MLB Player News

Steele could slot in as the Cubs' No. 3 starter to begin the regular season, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic report.

With Kyle Hendricks (shoulder) expected to begin the year on the injured list, Chicago's rotation is somewhat thinned out. Marcus Stroman should lead the way, followed by the newly signed Jameson Taillon. After that, it's fairly wide open, with Steele, Drew Smyly, Adrian Sampson and Hayden Wesneski likely battling for three spots. Steele posted a solid 3.18 ERA and 126 strikeouts across 119 innings last year, so the lefty figures to have one of the spots secured.

Cavalli (shoulder) threw a session of live batting practice Sunday.

Cavalli was shut down in mid-September due to shoulder discomfort but appears to be at full strength for the start of spring training. The 24-year-old is one of the Nationals' top prospects, but manager Dave Martinez recently said the right-hander isn't guaranteed a spot in the Opening Day rotation.

Marquez (hamstring) completed a bullpen session Sunday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Though Marquez opted out of pitching for the Venezuelan team in the World Baseball Classic after experiencing a sore left hamstring shortly after reporting to Rockies camp, his ability to resume throwing off a mound suggests the injury won't do much to derail his preparation for the 2023 season. The Rockies could continue to take things slowly with Marquez in the spring as a precaution, but once he's cleared to pitch in the Cactus League or in an intrasquad game, he can probably be considered good to go for Opening Day. Despite coming off a down 2022 campaign in which he turned in a 4.95 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 181.2 innings, Marquez likely still profiles as the Rockies' top starting pitcher from a fantasy perspective.

Alexander (shoulder) was placed on the 60-day injured list Saturday.

By placing Alexander on the 60-day IL, the Brewers now have an open spot on the 40-man roster for Justin Wilson, who was signed Saturday. Alexander is expected to be out until the end of May because of right shoulder soreness, and this transaction doesn't change that timeline.

Anderson is working on a slider, though he expects to continue to primarily throw his fastball and changeup, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

The 2016 third-overall pick cruised to a 3.25 ERA in 30 starts across his first two years in the league, but he stumbled to a 5.00 ERA in 22 outings last year. Still just 24 years old, there's plenty of time for him to recapture his previous form. It seems like he's doing the work to get there, as recent reports have also indicated that he's adjusted his delivery as well as his pitch mix. Even the revamped version of Anderson isn't a lock to open the year in Atlanta's rotation, however, as Mike Soroka (hamstring) and Bryce Elder will also get the chance to stake their claim.

Buehler (elbow) will begin a throwing program within the next two weeks, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery in August, but he's yet to be officially ruled out for the upcoming season. He'd have to be on the faster end of the typical timeline to do so, and he's unlikely to throw more than a handful of innings, but it will give him something to work toward throughout the year as he continues his recovery.

Wesneski is in contention to break camp as the Cubs' fifth starter, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

The spot may be only be a temporary one until Kyle Hendricks returns from his shoulder injury, and there are a long number of other candidates for the role, but it's still encouraging news for those expecting Wesneski to take a big jump this season. After coming over at the deadline in the Scott Effross trade, Wesneski cruised to a 2.18 ERA and 33:7 K:BB in 33 innings in his first taste of the majors. If he does indeed get the chance to take a few turns in the rotation to start the year, it's possible he pitches too well to give up the role.

Marquez (hamstring) did some light running Saturday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Marquez is dealing with a minor hamstring issue which prevented him from joining Venezuela's roster for the first round of the World Baseball Classic. He has plenty of time to be ready by Opening Day, however, and he hasn't even been ruled out for subsequent stages of the international tournament.

Soroka (hamstring) played catch Saturday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Soroka has dealt with more than his fair share of injuries recently, missing the majority of the last three seasons due to a pair of Achilles tears as well as arm issues, including a sore elbow which shut him down early last September. His latest issue, a bout of hamstring tightness, doesn't seem likely to significantly hamper his preparation for Opening Day.

Cabrera could be fighting with Braxton Garrett for the final spot in the Marlins' Opening Day rotation, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The offseason addition of Johnny Cueto could push a younger pitcher to Triple-A Jacksonville, although the team is also considering a six-man rotation. Cabrera was very impressive at times in 2022, riding his 96 mph fastball and nasty changeup to a 25.8 percent strikeout rate and 13.7 percent swinging strike rate, but the 24-year-old righty's 11.3 percent walk rate over 71.2 big-league innings indicates he could perhaps use some additional development time at Triple-A.