MLB Player News

Hjerpe (elbow) is aiming to throw a bullpen session next week, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

Hjerpe played catch off the mound Monday, but a bullpen session next week would be his first since last April's Tommy John surgery. The left-hander was added to the Cardinals' 40-man roster over the offseason and is on track to return to game action around midseason. Hjerpe has collected a 3.38 ERA and 127:53 K:BB over 93.1 innings since St. Louis took him in the first round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft.

Houck (elbow) began a throwing program Monday with 25 throws from 45 feet, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

It's the first time he's thrown a baseball since he underwent a UCL reconstruction and flexor tendon repair six months ago. Houck will continue a deliberate rehab process over the next several months and hopes to make a late-season return, but it's likely the Red Sox will hold him back until 2027.

Glasnow (side) completed his first live batting practice session of spring training Monday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Glasnow dealt with a sore side while making appearances out of the bullpen in the final two games of the Dodgers' World Series victory over the Blue Jays, but the right-hander appears to have had a normal offseason before he reported to spring training last week. Though sustained health has been a rarity for Glasnow during his career, he at least appears to be heading into this spring in a better spot than last year, when he was coming back from an elbow sprain that brought an early end to his 2024 season. Glasnow didn't experience any elbow-related problems during the 2025 regular season but was sidelined for over two months due to shoulder inflammation and also missed a start in August due to back tightness. He remained effective when available, however, finishing with a 3.19 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 106:43 K:BB over 90.1 innings.

Weathers touched 98.5 miles per hour with his four-seamer during a live batting practice session Sunday, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.

Weathers averaged 96.9 mph with his four-seamer last season with the Marlins, but it's still a bit of a surprise that he's showing so much velocity this early in spring training. Acquired via trade in January, Weathers has been injury-prone in his career and has been using a foam roller in order to reduce lower-body tightness. The southpaw is expected to open the season in the Yankees rotation while Gerrit Cole (elbow) and Carlos Rodon (elbow) recover from injuries.

Winn (shoulder) threw a live batting practice session during Monday's full-squad workout, Matthew Postins of SI.com reports.

Winn closed the past season on the injured list after sustaining a right rotator cuff strain, but he seems to have made a full recovery from the issue during the offseason and doesn't look to be under any restrictions in camp. The right-hander is coming off a strong 2025 campaign in which he posted a 1.51 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 41.2 innings out of the bullpen, but a lack of overpowering stuff (10 SwSt%, 21.6 K%) may prevent him from garnering serious consideration for the Rangers' unsettled closer role.

The Cardinals claimed Kent off waivers from the Rangers on Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The Cardinals lost Kent to the Rangers via waivers last month, but he's now headed back in the other direction. Kent accrued 17.2 innings out of the Guardians' bullpen last season, finishing with a 4.58 ERA and 16:8 K:BB. He will compete for a spot in the St. Louis bullpen but has minor-league options remaining.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said that Wheeler (shoulder) extended his throwing distance off flat ground to 120 feet Monday, Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Thomson acknowledged that he's uncertain when Wheeler will be ready to resume mound work, but the veteran right-hander is continuing to make steady progress in his throwing program after he underwent a procedure in mid-August to remove a blood clot near his shoulder and another surgery Sept. 23 to address venous thoracic outlet syndrome. At this point, the Phillies don't seem to be counting on Wheeler to be ready to go for Opening Day, but the 35-year-old appears on track to avoid an extended stay on the shelf to begin the 2025 campaign. Before being shut down last summer, Wheeler was firmly in the mix for the NL Cy Young Award after going 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 195 strikeouts in 149.2 innings over 24 starts.

Lopez will undergo an MRI after cutting his live batting practice session short due to right elbow soreness, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Lopez missed two months last season with a Grade 2 teres major strain and his campaign ended in late September due to a right forearm strain. He had an MRI at the time following the latter injury, which came back negative, but an early-camp setback is a troubling sign. The Twins should have the results of Lopez's MRI later this week.

Scott (elbow) threw approximately 30 pitches in his first live batting practice session of spring training Monday, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.

Per Albanese, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza noted that Scott hit 95 miles per hour with his fastball and flashed an impressive cutter during the throwing session. Though Scott looks to be fully healthy after missing the entire 2025 season while recovering from a September 2024 Tommy John surgery with an internal brace, Mendoza noted that the 26-year-old righty is uncertain to head north with the big club for Opening Day. Given the Mets' ample starting depth along with the fact that he's coming off a major injury and has minor-league options remaining, Scott could find himself on the outside looking in for a rotation spot. Before requiring the elbow procedure, Scott performed adequately over his nine starts with the Mets in 2024, logging a 4.56 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 39:12 K:BB in 47.1 innings.

The Blue Jays have left the door "cracked open" for Tiedemann to contribute in a relief role this season, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Tiedemann -- who was added to the 40-man roster this winter -- is without restrictions this spring after missing the entire 2025 campaign following Tommy John surgery. The Blue Jays still view the lefty as a starting pitcher long-term, but he might have a better chance to break into the big leagues in a bullpen role. Tiedemann has totaled just 140 innings in the minors since being drafted by Toronto in 2021 and didn't throw a pitch in 2025, so he'll have workload restrictions in 2026. Working in relief would help curtail that workload, but Tiedemann will likely begin the season in the rotation at Triple-A Buffalo.