MLB Player News
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Brandon Woodruff SP | MIL
Brewers' Brandon Woodruff: Starting Saturday
Woodruff (lat) will start for the Brewers in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Guardians.
Woodruff ended the 2025 season on the 15-day injured list due to a right lat strain. He was limited to mound work and live batting practices to open spring training, and the 33-year-old right-hander is ready to take the next step by pitching in a competitive setting Saturday. It's a positive sign that Woodruff will be on the Brewers' Opening Day roster.
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Moises Chace SP | PHI
Phillies' Moises Chace: Sent to Reading
The Phillies optioned Chace (elbow) to Double-A Reading on Saturday.
Chace will miss the first portion of the regular season while finishing up his recovery from a Tommy John procedure he underwent in May. He'll report back to Reading once he's healthy and look to reach Triple-A before the end of the year.
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Yoniel Curet SP | PHI
Phillies' Yoniel Curet: Sent down to Double-A
The Phillies optioned Curet to Double-A Reading on Saturday.
Curet reached Triple-A for the first time last season while in the Rays organization, though he posted an unsightly 6.03 ERA and 1.93 WHIP over 31.1 innings. He was traded to Philadelphia during the offseason and will now head back to Double-A to begin his tenure with his new club.
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Jean Cabrera SP | PHI
Phillies' Jean Cabrera: Sent to Triple-A
The Phillies optioned Cabrera to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday.
Cabrera spent all of 2025 at Double-A Reading, posting a 3.81 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 137 innings. After giving up just one earned run in 4.1 frames in the Grapefruit League, he'll officially receive a promotion to Triple-A to begin the 2026 campaign.
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Justin Verlander SP | DET
Tigers' Justin Verlander: Uneven spring debut
Verlander allowed two runs on two hits across two innings of work in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox. He walked two and struck out four.
Verlander wasn't particularly sharp in his spring debut as he allowed four baserunners across only two innings and needed 50 pitches to cover the frames, but the four strikeouts were a nice sign. The veteran righty signed with Detroit on Feb. 10, rejoining the team with which he began his MLB career back in 2005. Verlander should slot in near the back of Detroit's stacked rotation and could have some fantasy value in the right matchups, though his days of being an ace seem long gone at this point.
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Edward Cabrera SP | CHC
Cubs' Edward Cabrera: Using fastball more
Cabrera is using his four-seam fastball more in spring training as a complement to his changeup, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Cabrera's changeup is his signature pitch, and he throws it often. However, the Cubs are asking the righty to throw his fastball more as a contrast to his off-speed stuff and to make the changeup more effective. Cabrera is throwing the four-seamer 30% of the time so far this spring, which is up from 13% during the 2025 regular season. He has good velocity on the pitch, averaging 96.7 mph last year, so he should be able to find success with the increased usage if his command is locked in. Cabrera was a key offseason trade acquisition for Chicago after posting a 3.53 ERA and 150 strikeouts across 137.2 innings for the Marlins in 2025.
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Ben Brown SP | CHC
Cubs' Ben Brown: Working on new pitch
Brown is experimenting with adding a sinker to his pitch mix during spring training, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Brown has typically relied on a fastball and curveball, with a changeup mixed in more recently. The righty is now trying out a sinker as another out pitch, particularly against right-handed batters. Brown has racked up strikeouts at an impressive rate across two seasons in the majors, but he struggled last year with a 5.92 ERA and 1.44 WHIP across 106.1 regular-season innings while splitting time between the rotation and bullpen. The 26-year-old is likely to be a reliever to begin the 2026 campaign, and an effective sinker could help him succeed in that role, especially if his fastball plays up a few ticks as well.
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Connelly Early SP | BOS
Red Sox's Connelly Early: Strong showing Friday
Early allowed two hits and walked one while striking out four over 3.2 scoreless innings in Friday's spring start against the Tigers.
Early made his second Grapefruit League start and third appearance overall. The left-hander threw 51 pitches (31 strikes) and showcased a fastball that touched 96.2 mph and averaged 94.8, nearly one tick higher than it averaged in 2025. While nominally still in the competition for the final spot in the rotation, Early is expected to open the regular season at Triple-A Worcester. He's allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out eight over 8.1 spring innings.
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Brandon Young SP | BAL
Orioles' Brandon Young: Optioned to minor-league camp
The Orioles optioned Young to minor-league camp Saturday, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
Young made 12 starts for Baltimore last season, pitching to an unsightly 6.24 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over 57.2 innings. He was always a long shot to break camp given the Orioles' pitching additions over the offseason. The right-hander will presumably stay stretched out as starting depth at Triple-A Norfolk.
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Gavin Williams SP | CLE
Guardians' Gavin Williams: Good spring continues
Williams allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out five over 3.2 innings in Friday's spring start against the Angels.
Williams had early trouble in the first inning but settled down after that in his third Cactus League start. He increased his pitch count to 56 (41 strikes) and didn't issue a free pass for the second straight outing. Walks were an issue for the right-hander in 2025 (4.5 BB/9), but thus far, Williams has issued just one walk through eight spring innings.