MLB Player News

Skubal, who made his World Baseball Classic debut in the United States' victory over Great Britain on Saturday, may end up pitching for the team again after previously planning to make only one appearance, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Skubal allowed a leadoff home run to Nate Eaton but righted the ship and didn't allow any other runs across three innings while striking out five. The lefty logged 41 pitches, and following the 9-1 United States win, he acknowledged the emotions of the tournament may keep him around a bit longer. "I was pretty committed to making a start and getting back to camp," Skubal said. "Things have changed, obviously, that's why I'm going to have some conversations to try and figure out a plan for me." If Skubal does pitch again in the WBC, it could come in a quarterfinal matchup on either March 13 or 14, though nothing official has been announced. The Detroit ace would likely have a similar workload in a potential second WBC outing as he gears up for the start of the regular season.

Miller (side) threw a 25-pitch touch-and-feel bullpen session Sunday at about 80 percent intensity, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.

The right-hander was able to mix in all his pitches and is now scheduled for a normal 25-to-30-pitch bullpen session in a couple days. Miller was briefly shut down from throwing after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat inflammation in his left side, which has delayed his buildup during spring training. If the 27-year-old can continue to ramp up with no further issues, it's possible he can avoid a stint on the injured list to begin the season.

Robles will serve as the Mariners' designated hitter and leadoff batter in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Brewers.

Robles will start for the first time since last Sunday, after the Mariners held him out of action for the past six days due to a sore shoulder, per Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com. Assuming Robles' shoulder checks out fine following Sunday's contest, he could resume playing the outfield at some point during the upcoming week.

The Mariners optioned Loutos to Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday.

Scooped up off waivers from the Nationals earlier in the offseason, Loutos will begin his time in the Mariners organization at the Triple-A level after he was unable to secure a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. The right-hander took himself out of consideration after yielding seven runs (six earned) on seven hits over three innings in four appearances during Cactus League play.

The White Sox announced Sunday that Smith will start their March 26 season opener in Milwaukee.

Coming off a rookie season in which he earned an All-Star nod while pitching to a 3.81 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 29 starts, Smith was the obvious choice to take the hill for the Opening Day game. The 25-year-old righty will be facing off against the organization that drafted him in 2021 before he joined the White Sox in the Rule 5 Draft following the 2024 season.

Oviedo allowed two hits and struck out four over 3.1 scoreless innings in Saturday's spring start against the Rays.

After a wild, rocky start to the Grapefruit League, Oviedo has impressed in two subsequent outings and is the frontrunner for Boston's final rotation spot. That first spring appearance, when the right-hander walked three and hit a batter, has been followed by 6.1 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and zero walks.

Burger 1-for-2 with a walk, a home run and two RBI in Saturday's spring game against San Francisco.

Burger homered for the third consecutive game, including an exhibition contest against Team Brazil. He's officially 7-for-20 with three home runs and seven RBI through nine Cactus League contests. Burger's looking for a bounce-back season after falling to 16 home runs in 2025, a huge dropoff after he launched 63 over the prior two years combined.

Latz allowed three runs on two hits and three walks while striking out three over 3.1 innings in Saturday's spring start against the Giants.

Latz's third Cactus League start was a grind. After an efficient 1-2-3 first inning, the left-hander needed 18 pitches for the second frame. The walks also drove up his pitch count, and by the time he started the fourth inning, Latz's velocity diminished. Per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers have been concerned about Latz's ability to maintain velocity throughout a game and work as a viable starter. He's currently competing with Kumar Rocker for the final spot in the rotation, with Cal Quantrill and Austin Gomber also options if neither favorite is deemed able to handle the assignment.

Hoskins started at first base and went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI in Saturday's spring game against San Diego.

Hoskins, who served as the designated hitter in his first four Cactus League appearances, made his first start in the field. His first at-bat was an epic 13-pitch battle with Padres starter Michael King that ended in a strikeout. Two innings later, he took King deep on a first-pitch fastball for his first spring homer, a two-run shot. An inning later, the first baseman singled in another two runs. Until Saturday, Hoskins was having a difficult spring, going 1-for-12 while striking out seven times.

Romero (back) will start at second base and bat sixth in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates.

After having been held out of action since Feb. 26 due to a back issue, Romero returned to the lineup as a designated hitter Saturday, going 0-for-2 in a 2-0 win over the Rays. Romero apparently experienced no setbacks coming out of that contest, prompting the Red Sox to clear him for defensive duties a day later. The 22-year-old is likely to be assigned to Triple-A Worcester to begin the season.