MLB Player News

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Pfaadt is being "slow-played" during spring training because of a side issue that popped up over the offseason, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Pfaadt is pitching in a backfield game Thursday and Lovullo indicated that the injury is unlikely to prevent the right-hander from being ready for the start of the season. That's if Pfaadt is able to avoid a setback, of course. The right-hander is coming off a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw him collect a 5.25 ERA over 33 starts, but his rotation spot should be secure as long as he's healthy.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Kelly (back) could avoid the injured list and make a start in the second series of the season if he's able to ramp up his throwing "sooner than later," Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

It still seems more likely than not that Kelly requires a stint on the IL, as the Diamondbacks won't risk pushing the veteran hurler too hard just to get him back a handful of days sooner. However, even if the best-case scenario for Kelly's rehab doesn't come to fruition, his absence probably won't be long-term. Kelly has yet to pitch in a game this spring due to intercostal nerve irritation.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Mena has been shut down from throwing after aggravating his strained right shoulder, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Lovullo added that there aren't any plans in place for Mena to undergo surgery to address the issue, and the team will attempt to slowly build him back after a period of rest. The 23-year-old righty has been sidelined since he initially strained his teres major in June, and it's unknown whether his latest setback will force him to begin the regular season on the injured list.

Wheeler (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Thursday, John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Wheeler began throwing on flat ground in early December, but this is the first time he's thrown from the bump since he had surgery last September to address venous thoracic outlet syndrome. The veteran right-hander is not expected to be ready for Opening Day, but the hope is that his stay on the 15-day injured list will be a brief one. Wheeler -- who turns 36 in late May -- posted a 2.71 ERA and 195:33 K:BB over 149.2 regular-season innings covering 24 starts in 2025 before getting hurt.

King allowed one run on two hits and no walks while striking out four batters over 2.2 innings in a Cactus League start versus the Angels on Wednesday.

King dealt with multiple injuries last year and made only 15 regular-season starts, but he appears healthy this spring. The right-hander breezed through the first two innings of his Cactus League debut Wednesday, retiring the first six batters he faced before serving up a Christian Moore solo homer in the third. Overall, King was sharp, throwing 26 of his 37 pitches for strikes and inducing seven whiffs. If King can stay healthy, he'll slot in near the top of San Diego's rotation in 2026.

Freeland (back) had a successful bullpen session Wednesday and could be ready for his Cactus League debut next week, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Freeland has been held back by mid-back spasms but seems to be on the mend. If the veteran left-hander is able to get into a game next week, he will have plenty of time to ramp up ahead of Opening Day. Freeland will likely draw the Opening Day start for the Rockies, if healthy.

Fitts tossed two scoreless frames Wednesday against the Mets in his Grapefruit League debut.

Fitts surrendered a pair of singles, didn't walk anyone and notched one strikeout. Notably, the righty averaged 97.6 mph with his four-seamer and topped out at 98.6 mph. It's a big velocity jump after he averaged 95.9 mph with the heater in 2025, and it also reinforces that Fitts is healthy after he missed the final five weeks of the regular season with right arm neuritis. Fitts is competing for a spot in the Cardinals' rotation and certainly made a positive first impression.

Mahle (illness) will make his Cactus League debut Saturday against the Athletics, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Mahle has been slowed early on in Giants camp by an illness, but he's been cleared for game action. The right-hander was limited to only 16 starts in 2025 with the Rangers because of shoulder issues, but he finished the season healthy before inking a one-year, $10 million contract with San Francisco over the winter.

Elder averaged 93.3 mph with his four-seam fastball during his spring debut Wednesday, maintaining the velocity gains he flashed at the end of last season, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

The 26-year-old right-hander gave up one run on two hits over two innings against the Pirates in Grapefruit League action Wednesday, striking out three without walking a batter. Elder closed out 2025 in impressive fashion, posting a 2.82 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 41:8 K:BB over his final seven starts and 44.2 innings, and more giddy-up on his fastball factored into that success. "He was popping a lot of 95s late in the season last year," manager Walt Weiss said. Elder averaged 92.8 mph overall on his four-seamer last season, but that number jumped to 93.7 mph during that seven-start stretch. He attributed the increase to work with biomechanics expert Bob Keyes, whose list of prior clients includes Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux. Elder isn't expecting to rise to that level, but if he can come close to repeating his performance over the last month-plus of 2025, he should be able to lock down a rotation spot with Atlanta.

Lodolo allowed two hits and struck out four over two scoreless innings in Wednesday's spring start against the White Sox.

Lodolo struck out the side in the first inning before working out of a one-out, two-on jam in the second. He threw a total of 40 pitches (30 strikes) in what was a promising Cactus League debut. The left-hander is coming off his best statistical season with a career-high 28 starts and career-low 3.33 ERA in 2025.