MLB Player News

Manager Aaron Boone on Friday named Cortes the Yankees' starter for Opening Day against the Astros on March 28, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

The Yankees had to alter their pitching plans with Gerrit Cole (elbow) set to begin the season on the injured list, and Cortes will end up taking the ball for the opener. The veteran lefty was limited to 12 starts last season due to a shoulder strain and had a 4.97 ERA across 63.1 innings, but New York would benefit if he can return to the form that saw him post a 2.61 ERA between 2021 and 2022.

Astros manager Joe Espada announced Friday that Valdez will be the team's Opening Day starter, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Valdez was the obvious choice with Justin Verlander (shoulder) on the shelf. The veteran left-hander held a 2.51 first-half ERA but a 4.66 ERA after the All-Star break last season. He will be taking on the Yankees at home March 28.

Lucchesi was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

The 30-year-old appeared to have a decent chance of making the Mets' Opening Day rotation after Kodai Senga (shoulder) was shut down, but Lucchesi came into camp behind most of the organization's pitchers and sat below 90 mph with his fastball during his lone game appearance of spring training. The left-hander pitched to a 2.89 ERA in nine starts for the Mets last season but is poised to open 2024 at Triple-A.

Urquidy pulled himself from an appearance in a minor-league game Friday due to right elbow discomfort, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Urquidy -- who threw 43 pitches in the outing before exiting -- is being examined by the Astros trainers Friday. The team reportedly was already on the lookout for rotation help with Justin Verlander (shoulder) opening the season on the injured list, and a serious injury to Urquidy could increase the urgency to sign someone like Blake Snell.

Cabrera (shoulder) is playing catch Friday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The 25-year-old was diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement earlier this week but was able to get back to throwing within a few days. Cabrera is likely to miss Opening Day as he ramps his throwing program back up, but he could make an early-season return if he's able to avoid any further issues.

Verlander (shoulder) bounced back well from a bullpen session Thursday and said Friday that he's "definitely getting close to facing hitters," Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Verlander didn't rule out facing hitters the next time he throws but said that will be decided by the team. A stint on the injured list to begin the season awaits him, and given that he has not yet faced hitters, the IL stint could be longer than the minimum. The 41-year-old right-hander is trending in the right direction, however.

Garrett (shoulder) is scheduled to throw live batting practice Sunday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The left-hander is poised to begin the season on the injured list due to left shoulder soreness, but he's ramping up his throwing program and will progress to facing live batters this weekend. It's possible Garrett will be ready to join the Marlins sometime in mid-April.

Perez (finger) will be shut down from throwing for 3-to-4 days, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.

Perez had to be removed from his last Grapefruit League outing after just 14 pitches due to complications with a fingernail issue on his right middle finger. The right-hander had previously expressed optimism that he could still ramp back up in time for Opening Day, but this shutdown period, while relatively brief, makes a start during the opening weekend of the season unlikely. Perez was already in line to have his workload monitored this season, so it might make sense for the Marlins to push back his debut until at least the second turn through the rotation. The Marlins are already juggling injuries to other starters like Braxton Garrett (shoulder) and Edward Cabrera (shoulder), however, and the fact that Miami plays eight straight games to begin the campaign before its first off day could also push the team to try and get Perez ready to go as soon as possible.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Friday that Senga (shoulder) will not begin a throwing program for another 7-to-10 days, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

It was reported earlier this week that Senga's throwing would be delayed one week, and it appears he might be held back even longer than that. The righty will undergo more imaging after resuming throwing before the club determines the next steps in his recovery. Stearns indicated that Senga has not had a setback with the moderate posterior capsule strain in his right shoulder, but rather the team's "internal pacing" points to a longer pause. An early May return for Senga now looks like it might be the best-case scenario.

The Rays re-assigned McKay to minor-league camp Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

McKay looked solid this spring after re-upping with the Rays on a minor-league contract, but the club wants him to knock some rust off in the minors first after missing so much time due to injury. The left-hander should open the season in Durham's rotation.