MLB Player News

With Kyle Hendricks being named the Opening Day starter, per Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network, Stroman should work as the Cubs' No. 2 starter.

This is how the two pitchers have operated in spring training, so this alignment for the regular season is not surprising. Even if Hendricks is technically the No. 1 starter, Stroman may end up being the better fantasy asset based on his stronger numbers from a season ago.

Wheeler (shoulder), who was scheduled to start Saturday's Grapefruit League matchup against the Blue Jays, will now start in an intrasquad game, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Wheeler has been behind schedule in camp due to shoulder soreness that he dealt with earlier this spring, and his pitching plans will be slightly revised Saturday due to the threat of inclement weather. He threw 42 pitches during a bullpen session last week, and it's possible that he'll avoid a trip to the injured list if Saturday's throwing session is successful.

Peterson could begin the season in the Mets' rotation despite giving up three home runs through 6.2 Grapefruit League innings.

The southpaw's 6:2 K:BB this spring looks good, but keeping the ball in the park was a serious issue for Peterson in 2021, and it doesn't look like he's solved it yet. Still, with Jacob deGrom (shoulder) already ruled out to begin the season and Max Scherzer (hamstring) now day-to-day, Peterson could find himself in the Opening Day rotation, making him a roster option in deep mixed and NL-only formats.

Hendricks will start the Cubs' Opening Day matchup against Milwaukee on Thursday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Hendricks has had a lackluster performance this spring, as he's posted a 9.53 ERA and 1.76 WHIP in 11.1 innings across four Cactus League starts. Despite his struggles in camp, the right-hander will be rewarded with an Opening Day start for a third consecutive season. Hendricks made 32 starts for the Cubs last year and posted a 4.77 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 181 innings.

Wainwright, who was scheduled to start Saturday's Grapefruit League game against Houston, will now pitch in a game on a back field, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Due to a threat of inclement weather Saturday, the Cardinals will alter Wainwright's pitching plans to make sure that he's able to pitch. Saturday's session will serve as a final tune-up for the right-hander before he starts in the Cardinals' Opening Day matchup against the Pirates on Thursday.

Morton will pitch in a minor-league game on the back fields rather than starting Saturday's Grapefruit League matchup against the Yankees, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Morton was scheduled to make his final Grapefruit League start Saturday, but he'll pitch in a different setting due to the threat of inclement weather. Saturday's throwing session should serve as the final tune-up before Morton starts Atlanta's second game of the regular season against Cincinnati on April 8.

Luzardo gave up one run on four hits and two walks over 4.2 innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out three.

Jose Altuve took him deep to lead off the bottom of the first inning, but after that Luzardo shut down a Houston lineup that mostly featured Opening Day starters. It was the young southpaw's first run allowed this spring, and he heads into the regular season having posted a 0.77 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 10:3 K:BB through 11.2 innings in Grapefruit League play. Luzardo is now on to his third organization since being drafted in 2016, but he might finally be ready to deliver on the promise he showed in the minors.

Freeland has been named the starter for the Rockies' Opening Day matchup against the Dodgers on April 8, Patrick Lyons of TheDNVR.com reports.

Freeland started Friday's Cactus League game against the Mariners and gave up an unearned run on three hits and no walks while striking out two in 5.1 innings. The southpaw had been working on his changeup earlier in camp, but he gave up at least three runs in each of his first two spring starts while testing the pitch. Freehand made 23 starts for the Rockies last year and posted a 4.33 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 120.2 innings.

Falter threw three scoreless innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, striking out one batter while hitting another and allowing just a single hit.

Falter's last two spring outings have seen him throw three frames. He was a starter in just one of his 22 appearances in his major-league debut last season but spent nearly the entirety of his minor-league career in a starting role. He'll be a candidate for a spot start early in the season if Zack Wheeler (shoulder) has to miss a turn at the start of the year but should spend the early part of the season in a multi-inning relief role.

Megill has a clear path to a rotation spot again, as Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports that Jacob deGrom will miss an extended period to being the season due to a stress reaction in his right scapula.

Megill appeared to lose his starting role after Chris Bassett was acquired from the Athletics in mid-March, but as the sixth starter behind a group of old and injury-prone arms, he was always likely to have plenty of opportunities. Those opportunities should now be available from the start of the regular season, as deGrom won't even throw for at least a month. Megill's 4.52 ERA from his 18-start debut last year was nothing special, but his 26.1 percent strikeout rate and 7.1 percent walk rate provide reason for optimism.