MLB Player News

Manager Rob Thomson said Sunday that Walker will be included in Philadelphia's season-opening rotation, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

The veteran right-hander entered camp with the expectation of working as a reliever, but instead he's needed in the rotation with Ranger Suarez (back) headed to the injured list. Walker had a 6.92 ERA and 6:3 K:BB through 13 innings during spring training, and he fared even worse in 19 appearances during the 2024 regular season with a 7.10 ERA, 1.72 WHIP and 58:37 K:BB over 83.2 innings.

Manager Rob Thomson said Sunday that Suarez (back) will begin the season on the injured list, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

The left-hander suffered a back injury last week and will be unavailable for at least the first couple weeks of the regular season. Taijuan Walker will step into Philadelphia's rotation while Suarez is sidelined.

The Reds reassigned Miley (elbow) to minor-league camp Sunday.

Miley was in big-league camp on a minor-league deal. The veteran lefty is working his way back from the left elbow surgery he underwent last June. Miley faced hitters Tuesday for the first time this spring, but he isn't expected to be ready to throw in big-league games until at least May.

Matz will work in long relief to begin the campaign, though he is expected to enter the rotation as a sixth starter April 16 against the Astros, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Matz was a candidate to land a spot in the Opening Day rotation, but he'll instead come out of the bullpen until St. Louis shifts to a six-man unit. The southpaw had a strong spring, posting a 2.29 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 11:6 K:BB over 19.2 innings, but he's had trouble staying healthy while working mostly as a starter during his 10-year big-league career.

The Cardinals optioned McGreevy to Triple-A Memphis on Sunday.

McGreevy was in the running for a rotation spot and had an excellent spring with a 1.08 ERA, 0.60 WHIP and 12:0 K:BB over 16.2 innings. However, St. Louis is giving Matthew Liberatore the fifth-starter role to begin the season, while McGreevy will start in the minors and Steven Matz will work in long relief. The Cardinals intend to go to a six-man rotation beginning April 16, per Katie Woo of The Athletic, and McGreevy seems to be a prime candidate to move into the big-league rotation at that point.

Liberatore will be St. Louis' fifth starter to begin the campaign, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

This news comes as a mild surprise after Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said in mid-March that Liberatore would likely open the season in the bullpen. Instead, the left-hander will work as St. Louis' fifth starter while Steven Matz will begin the campaign in the bullpen and Michael McGreevy will start the season in the minors. The Cardinals plan to move to a six-man rotation beginning April 16, giving Liberatore more leeway as a starter as long as his performance is up to par early in the campaign.

Brown remains in the mix for the Cubs' No. 5 rotation spot along with Colin Rea, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Brown took the loss in relief in Chicago's season opener in Tokyo on Tuesday, but he could slot into the rotation once the Cubs begin the domestic portion of their season later this week. The veteran Rea seems like the favorite for the role, with Brown shifting to long relief, but manager Craig Counsell said he is still considering both pitchers. Javier Assad (oblique) could ultimately reclaim the spot once he returns, but either Brown or Rea should see a short-term boost in fantasy value, depending on whichever player is starting.

Megill has been awarded a spot in the Mets' rotation, and he'll start the team's second game of the season March 28 against Houston, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Megill's spot in the rotation was a foregone conclusion with Sean Manaea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat) out for the beginning of the campaign. Megill solidified the decision with a strong spring during which he posted a 4.24 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 18:4 K:BB over 17 innings. Clay Holmes has been named New York's Opening Day starter, and he'll be followed in the rotation by Megill, Griffin Canning, David Peterson and Kodai Senga.

Ashcraft could be used as the closer if Alexis Diaz does not win the role coming out of spring training, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "I think we still have some work to do," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "We want to make sure [Diaz's] got his legs under him, with his delivery and everything. We know what he can do. We just want to make sure he's ready to do it."

Diaz hasn't pitched a clean inning during Cactus League play, which included a disastrous outing March 15 that prompted him to work on delivery issues with pitching coach Derek Johnson. The pitcher then had a command-challenged outing against minor leaguers Friday, which set off speculation that Diaz may not be the closer and could open the regular season in the minors. Going back to 2024, there's been chatter about Ashcraft having the makeup of a high-leverage reliever. After he competed for the rotation during spring training, Ashcraft was shifted to the bullpen last week and pitched three scoreless relief innings Thursday. "We've all kind of teetered on that idea and what it would look like," Johnson, the pitching coach, said about Ashcraft as a reliever. "Obviously, we haven't seen it so we don't know. But he could be kind of that really nice piece in the bullpen that we didn't have to go out and acquire." Diaz is expected to throw an inning in the Reds' Cactus League finale Sunday, which could provide an indication about who will work as the team's closer when the season kicks off Thursday against the Giants.

Spiers allowed one run on four hits while striking out one over four relief innings in Saturday's spring start against San Diego.

He entered after Andrew Abbott in what was Spiers' final Cactus League outing before he opens the regular season with a spot in the rotation. That spot is considered temporary and will last as long as it takes Abbott to build up his pitch count. Spiers closed out spring training with a 2.57 ERA through 14 innings over four appearances (one start).