MLB Player News

Greene allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two over three innings in Saturday's spring start against the Rockies.

Greene walked two batters for a second straight Cactus League appearance and has allowed four free passes in 4.2 innings. Cincinnati manager David Bell made note of the control issues to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. "In spring training, he continues to work on things," Bell said. "Too many balls right now, he's walking a few. He's got to work towards cleaning that up." The manager added that Greene isn't missing by much and pitchers honing in during spring training is all part of the process.

Contreras allowed one hit and walked three while striking out one across scoreless 2.1 innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

Contreras managed to work his way out of trouble, but he walked a batter in all three innings he pitched. Per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Contreras also averaged 94.3 mph on his fastball, down around two ticks from the top velocity he's shown in the majors. He's now walked four batters across 4.1 innings of work this spring, which won't help his chances of securing a rotation spot to begin the new campaign.

Groome was optioned to Triple-A El Paso by the Padres on Saturday.

Groome didn't make any Cactus League appearances for the Padres before being given the pink slip. The left-hander is coming off a dreadful 2023 season with El Paso, having posted an 8.55 ERA, 2.10 WHIP and 137:112 K:BB over 134.2 innings.

Lynn is penciled in to make his Grapefruit League debut Friday versus the Nationals, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Lynn has been working on the back fields so far, giving the Cardinals an opportunity to evaluate other pitchers in spring games. Lynn will don the Cardinals' jersey for the first time since 2017 after signing a one-year deal with the team in November. The right-hander endured the worst season of his career in 2023, posting a 5.73 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with 44 home runs allowed over 183.2 innings between the White Sox and the Dodgers. He'll play most of 2024 at age 37, so it's unclear how much he'll be able to bounce back, though he'll at least have his home games in a pitcher-friendly stadium.

Liberatore is in competition with Zack Thompson for the last spot in the Cardinals' rotation, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Liberatore is lagging behind in results with three runs allowed over five innings across two spring starts so far. There's a chance both Liberatore and Thompson could make the rotation -- Steven Matz is being brought along slowly this spring after an injury-riddled 2023. Liberatore started half of his 22 outings last season, pitching to a 5.25 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 46:25 K:BB over 61.2 innings. He'll need to show better to avoid a trip to Triple-A Memphis.

Perez exited his start Saturday against the Mets due to a broken nail on his right middle finger, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Perez had been dealing with a cut on the same finger earlier during camp, but his removal Saturday was unrelated. Perez said after his start that he felt no pain from the broken nail, and he doesn't expect it to become an issue going forward. The 20-year-old righty lasted 2.1 innings against New York, striking out two batters and walking one.

Perez was removed from his appearance during Saturday's spring training game against the Mets, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Perez called a trainer out to the mound during the third inning of Saturday's game to take a look at his hand. Perez recently had problems with a cut on his right middle finger, so it's possible he aggravated the injury during the game. The Marlins should offer more information on Perez's condition in the near future, but his status for Opening Day likely won't be affected.

Walker (knee) told reporters Saturday that he's aiming to throw off the mound in the next few days after playing catch Saturday, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Walker experienced right knee soreness during his bullpen session Thursday after returning from an absence due to personal reasons. He's set to play catch again Sunday from a longer distance and will look to throw off the mound in the coming week. In his first season with the Phillies in 2023, Walker finished with a 15-6 record over 31 starts with a 4.38 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 138:71 K:BB across 172.2 innings.

Gore gave up one hit and one walk over three scoreless innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out three.

The 25-year-old southpaw has had an impressive start to the spring, posting a 7:1 K:BB over five scoreless frames. Gore had an uneven first full season in the majors last year; his 151:57 K:BB through 136.1 innings highlighted both his ability to miss bats and his issues finding the plate. A first-round pick of the Padres in 2017, Gore has the upside to develop into an ace if he can sharpen his control and command.

Severino struck out one over two scoreless innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

In his first game action of the spring, Severino showed good velocity, topping out at 97.8 mph with his fastball, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Injuries have derailed the 30-year-old righty's career and helped lead to a 6.65 ERA and 1.65 WHIP over 89.1 innings for the Yankees last season, but the Mets are hoping Severino can stay on the mound in 2024 and provide them with some reliable innings.