MLB Player News

Steele (elbow) has been throwing 30-pitch bullpen sessions and is targeting a return to the majors in May or June, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun Times reports.

Steele underwent UCL revision surgery on his left elbow in mid-April of last year, and the southpaw is currently building up strength before he's able to return later in 2026. He was Chicago's Opening Day starter two years ago and has a career 3.30 regular-season ERA, so there's plenty of upside in his arm. However, the Cubs will undoubtedly be cautious with his return, and there could be a good degree of rust as well. Fantasy managers should target the 30-year-old as an intriguing stash candidate in 2026, though expectations should be tempered due to the long layoff. It's also possible Steele returns to a bullpen role, at least initially, with Chicago adding Edward Cabrera in the offseason to bolster its rotation.

Lopez has been diagnosed with a UCL tear in his right elbow and could require Tommy John surgery, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Lopez will seek out a second opinion before a decision is made, but season-ending surgery is highly probable. The right-hander was limited to just 75.2 innings in 2025 due to shoulder and forearm issues and now faces the prospect of a year-plus long absence. Lopez is owed $21.75 million this season and will make the same amount in 2027 in his final year under contract.

Schlittler (back) threw a bullpen session Tuesday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Schlittler dealt with some inflammation in his back last week when he reported to camp, but the 25-year-old right-hander is past the issue and has resumed normal mound work. Schlittler made his MLB debut last season, making 14 regular-season starts for the Yankees, and posted a 2.96 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 84:31 K:BB across 73 innings. He should man a spot in New York's Opening Day rotation.

Cole (elbow) threw a bullpen at spring training Tuesday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

Cole, of course, is recovering from a Tommy John procedure that involved internal bracing last March, and he's been throwing since August. However, he recently progressed to mound work, and Cole's rehab appears to be on track. Manager Aaron Boone said last week that Cole could pitch in some Grapefruit League games before the end of camp, though Cole isn't expected to make his regular-season debut until sometime in late May or early June.

Waldrep would be sidelined for approximately three months if Dr. Keith Meister recommends surgery to remove loose bodies in the pitcher's right elbow, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

If Meister determines surgery isn't required, Waldrep could require just three weeks of rest. A decision has not yet been made but is expected this week. Even if Waldrep does not undergo surgery, it's likely he will need a stint on the injured list to begin the season. The elbow injury also effectively removes him from the competition for the final spot in Atlanta's rotation, at least in the near term.

Bradish said Sunday that he expects to have some form of innings limit or workload restrictions in 2026, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Bradish noted that he trained this offseason with the goal of pitching a full season, but he anticipates the Orioles will have some kind of workload limits in place in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. What exactly that will look like isn't clear, but it's unlikely Bradish will be completely shut down at any point. The righty was excellent down the stretch last season for the Orioles after completing his rehab, posting a 2.53 ERA and 47:10 K:BB over 32 innings covering six starts.

Suarez (forearm) said Monday that he's fully healthy this spring, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

A mild forearm flexor strain brought Suarez's 2025 campaign to an early end, but the 36-year-old right-hander believes he's "100 percent" and "good to go" ahead of spring training. Suarez is with the Orioles on a minor-league contract leading into Grapefruit League action, and he'd likely be left with a bullpen role as a long reliever if he winds up claiming an Opening Day roster spot.

Buehler signed a minor-league contract with San Diego on Monday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Buehler is expected to join the competition in camp for San Diego's final rotation spot, per Acee. He'll be up against the likes of Matt Waldron, Triston McKenzie, German Marquez, JP Sears and Marco Gonzales. Buehler bounced between the Red Sox and Phillies a season ago, posting a 4.93 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with a 92:61 K:BB across 126.0 innings.

Manager Dave Roberts stated Monday that Snell has yet to take part in any mound work, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Snell has reportedly been cleared to play catch and begin a throwing program, but the Dodgers won't have an accurate idea on if he'll begin the year on the injured list until he steps onto the bump. The southpaw has stated publicly that he was exhausted following the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, which included a heavy workload in the playoffs, so it would be wise to expect the team to continue to bring him along slowly, knowing there's plenty of pitching depth at the ready if Snell isn't available for the start of the 2026 season.

Brito (forearm) was placed on the 60-day injured list Monday.

This is a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster for German Marquez, who signed a one-year deal with San Diego earlier in the day. Brito underwent a UCL internal brace procedure and a repair of his flexor tendon in April of 2025, and the team has yet to provide a timetable for his return.