MLB Player News

Quintana gave up two runs on two hits and three walks over 1.2 innings in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out one.

It was an inauspicious start to the spring for Quintana, who was facing most of Houston's Opening Day lineup, and the damage could have been worse had he not coaxed a double-play grounder out of Yordan Alvarez after walking Jose Altuve to lead off the game. The veteran southpaw made only 13 starts in 2023 during his first season with the Mets due to a rib issue that required surgery, but his 3.57 ERA and 1.31 WHIP over 75.2 innings were respectable. With Kodai Senga (shoulder) set to miss a month or more to begin the 2024 campaign, New York needs Quintana to stay on the mound this time around.

Weathers allowed a hit and a walk over 2.2 scoreless innings during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. He struck out five.

The 24-year-old southpaw is on the fringes of the battle for a spot in the Opening Day rotation, but Weathers would probably need some attrition ahead of him in the pecking order to have a legitimate chance no matter how well he pitches this spring. A long-relief role seems more likely after he stumbled to a 6.55 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 43:29 K:BB through 57.2 innings last year split between the Padres and Marlins.

Berrios gave up two hits and struck out one in two scoreless innings during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

Facing a lineup that included only a couple of likely Opening Day starters in Trea Turner and Bryson Stott, Berrios pounded the strike zone and fired 20 of 29 pitches over the plate. The 29-year-old righty was his usual rock-solid self in 2023, posting a 3.65 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 189.2 innings with a 23.5 percent strikeout rate against a 6.6 percent walk rate, and he figures to provide stability to the middle of the Toronto rotation once again this season.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said recently that Matz will not be as stretched out as the team's other starters at the beginning of the season, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Matz is healthy, but the Cardinals are electing to methodically build him up this spring after he dealt with numerous injuries in his first two seasons with the club. The left-hander has been throwing live batting practice sessions, but Marmol said the next time Matz faces hitters could be in a Grapefruit League appearance. While he is expected to open the season as St. Louis' No. 5 starter, it sounds like it might be a little while before Matz is ready to go five-plus innings.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch announced Friday that Skubal will start Opening Day against the White Sox, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Skubal seemed to be an obvious choice after he logged a 2.80 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 80.1 innings across 15 starts for the Tigers last season following a return from flexor tendon surgery. The left-hander probably isn't going to be a workhorse but nonetheless possesses ample fantasy upside for the 2024 season.

DeSclafani has been slowed in Twins' camp by right elbow soreness, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

DeSclafani felt some soreness following his second live batting practice session. While he's resumed long toss and hopes to return to a mound in a few days, the setback is a troubling development given that he missed much of the 2023 campaign with a flexor issue. For what it's worth, trainer Nick Paparesta said Friday that DeSclafani still has time to be ready for Opening Day. The righty is competing with Louie Varland for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Verlander (shoulder) will throw another bullpen session Sunday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Verlander was not cleared to face hitters after Tuesday's bullpen session as hoped, but perhaps that will happen after Sunday's mound work. The veteran right-hander has been coming along slowly but surely in camp after some offseason shoulder issues, but he's running out of time to get ramped up by Opening Day.

Hudson is competing for a rotation spot with Ryan Feltner, Peter Lambert, Ty Blach and Noah Davis this spring, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

The Rockies signed Hudson to a one-year, $1.5 million contract this offseason. He's worked primarily as a starter throughout his career, though did pitch out of the bullpen with the Cardinals to close the 2023 campaign. Hudson has struggled significantly the last two seasons, posting a 1.45 and 1.50 WHIP, respectively. He made his spring debut Thursday and allowed a hit and two walks across a scoreless inning.

Valdez will experiment with calling some of his own pitches during spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Valdez will wear a PitchCom device that will allow him to send signals to the catcher beginning with his Grapefruit League debut Friday. Assuming the experiment goes well, he's expected to continue the practice into the regular season, though it's unclear if any other Astros starter will follow suit. Valdez appears to be making the shift as a result of the departure of Martin Maldonado, who caught every inning that he threw in 2023 and all but three frames in the last two seasons.

Flores, who averaged 92.9 mph on his fastball last season, touched 99 mph in Grapefruit League play Thursday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Flores got a swinging strikeout on the pitch, and a sustained increase in velocity would be good news for the young righty. He was selected to the 40-man roster in November, and while he'll likely start the year with Triple-A Toledo, Flores could be a bullpen option at some point in 2024 if he's able to pitch well in the minors.