MLB Player News
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Jose Berrios SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jose Berrios: Out with stress fracture in elbow
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Wednesday that Berrios has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right elbow and won't be available for Opening Day, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Schneider noted that Berrios is pain free, and the hope is that the right-hander will resume throwing soon with the intention of pitching through the injury. With Shane Bieber (forearm) opening the season on the injured list and Trey Yesavage being brought along slowly to monitor his workload, Berrios could still have a significant role this season after finishing the 2025 campaign in the bullpen, but first he'll need to show he can be effective despite the elbow issue.
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Richard Fitts SP | STL
Cardinals' Richard Fitts: Loses out in rotation competition
The Cardinals optioned Fitts to Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday.
Fitts' demotion signals that Kyle Leahy and Andre Pallante have beaten him out in the camp competition for the final two spots in the Cardinals' Opening Day rotation. After being acquired from the Red Sox over the winter, Fitts had an uneven performance over his three Grapefruit League starts, posting a respectable 9:3 K:BB but allowing six earned runs on nine hits across 9.1 innings.
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Bailey Falter SP | KC
Royals' Bailey Falter: Strong relief outing
Falter allowed no hits or walks across three scoreless innings in Tuesday's Cactus League loss to the Dodgers. He struck out five.
Falter was originally slated to start Tuesday's contest, but manager Matt Quatraro instead deployed the southpaw out of the bullpen to evaluate his versatility and adaptability, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. Falter responded with his best outing of the spring, entering in the fourth inning and striking out five of the nine batters he faced while averaging 93.6 mph on his fastball, up from 92.1 mph last season. The 28-year-old appears to be on the outside looking in for a spot in the Royals' rotation, especially if the club sticks with a traditional five-man group, so his ability to pitch effectively in relief could boost his chances of making the roster as a left-handed bullpen option.
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Nick Lodolo SP | CIN
Reds' Nick Lodolo: Ramping up
Lodolo allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out seven over 4.2 innings in Tuesday's spring start against the Guardians.
Lodolo made his fourth Cactus League start and upped his pitch count to 77 (46 strikes), with one start remaining before the regular season begins. The lefty allowed a home run for the third consecutive outing but was much improved from his previous outing, when the Dodgers touched him for six runs. Lodolo is set to start the Reds' second game of the regular season.
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Joe Boyle SP | TB
Rays' Joe Boyle: Battling for bullpen spot
Boyle allowed two runs on two hits and four walks in three innings during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. He struck out six.
Through four Grapefruit League outings (two starts), Boyle now has a 3.72 ERA, a shaky 1.66 WHIP and 16:8 K:BB covering 9.2 innings. The 26-year-old right-hander is in contention for a bullpen spot with the Rays this spring as a long reliever, but he's not in position to begin the year in Tampa Bay's rotation after closing 2025 as a starter. Last year, Boyle recorded a 4.67 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 58:28 K:BB over 52 regular-season frames (nine starts).
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Brandon Williamson SP | CIN
Reds' Brandon Williamson: Wins roster spot
Williamson was informed by the Reds that he has made the Opening Day roster, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports
The Reds have given a roster spot to Williamson along with fellow starters Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns. The three of them will occupy two rotation spots and back each other up in those spots due to their recent injury histories and/or lack of experience. Williamson went down with a full UCL tear in his left elbow in Sept. 2024, which required Tommy John surgery. With the southpaw securing an Opening Day roster spot, he will look to take the mound for the first time in a regular season game since going under the knife.
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Rhett Lowder SP | CIN
Reds' Rhett Lowder: Makes Opening Day roster
Lowder was told by the Reds that he has made the Opening Day roster, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Lowder was informed along with fellow starters Brandon Williamson and Chase Burns. The three of them will occupy two rotation spots and back each other up in those spots due to their recent injury histories and/or lack of experience. Lowder is coming back from a forearm injury and oblique strain that he suffered in 2025.
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Connor Phillips SP | CIN
Reds' Connor Phillips: Secures Opening Day spot in pen
Phillips was informed by the Reds that he has made the Opening Day roster, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Phillips got off to a rough start to begin spring training, as he allowed three earned runs in three of his first five appearances. After allowing three runs March 5, the righty has allowed one earned allowed across 3.1 innings over his past three appearances. The Reds are hoping the former starter can recapture the dominance he found as a reliever to conclude the 2025 season.
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Bailey Ober SP | MIN
Twins' Bailey Ober: Velocity drop continues
Ober allowed a run on two hits and two walks while striking out none during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. According to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic, the right-hander averaged 88.2 mph with his fastball and generated just three swinging strikes.
Ober has surrendered just two runs across 8.2 frames in his three Grapefruit League appearances, but he has only three strikeouts and has seen his fastball velocity decrease in each spring outing, with him not cracking 90 mph even once Tuesday. The 30-year-old's average fastball in 2025 was a career-low 90.3 mph, and he had the worst season of his career with a 5.10 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 27 starts. Ober doesn't have much time to right the ship with Opening Day a little more than a week away.
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Braxton Garrett SP | MIA
Marlins' Braxton Garrett: Not guaranteed rotation spot
Garrett may not begin the season in the Marlins' rotation, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
The 28-year-old southpaw didn't pitch at all in 2025 while recovering from elbow surgery, and the Marlins may decide to be cautious with the final stages of his recovery, either by optioning him to Triple-A Jacksonville, or by placing him on the IL and giving him a rehab assignment to begin the season. Garrett's 6.75 ERA and 3:3 K:BB through four spring innings also don't make a strong case that he's ready to handle a regular turn in the big-league rotation. Janson Junk would likely fill the fifth starter role until Miami deems Garrett ready to make his return.