MLB Player News

Dunning's "stock only seems to continue slipping" and he could begin the season in the minors, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Given the expected makeup of their Opening Day rotation, the Rangers have a big need for relievers capable of throwing multiple innings. It's a quality Dunning can provide, but it sounds like he might be on the outside looking in for a rotation spot, anyway. Dunning posted a 5.31 ERA over 15 starts and 11 relief appearances for Texas last season and has minor-league options remaining.

The Tigers announced Tuesday that Urquidy (elbow) has been cleared to play catch up to 105 feet three times a week, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Urquidy underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career back in June, so he'll have several more checkpoints to reach in the recovery process before he's cleared to make his Tigers debut, perhaps at some point in the second half of the season. Detroit signed Urquidy earlier this month on a one-year, $1 million deal that includes a $4 million team option for 2026.

Bloss could be an option as the Blue Jays' No. 5 starter if Max Scherzer (thumb) isn't ready for the start of the season, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Yariel Rodriguez is the more likely candidate to fill in, but he's struggled this spring, serving up four homers and walking six batters over 9.2 innings with 11 strikeouts. Bloss' numbers aren't any better -- he's got a 6:6 K:BB and has been taken deep three times in eight Grapefruit League innings -- but per Matheson, he has looked sharper in his recent outings. Eric Lauer would be another candidate for a spot start or two early in the season if Scherzer's season debut is delayed. The Jays won't need a fifth starter until March 31.

Rodriguez could begin the season in the rotation if Max Scherzer (thumb) isn't ready to make his first start, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

The Blue Jays will need a fifth starter March 31, giving Scherzer little time to recover and get fully stretched out. Rodriguez has worked 9.2 innings in Grapefruit League action this spring, striking out 11 batters but also walking seven and serving up four homers. If Toronto decides he's better suited for a long-relief role, or Scherzer's thumb issue is deemed to be minor and he's only expected to miss one or two turns through the rotation, Jake Bloss or Eric Lauer might be called upon instead.

Cobb (hip) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is slated to throw another one Wednesday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Saturday's session was the first time Cobb has thrown off the mound since he was diagnosed with right hip inflammation at the beginning of spring training. The Tigers had indicated previously that Cobb might be ready to pitch in games by mid-March, but clearly he's not ready for that yet. There's no timetable for the veteran right-hander's return, but he can safely be expected to miss at least the first month or so of the season.

Gillispie appears to have an inside track to head into Opening Day as the Marlins' No. 5 starter with Edward Cabrera (finger) likely to begin the season on the injured list, Stephen Strom of Marlins Radio Network reports.

Sandy Alcantara, Ryan Weathers, Cal Quantrill and Max Meyer are locked into spots in the Opening Day rotation, and with Cabrera dealing with a blister and Valente Bellozo and Adam Mazur having already been optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville, Gillispie appears to be the only starting candidate on the 40-man roster still left in big-league camp. The 27-year-old right-hander made his MLB debut in 2024 as a reliever with Cleveland, but he started in 15 of his 27 appearances at Triple-A Columbus last season, logging a 4.05 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 119:48 K:BB in 113.1 innings. He's fared well over his first four outings of the spring with Miami, having yet to allow a hit while issuing one walk and striking out four over eight scoreless innings. Gillispie is scheduled to start Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals, and another strong showing could be enough to solidify his spot in the rotation.

Cabrera will begin the season on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his right middle finger, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Cabrera exited in his last Grapefruit League outing Thursday due to the injury. He played catch Monday, but the throwing session apparently didn't go as well as the Marlins had hoped. Connor Gillispie has tossed eight scoreless innings this spring without allowing a hit and looks to be first in line to fill the rotation vacancy created by Cabrera's absence.

Houck allowed two unearned runs on six hits while striking out three over 4.1 innings in Monday's Grapefruit League start against Baltimore.

Houck made his third start of what has been a rocky Grapefruit League stint. The right-hander has allowed 17 hits and three walks while striking out five over 10 spring innings (6.30 ERA). That he got a fifth up-and-down and threw 72 pitches is a positive sign for Houck, who was Boston's most dependable starter from April to October of 2024. Once considered to start Opening Day, those plans changed after Boston acquired Garrett Crochet during the offseason. Houck is scheduled to work the second game of the season, March 28, behind the surging Crochet (one run allowed, 10.1 spring innings), who will start the first game of the regular season.

Yamamoto (1-0) earned the win Tuesday against the Cubs in Tokyo after giving up one run on three hits and one walk across five innings. He struck out four.

The 26-year-old induced 11 swinging strikes on just 72 pitches, with the only damage against him coming via an RBI double by Miguel Amaya during the second inning. The shortness of the outing isn't surprising since the Dodgers dealt with an abbreviated spring training, and Yamamoto should be built up to a full workload before long. The right-hander struggled against the Padres during his MLB debut in South Korea nearly a year ago, but he delivered a strong start to 2025 on Tuesday while pitching in his home country of Japan.

Schmidt (shoulder) could start Wednesday's Grapefruit League game at the Phillies, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

There were positive reports after Schmidt threw a 24-pitch bullpen session Monday and again Tuesday morning, as Schmidt noted his shoulder felt good the day after. Even if cleared to be in the season-opening rotation, the right-hander would likely have some workload limitations early on, as manager Aaron Boone admitted Tuesday that "he's obviously not going to be built up," per Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. Schmidt staying behind in Florida to get stretched out for an extra week or two at the start of the season is also being considered.