MLB Player News

Alcantara gave up three runs on six hits and three walks over four innings while striking out four in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

Four of the hits went for extra bases, including a first-inning homer by Yadier Molina, as the regulars in the Cards' lineup took the former Cards prospect to the woodshed. Alcantara now has an 11:6 K:BB and has given up three home runs through 16 spring innings, and while he still seems to be in the mix for a rotation spot, the Marlins may be better served by giving the 22-year-old fireballer his first taste of Triple-A before bringing him up to the majors for good.

DeGrom tossed five scoreless innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, allowing only one hit and striking out eight.

He's only been able to make two starts this spring due to back stiffness, but deGrom's made them count, racking up a 12:1 K:BB through 7.2 innings. The right-hander is coming off his first career 200-inning campaign, as well as career highs in wins and strikeouts, and it looks like he'll be fully healthy and ready to go by Opening Day.

Lyles was told that he is no longer an option for one of the Padres' final rotation spots, AJ Cassavell reports.

The 27-year-old was already a long shot to make the rotation at the start of spring training, but his poor performance in exhibition play sealed his fate. Lyles will still have to compete for a bullpen job in the final weeks of camp after posting a career-worst 7.75 ERA across 69.2 innings last season.

Flaherty (0-1), who racked up eight strikeouts and allowed an earned run on three hits and two walks over five innings in a 1-0 Grapefruit League loss to the Orioles on Thursday, has successfully developed and deployed a two-seam fastball this spring, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.

One of the organization's top prospects, Flaherty has been working with manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Mike Maddux throughout spring on perfecting the pitch. Both have monitored the right-hander's bullpen and live batting practice sessions, encouraging him to experiment with both the grip and how he sequences the pitch. The results have been impressive, as Flaherty has now racked up 20 strikeouts over 13 exhibition frames following Thursday's dominant outing. Although he's slated to begin the season at Triple-A Memphis, the vast difference between the 2017 version of Flaherty and the pitcher that's been mowing down hitters this spring is noticeable to everyone around him. "There isn't a finish line there for Jack," catcher Carson Kelly, who also caught Flaherty for most of his starts at Triple-A last season, said. "He keeps going. I've seen a difference between this year and last year. He seems more poised."

Nicolino is expected to make the Marlins' roster as either a starter or a reliever, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Nicolino posted a 5.06 ERA with a 5.55 FIP in 48 innings for the Marlins last season. The 26-year-old lefty is still part of the rotation battle, especially after teammates Adam Conley, Dillon Peters, and Jarlin Garcia were all sent to the minors Friday. If he doesn't win a rotation spot, he's likely to find himself in the bullpen, though he'll hardly be a fantasy weapon in either case unless he unexpectedly finds a new level of performance.

Mahle threw five shutout innings Thursday against the Indians, allowing two hits without striking out or walking anyone and drawing praise from manager Bryan Price afterward, MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince reports. "He was sensational," Price said. "I don't think he could have done any better."

Mahle has a really good chance of winning a rotation spot, at least based on merit from his performance last year and this spring. Working against him is his lack of extensive experience and that he has options remaining, but he and Sal Romano have done the most to win a spot in a Reds rotation that has at least two openings thanks to Anthony DeSclafani's oblique injury.

Fried was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday.

Fried was in the mix for the Braves' fifth starter spot but will instead begin the year in the minors. Fried posted a 3.81 ERA in 26 major-league innings last year, though both his strikeout and walk rates were below par and his FIP was a less-palatable 4.81. The 24-year-old lefty has just six innings at the Triple-A level, but with strong performances there he could return to the majors at some point this season. The Braves' rotation will contain at least one veteran placeholder in Brandon McCarthy and possibly a second in Scott Kazmir, so if a youngster like Fried impresses, his path won't be blocked.

Miley has impressed this spring while competing for a spot in the Brewers' starting rotation, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Miley needs to earn his way onto the Brewers' roster after joining the club on a minor-league deal, and he has done just about all he could this spring to do so, posting a 15:4 K:BB while giving up just two earned runs in 13 innings (1.38 ERA) over four appearances. Brent Suter, Junior Guerra and Brandon Woodruff are all still alive in the race -- whether there are one or two openings in the rotation remains to be seen -- but the Brewers can option any or all of them to the minors and could lose Miley if he does not break camp with the team, which is a notable item in his favor.

Woodruff remains in competition for a spot in the Brewers' starting rotation, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Woodruff is part of a quartet of pitchers -- which also includes Wade Miley, Brent Suter and Junior Guerra -- seeking to earn the fourth and fifth spots in the Brewers' rotation, but the group could ultimately be fighting for only one opening if the Brewers elect to break camp with just four starters. Woodruff was not particularly sharp in a couple outings earlier this spring, but he was his last time out, allowing just three runners to reach base while giving up one earned run over four innings. Woodruff will need a strong finish to the spring to finish first or second in the rotation race, but he is also the best prospect of the crew, so there is a good chance he pitches for Milwaukee at some point this season even if not right out of the gate.

Eickhoff suffered a mild lat strain and is out six to eight weeks, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic Philadelphia reports.

Eickhoff was limited to just 24 starts last year with back and hand injuries and now will have to start this season on the disabled list. If the original timeline holds, he'll be back in late April at the earliest. The injury re-opens the competition for the Phillies' fifth starter spot, which had been previously made unnecessary by the signing of Jake Arrieta. Mark Leiter, Ben Lively and Zach Eflin now have a chance to open the season in the rotation, though with extra off days in early April, the team could elect to begin the year with just four starters.