MLB Player News

The Phillies hope Suarez (visa issues) will be in camp during the week of March 14, but he will be behind schedule when he arrives, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Sunday that the team hopes Suarez will arrive this upcoming week, but that still seems up in the air. It seems unlikely that Suarez will be ready to operate like a traditional starter the first time through the rotation.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Sunday that Wheeler has yet to throw off a mound during the offseason and could be behind the team's other starting pitchers when Opening Day arrives, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Wheeler wasn't delayed in his offseason throwing program due to any injury; instead, he simply opted to take more extended time off to rest coming off a 2021 campaign in which he covered a career-high 213.1 innings. The Phillies will likely let their ace ramp up at his own pace during the next three weeks of spring training, but his lack of mound work to date could put him out of contention for the Opening Day nod. Assuming he endures no setbacks while building up, however, Wheeler should still be in good shape to avoid the injured list and make a turn by the time the Phillies first require a fifth starter April 15.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Sunday that Eflin (knee) has been throwing off a mound and could be ready for the start of the season, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Eflin underwent surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee in early September, and his rehab appears to have gone well during the offseason. The procedure carried an initial recovery timeline of 6-to-8 months, and Opening Day would fall toward the end of that original timetable. The right-hander's availability for the start of the campaign should receive more clarity as he continues to ramp things up at spring training, but at this point it doesn't appear he'll miss much time, if any.

Castillo will arrive to camp late due to a flight/family issue, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

The report didn't say when Castillo would report. Castillo's situation could be similar to the Phillies' Ranger Suarez, who will be delayed by visa issues. With the shortened spring training, that might limit Castillo's innings early in the season if the delay is significant.

Bassitt was sent from the Athletics to the Mets in exchange for J.T. Ginn and Adam Oller on Saturday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The 33-year-old righty, who has just one year remaining on his contract, has taken big steps forward over the last two seasons, posting a combined 2.90 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 38 starts. Those numbers were helped by the fact the he pitched half his games in Oakland, but he's now on his way to another pitcher-friendly park. He's also now found himself on one of the strongest rosters in the league, which should boost his chances of racking up wins.

Kershaw (forearm) signed a one-year, $17 million deal to return to the Dodgers on Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

A return to the only organization Kershaw has ever known always seemed like the most likely outcome for the veteran lefty, though the fact that he wasn't tendered a qualifying offer after missing the entire postseason with a forearm issue raised the possibility that the Dodgers didn't have enough faith in his health to bring him back. Those health questions remain and it's unclear whether or not he'll be ready for game action by Opening Day, but it's at least now clear he'll be pitching in a pitcher's park with a strong roster at his back, maximizing his fantasy appeal for however many trips to the mound he's able to make.

Rodon signed a two-year, $44 million contract with the Giants on Friday which includes an opt-out after the first season, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The deal places Rodon in one of the best possible landing spots for any pitcher, as the Giants play in a pitcher-friendly park and have earned a reputation for getting the most out of their starters in recent years. That said, Rodon didn't seem to need much help making the most of his talents in 2021, as he's coming off a season in which he rode a 34.6 percent strikeout rate to a 2.37 ERA. Health is easily his most significant question mark, as he's battled arm troubles throughout his career and was used very cautiously by the White Sox down the stretch last season while he managed shoulder trouble.

Suarez may not be ready for Opening Day due to visa issues, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Suarez was excellent across multiple roles for the Phillies in 2021, and he spent part of the season as the team's closer. However, he ended the campaign in the rotation and completed at least six innings in six of his last eight appearances while posting an excellent 1.24 ERA in that span. Reputable Phillies prospect analyst Matt Winkelman attributed this report to Gelb, and if Suarez's absence does ultimately stretch into the regular season it will leave the Phillies with a shorthanded rotation as Zach Eflin (knee) is also likely to be sidelined to begin the campaign.

Overton (shoulder) drew the start in an intrasquad game Thursday during the Reds' minor-league camp, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The news affirms that Overton is fully healthy after he concluded the 2021 season on the Pirates' injured list due to a right shoulder strain. Pittsburgh later outrighted Overton off its 40-man roster in November before he signed with Cincinnati on a minor-league deal. Overton should get the chance to stick around with the big club for spring training whenever the MLB lockout ends, but the 28-year-old doesn't look like a realistic candidate to win a spot on the Reds' Opening Day roster.

Sanchez is taking longer than expected to recover from July shoulder surgery and isn't expected back before midseason, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Heyman's report denied rumors that Sanchez is dealing with an entirely separate injury, but the short-term prognosis on the right-hander's health still doesn't seem to be good. The 23-year-old's inability to meet with team trainers during the lockout undoubtedly isn't helping his progress, though there have also been suggestions that Sanchez wasn't closely following the team's rehab plan. He's still young, so it's certainly possible he eventually gets healthy and lives up to his considerable potential, but Sanchez's fantasy value for the 2022 season takes a big hit with the news that he'll potentially be unavailable for at least half the campaign.