MLB Player News
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Brandon Pfaadt SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt: Sharp in debut
Pfaadt allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one over 2.1 scoreless innings in Wednesday's Cactus League start against the Athletics.
Pfaadt threw an efficient 25 pitches (15 strikes) to get those seven outs in his Cactus League debut, as Athletics hitters were aggressive. The right-hander was behind other starters in camp, because of a side issue that cropped up during offseason workouts. Pfaadt threw all six of his pitches. Despite the late start, he should have enough time to be ready by Opening Day.
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Joe Musgrove SP | SD
Padres' Joe Musgrove: Shows good velocity in exhibition
Musgrove completed two innings in an exhibition game against Team Great Britain on Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out three batters.
Musgrove's outing was his first game action since he underwent Tommy John surgery in October of 2024. The veteran hurler had a rough beginning, giving up a run on three singles and a walk while retiring just one batter before being pulled, but a couple of the hits came on rough defensive plays and -- more importantly -- Musgrove sat at 94-95 mph on his fastball, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Under exhibition rules, the right-hander returned for the second frame and retired three of the four batters he faced and then set down two of three hitters in the third inning before exiting for good. Altogether, Musgrove threw a hearty 60 pitches (36 strikes), which is certainly promising for a pitcher coming off such a long absence. He's slated to be a key part of San Diego's rotation in 2026 and isn't expected to have strict workload limitations.
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Zack Wheeler SP | PHI
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Tosses third bullpen session
Wheeler (shoulder) threw another bullpen session Wednesday, per MLB.com.
Wednesday marked the All-Star right-hander's third bullpen as he continues his rehab from venous thoracic outlet surgery. Wheeler looks to be progressing well, and his throwing program will remain something to keep tabs on throughout the spring. With Wheeler still likely to begin the new year on the injured list, Andrew Painter could open 2026 as part of Philadelphia's starting rotation.
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Richard Fitts SP | STL
Cardinals' Richard Fitts: Continuing strong rotation case
Fitts notched four strikeouts over three scoreless innings in Wednesday's exhibition game versus Team Nicaragua.
Working in relief, Fitts surrendered four singles in his three frames, but he didn't walk anyone in addition to his four punchouts. His velocity remained up just as it was in his first Grapefruit League outing, averaging 96.6 mph with his four-seamer and 96.2 mph with his sinker. The big righty has spun five scoreless innings between the two appearances while collecting a 5:0 K:BB. Fitts is competing for a spot in the Cardinals' rotation, and that the team is mulling a six-man setup, at least initially, helps his odds.
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Merrill Kelly SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly: Throwing bullpen session Thursday
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday that Kelly (back) will throw a bullpen session Thursday, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
Kelly came down with mid-back tightness shortly after camp opened, and as a result, will no longer start for the Diamondbacks on Opening Day. However, he has a chance to avoid the injured list and make a start in the second series of the season, and a return to the mound Thursday is a big step toward accomplishing that goal.
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Trevor Williams SP | WAS
Nationals' Trevor Williams: Starts throwing again
The Nationals announced that Williams (elbow) has resumed his throwing progression and made 25 tosses from 60 feet Wednesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Washington had shut down Williams at the onset of spring training when he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired right elbow, but a follow-up MRI apparently revealed nothing too concerning. After a brief rest period, Williams is now in the process of ramping back up again, but a clearer timeline for his 2026 debut with the Nationals won't come into focus until he resumes facing hitters and embarks on what will likely be a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment. At the very least, Williams will remain shelved for the first two months of the season after Washington placed him on its 60-day injured list Feb. 10.
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Shinnosuke Ogasawara SP | WAS
Nationals' Shinnosuke Ogasawara: Dispatched to MiLB camp
The Nationals reassigned Ogasawara to minor-league camp Wednesday.
Ogasawara will earn $2 million in 2026 after signing a two-year deal with the Nationals in January 2025, but the left-hander no longer possesses a spot on the 40-man roster after Washington outrighted him earlier in the offseason. After coming over from Japan last winter, Ogasawara posted a 6.98 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 30:17 K:BB over 38.2 innings across 23 appearances (two starts) with Washington.
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Adrian Houser SP | SF
Giants' Adrian Houser: Fans three in exhibition game
Houser took the loss in Tuesday's 15-1 exhibition defeat to Team USA, allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out three across three innings.
Houser gave up two singles and a double that led to a pair of runs in the first inning, though he settled in over his final two frames, allowing just one walk. The 33-year-old tossed 29 of his 48 pitches for strikes. The veteran right-hander signed a two-year, $22 million pact with San Francisco in December after starting 21 games between the Rays and White Sox last season, during which he recorded a 3.31 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 92:38 K:BB while surrendering 10 long balls in 125 innings.
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Emmet Sheehan SP | LAD
Dodgers' Emmet Sheehan: Ready for spring debut
Sheehan (illness) is listed among the Dodgers' available relievers for Wednesday's exhibition versus Team Mexico and is expected to make his first appearance of the spring, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
The Dodgers are likely planning for Sheehan to cover an inning or two once starter Tyler Glasnow exits the contest. Sheehan fell ill at the beginning of spring training, but he's seemingly been healthy for a while and has been building up through bullpen sessions and live batting practice sessions. With Blake Snell (shoulder) and Gavin Stone (shoulder) likely headed to the injured list, Sheehan should be in good position to earn a spot in the Dodgers' six-man rotation to begin the season.
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Hunter Greene SP | CIN
Reds' Hunter Greene: Elbow issue dates back to last year
Greene revealed Wednesday that the right elbow soreness which prompted an MRI dates back to his "final 5-6 starts" of last season, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
Greene said of the elbow soreness last season that "it was a playoff push, so I pushed through it." The hurler noted that he got an injection and "felt fine" during the offseason, but the discomfort returned a week before the start of spring training. Greene made a Cactus League start Feb. 28 and was touched up for four runs on five hits and one walk over one inning of work. The righty is being sent for an MRI, which will be evaluated by team physician Dr. Timothy Kremchek before being sent to specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a second opinion. Greene said that "I know I have bone spurs" in the elbow, but "as of now, there's no UCL damage." Those comments were made prior to the scheduled MRI, so more will be known about Greene's outlook after he's evaluated by both doctors. At minimum, he will be shut down through at least next Tuesday.