MLB Player News
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George Kirby SP | SEA
Mariners' George Kirby: Shaky to start spring
Kirby allowed two runs on two hits and a walk across 1.1 innings in Tuesday's Cactus League matchup with the White Sox. He struck out one.
It was a tough start to the spring for Kirby in his first Cactus League outing. The right-hander gave up a two-out run on a Lenyn Sosa double in the first inning before he was charged with two more runs after departing with one out in the second. Kirby is looking to rebound from an up-and-down 2025 campaign in which he posted a career-worst 4.21 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP and 137:29 K:BB across 23 regular-season starts (126 innings).
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Andrew Abbott SP | CIN
Reds' Andrew Abbott: Makes spring debut
Abbott allowed two runs on two hits and struck out two over two innings in Tuesday's spring start against Kansas City.
Abbott was pleased with his Cactus League debut, telling Mark Sheldon of MLB.com that he threw all five of his pitches and was encouraged by his efficiency (27 pitches, 17 strikes, no walks). The lone blemish was a two-out, two-run home run allowed to Josh Rojas. The left-hander is having a normal camp, which is a change from last season, when he didn't make his spring debut until March 17 due to recovery from a shoulder injury before opening the regular season on the injured list.
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Mike Soroka SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Michael Soroka: Makes spring debut
Soroka allowed one run on two hits and one walk while striking out three over two innings in Tuesday's spring start against the Rangers.
Soroka made his spring debut, throwing 33 pitches (24 strikes). He had a little trouble in the first inning but settled in for a perfect second frame. With six starters in camp with MLB experience, there was talk of Soroka moving to the bullpen, but a recent injury to Merrill Kelly (back) cut into the Diamondbacks' surplus in the rotation.
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Joe Ryan SP | MIN
Twins' Joe Ryan: Throwing after MRI
Ryan (back) played catch from 90 feet Tuesday, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.
Ryan experienced lower back tightness Saturday and underwent an MRI the next day that revealed just inflammation. It still remains unknown when Ryan will take the mound in spring training, but the setback isn't keeping him from using his arm.
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Merrill Kelly SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly: Undergoes additional tests on back
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Tuesday that Kelly has undergone additional testing on his injured back, including a CT scan, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.
Kelly -- who is battling mid-back tightness -- has also had an MRI. Lovullo said Monday that Kelly was feeling good, so the additional tests could be a precautionary measure. The Diamondbacks hope to know more about the veteran right-hander's condition by Wednesday.
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Matt Waldron SP | SD
Padres' Matt Waldron: Week-to-week after procedure
Padres manager Craig Stammen said Tuesday that Waldron is "week-to-week" after undergoing hemorrhoid surgery, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Waldron is in competition for a spot in the Padres' rotation and threw two scoreless innings in his first Cactus League appearance. However, it's going to be difficult for the knuckleballer to earn one of those spots now. Waldron is coming off a rough 2025 season, as he was knocked around in his lone start for the Padres and posted a 6.67 ERA in 18 starts with Triple-A El Paso.
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J.T. Brubaker SP | SF
Giants' JT Brubaker: Gives up two runs in spring debut
Brubaker didn't factor into the decision during Monday's 6-2 Cactus League win over the Athletics, allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks across one inning.
Brubaker got the start in his first game action this spring but gave up two singles, two walks and a double in his lone frame. The right-hander re-signed with San Francisco on a one-year, $1.8 million pact after joining the club on a minor-league contract in August following his release from the Yankees. The 32-year-old appeared in five outings (one start) with the Giants in 2025, recording a 4.26 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB across 12.2 innings. Though he has plenty of experience as a starter, Brubaker appears more likely to operate in long relief to begin the season.
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Brandon Woodruff SP | MIL
Brewers' Brandon Woodruff: Tracking toward avoiding IL
The Brewers say Woodruff (lat) is "on track to begin the season in the rotation," Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Woodruff is scheduled for a two-up live batting practice session Sunday and then he will begin game progression, per Rosiak. This report comes one day after Woodruff said his Opening Day availability is "up in the air," so expect many more reports on Woodruff's status between now and the start of the season. Woodruff hasn't thrown 70-plus innings in the majors since 2022, so the Brewers will proceed with caution this spring in hopes of having him available for the postseason.
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Trey Yesavage SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage: Easing into action
Yesavage threw a side session Tuesday and is expected to make his Grapefruit League debut sometime next week, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The Blue Jays are building up Yesavage deliberately following a considerable workload jump in 2025. His next mound work will be a live batting practice session, and a Grapefruit League start could follow that. The top pitching prospect threw 139.2 innings in 2025, including the postseason, after logging 93.1 innings as a junior at East Carolina in 2024. The Blue Jays plan to manage Yesavage's workload fluidly throughout the season, per Zwelling, who notes that Yesavage could have starts skipped or pushed back depending on how he's recovering between outings.
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Jake Irvin SP | WAS
Nationals' Jake Irvin: Looking to keep rotation spot
Irvin allowed one hit and two walks over two scoreless innings in the Nationals' Grapefruit League game against the Phillies on Monday. He struck out two.
The 29-year-old right-hander is one of only two pitchers to make 33 starts each of the last two years, with the other being Giants ace Logan Webb, but the 2025 results for the two couldn't have been more different. Irvin's 5.70 ERA and 38 homers allowed over 180 innings were the worst marks in the majors among qualifying pitchers, and his 1.43 WHIP and 15.8 percent strikeout rate were both significantly worse than the season before as well. With the Nationals having signed Miles Mikolas and Foster Griffin this offseason to bolster their rotation, and Josiah Gray expected back from Tommy John surgery, Irvin may need a strong spring training performance to hang onto his spot.