MLB Player News

Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Jones has already had imaging on his sore right elbow and is waiting on a second opinion, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

A second opinion on an injury typically isn't sought out if the first opinion is favorable, so the news is less than ideal. However, Tomczyk added that "I don't want to be an alarmist" and was quick to point out that the team is still in the information-gathering stage. Jones will not pitch again during spring training and a stint on the injured list is highly likely, but the bigger concern here is if the right-hander needs surgery. More on Jones' status should be known in the coming days.

Nunez struck out one in a scoreless inning during Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

The right-hander was brought along slowly in camp after arm trouble derailed his second half in 2024, but Nunez looked just about ready for Opening Day in his first game action of the spring Monday. He needed just 11 pitches (eight strikes) to breeze through some Tampa Bay minor-league hitters in the seventh inning, and per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Nunez topped out at 98 mph with his fastball. "I was very grateful to get back out there," Nunez said through an interpreter after the game. "I feel healthy, I feel strong. I'm trying to avoid having any setbacks... I'm just trying to continue to push forward." Nunez was a breakout bullpen star in the first half of last season, and he finished the campaign with a 2.31 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 48:8 K:BB through his first 35 big-league innings. If he can stay on the mound, the 28-year-old could be a key setup man for Edwin Diaz in 2025.

Gillispie allowed one run on two hits and two walks over four innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.

The 27-year-old right-hander built up to 51 pitches (26 strikes) as he looks to secure the spot in the Marlins' rotation created with Edward Cabrera (blister) set to begin the season on the IL. Gillispie made his big-league debut with the Guardians in 2024, working eight innings over three relief appearances with a 2.25 ERA and 8:5 K:BB, and his numbers at Triple-A also showed a bit of promise as he struck out 119 batters in 113.1 innings for Columbus. Pitching for Miami won't provide Gillispie with much fantasy appeal, but he could be worth a dart throw in NL-only formats.

The Dodgers optioned Knack to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Knack struck out three over two scoreless innings and picked up a win in Wednesday's victory over the Cubs in the second game of the Tokyo Series. However, it appears he will not be included on the Dodgers' roster for their domestic opener. Knack should operate as a starter with Oklahoma City but could rejoin the Dodgers later in the season either in the rotation or bullpen.

The Dodgers optioned Sauer to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Sauer was included on the Dodgers' Tokyo Series roster, but he didn't make an appearance in either game versus the Cubs and will not be part of the active roster for his team's domestic opener. The 26-year-old will be used in Oklahoma City's bullpen.

Steele (0-1) took the loss against the Dodgers in Tokyo on Wednesday after he surrendered five runs on five hits and one walk across four innings. He struck out five.

Steele struggled to a 9.35 ERA in three spring appearances, and those troubles carried over to his 2025 debut. The left-hander had a 0.7 HR/9 in the previous three seasons, but he was taken deep Wednesday by Tommy Edman and Enrique Hernandez. Steele built up to 67 pitches and could face some minor workload limitations for his first couple starts stateside as he continues to build up his arm.

Sasaki didn't factor in the decision Wednesday against the Cubs in Tokyo after giving up one run on one hit and five walks over three innings. He struck out three.

The 23-year-old appeared to be battling some nerves as he threw just 25 of his 56 pitches for strikes, but he buckled down after issuing a bases-loaded walk during the third inning with two straight strikeouts to end the frame. The control issues aside, it was a good debut for Sasaki, who was able to limit the damage to a single run despite the significant traffic. The right-hander will now have some time before the Dodgers start their domestic schedule against the Tigers next Thursday. Sasaki will likely continue to have some pitch restrictions as he builds up his workload over his next few starts.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Wednesday that Jones experienced elbow discomfort during his most recent bullpen session and won't be able to make his final Grapefruit League start later this week, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Shelton said that the Pirates will have internal conversations regarding when Jones will be able to make his first start of the season, but given that elbow discomfort can often foreshadow a more significant injury, the young right-hander would seem at high risk of landing on the injured list. Before a decision is made on Jones' next steps, the Pirates will presumably wait and see how his elbow responds to a few days of rest. If Jones is shelved to begin the season, the Pirates could open up a spot in the rotation for prospect Thomas Harrington, who wasn't expected to break camp with the big club but excelled in his first Grapefruit League start Tuesday.

Miley (elbow) faced hitters Tuesday for the first time since undergoing surgery last June, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Miley threw 20 pitches to three teammates, using his entire repertoire. The left-hander underwent what was termed a "hybrid procedure" which is similar to the traditional Tommy John surgery but has a shorter recovery time. The Reds are hopeful he'll be ready to pitch in big-league games at some point in May. Naturally, there will be a progression that includes more live batting practice sessions and extended spring games in Arizona. It's unclear where Miley fits on Cincinnati's pitching staff.

Harrington allowed one earned run on one hit and one walk while striking out three across 3.2 innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

Harrington has worked mostly on the back fields in camp, pitching live batting practice and sim innings, as Monday marked only his third outing of the spring. Per Alex Stumpf of MLB.com, the Pirates have been impressed with the data they've seen from Harrington in all of his work this spring, and he sat 93 mph on his fastball while averaging over 2,600 rpm on his slider against the Phillies. While Harrington is the last of the Pirates' big-name pitching prospects to remain in big-league camp, manager Derek Shelton would only say that Harrington's status would be decided within the next week.