MLB Player News

Manager Brian Snitker said Soroka (shoulder) is scheduled to resume throwing Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Soroka has been dealing with shoulder soreness and hasn't thrown since Friday, though he's ready to jump back into a throwing program after taking some time off to rest and recover. The right-hander's rookie season was cut short due to a different shoulder issue, so the Braves figure to proceed cautiously with Soroka as spring training progresses. He's expected to return to game action at some point later in spring training, but it's unclear when exactly that will happen, leaving his status for Opening Day up in the air.

Mikolas signed a four-year, $68 million extension with the Cardinals on Tuesday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

After impressing in his first season with St. Louis, the Cardinals decided to lock up Mikolas -- who was originally set to become a free agent after the 2019 campaign -- through 2023, rewarding him with a nice raise in the process. The 30-year-old went 18-4 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 32 starts (200.2 innings) in 2018 and is slated to serve as the team's Opening Day starter against the Brewers on March 28.

Darvish will start in his Cactus League debut Tuesday versus the Diamondbacks, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Spring results for veteran players should typically be taken with a grain of salt, but they'll probably be worth monitoring in the case of Darvish, who was limited to eight mostly unimpressive starts in his inaugural season with the Cubs while dealing with a right elbow and triceps strain that ultimately required surgery. Manager Joe Maddon has offered glowing reports of Darvish's early throwing sessions so far this spring, and now the 32-year-old will get a chance to test his health in a competitive setting as he makes his first start at any level since Aug. 19.

Kershaw (shoulder) will try to throw again Thursday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Kershaw has had a pair of frustrating throwing sessions so far this spring and has said that his shoulder didn't feel right. The team didn't appear overly concerned after either incident, and he's yet to be scheduled for an MRI or shut down for any extended period, but the fact that he's been briefly shut down twice is undoubtedly discouraging. A clearer picture of his status will hopefully emerge following Thursday's session.

Stripling (illness) faced live hitters last Thursday, the Orange County Register reports.

An upper-respiratory issue put Stripling a little behind most of the other arms in Dodgers camp. His Cactus League debut has not yet been scheduled, but it sounds like Stripling has shaken the illness, so we should see him in exhibition play soon. With Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) shut down from throwing, the door would appear open for Stripling to potentially crack the rotation.

Gray (elbow) could throw a side session Thursday or Friday, John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Gray was able to play catch Sunday, and he's now set to extend his long toss out to 120 feet Tuesday. If his elbow responds well, Gray could resume throwing off elevated ground by the end of the work week. Gray was scratched from his scheduled Cactus League outing last week with what was labeled right elbow stiffness.

Martinez (shoulder) had a PRP injection and won't be re-evaluated until March 12, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports.

Martinez had already been shut down for a two-week period due to concerns over his shoulder, and that period has now been extended by a week. An MRI taken in mid-February revealed no structural damage, but the injury and setback happening so early in the season is certainly discouraging. Even if he's fully cleared March 12, his chances of building up to a starting role by Opening Day would appear minimal. His recent injury problems, which led to three trips to the injured list last season, have already prompted speculation that he may spend a considerable portion of the season as a reliever, and this latest setback should only serve to increase those odds.

Martinez (shoulder) was spotted at camp Tuesday with his right arm in a sling, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports.

The Cardinals haven't offered an update on Martinez's condition since revealing Feb. 19 that he would be on a no-throw regimen for two weeks, but the fact that he requires a sling suggests his shoulder issue may be more severe than the club has been letting on. It's possible the team provides more clarity on Martinez's outlook in the days to come, but the 27-year-old is looking likely to open the 2019 campaign on the injured list at this juncture.

Lyles allowed one run on one hit and a walk in two innings Monday. He struck out one batter.

He gave up a line drive homer to Bryce Brentz in an otherwise strong debut. Lyles is set to battle Nick Kingham, Steven Brault and perhaps Rookie Davis for the team's fifth starter's spot. He likely has an advantage in the competition as he was signed to a $2.05 million deal in the offseason. Lyles has totaled 18 starts in the past three seasons and his 4.11 ERA in 2018 was more than one run better than his career mark of 5.28.

Wood gave up three runs in his spring training debut Monday and struggled with his command, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. Wood walked the leadoff hitter, went into multiple full counts and threw a wild pitch before giving up a two-run homer to Domingo Santana. "I would have liked a better start for sure, but that's what spring training is for," Wood said. "You come to a new place and you want to make a good first impression, even if it is in spring. Obviously, three runs in the first are not what you want, but physically, I felt all right. So, I will get some work in the bullpen and getting ready for the next one."

It's Wood's first spring training start, so it's easy to filter out this result. We're more concerned about his fastball velocity decline from last season than anything that occurs in February, so long as it's not an injury.