MLB Player News

Mize has been throwing five days per week in Nashville, including a 40-pitch bullpen session every Wednesday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

He has access to a facility where he can throw, work out and get physical therapy while observing proper social distancing. Mize said he is frustrated with the shutdown because he had hoped to reach the majors this year, and that is still his goal if the season is able to get underway at some point. If there is a MLB season, the Tigers will be faced with a difficult decision with Mize and the rest of their prized upper-level pitching prospects, as there is unlikely to be a traditional minor-league season, so the only way to get them innings in a competitive setting might be in the majors.

Gilbert may be a beneficiary of the unique conditions of an abbreviated 2020 season, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The promising 22-year-old impressed in two Cactus League appearances, a pair of starts during which he fired four scoreless innings overall. Gilbert has yet to pitch at the Triple-A level, but with the possibility of expanded rosters and a sharp uptick in doubleheaders during an abbreviated 2020 season, the right-hander and his impressive four-pitch arsenal could serve as valuable reinforcement for the front-line pitching staff.

Luzardo has been working out with veteran rotation mate Mike Fiers while spring training is suspended, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The promising southpaw raised the already lofty expectations he came into spring camp with by posting a 1.08 ERA across 8.1 Cactus League innings. The news Luzardo is closely interacting with a savvy veteran the caliber of Fiers is also encouraging, as the extended one-on-one instructional time could certainly pay significant dividends as early as this season.

Snell continues to throw three times per week at his St. Petersburg home while spring training remains suspended, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic reports.

The left-hander's ability to continue playing catch without issue supports the notion his previously ailing elbow is back to full health. A more stringent test will come once Snell is able to jump back into game action again, however, and for the moment, the timeline for being able to do so remains firmly up in the air.

Paxton (back) is expected to be able to pitch "right away" if there is a 2020 season, Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com reports.

Paxton has been following a throwing program at home throughout MLB's hiatus, and the delayed start to the campaign has likely wiped away the portion of the regular season that was originally slated to be a recovery period for the left-hander. Though Paxton has not yet been deemed fully recovered, he appears to be a strong bet for the No. 2 spot in the Yankees' rotation come Opening Day.

Clevinger (knee) said in a recent interview with Indians broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus that he feels "completely like myself again" since requiring surgery Feb. 14 to repair a partially torn meniscus, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. "There's no subconscious hesitations like I felt the first couple of bullpens," Clevinger said. "It feels natural now. I guess my only concern was I have a pretty violent lock leg, lead leg, and that's the knee I tore. That was my only worry. The strengthening stuff came back real fast. It healed super, super quick."

Prior to Major League Baseball going on hiatus in mid-March, Clevinger didn't appear poised to miss significant time to begin the season after he was cleared for mound work shortly before spring training was suspended. Now that he's had an extra month to strengthen his knee, Clevinger appears set to face no restrictions whenever the Indians are cleared to resume workouts. He'll likely be in the mix for the Opening Day nod after turning in a 2.71 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 126 innings in 2019.

Giolito was working on his curveball and slider prior to MLB pausing the season due to the coronavirus pandemic, Steve Greenberg of Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Giolito's breakthrough 2019 campaign was fueled mostly by his fastball and changeup. He recalled a complete-game gem against the Astros, in the midst of an eight-start stretch, during which he went 8-0 with a 0.94 ERA, 65 strikeouts and 14 walks over 57.1 innings. He had it all working against Houston, including the slider, but he lost a feel for the pitch in ensuing starts when he tried too hard to throw it. "I want to put guys away with the curve and fool guys with sliders," the right-hander said. "What sucks is that I was working on those things [this] spring, and it was going really well. I was feeling like, 'I'm going to be better than I was last year.' That's annoying." Giolito has been working to keep his arm strength up while at home in Davis (Calif.) and is looking to build off a season in which he was named an All-Star and finished sixth in AL Cy Young Award voting.

Gibson is throwing at home in a 70-foot long shed with an artificial mound in his backyard in Missouri during the delay for major league baseball, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Gibson throws 40 to 50 pitches into a net, resting after about every set of 15 throws in order to simulate a three-inning outing. His six-year-old daughter holds an iPad hooked to a Rapsodo pitch monitor to determine balls and strikes. "I'm trying to mimic [spring training] as much as possible," Gibson said. "I figure we are going to have three or four starts to get ready. If you don't keep up your strength and endurance, you aren't going to be where you need to be when we get back." Last season, Gibson was stricken with ulcerative colitis, an auto-immune disease that puts him at an elevated risk for COVID-19 infection, although doctors told the right-hander there is no definitive evidence that he's at any higher risk for the disease's most serious manifestations.

Canning (elbow) is throwing from 120 to 150 feet at about 70 to 80 percent intensity, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

According to Angels general manager Billy Eppler, Canning is "doing good" and has progressed to a point where he could throw from a mound in seven to 10 days. Eppler dismissed the suggestion that Canning could be a candidate for Tommy John surgery if the season is canceled, stating that right-hander will not be subjected to that surgery "unless there was new evidence or a new injury that took place." Given Canning's progress, it is reasonable to assume he will be part of the Angels' starting rotation when the 2020 season gets underway.

Kikuchi demonstrated improved velocity and better command overall during Cactus League play before spring training was suspended, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

The southpaw worked on tweaking his delivery this offseason after an uneven first season stateside, and those changes appeared to already be paying dividends this spring. Kikuchi made three Cactus League starts, posting a 4.05 ERA over 6.2 innings while recording an impressive 10 strikeouts. Kikuchi also hit between 94 mph and 96 mph with his fastball and was in the 90-mph-91-mph range with his slider. Drayer also notes Kikuchi was generating an increased spin rate in camp and more frequently challenging hitters high with his power pitch, both potential harbingers of a more effective and confident pitcher in 2020.