MLB Player News

Strider allowed four hits and a walk while striking out four over four scoreless innings during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

In his longest outing of the spring so far, Strider had little trouble dispatching a Detroit lineup led by Kerry Carpenter and top prospect Colt Keith. The 25-year-old right-hander has been dominant in Florida, posting a 0.00 ERA and 13:3 K:BB through nine innings as he looks to take another step forward after leading MLB with 281 strikeouts in 2023.

Morton gave up two hits and two walks over 2.2 scoreless innings during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against Detroit. He struck out three.

The 40-year-old right-hander saw his first game action of the spring, taking the mound to begin the fifth inning, and he looked to be nearly ready for Opening Day. Morton's 1.43 WHIP last season was his highest mark in over a decade, but his 3.64 ERA and 25.6 percent strikeout rate over 163.1 innings indicate he still has plenty left in the tank. He's expected to begin the 2024 campaign as Atlanta's No. 4 starter.

Gray (hamstring) will play catch from 60 feet Thursday, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Gray was diagnosed with a mild right hamstring strain earlier this week but is ready to ease back into baseball activities. The expectation is that he will likely require a stint on the injured list to begin the season, although the Cardinals seem optimistic that Gray's absence will be a short one.

Yamamoto was tagged for five runs on six hits and three walks over three innings Wednesday in Cactus League action versus the White Sox.

Yamamoto did notch four strikeouts, but on the whole it was a significant step back from his superb first spring start. Worth noting is that the Dodgers' infield defense behind the righty was pretty shaky, and if there's a weakness on the team that might be it, particularly the left side. Yamamoto is expected to start one of the Dodgers' games in their March 20-21 series in South Korea against the Padres, but he should have a couple more tune-ups before then.

Keller sat between 90-92 mph for much of his spring training outing Wednesday against the Orioles, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

The decreased velocity is a red flag not only for his potential level of performance but also as a potential indication of injury. However, he completed four innings -- his longest outing of the spring -- and told reporters after the game that he wasn't worried and that his velocity would ramp back up as the intensity of games increased. Though his results were inconsistent, Keller is coming off a breakout season during which he struck out 210 batters across 194.1 innings, and he'll take the mound on Opening Day against the Marlins.

Spiers allowed three hits and struck out five over four scoreless relief innings in Wednesday's spring game against San Diego.

The Reds are focused on getting their projected rotation members ramped up, but Spiers will be stretched out as organizational starter depth. The 26-year-old right-hander, who is expected to open at Triple-A Louisville, has allowed two earned runs over 8.2 innings, striking out 11 and walking one.

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Brubaker (elbow) has progressed to throwing off the slope of the mound, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

It's another box checked for Brubaker as he continues the long road back from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent last April. The right-hander will likely be out until around midseason.

Lodolo (tibia) threw a two-inning simulated game Wednesday and said afterward that his next step is pitching in a Cactus League game, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Lodolo's left tibia still doesn't feel 100 percent after a stress reaction in the leg caused him to miss much of last season. However, the leg doesn't seem to be bothering him to the point where he can't pitch, and the Reds appear content to allow him to ramp up his progression. Lodolo is still far from a safe bet to be ready for Opening Day, but completing a simulated game is certainly a positive step forward.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Wednesday that Jones is among those competing for a spot in the rotation, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Jones has turned heads this spring, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings with a 3:3 K:BB while touching triple digits on the radar gun. The 22-year-old is not on the 40-man roster and held a 4.72 ERA during his time at Triple-A Indianapolis last season, which would seem to make him a long shot for the Opening Day roster on the surface. The Pirates have a couple rotation spots up for grabs, though, so Jones could make the decision difficult if he continues to pitch well.

Lodolo (tibia) threw a live batting practice session Wednesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Lodolo saw a specialist and underwent testing Monday as he deals with nagging discomfort in his left tibia. Reds manager David Bell also said the club had been set to meet Wednesday morning to discuss the next steps for the left-hander. What exactly came out of the exam and meeting remains unclear, but it would certainly appear to be a good sign that Lodolo is facing hitters again. The southpaw's status for Opening Day remains very much in question.