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Yu Darvish SP | SD
Padres' Yu Darvish: Not yet pitching in Cactus League
Darvish won't appear in a Cactus League contest until early March, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Darvish isn't dealing with any injury, but rather than ask him to take part in Cactus League competition, the Padres have thus far had him toss a simulated game and then throw in an intrasquad game. The veteran hurler tossed two scoreless frames Monday in the intrasquad affair, and he expressed afterward that he was happy with the results. Darvish figures to slot in behind Dylan Cease and Michael King in San Diego's rotation this season.
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Cole Winn RP | TEX
Rangers' Cole Winn: Successful spring outing
Winn (shoulder) allowed one walk and struck out one across a scoreless inning during Saturday's Cactus League game against the Giants.
Winn has made a full recovery after missing time a season ago due to a sprained right shoulder capsule. He'll now set his sights on earning an Opening Day roster spot after struggling to a 7.79 ERA with a 14:4 K:BB across 17.1 frames in 2024 with the Rangers.
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Lyon Richardson RP | MIL
Reds' Lyon Richardson: Knocked around in exhibition
Richardson (undisclosed) allowed two runs on two hits and struck out one over one inning during Saturday's Cactus League game against the Brewers.
Richardson has returned to health after an unspecified injury sidelined him near the end of the 2024 season. This wasn't a great start to camp for someone who is competing for a big-league roster spot, though he should get a few more opportunities to show what he can do.
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Justin Verlander SP | DET
Giants' Justin Verlander: Makes Giants spring debut
Verlander gave up one run (on a home run) over two innings with a strikeout and walk in his San Francisco spring debut Monday. "Overall, I'm healthy," Verlander told MLB.com. "I thought the velo was OK for the first start of the spring. Better than what I was doing last year, so that's a big improvement. Overall, I was pleased."
Verlander battled shoulder and neck injuries in 2024, the latter of which he's hinted at returning too soon from and could have played a factor in him finishing the year with a 5.48 ERA and 1.38 WHIP over 90.1 innings. It's a good sign he's fully healthy as spring training begins. However, at age 42 this season it's not a given he'll return to anything close to his pre-2024 form.
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Tyler Glasnow SP | LAD
Dodgers' Tyler Glasnow: Yields two runs in spring debut
Glasnow pitched one inning against Cincinnati in a Cactus League contest Monday, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out two batters.
Glasnow struck out the first two batters he faced before giving up three straight hits, including a two-run double by Austin Hays that ended with Hays getting thrown out at third base. Glasnow threw just 16 pitches in the frame, so he did some more throwing in the bullpen after he was lifted, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. The right-hander isn't scheduled to start either of the Dodgers' two Tokyo contests versus the Cubs to kick off the MLB regular season, but he's expected to pitch in one of the team's two exhibition games in Japan versus teams from the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization leading up to the series against Chicago, per Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register.
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Blake Snell SP | LAD
Dodgers' Blake Snell: Debuting with Dodgers on Tuesday
Snell will pitch for the first time this spring Tuesday against Seattle, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Snell joined the Dodgers on a five-year contract in November and is set to be a key figure in the team's revamped rotation. The two-time Cy Young Award winner bounced back from a rough beginning with the Giants last year to finish with a 3.12 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 145:44 K:BB over 104 innings. Snell is unlikely to go more than an inning or two in his spring debut Tuesday. He's not expected to start in either of Los Angeles' two Tokyo games against the Cubs to kick off the MLB regular season, but manager Dave Roberts has indicated that Snell will pitch in one of the team's two exhibition games in Japan versus teams from the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, per Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register.
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Christian Roa RP | CHC
Marlins' Christian Roa: Tosses scoreless frame Saturday
Roa (shoulder) tossed a scoreless inning, allowing one walk while striking out a batter in Saturday's 7-6 win over the Cardinals in Grapefruit League action.
Roa ended the 2024 season on the 60-day injured list with the Reds after suffering a right shoulder strain. The right-hander was claimed off waivers by the Marlins in November and he has now officially left his shoulder injury in the past. Roa has yet to make his MLB debut after being selected in the second round of the 2020 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Reds and he'll likely start the 2025 season with Triple-A Jacksonville.
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Joey Cantillo SP | CLE
Guardians' Joey Cantillo: Pounds zone Monday
Cantillo allowed one hit and struck out three over two scoreless innings in Monday's spring game against Arizona.
It was impossible for Cantillo to walk a batter as he threw only three balls among his 21 pitches. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt told Jesse Friedman of MLB.com that throwing strikes will be the key to Cantillo's success. Cantillo made nine appearances (eight starts) for the Guardians in 2024, posting a 4.89 ERA while walking 3.5 batters per nine innings. He's one of several pitchers vying for a spot in the rotation.
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Brandon Walter RP | HOU
Astros' Brandon Walter: Makes spring debut
Walter (shoulder) allowed one run on two hits and a walk while striking out one batter over one inning in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Nationals in Grapefruit League action.
Walter missed the entirety of the 2024 season while nursing a right shoulder strain, but he's now all set for the 2025 campaign. The left-hander last pitched in 2023, producing a 6.26 ERA and 1.70 WHIP with 16 strikeouts over 23.0 innings in nine appearances with the Red Sox. Walter is participating in spring training as a non-roster invitee and if he sticks around with the Astros, he'll likely begin the year with Triple-A Sugar Land.
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Zac Gallen SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen: Makes first spring appearance
Gallen allowed one run on one hit and struck out two over one inning in Monday's spring game against Cleveland.
Gallen threw 15 pitches (nine for strikes), including a changeup that Gabriel Arias sent back over the fence in left-center field. The right-hander told Steve Gilbert of MLB.com that he felt better than his most recent live batting practice session, but the changeup that Arias hammered was "kind of flat." Gallen and Corbin Burnes are considered co-aces -- each has thrown one Cactus League inning -- and manager Torey Lovullo is still deciding which one will start Opening Day.