MLB Player News

Bieber has allowed three runs on five hits and six walks while striking out 12 over 11.1 innings across three Cactus League starts.

Bieber racked up eight of those strikeouts over 5.2 innings Sunday versus the Reds. After dealing with elbow inflammation in 2023, the right-hander had no restrictions entering spring training and has delivered strong results. Nothing's set in stone yet, but it's likely Bieber will make one more spring start and figures to be in contention for the Opening Day start March 28 versus the Athletics.

Berrios gave up four runs, but only one earned, on six hits over 4.2 innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. He struck out two without walking a batter.

The right-hander's own error led to a three-run second inning for Philly, but Berrios shook it off and stuck around long enough to build up to 78 pitches (53 strikes). He's allowed only two earned runs in 13 innings this spring with a 9:2 K:BB, and the 29-year-old could get the Opening Day start for the Blue Jays with Kevin Gausman (shoulder) looking at a delayed start to his season.

Manager Scott Servais said Monday that Castillo will start the Mariners' March 28 season opener versus the Red Sox at T-Mobile Park, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

The Mariners have better choices than most teams to take the ball Opening Day, but Castillo always loomed as the obvious option. The 31-year-old right-hander posted a 3.34 ERA and 219:56 K:BB over 197 innings covering 33 starts for Seattle in 2023.

Lorenzen threw 70 pitches with four up-downs Monday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Lorenzen was hitting 94-to-96 miles per hour with his fastball in the throwing session. While Lorenzen's workout wasn't the equivalent of pitching in a more organized exhibition game setting, it does offer the hope that he'll be ready to pitch soon after he eventually signs with a team. The Yankees and White Sox are two of the teams reportedly showing recent interest in the free-agent right-hander.

The Diamondbacks optioned Walston to Triple-A Reno on Monday.

Walston was dispatched to minor-league camp along with right-handers Slade Cecconi and Corbin Martin after all three pitchers fell short in their bids for spots on Arizona's Opening Day roster. Unlike Cecconi and Martin, Walston has yet to make his MLB debut, but the Diamondbacks saw enough potential in him to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft this winter and add him to their 40-man roster. The 22-year-old southpaw will be returning to Reno, where he posted a 4.52 ERA and 1.57 WHIP over 149.1 innings while pitching mostly in hitter-friendly venues in the Pacific Coast League.

The Diamondbacks optioned Cecconi to Triple-A Reno on Monday.

Cecconi's dismissal from big-league camp leaves Ryne Nelson, Tommy Henry and Bryce Jarvis as the likely candidates for the fifth and final spot in Arizona's Opening Day rotation. While making seven appearances (four starts) for the big club in 2023, Cecconi submitted a respectable 4.33 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB in 27 innings. He should open the upcoming season as a member of Reno's rotation and will likely be on the short list for a call-up if Arizona requires a spot starter or a pitcher capable of covering multiple innings out of the bullpen.

Strider struck out seven over 4.2 scoreless innings while allowing two hits and three walks in Sunday's split-squad game against the Orioles.

The 25-year-old right-hander leads all pitchers with 29 strikeouts this spring, to go along with a pristine 0.00 ERA over 18.2 innings, and the players he fanned Sunday included Gunnar Henderson (twice) and Cedric Mullins. Strider is on schedule to take the mound for Atlanta on Opening Day against the Phillies, which would line him up for one more spring appearance Friday, but that could come on a back field rather than in Grapefruit League action.

Winn (elbow) yielded one run over 1.2 innings Sunday in his Cactus League debut versus the Rockies.

Winn permitted two hits and a walk and also plunked a batter but did record three strikeouts. The right-hander got in additional work in the bullpen after the appearance in order to get more stretched out, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. While an elbow issue delayed Winn's spring debut, he remains on track to begin the year in the Giants' rotation, perhaps making his first start against the Dodgers in the second series of the season.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Monday that Verlander (shoulder) will face hitters "in the next day or two," Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

The veteran right-hander threw another bullpen session Sunday and is poised for his first live batting practice session since he developed a shoulder issue. Verlander is expected to need multiple live BP sessions before being cleared to pitch in games, and it's not clear whether that will happen before the Grapefruit League schedule runs out. The Astros haven't divulged a timetable for Verlander's season debut, but he would seem to be tracking toward a return in late April or early May.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Monday that Urquidy has been diagnosed with a forearm muscle strain and won't be available for the start of the regular season, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Urquidy has been shut down from throwing for at least the next few days after he suffered the forearm strain during his most recent spring training outing Saturday. Despite turning in an ugly 5.29 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 63 innings in the majors in 2023, Urquidy was in position to break camp as a member of the Astros' Opening Day rotation before sustaining the arm injury. With Urquidy, Justin Verlander (shoulder), Lance McCullers (forearm) and Luis Garcia (elbow) all set to open the season on the shelf, Houston should have back-end rotation spots available for both J.P. France and Ronel Blanco for much of April, if not longer. Unless Urquidy is able to resume his throwing progression before the end of spring training, he'll most likely spend more than the minimum 15 days on the injured list.