MLB Player News

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Thursday that Graceffo would be used as a starting pitcher if he begins the season at Triple-A Memphis, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The Cardinals are looking at Graceffo for a possible bullpen role this spring, and while he's still got a shot to open the season with the big club in that role, the signing of Phil Maton on Thursday eliminates one open relief role. Mozeliak noted that Graceffo could still be used in relief with the big club later on even if he begins in the rotation at Memphis, as the club wants him on a regular schedule and with a plan to work on things. Graceffo has allowed six runs (five earned) with a 9:3 K:BB over 6.2 frames this spring.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Thursday that Liberatore is likely to open the season in the bullpen, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Liberatore has been stretched out this spring and has pitched well, allowing just two runs with a 5:2 K:BB over 9.2 innings. However, while the Cardinals are not ruling out the left-hander making starts for them in the future, Liberatore has a much clearer path to opportunities in relief. The southpaw has a career 3.89 ERA as a reliever versus a 5.86 ERA as a starter.

Falter did not recover well from his catch session Wednesday and is no longer scheduled to pitch in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said the move to scratch Falter was made out of an "abundance of precaution," adding that Falter is dealing with "general body soreness" and will instead play catch again Thursday before the team determines the next steps. Falter is expected to have a spot in the Pittsburgh rotation to begin the season, but this issue could throw a wrench into those plans if it delays the lefty longer than expected, with Opening Day just two weeks away.

Lowder (elbow) has been throwing off flat ground the last few weeks since being cleared by the medical staff, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Lowder said he's progressing through the throwing program and believes he'll be on the "mound here shortly," although there's been no schedule established. The recently turned 23-year-old right-hander had been a candidate for the rotation, but it now appears likely he'll begin the season on the injured list before eventually heading to Triple-A Louisville. Lowder was impressive in a brief stint in the majors at the end of the 2024 regular season, posting a 1.17 ERA over six starts (30.2 innings).

Abbott (shoulder) made his spring debut in a minor-league game Wednesday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. He went two innings and stuck out one.

Abbott retired the first six batters faced, and the relaxed rules on the practice field allowed him to face a fourth batter in his second inning, whom the left-hander walked. Abbott was encouraged by the results. including the ability to throw strikes and the nature of the balls put into play. After throwing 31 pitches in the game environment, he tossed 11 more in the bullpen. Abbott, who missed the final six weeks of the 2024 regular season with a left shoulder strain, was on a slower path this spring and never showed signs of injury or a setback. The Reds will examine him Thursday and figure out the next step. There's one available spot in the rotation, and the club would like to see Abbott work up to five innings. An early off day in the regular season means the Reds would not need a fifth starter for the first turn of the rotation, which would buy some time. Graham Ashcraft and Carson Spiers are also in the mix.

Falter is projected to begin the season in the Pirates' rotation, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Falter's role was precarious after Andrew Heaney was signed, though Bubba Chandler was since reassigned to Triple-A and Johan Oviedo (lat) placed on the 60-day injured list. That should keep Falter in the rotation to begin the campaign. In two spring starts, he has allowed two earned runs across 4.2 innings with a 7:3 K:BB.

The Cardinals optioned Roby to Double-A Springfield on Wednesday.

Roby had a nice showing this spring, allowing four runs (three earned) with a 10:2 K:BB over nine innings of work. He was never going to make the Opening Day roster, though, after another injury-shortened season in 2024. Roby has some of the best stuff among the Cardinals' pitching prospects but has totaled only 96.2 innings over the last two seasons because of arm problems.

Mikolas limited the Mets to one run on five hits and one walk over five innings Wednesday in Grapefruit League action.

Mikolas was facing a Mets lineup that featured most of their regulars, and he put together a solid effort, getting his pitch count up to 73 and limiting the damage to just an RBI single from Francisco Lindor in his final inning of work. The 36-year-old righty has made at least 32 starts in three straight seasons, but over the last two years his ERA sits at an unsightly 5.04. He is guaranteed a spot in the Cardinals' Opening Day rotation.

Birdsong has a 2.89 ERA and a 13:1 K:BB this spring, including an outing against minor leaguers that doesn't count toward his Cactus League stats, and he is in the mix for a rotation spot, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

It seemed like Birdsong would be behind Kyle Harrison and maybe even Landen Roupp in the competition for the fifth starter's spot, but Birdsong has pitched well enough to keep his name in the mix. In fact, Birdsong was so efficient in his most recent appearance Monday, throwing 45 pitches over three scoreless innings, that he went back out to the bullpen to keep throwing in order to meet his pitch count requirement, per delos Santos. Birdsong threw 129.1 innings last season, significantly more than Roupp (76.2 innings) and also more than Harrison (124.1 innings), and is up over 10 unofficial innings this spring, so he won't miss out on the rotation due to any any durability concerns. Birdsong's control was poor in 2024, particularly in the majors (13.7 BB%), but if he has indeed taken a step forward in that aspect of his game, he could be in for a breakout 2025 season.

Gore is on schedule to pitch the first game of the season for the Nationals against the Phillies on March 27, although manager Dave Martinez has yet to officially name the left-hander his Opening Day starter, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

Gore dominated the Astros on Tuesday afternoon in only his second Grapefruit League start of the spring, allowing two hits and three walks over 5.1 scoreless innings while striking out six, although he was facing a Houston lineup that featured top prospect Cam Smith as its biggest name. Gore produced career bests with a 3.90 ERA, 10 wins, 181 strikeouts and 166.1 innings last season, and the third overall pick in the 2017 Draft could be poised to take another big step forward in 2025.