MLB Player News

Darvish (finger) is scheduled to start the second game of the season, Saturday against the Rangers, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Darvish is scheduled to throw a bullpen in the coming days. If it goes off without a hitch, he'll slot into the Cubs' rotation behind Opening Day starter Jon Lester.

Martinez (shoulder) was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday.

This was expected. Martinez, who has been sidelined for most of spring due to a shoulder issue, recently resumed his throwing program. Pete Wickham of MLB.com reports that manager Mike Shildt estimates Martinez is "a month to a month and half away, to where we can evaluate where he is and how we want him to progress." This timeline makes it seem like a return sometime in May would be a best-case scenario. He will need to go on a rehab assignment before getting activated and occupying either a rotation spot or a high-leverage relief role.

Wood (back) threw the equivalent of two innings of live batting practice Sunday morning, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Wood will remain in Arizona in extended spring training when he's on the injured list, pitching in a minor league spring training game or two before beginning a rehab assignment. He's still due back at some point in mid-April. Looking at the schedule, the Reds begin a trip with two games in Mexico on April 13 against the Cardinals and then continue on a West Coast road swing. It would make sense if Wood joins the team at some point on that trip.

Gray allowed one earned run over five innings in Sunday's spring training finale and emerged fully recovered after an early spring elbow tweak, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Gray didn't accumulate many spring training innings at the big-league level, but allowed just one earned run over 10 innings, striking out 11 without walking anyone. "I feel strong from where we were at the beginning of camp with that little setback," Gray said. "We've hit steps along the way and lined it up to throw that second game. I'm excited to get out of Arizona and get this thing going."

Alcantara will break camp as a member of the rotation and is slated to make his first start March 31 at home versus the Rockies, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

The Marlins have whittled down their rotation candidates over the last two days, assigning Wei-Yin Chen to the bullpen to begin the season and releasing Dan Straily on Monday. Those decisions suggest that Miami is going all in on the youth movement, likely affording the 23-year-old Alcantara some security as he joins his first Opening Day roster. Expect some uneven performances from the right-hander, who boasts a big fastball but struggles to control it and lacks a deep arsenal of secondary offerings to lean on when the heater isn't working for him.

Gonzalez was designated for assignment by the Giants on Monday.

Gonzalez was dropped from the team's 40-man roster in order to free up a spot for Tom Murphy, who was claimed off waivers. The young right-hander made his big-league debut in 2018, struggling to a 5.73 ERA and 1.77 WHIP through 22 innings.

Gausman (shoulder) allowed three hits and three walks over 3.1 scoreless innings while striking out five in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

The right-hander will begin the season on the IL, but his shoulder didn't seem to be an issue Sunday and the delay in his season debut is simply due to him needing to build up his pitch count. Barring a setback, Gausman should be activated and take the mound ahead of an April 5 home start against the Marlins.

Stripling limited the Angels to one run over three innings in Sunday's 8-4 exhibition loss, scattering three hits and one walk and striking out none.

Though Stripling failed to record a punchout in his final spring tuneup, he at least induced three swinging strikes and recorded eight of his nine outs via groundballs or infield flies. With Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) and Rich Hill (knee) both bound for the injured list to begin the season, Stripling will break camp as a member of the rotation and make his first start Friday at home versus the Diamondbacks.

Nicasio's spot on the Phillies' Opening Day roster appears safe after Victor Arano and Yacksel Rios were optioned Saturday.

The Phillies have a deep bullpen, but Nicasio always seemed likely to make the team after being acquired from Seattle in December. The veteran stumbled to a 6.00 ERA last season, but his 2.99 FIP told a different story, and he's had a FIP under 3.00 for three of the last four years. He may be a pitcher whose peripherals always overrate him, as his ERA is 0.73 runs higher than his FIP over the course of his eight-year major-league career, but he should at least provide adequate middle-relief innings for the Phillies this season.

Corbin gave up three runs on 10 hits and a walk over six innings while striking out seven during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

Jake Marisnick took him deep in the third inning, the first homer Corbin has allowed all spring. The southpaw didn't dazzle in his first camp with the Nats, but his 19:3 K:BB over 24 innings is sharp and he looks ready for the regular season. Corbin's lined up to make his Washington debut March 31 at home against the Mets.