MLB Player News

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Urias has been removed from Team Mexico's active roster from the World Baseball Classic and is expected to start for the Dodgers in Friday's Cactus League game versus the Brewers, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Urias was cleared to report back to Dodgers camp after Team Mexico determined that he wouldn't be available to pitch if the club advanced to the WBC finals against Team USA. Before leaving for the tournament, the left-hander looked sharp in spring training with a 1.35 ERA in two Cactus League appearances. Assuming he sticks to a four-day rest schedule following Friday's outing, Urias would be lined up to start in Dodgers' March 30 season opener versus the Diamondbacks.

Steele allowed one run on four hits across three innings in Monday's Cactus League game against the Padres. He walked five and struck out three.

Steele is somewhat lucky he only allowed one run after letting nine players reach base in his three innings of work. The lefty had a nice 2022 campaign with a 3.18 ERA and 126 strikeouts across 119 innings, though control remains a bit of an issue. Steele posted a 4.3 BB/9 in 2021 and was only marginally better last year with a 3.8 BB/9. If the 27-year-old can improve in that area this season, he could be primed for another step forward.

Criswell was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Rockies on Monday.

Criswell was acquired by Colorado in December in the trade that shipped minor-league hurler Chad Smith to Oakland. The 23-year-old posted a 4.03 ERA over 24 appearances (21 starts) in the minors, and will likely pitch in the upper levels for the Rockies in his first year with the organization.

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters that Strider threw five-plus innings in Monday's minor-league game, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

There's no word on Strider's stats for that contest, but the important thing in exhibition season is that the right-hander is getting his work in. After a strong rookie campaign that saw him strike out 38.3 percent of the hitters he faced over 131.2 innings of work, Strider is being drafted as one of the top starting options in baseball, and his swing-and-miss arsenal makes that an easy decision to justify.

Davis was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque by the Rockies on Monday.

Davis was competing for a spot on the Colorado pitching staff this spring, but the 25-year-old comes up short in that goal. The right-hander could pitch both as a starter and relief for the Isotopes, as he was being built up as an emergency rotation option this spring.

Woodford is "all but locked into" an Opening Day roster spot with the Cardinals, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The news comes after Woodford struck out seven over five scoreless innings Monday against the Marlins in Grapefruit League play. Woodford is throwing harder this spring and has collected a 2.04 ERA and 18:5 K:BB across 17.2 frames. He's in line for long relief duty and could be the first guy called upon if the Cards need a rotation reinforcement.

The Diamondbacks optioned Henry to Triple-A Reno on Monday, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Henry's demotion leaves Ryne Nelson and Drey Jameson as the remaining candidates to open the season as Arizona's No. 5 starter. During his 15 innings in Cactus League play, Henry was unable to solve the control problems that hindered him during his first taste of the big leagues in 2022, as he issued seven walks. Despite his struggles this spring, the Diamondbacks aren't yet ready to pull the plug on developing him as a starter, so he'll head back to Triple-A to hone his repertoire.

Fried allowed one hit and two walks over 6.1 scoreless innings while striking out five in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins.

It was another impressive spring outing for the southpaw, who sports a 14:4 K:BB through 11.1 Grapefruit League innings without giving up a run. Fried remains in line to get the Opening Day assignment for Atlanta, although manager Brian Snitker has yet to make an announcement, and the 29-year-old is coming off a season in which he posted a 2.48 ERA and career-best 1.01 WHIP in a career-high 185.1 innings.

Megill gave up six runs (three earned) on six hits and five walks over 3.2 innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals. He struck out two.

David Peterson got the start Sunday while Megill came on in relief, and while neither pitcher was at their best, Peterson ended up with the much cleaner line in the box score. Megill did get stretched out to 78 pitches (42 strikes), but his late stumble in camp did him no favors as he tries to win the fifth starter role for the Mets. Barring a late development, Peterson should be viewed as the favorite to begin the regular season as part of the rotation.

Peterson gave up one hit and four walks over four scoreless innings during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals. He struck out four.

The left-hander wasn't exactly sharp, throwing 40 of 66 pitches for strikes, but he was able to escape every jam his control issues created. More importantly for Peterson's chances of beginning the season in the Mets' rotation, Tylor Megill also pitched Sunday and had a much worse outing. Peterson posted a 3.86 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 110:41 K:BB over 19 starts (91 innings) as a starter last year, and at this stage he appears to be the clear favorite to win the No. 5 spot in the rotation.