MLB Player News

Gallen led the majors last season in the percentage of pitches landing on the edges of the strike zone, David Adler of MLB.com reports.

Gallen's stuff isn't overpowering, but his ability to skirt the edges of the zone, particularly early in the count, enabled him to be effective. Former pitching great Orel Hershiser, who is a color analyst for the Dodgers, likened his ability to command the edges to that of another pitching great, Greg Maddux, during an outing in which Gallen was shutting down the Dodgers. The ability to get to two strikes early sets up put-away pitches, which are typically outside the zone but not far enough for batters to take. Gallen posted a 2.75 ERA and 1.11 WHIP while fanning 10.2 per nine innings with stuff that Hershiser described as "nothing overwhelming, but fantastic edgy pitching." He or Madison Bumgarner are the leading candidates to be the Diamondbacks' Opening Day starter.

Oviedo is considered a candidate for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation as spring training opens, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

The towering right-hander has already drawn some praise since arriving at spring training following a somewhat uneven first taste of the big leagues late last season. Oviedo made five starts from Aug. 19 to Sept. 16, posting an 0-3 record, 5.47 ERA and 1.38 WHIP across 24.2 innings. Oviedo is arguably the longest-shot candidate of an array of contenders for the No. 5 spot that includes more accomplished hands Carlos Martinez, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Alex Reyes; the fact he'd never pitched about the Double-A level -- and struggled there -- before the 2020 minor-league season was suspended supports the notion he's more likely to begin the season at an affiliate as opposed to the big-league club.

Strasburg (hand) threw off a mound Friday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

Strasburg is on track for a normal spring after missing most of the 2020 season due to a hand injury that eventually required surgery. Manager Dave Martinez said that the right-hander looked good and didn't have any issues following his throwing session Friday. Strasburg is in "preparation mode, not rehabilitation mode" to begin spring training, and he'll attempt to remain healthy ahead of the regular season.

Suarez has yet to arrive at camp due to visa issues, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Suarez is one of five Phillies absent for that reason, as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic interferes with international travel. If the delay lasts too long it would mean the lefty won't have time to ramp up as a starter, though he was always a long shot at best to open the season in a big-league rotation spot. Suarez will stand a decent chance at winning a bullpen role but isn't a lock to do so.

Cabrera isn't throwing to begin spring training due to an inflamed nerve in his right biceps, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

The 22-year-old is with the team to open camp but isn't participating in throwing activities. It's unclear when Cabrera is expected to return to the mound, though the Marlins figure to remain cautious with one of their top prospects.

Walker agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract with the Mets on Friday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

The deal also includes a player option for 2023, as Walker cashes in after delivering a 2.70 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 50:19 K:BB across 53.1 innings (11 starts) during 2020. The veteran right-hander should open the season as the Mets' No. 4 starter behind Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco and Marcus Stroman, while Noah Syndergaard (elbow) is also expected to return around June.

Kim, who enters spring training slotted into the No. 2 spot in the Cardinals' starting rotation, focused on training his lower body this offseason in an effort to improve his command, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. "[I learned] from last year that command is really important in this league," Kim said Wednesday. "... To better get the command [this offseason], I focused on my lower body, so that when I pitch, my upper body and lower body flows like water."

The left-hander was an immediate hit in his first season stateside following a successful career in the Korean Baseball Organization, posting a 3-0 record, 1.62 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across 39 innings over eight appearances (seven starts). Kim also held either handedness of hitter to sub- .200 averages and posted an impressive 0.7 HR/9, but with a sub-par 5.5 K/9, he headed into the offseason looking to improve his ability to miss bats and believes more efficient lower-body mechanics will help him achieve that goal. Kim is also in a somewhat advantageous position as a second-year pitcher due to the uniqueness of the 2020 schedule, as he'll get the benefit of another season as a largely unknown quantity to a substantial allotment of hitters since he only faced other NL Central teams in his debut campaign.

Urias will throw a bullpen session Friday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Urias was praised by manager Dave Roberts for his physical conditioning upon arrival at spring training. While that's a common refrain for many players at this time of the season, it's still encouraging that Urias is on track physically. He's expected to be a key member of the Dodgers' rotation, though may have to compete with Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May for the role.

Kelly doesn't face any limitations to begin spring training, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.

Kelly made five starts for the Diamondbacks in 2020 and posted a 2.59 ERA and 0.99 WHIP over 31.1 innings. However, he was shut down for the final month of the season after he underwent shoulder surgery. His $5.25 million club option was picked up by the Diamondbacks during the offseason, and the right-hander confirmed Thursday that he's fully healthy this spring. If he can continue to perform at a high level, Kelly could reclaim a spot in the starting rotation to begin the regular season.

Soroka is making good progress in his recovering from Achilles surgery but isn't a lock to be ready for Opening Day, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Soroka was shut down with an Achilles tear after just three starts last season and underwent surgery in August. Atlanta is primarily concerned at the moment with his ability to cover first base and run out of the box as a hitter. While he hasn't had any setbacks, the team is likely more concerned with the 23-year-old's long-term future than it is with maximizing his number of starts this season. His expected return date should become clearer as camp progresses.