re-opening, the loose plan for Texas' starters is to get three starts apiece in a mini-spring training, going from three innings the first day, then building up to 80-85 pitches by the third outing. Typically, starters are up to 90-to-100 pitches by the end of a normal spring training, so expect shorter outings initially.

Luzardo may avoid any cumulative innings limit during what would be an abbreviated 2020 regular season, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

As a pitcher who would have been on an Opening Day big-league roster for the first time, Luzardo was almost certainly looking at an innings limit of some sort in a season of normal duration. However, with the 2020 campaign now projected to essentially be half of the usual 162 games, Slusser reports the Athletics will not have to necessarily be concerned with monitoring Luzardo's workload anywhere near as closely as they would have. The young left-hander had seemingly secured a spot in the rotation before spring training was suspended courtesy of the 1.08 ERA he generated across 8.1 Cactus League frames.

Mize could make an expanded Tigers' roster or taxi squad to begin a shortened 2020 season, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

A number of details still need to be worked out about a potential MLB season in 2020, but current proposals aim for an early July start, a shortened season, and expanded rosters and taxi squads to give teams more flexibility. In such a scenario, the Tigers could add Mize to their bullpen and let him get his feet wet at the MLB level, especially because it looks unlikely that there will be a minor league season. Service time issues would still need to be considered, and Detroit may opt to be overly cautious with their star prospect, but it's possible we see Mize with the Tigers this summer.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman confirmed Thursday that Paxton (back) has been throwing simulated innings this month, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

Cashman's comments essentially align with what manager Aaron Boone said last week regarding where Paxton stands in his recovery from a February procedure to remove a peridiscal cyst on his back. Boone suggested that Paxton would be fully recovered from the procedure by mid-May, so the lefty may only need to complete another simulated game or two before doctors give him full clearance. Assuming Paxton avoids any further setbacks between now and the time the season begins, he'll likely be lined up to start the Yankees' second or third game behind ace Gerrit Cole.