MLB Player News

Milone (elbow) will take the bump for the club's Grapefruit League opener against Houston on Friday, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet reports.

Milone dealt with elbow soreness over the final week of the 2017 season and was officially diagnosed with a bone spur in late September, though he appears to be fully healthy heading into this year. The 31-year-old split time between Milwaukee and the Mets last season, posting a 7.63 ERA and 1.63 WHIP over 48.1 innings. He will be competing to earn a roster spot this spring.

Lively will compete for the Phillies' final rotation spot during spring training, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

The Phillies currently have four locks to open the season in their rotation, leaving Lively to compete with the likes of Mark Leiter, Jake Thompson and Zach Eflin for the lone remaining spot. This could still change if Philadelphia goes out and signs another starter, as they are one of a few teams linked to free agent Jake Arrieta. While Lively posted what looks like a respectable 4.26 ERA across 15 starts (88.2 innings) in his first taste of the majors last season, ERA estimators suggest that mark could have easily been a run higher (5.58 xFIP, 5.27 SIERA). The soon-to-be 26-year-old also posted a lackluster 5.3 K/9, so even if he earns a rotation spot with a strong spring training, his upside is limited.

Thompson will compete for the Phillies' final rotation spot during spring training, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Thompson will battle it out with Mark Leiter, Zach Eflin and Ben Lively for the remaining spot in Philadelphia's rotation, assuming the team doesn't bring in another starter prior to the beginning of the season. While the 23-year-old finished the 2017 season with a solid 3.88 ERA across 46.1 innings of work (eight starts, three relief appearances), his 5.92 FIP suggests he was very lucky to do so. Thompson also posted an unremarkable 6.8 K/9, which is nearly identical to his Triple-A mark, leaving little cause for optimism. Even if an impressive spring earns him the Phillies' final rotation spot, there are more desirable back-end starters out there from a fantasy perspective.

Williams appears to be in line for a rotation spot to begin spring training, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

The 25-year-old held his own during his first full season in the majors, sporting a 4.07 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP to go with a 0.8 HR/9. His strikeout numbers were less than stellar (7.0 K/9), but his 4.07 FIP suggests that what we saw from Williams last season is what we'll get. At the very least, he's worth a look as a streaming option when he's pitching at home since he produced a 3.45 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 88.2 frames at PNC Park last year.

Wheeler (arm) will start the Mets' Grapefruit League opener Friday against the Braves, Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record reports.

One of eight starters competing for a spot in the rotation this spring, Wheeler is a more realistic candidate for the No. 5 gig than most of his fellow challengers, but he's still viewed as the underdog to frontrunner Steven Matz (elbow) for those duties. Given the fragile health that Matz, as well as Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey, have shown in the past, the Mets are still eager to stretch Wheeler out this spring as rotation insurance, though opening the season in long relief remains the most likely outcome at the moment. A bullpen assignment may ultimately prove to be the best way for the Mets to optimize Wheeler, who harbors his own injury concerns after missing the 2015 and 2016 seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery and making only 17 starts in 2017 due to a stress fracture in his right arm. Wheeler's availability this early in the spring at least suggests the Mets aren't worried about a setback in his recovery from the arm injury heading into Opening Day.

Guillon (personal) arrived at Nationals camp Thursday, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports.

Guillon has been held up in his native Venezuela since pitchers and catchers reported to camp last week while awaiting a work visa that would allow him to head to the United States. With that issue now apparently resolved, Guillon, a non-roster invitee, will begin his quest to win a bullpen spot with the Nationals. It's more likely than not, however, that he opens the campaign with Washington's Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse.

Matz (elbow) threw his second live batting practice session of spring camp Thursday, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

Matz continues to work his way back from an August procedure to reposition a compressed nerve in his left elbow. He appears to be right in line with the other pitchers at this point in spring training, as he's now tossed a pair of live batting practice sessions in addition to a couple bullpens at the start of camp. Expect to see him on the mound in a Grapefruit League outing in the near future.

Alcantara is competing for one of the Marlins' final three rotation spots in spring training, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

With Dan Straily and Jose Urena sitting as the only two locks to open the season in Miami's rotation, Alcantara will join around 10 others in auditioning for one of the remaining three spots. The electric right-hander was one of the two headliners acquired by the Marlins in exchange for Marcell Ozuna earlier in the offseason. He made his major-league debut with the Cardinals in 2017 as a reliever, posting a 4.32 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and 10:6 K:BB across 8.1 innings of work. That said, he worked primarily as a starter with Double-A Springfield prior to his promotion, and assuming he sticks in that role this season, he'll likely require more seasoning in the minors before joining the Marlins' rotation.

Despaigne is competing for one of the Marlins' final three rotation spots in spring training, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Dan Straily and Jose Urena are the only locks to open the season in the Marlins' rotation, leaving Despaigne, along with 10 or so other candidates, to compete for the remaining three spots. He split time between Triple-A New Orleans and the Marlins last season, posting a 3.09 ERA across 70 innings for the Baby Cakes while notching a 4.01 ERA with the big club. The righty should be one of the favorites to earn a rotation spot thanks to his prior big-league experience and Miami's lack of quality options, but even if he breaks camp in the team's rotation, Despaigne likely won't offer much from a fantasy perspective given his career 4.72 ERA and 5.3 K/9 across four major-league seasons.

Graves is competing for one of the Marlins' final three rotation spots in spring training, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Graves was selected by the Marlins in last year's Rule 5 draft, so he'll have to stick on the team's active roster all season, otherwise he'll be exposed to waivers and offered back to the Athletics. That said, Miami will give him a look during spring, though seeing as the 25-year-old hasn't pitched above Double-A -- and owns a rough 5.97 ERA and 1.83 WHIP across 31.2 innings there -- he'll likely settle for a low-leverage bullpen role.