MLB Player News

Manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Small is competing for a spot in the Brewers' Opening Day bullpen as a long reliever, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Though Aaron Ashby is expected to be sidelined until at least mid-May due to a shoulder injury, Small isn't being viewed as a candidate to replace him in the rotation, at least not to begin the season. Small was roughed up in his first two big-league starts in 2022 (7.11 ERA, 2.53 WHIP, 7:8 K:BB in 6.1 innings), but Counsell believes the southpaw can find more success working as a multi-inning reliever. Hoby Milner and Justin Wilson are the only other lefty relievers on the 40-man roster at the moment, which could work in Small's favor as he aims to secure a spot in the bullpen.

The Reds placed Gutierrez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

The move is simply a procedural one to clear a 40-man roster spot, as Gutierrez underwent Tommy John surgery last July and will miss most, if not all, of 2023. If he does return, it would likely be for just a couple of appearances in September.

The Pirates don't expect Malone (shoulder) to face any restrictions at minor-league camp during spring training, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Malone has been beset by a series of injuries since entering the professional ranks in 2019 as a first-round pick of the Pirates, tossing just 27 innings over the past four seasons. He underwent surgery in mid-August to address a labral issue in his right shoulder, but the 22-year-old has apparently recovered well from the procedure and looks as though he'll be ready to go for the start of the minor-league season. Expect him to begin the campaign with one of the Pirates' lower-level minor-league affiliates.

Grove (knee) is scheduled to start the Dodgers' Cactus League opener Friday versus the Brewers, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Grove closed the 2022 campaign on the 15-day injured list with a bruised knee, but the Dodgers never provided any indication that the injury was anything that would limit him heading into spring training. While his starting assignment for the first spring game supports that notion, Grove is still likely to find himself on the outside looking in for a spot in the Dodgers' Opening Day rotation if all of the team's other starting options are healthy. Though the 26-year-old Grove has little left to prove in the high minors, the fact that he has two minor-league options remaining works against him in securing an Opening Day role with the big club.

Stroman figures to begin the season as the Cubs' No. 1 starter with Kyle Hendricks (shoulder) likely opening the year on the injured list, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic report.

Stroman may have been the No. 1 starter even with Hendricks healthy, but the latter's shoulder injury should cement things. The Cubs did add Jameson Taillon in the offseason, but he figures to slot in as the No. 2 starter. Stroman finished 2022 with a 3.50 ERA and 119 strikeouts across 138.2 innings in his first season in Chicago.

Soroka (hamstring) said Tuesday that he is close to running again, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Soroka entered spring training with a bit of left hamstring discomfort and has been eased along since his arrival, but the standing hope is that this will be a non-issue within a week or so. He's been playing catch in camp and can build up swiftly once he gets the go-ahead to incorporate leg-based workouts. The right-hander is aiming to claim a spot in Atlanta's season-opening starting rotation here in 2023 following a couple of completely lost years.

Williamson will start the Reds' Cactus League opener Saturday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Williamson seems doubtful to crack the Opening Day roster in Cincinnati, but he is on track to make his MLB debut at some point in 2023. The 24-year-old struggled with command issues last season while working to a 4.11 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 123:77 K:BB in 122.2 innings between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville. Recent reports have suggested that he added an encouraging amount of velocity to his arsenal over the winter.

Reds manager David Bell said Tuesday that Ashcraft (ankle) won't have any setbacks to his spring throwing progression, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Ashcraft took a line drive off his right ankle while throwing live batting practice Monday in Reds camp, but he was walking normally soon after and should be ready to hop back on a mound later this week. The 25-year-old right-hander figures to open the 2023 campaign as the No. 3 starter in Cincinnati.

Garrett will start the Marlins' Grapefruit League opener Saturday, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.

Garrett might have to put on a show this spring in order to claim the final spot in Miami's season-opening starting rotation. Edward Cabrera is thought to be his primary competition for that job. There's also a chance the Marlins will roll with a six-man group of starters in the early going, though that assumes good health on all fronts coming out of camp.

Marquez (hamstring) did some jogging Monday and felt good, Patrick Lyons of TheDNVR.com reports.

Marquez suffered a left hamstring strain just before arriving to Rockies camp in Arizona, but he made it through a bullpen session without issue over the weekend and appears to be catching back up rather quickly. All current indications suggest that he will be ready for the beginning of the 2023 regular season. Look for him to begin pitching in Cactus League games around early-to-mid March.