MLB Player News
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Slade Cecconi SP | CLE
Guardians' Slade Cecconi: Ready for regular season
Cecconi allowed one hit and two walks while striking out two over four scoreless innings in Monday's spring start against the Diamondbacks.
Cecconi looks like he's ready to make a leap in 2026 after pitching to a 1.62 ERA over 16.2 innings in the Cactus League. Monday's scoreless effort extended his spring streak to nine consecutive scoreless innings. The right-hander is penciled in to start the third game of the regular season Saturday on the road against Seattle.
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Hunter Gaddis SP | CLE
Guardians' Hunter Gaddis: Pitching in spring game Tuesday
Gaddis (forearm) will pitch in his second minor-league spring training game Tuesday, Guardians Prospective reports.
Gaddis will begin the 2026 season on the injured list due to right forearm tightness, but he continues to make promising strides in his recovery. If all goes according to plan, he could be looking at a minimum stay on the IL.
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Merrill Kelly SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly: Expected to need rehab start
Kelly (back) will make a rehab start at Triple-A Reno before being reinstated from the 15-day injured list, Jose M. Romero of The Arizona Republic reports.
This update shouldn't be much of a surprise for fantasy managers, as the D-Backs want to see how Kelly fares in a game setting before activating him from the IL. If all goes according to plan, the right-hander could be ready to make his 2026 debut at some point during Arizona's second road trip of the season, either in New York or Philadelphia.
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Jordan Montgomery SP | TEX
Rangers' Jordan Montgomery: Slated for another bullpen
Montgomery (elbow) will throw his fifth bullpen session Tuesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Montgomery has successfully completed four other bullpen sessions so far this spring, and he's slated to throw around 30 pitches during Tuesday's side session. If all goes according to plan, Grant mentions the southpaw will throw one more 30-pitch bullpen, and then potentially progress to two-inning sessions. There is still a long road ahead before Montgomery returns to game action, but it's a positive sign that he's feeling strong at this point in his recovery after undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery last April.
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Johan Oviedo SP | BOS
Red Sox's Johan Oviedo: Expected to make Opening Day roster
Oviedo is expected to open the 2026 season in the major leagues, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Oviedo and Connelly Early competed for the fifth rotation spot during camp, but it now looks as though Boston will name both pitchers to the Opening Day roster. Cotillo notes this may be due to the fact that Ranger Suarez and Brayan Bello aren't as stretched out as much as the club would like, so Oviedo and Early could be relied on to eat up innings in the early stages of the season. This is a creative approach by the Red Sox, so it's not yet clear whether it'll be Oviedo or Early who gets the first crack at starting, or if the duo could each draw opportunities to prove they belong in the rotation.
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Connelly Early SP | BOS
Red Sox's Connelly Early: Makes Opening Day roster
Early has made the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Early entered spring training competing with Payton Tolle and Johan Oviedo for the fifth spot in the Red Sox's rotation. Per Cotillo, the Red Sox will carry both Early and Oviedo on the 26-man roster (with Tolle starting the season with Triple-A Worcester) in an effort to provide length early in the season as both Ranger Suarez and Brayan Bello continue to build up after pitching in the World Baseball Classic. Garrett Crochet will serve as Boston's Opening Day starter against Cincinnati while Sonny Gray takes the mound Saturday. With Suarez expected to pitch Monday against Houston and Bello to go Tuesday, there's a chance that Early gets his first start of the season as early as Sunday against the Reds. Early put together a strong spring training, appearing in five Grapefruit League games (four starts) and posting a 1.59 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 16:5 K:BB across 17 innings.
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Blake Snell SP | LAD
Dodgers' Blake Snell: Late May targeted for season debut
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that he's hopeful Snell (shoulder) will be ready to make his season debut by late May, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
Snell has been eased along slowly this spring due to a lingering issue with his pitching shoulder. He has begun throwing off the mound but still has numerous boxes to check before being cleared for game action. The Dodgers are playing the long game with Snell, who was terrific when healthy last year, posting a 2.35 ERA and 72:26 K:BB over 61.1 regular-season innings.
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Lance McCullers SP | HOU
Astros' Lance McCullers: Gets spot in Houston rotation
McCullers has won a spot in the Astros' rotation and will make his season debut March 30 against the Red Sox, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
McCullers logged eight innings during Grapefruit League playing, allowing three runs with a 5:4 K:BB. He's a poor bet to stay healthy and effective, but McCullers is owed $17.7 million in his final year under contract, so it's not a surprise the Astros will open with him in the rotation.
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Tyler Uberstine SP | BOS
Red Sox's Tyler Uberstine: Optioned to minor-league camp
The Red Sox optioned Uberstine to minor-league camp Monday.
Uberstine appeared in four Grapefruit League for the Red Sox, allowing eight runs (five earned) on six hits and five walks while striking out 11 across 7.1 innings. He'll likely start the 2026 season with Triple-A Worcester but could make his major-league debut later this year. Uberstine has operated mostly as a starter in his minor-league career but could be deployed out of the bullpen if he's called up by the Red Sox.
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Payton Tolle SP | BOS
Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Opening 2026 in minors
The Red Sox optioned Tolle to minor-league camp Monday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Tolle entered spring training battling with Connelly Early and Johan Oviedo for the fifth spot in the Red Sox's rotation. Tolle showed promise in four Grapefruit League outings, posting a 2.53 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 13:1 K:BB across 10.2 innings. He will likely open the 2026 season with Triple-A Worcester, and while he didn't crack the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, Tolle should see some time in the majors this season when Boston needs an extra arm in the rotation.