MLB Player News

President of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that Strasburg (shoulder) won't participate in spring training but could report to Nationals camp at some point to work with the younger pitchers on the staff, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

The 35-year-old right-hander is effectively retired from professional baseball while he's struggled to recover from his July 2021 thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. However, Strasburg remains on the Nationals' 40-man roster while he and Washington ownership have thus far been unable to finalize an agreement regarding the $105 million he's still owed over the next three seasons on the seven-year, $245 million contract he signed in December 2019. Strasburg will forfeit the remainder of the salary he's owed if he retires without coming to a formal agreement with Washington, while ownership is presumably keen on recouping at least a portion of their financial commitment. Even if retirement negotiations aren't completed anytime soon, the Nationals will at least be able to open up a spot on the 40-man roster by placing Strasburg on the 60-day injured list.

Whitlock is preparing to compete for a spot in the Red Sox's Opening Day rotation this spring, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

Fully healthy again after battling elbow issues at various points last season, Whitlock threw his first live batting practice of spring training Wednesday, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. Though Whitlock opened the 2023 campaign as a starter, he worked out of the bullpen over his final 12 appearances upon returning in August following his third stint on the injured list. In November, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe that the Red Sox planned to have Whitlock get stretched back out for a starting role heading into the spring training, and the right-hander looks like he's right where he needs to be in his buildup program at this stage of camp. Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta and Kutter Crawford project as the Red Sox's top four starters in some order to begin spring training, leaving Whitlock to battle with Tanner Houck and Josh Winckowski for the final spot, which became open after Chris Sale was traded to Atlanta in December.

The Pirates placed Oviedo (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.

Oviedo is set to miss the entire 2024 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery in December, so his move to the IL is merely a procedural one. The transaction opens up a spot on the 40-man roster for left-hander Josh Fleming, whom the Pirates signed to a one-year deal Wednesday.

Waldichuk (elbow) was cleared to play catch Wednesday and could be throwing bullpen sessions by the end of spring training, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The left-hander is not expected to be ready for the start of the season, but ramping up his throwing program during spring training would be encouraging after he underwent surgery to repair UCL damage in his left elbow in October. Assuming there are no further complications, Waldichuk could theoretically be ready for game action by late April or early May.

The Giants announced Wednesday that Teng will miss at least the first 2-to-3 weeks of spring training with a left oblique strain, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Teng was added to the Giants' 40-man roster over the winter, but even if he wasn't sidelined for the start of camp with the oblique injury, he wouldn't have been a serious candidate for a spot in the big club's Opening Day rotation. Once he moves past the oblique strain, Teng will likely head to Triple-A Sacramento, with whom he tallied a 4.22 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 96:48 K:BB in 79 innings last season.

Ray (elbow) said Wednesday that he's been cleared to throw three times per week as he works his way back from May 2023 Tommy John surgery, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Ray was limited to just one start in his second season with the Mariners in 2023 before requiring the major elbow procedure. He was dealt to the Giants in January and appears to be on track with his recovery, though he's not expected to be available to make his San Francisco debut until sometime around the All-Star break.

DeGrom (elbow) said that he began a throwing program Monday, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.

DeGrom rested Tuesday before he resumed throwing Wednesday, and he may continue to limit himself to a few throwing sessions per week as he begins a slow ramp-up process from last June's Tommy John surgery. The Rangers are hoping for deGrom and co-ace Max Scherzer (back) to make midsummer returns from their respective surgeries, though no firm target date will likely be in place for either pitcher until they advance to the point in their rehab that they're facing hitters. The 35-year-old deGrom hasn't pitched more than 100 innings in any season since 2019 and will fall short of that threshold once again in 2024 while he's likely out for at least the first half of the campaign.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Wednesday that France is dealing with shoulder inflammation, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

While it's less than ideal that France is nursing an injury in the early stages of spring training, Brown didn't express much concern, noting that the right-hander hasn't been shut down from throwing and is still able to play catch. France is likely to gradually stretch out his throwing distance before advancing to mound work in the weeks to come, but the shoulder injury is still likely to delay his Grapefruit League debut. So long as France is fully stretched out by the end of camp, he could still head into Opening Day with a spot in Houston's rotation.

Cobb (hip) said Wednesday that he hopes to be cleared to throw off a mound soon, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Coming back from October left hip surgery, Cobb began throwing on flat ground a few weeks ago and is eager to take the next step. The goal is to progress to facing hitters before the end of spring training with an eye toward rejoining the Giants' rotation before the All-Star break, although any timetable at this juncture is tentative.

Jefferies (elbow) will not have any restrictions at the beginning of spring training, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Jefferies has been sidelined for the past year and a half while rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery, but he's fully recovered now and will throw a bullpen session Wednesday. The right-hander inked a minor-league contract with the Giants in December and seems likely to open the 2024 campaign in Triple-A Sacramento's rotation.