MLB Player News

The Orioles named Eflin their Opening Day starter on Friday.

With Grayson Rodriguez (elbow) injured, Eflin made for a pretty clear choice to take the ball March 27 in Toronto. The veteran right-hander was acquired at the trade deadline last year and held a 2.60 ERA and 47:11 K:BB over 55.1 regular-season innings for the Orioles before adding four frames of one-run ball in a postseason start.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Friday that McCullers (forearm) will make his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday against the Nationals, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The right-hander touched 94 mph during his most recent live batting practice session and felt fine physically, clearing the way for his spring debut. This will be the first time McCullers has pitched in a game since the 2022 World Series, as he's dealt with numerous arm issues since then. He will begin the year on the injured list but could be ready for a spot in the Astros' rotation relatively early on in the season.

Ullola was removed from Friday's Spring Breakout game appearance versus the Nationals with an apparent injury, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Ullola was in his second inning of work when he was visited by a trainer following a strikeout, eventually walking off the mound. The Astros have yet to provide any concrete information about the right-hander's condition.

The White Sox optioned Shuster to Triple-A Charlotte on Friday, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Shuster hasn't fared well this spring, getting touched up for nine runs on 15 hits and one walk over seven frames. The left-hander was used mostly as a reliever with the White Sox last season but could be stretched back out as a starter in Charlotte.

Larson had Tommy John surgery in January, MLB Pipeline reports.

Larson, the No. 68 overall pick in last year's draft, added 17 pounds of muscle by the end of fall instructs and was set to make his official pro debut this year before injuring his elbow during a January minicamp. His fastball and slider each have plus potential and Larson could continue to throw harder as he fills out his 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame, assuming he makes a full recovery. Given the timing of the surgery, Larson could be ready to pitch early in the 2026 season.

Manoah (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

It will be the first time the right-hander has thrown off a mound since he underwent a hybrid internal brace procedure on his elbow last June. The plan calls for Manoah to face hitters by June and begin a rehab assignment in July, setting him up to help out the Blue Jays by August if all goes well.

Ortiz allowed four runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four over 3.2 innings in Thursday's spring start against the Rockies.

Ortiz made his fourth Cactus League start and through three innings appeared to have rebounded from a rocky third outing, but then the fourth inning came. The right-hander walked two and ceded a three-run home run to Jacob Stallings, the second homer Ortiz allowed on the day. Like the rest of his spring, one needs to squint to take the positives out of Thursday's outing. He reached 73 pitches and his fastball velo remained up. His spring ERA stands at 12.66, which is rough even by Cactus League standards, but as the club's major offseason pitching acquisition, Ortiz is expected to open the regular season as part of the rotation.

Povich took the loss in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays after giving up five runs on eight hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out two.

Although his final stat line leaves a lot to be desired, Povich had allowed a lone run through four innings before getting knocked around for four runs in the fifth frame. The 24-year-old left-hander is competing with Albert Suarez for Baltimore's final rotation spot in the wake of Grayson Rodriguez's elbow injury, but manager Brandon Hyde said prior to Thursday's game that Povich wasn't entering a "make-or-break" start, per Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com. Povich, who now holds a 4.66 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with nine strikeouts across 9.2 innings this spring, will likely get at least one more start in the Grapefruit League before the Orioles make a rotation decision.

Manager Dan Wilson revealed Thursday that Kirby (shoulder) has recently received a biologics injection, and the hope is the right-hander will be able to return to strengthening activities within 3-to-4 days, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.

The shot should aid the healing process for Kirby's right shoulder inflammation, but he's still slated to begin the season on the injured list while his recovery continues. In the meantime, 2020 first-rounder Emerson Hancock remains in position to open 2025 as Seattle's No. 5 starter despite struggling with a 9.53 ERA and 1.94 WHIP over 5.2 innings this spring.

Baz was happy with his outing Thursday against the Nationals despite allowing four earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks across 4.1 innings, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Baz was hit hard early, as he allowed two singles and a homer to the first three batters he faced. He managed to settle in from there, and more importantly, both he and manager Kevin Cash were happy with the shape and execution of his pitches. Baz has allowed 10 earned runs with a 4:5 K:BB across 9.1 innings this spring, though his rotation spot seems secure given there haven't been signs of panic from either he or the team.