MLB Player News

Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Monday that Strider will begin the season on the injured list with an oblique strain, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Strider had been slated for his final Grapefruit League tune-up outing Monday versus the Pirates, but that assignment will now go to Didier Fuentes. Jose Suarez is expected to slide into Strider's rotation slot once the regular season gets underway, with Fuentes still set to open in the bullpen. Atlanta is hoping Strider will be back in action in a couple weeks, but that's no safe bet given the fickle nature of oblique injuries. Strider has dealt with depressed velocity this spring, though the results have been there, as he allowed three runs with an 11:2 K:BB over 8.1 innings.

The Pirates informed Urquidy on Monday that he'll be included on the Opening Day roster, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Urquidy didn't have a good spring, logging a 9.28 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and eight strikeouts in 10.2 innings. However, he'll break camp with the big club as a long reliever after signing a $1.5 million contract in the offseason.

Gray allowed two runs on four hits while striking out nine over six innings in Sunday's spring start against the Pirates.

Gray needed a quality effort after a rough stretch to start the Grapefruit League. The right-hander entered his final spring outing having allowed six runs (6.23 ERA) on 10 hits and seven walks over 8.2 innings. Gray responded with his best performance of the spring, which should allay concerns as he prepares to start the second game of the regular season, Saturday on the road against Cincinnati.

Williams allowed one run on five hits and struck out three over five innings in Sunday's spring start against the Reds.

Williams made his final Cactus League tune-up and appears ready for the regular season. He'll follow Opening Day starter Tanner Bibee and pitch Friday against the Mariners. The right-hander had one hiccup this spring but finished on a high note. Williams, who has averaged 4.2 BB/9 over three major-league seasons, walked just two batters over 17.2 innings this spring.

Woo allowed one run on three hits while striking out four without a walk over six innings in Sunday's Cactus League win over the White Sox. "Extremely locked in, extremely focused, the intent he has on the mound is next to none, and it's really a big part of what he does," manager Dan Wilson said after the game regarding Woo's performance, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.

Divish notes that Woo induced 11 whiffs, including six with his four-seam fastball, on 73 total pitches (52 strikes) in his fourth and final start of spring training. The pitch count sets Woo up for a relatively normal workload in his 2026 regular-season debut this weekend at home against the Guardians. He is not the ace in Seattle, and in fact it appears he will slot in behind both Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, but Woo has a case as a fantasy ace after a top-five finish among fantasy starting pitchers in his age-25 breakout last season.

Sheehan will slot in to the Dodgers' Opening Day rotation, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Sheehan will officially operate in a traditional starter's role, joining Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki in the Dodgers' rotation. There was some thought about the 26-year-old piggybacking off of Ohtani's starts, but manager Dave Roberts clarified that Justin Wrobleski will be the one handling the hybrid role after Sunday's 13-5 win over the Angels. Sheehan produced an impressive 2.82 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 89 strikeouts over 73.1 innings in 15 appearances, including 12 starts, with Los Angeles during the 2025 regular season, and he'll look to build off of those numbers in 2026.

Butto took the loss in Sunday's 2-1 exhibition defeat to Triple-A Sacramento, allowing one earned run on two hits, including one home run, while striking out two over one inning.

Butto entered in the eighth inning and surrendered a home run to the first batter he faced, and he also gave up a single before escaping the inning. The right-hander appeared in only three Cactus League games but pitched for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic this spring, during which he allowed one hit while striking out one in 5.2 scoreless innings over five outings. Butto began the 2025 campaign with the Mets but was traded to San Francisco in late July. Over 21 relief appearances with the Giants last season, the 28-year-old recorded a 4.50 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 17:10 K:BB in 20 innings.

Sears was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Sunday.

Sears will head to Triple-A after producing an 8.44 ERA and 1.69 WHIP with 10 strikeouts over 10.2 innings in four appearances, including two starts, with the Padres during spring training. The 30-year-old signed a one-year contract with San Diego in January, and he will now have to earn another shot with the major-league roster down the road.

Sheehan could operate in a hybrid role within the Dodgers' pitching rotation to open the season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

Sheehan may not slot in as a traditional starter in the rotation to open the season; either he or southpaw Justin Wrobleski will follow Shohei Ohtani in his starts. Sheehan piggybacking Ohtani's starts would allow the Dodgers to limit both of their workloads in the early portion of the 2026 campaign. Sheehan remains a high-upside starting pitcher for Los Angeles, and the team is expected to turn to a six-man rotation at some point early in the campaign, which could put Sheehan into a traditional starting role.

Zulueta was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday.

Zulueta was traded to Seattle from the Reds in January, and he was able to produce a 3.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 10 strikeouts over seven innings in eight appearances with the Mariners during spring training. The right-hander struggled to a 6.14 ERA over 7.1 innings in seven appearances out of the bullpen with Cincinnati in 2025. He'll look to get into a groove at Tacoma in an attempt to get a shot with the Mariners' major-league roster this season.