MLB Player News

Houser gave up three runs on four hits and a walk over 1.2 innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out two.

The 31-year-old right-hander worked up to 43 pitches (29 strikes) but gave up a lot of loud contact to a Houston lineup that featured only a couple regulars, including two doubles by Jake Meyers and a Jon Singleton two-bagger that nearly left the yard. Houser would need to have a disastrous spring to lose his spot in the Mets' rotation after signing a one-year, $5 million deal with the team in January, but his 4.42 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 6.9 K/9 over the last two seasons with the Brewers give him little fantasy appeal outside.

Megill has emerged as the favorite to win the Mets' No. 5 starter job, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

The 28-year-old right-hander added a splitter to his arsenal over the winter, and so far the results have been encouraging, as Megill has allowed one run over his first five Grapefruit League innings with a 7:0 K:BB. A pitch that can generate more whiffs could be crucial for his fortunes -- after posting a strikeout rate north of 25 percent in the majors in 2021 and 2022, Megill saw that number drop to 18.5 percent last year. The Mets have a hole to fill in their Opening Day rotation due to Kodai Senga's shoulder strain, and while Jose Butto and Joey Lucchesi still have a chance to make their case for the No. 5 job to start the season due to Senga's expected absence, it appears to be Megill's to lose.

Wolf was optioned to Double-A Altoona by the Pirates on Monday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Wolf struck out a pair in a scoreless inning in his lone appearance this spring. The tall left-hander skipped over the Triple-A level to make a spot start for the Padres last season before landing in Pittsburgh at the trade deadline. He'll head back to the Double-A level for more seasoning.

Gray will undergo an MRI on his injured right hamstring Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Gray tweaked the hamstring while delivering a pitch during Monday's Grapefruit League start against the Nationals. For what it's worth, Gray made two separate trips to the injured list in 2022 with a strain of the same hamstring, although he had no issues with it during the 2023 campaign. Gray is in line to start Opening Day for the Cardinals, if healthy.

Gray was removed from Monday's outing against the Nationals because of right hamstring tightness, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

It's not ideal, but at least it's not arm-related. Gray permitted one hit and struck out one over 1.2 innings Monday before being lifted. The Cardinals will wait to see how he recovers before deciding whether he will be ready for his next Grapefruit League start or requires a little rest. Assuming health, Gray will be the Cardinals' Opening Day starter.

The Dodgers placed Kershaw (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Monday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Andre Lipcius. Kershaw is not expected to pitch until later in the season following offseason shoulder surgery.

Gray was removed from Monday's Grapefruit League start versus the Nationals in the second inning with an apparent injury, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Gray was facing his fifth batter of the game but was pulled after appearing to injure himself on a pitch to Nick Senzel. He walked off the field after a visit from the trainer, manager Oliver Marmol and pitching coach Dusty Blake. Gray yielded one hit and struck out one over 1.2 scoreless frames before exiting. The Cardinals figure to update his condition soon.

Iriarte was optioned to Triple-A El Paso by the Padres on Sunday.

Iriarte was added to the Padres' 40-man roster over the offseason and impressed during his time in big-league camp, yielding just one unearned run over three innings. The 22-year-old had seemed in contention for a roster spot, but the team needing to make some early cuts because of its March 20-21 series versus the Dodgers in South Korea probably didn't help Iriarte's bid. He's put himself in position for a promotion at some point this season, however.

Quintana is the likeliest candidate to get the Opening Day start for the Mets, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

With Kodai Senga (shoulder) set to miss the first month of the season or more, Quintana should be the next man up for New York to kick off the season. "It would be an honor. It's a dream for any starting pitcher," the veteran southpaw said last week. "Big crowd, a lot of energy. It's a gift." Quintana has thrown 100 or more innings only once in the last four seasons, but he's healthy headed into the spring and the Mets believe he can handle a much larger workload than the 75.2 innings he tossed in 2023 during a campaign that didn't begin until after the All-Star break due to rib surgery.

Sale gave up three hits and two walks over 2.2 scoreless innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. He struck out five while also throwing a wild pitch.

That's nine Ks and a 0.00 ERA in 4.2 innings for Sale as he gets ready for his first campaign with Atlanta. The 34-year-old lefty hasn't made 25 starts in a season since 2019, and injuries have left his numbers somewhat volatile since he crossed over into his 30s, but he appears to be 100 percent healthy in camp and could be poised for a rebound. At the very least, he could take a run at double-digit wins for the first time since 2018 with one of the most potent offenses in MLB at his back.