MLB Player News
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Mitch Spence SP | KC
Royals' Mitch Spence: Optioned to Omaha
The Royals optioned Spence to Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.
The Athletics traded Spence to Kansas City in February, and after surrendering eight earned runs over seven innings during spring training, he will report to Triple-A to begin his tenure with his new organization. The right-hander owns a 4.77 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 236 innings in his big-league career and may be recalled later in the season to provide long-relief help.
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Aaron Ashby SP | MIL
Brewers' Aaron Ashby: Effective in relief
Ashby tossed two scoreless innings of relief in Wednesday's spring game against the Angels. He did not allow a hit, struck out two batters and walked one.
Ashby has appeared in only three games this spring, and after starting the first two he worked out of the bullpen Wednesday. Ashby was extended up to 50 pitches his previous time out, so it was fair to wonder if he was being considered for a rotation spot. However, he was limited to 22 pitches just over a week from Opening Day, so it appears the plan is to keep him in the bullpen. If Ashby does wind up making starts during the regular season, he most likely will work as an opener.
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Connelly Early SP | BOS
Red Sox's Connelly Early: Another strong showing
Early allowed one hit and two walks while striking out seven over five scoreless innings in Wednesday's spring start against the Yankees.
The three-way competition for the fifth starter's job rages on, and Early submitted another piece of evidence that he's ready for the job. The left-hander has allowed four runs (three earned) over 17 innings (1.59 ERA) with five walks and 16 strikeouts in the Cactus League. The other contenders have been equally effective. Payton Tolle threw four scoreless innings of relief Tuesday, lowering his spring ERA to 2.53, while Johan Oviedo, perhaps the frontrunner, has matched Early's 1.59 ERA with 13 strikeouts over 9.2 innings. All three pitchers have minor-league options.
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Kyle Harrison SP | MIL
Brewers' Kyle Harrison: Leaves game with blister
Harrison was removed during the third inning of Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Angels due to a blister on his left index finger, Sophia Minnaert of FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin reports.
Harrison tossed 59 pitches across 2.2 frames and allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out three before being removed from Wednesday's contest. Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters that the blister is something Harrison has been dealing with, so the issue doesn't appear to be one that would put the 24-year-old southpaw in jeopardy of missing Opening Day, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
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Brady Singer SP | CIN
Reds' Brady Singer: Exits with blister
Singer was removed from Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Rockies due to a blister, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
Singer made it through 3.2 scoreless innings before leaving the game, during which he surrendered two hits and a walk while striking out three batters. The right-hander's blister could prevent him from making another appearance before the end of spring training, and it's unknown whether he'll be ready for his first regular-season appearance -- which could come during the opening weekend of the season against the Red Sox.
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Robby Snelling SP | MIA
Marlins' Robby Snelling: Reassigned to minor-league camp
The Marlins reassigned Snelling to minor-league camp Wednesday.
A top pitching prospect, Snelling was trying to push Janson Junk and Braxton Garrett for a spot in the Marlins' rotation this spring. The 22-year-old Snelling, however, will have to wait to make his MLB debut. In four appearances this spring, the left-hander logged a 7.56 ERA but dazzled with 13 strikeouts across 8.1 innings of work. Snelling seems likely to be with the Marlins at some point during the 2026 campaign after turning in a 2.51 ERA and 11.0 K/9 across 136 minor-league innings last season.
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Carlos Martinez SP | SF
Carlos Martinez: Brings end to playing career
Martinez announced Sunday via his personal Instagram account that he has retired from professional baseball.
Martinez had spent the previous three seasons pitching in the Mexican League, but prior to that, the 34-year-old righty enjoyed a productive nine-year run in the majors with the Cardinals. A two-time All-Star selection, Martinez retires with a lifetime 62-52 record and 31 saves to go with a 3.74 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 274 appearances (139 starts).
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Matthew Liberatore SP | STL
Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Named Opening Day starter
The Cardinals announced Wednesday that Liberatore will start the team's March 26 season opener against the Rays in St. Louis.
It will be Liberatore's first career Opening Day nod, and it comes against the team that selected him 16th overall in the 2018 Draft. After working mainly as reliever in 2024, Liberatore started all 29 games in which he appeared last regular season, posting an 8-12 record, 4.21 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 122:40 K:BB across 151.2 innings. He's been stellar this spring, with a 2.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 14:1 K:BB across 10 innings.
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Jake Irvin SP | WAS
Nationals' Jake Irvin: Blanks Cards on Tuesday
Irvin allowed three hits and a walk over five scoreless innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals. He struck out five.
The right-hander appears to be on the outside looking in for a spot in the Nationals' rotation, but Irvin isn't going down without a fight. He tossed 42 of 66 pitches for strikes against a young St. Louis lineup that featured top prospect JJ Wetherholt as well as Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker, lowering his spring ERA to 1.35 with a 15:4 K:BB over 13.1 innings. Irvin still has minor-league options remaining, so despite his strong camp he's likely to begin the year with Triple-A Rochester after Washington added Zack Littell, Miles Mikolas and Foster Griffin to the rotation mix this offseason.
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Robby Snelling SP | MIA
Marlins' Robby Snelling: Roughed up by Mets
Snelling gave up three runs on six hits and a walk over three innings during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets. He struck out five.
The 22-year-old southpaw entered the game in the sixth inning and immediately ran into trouble by serving up back-to-back singles, before things really fell apart for him in the seventh thanks to a three-run homer by Bo Bichette. Snelling did get stretched out to 64 pitches (45 strikes), but he remains on track to begin the season back at Triple-A Jacksonville, where he posted a dazzling 1.27 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 81:17 K:BB over 63.2 innings in 2025. Snelling should make his big-league debut this season, but it may not come quickly, especially if the Marlins elect to begin the year with Janson Junk as their fifth starter -- which would position Braxton Garrett as the next man up once he's proven he's fully recovered from his December 2024 elbow surgery.