MLB Player News

Cole (elbow) will start Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox and pitch one inning, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander will be making his first appearance in a game since undergoing Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last March. It's an encouraging development for Cole, who is likely to open the season on the 60-day injured list but could return when he's first eligible in in late May.

Smith will begin the 2026 season with Triple-A Charlotte.

Smith had a strong showing this spring, striking out eight batters with one walk in 3.2 innings across three appearances. The quality of Smith's stuff is not in question, he just needs to throw enough strikes to start. Last year, the 6-foot-3 southpaw had a 3.57 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 17.6 percent walk rate in 20 starts at Double-A. If he can come anywhere close to the 5.9 percent walk rate he logged this spring, Smith could be in the big-league rotation this summer.

Gore allowed two hits and three walks while striking out three over 4.1 scoreless innings Monday in a 3-2 win over the White Sox in Cactus League play. He also hit a batter.

Gore followed up his worst Cactus League start with his best one Monday. After allowing seven runs, six hits and three walks over 1.2 innings in his previous outing, the left-hander was sharper the fourth time out. The southpaw is ramping up for his first season for Texas since being acquired from the Nationals in January.

Williams allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out seven over 4.2 innings in Monday's spring start against the Cubs.

Williams' fourth Cactus League start was a departure from his first three, but the seven strikeouts and 85 pitches thrown are positive takeaways. He settled down after a rocky two innings, retiring seven of eight batters before tiring in his final frame. While nothing has been made official, Williams' five-day schedule lines him up to start Opening Day on the road in Seattle.

Gaddis (forearm) will throw a live batting practice session Wednesday, MLB.com reports.

Gaddis has thrown two bullpen sessions and is now ready for the next step. The right-hander experienced tightness in his forearm earlier in camp and is working his way back to eventually serve as a high-leverage reliever and setup man for closer Cade Smith.

Abbott allowed eight runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out three over two innings in Monday's spring start against the Diamondbacks.

Abbott was roughed up again in his fifth Cactus League start and needed 76 pitches to get those six outs. He was pulled with none out in the third inning to ensure a fourth up-and-down, and then he was chased early in the fourth after giving up two hits and a walk. The left-hander is having a difficult spring with a 13.85 ERA and has allowed multiple runs in all five spring outings. Abbott will get one more start and hopes to figure out his mechanics before taking the ball Opening Day next week against the Red Sox.

Burnes (elbow) threw a bullpen session Monday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Burnes threw a second bullpen session and mixed in curveballs after tossing 15 pitches (all fastballs) last Friday. The plan going forward calls for the right-hander to pitch again this coming Friday, and to then complete two sessions per week for the next month while incorporating all his pitches. At the moment, Burnes is estimated to be throwing at about an 80-to-85 percent effort level.

Nelson allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out six over four innings in Monday's spring start against the Reds.

Nelson upped his pitch count to 66 (39 strikes) in his fourth Cactus League start and will get one more outing in before the regular season. He sports a 4.50 ERA with 16 strikeouts and just two walks over 12 innings. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo hasn't set his rotation for the regular season beyond Zac Gallen on Opening Day, but Nelson should be among the top three.

Johnson is in the conversation for a starting spot in the Angels' rotation, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

With Alek Manoah and (to a lesser extent) Grayson Rodriguez struggling this spring, there is some uncertainty at the back end of the Angels' rotation. Should Manoah and/or Rodriguez not be part of the Opening Day starting staff, Johnson is one of several pitchers (including Jack Kochanowicz, George Klassen and Mitch Farris) who could be considered for a rotation role. Johnson got a look in the majors last season and struggled with a 7.36 ERA, 1.98 WHIP and 16:5 K:BB over 14.2 innings across 14 relief appearances, and he ended the campaign in High-A ball. However, he's one of the organization's top prospects and has pitched pretty well this spring, posting a 4.63 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 14:2 K:BB over 11.2 frames. Johnson is still probably a longshot to break camp with the big club, but it's worth noting that he's still in big-league camp with Opening Day just 10 days away.

Feltner has allowed 10 earned runs on 11 hits and six walks while striking out 12 across 8.1 innings in four Cactus League appearances.

Feltner had an injury-plagued 2025 season, but he added strength this offseason and has been healthy. He's in contention for the fifth-starter role, though he's allowed three earned runs in three consecutive outings. Positively, Feltner has a 9:2 K:BB across his last two spring appearances, which is enough for Thomas Harding of MLB.com to include Feltner in his projected rotation to begin the season.