MLB Player News

DeGrom allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three over four innings in Wednesday's Cactus League start against the Mariners.

DeGrom made his second Cactus League start but has also built up in minor-league games during the spring. He told Kenndi Landry of MLB.com that he feels good health-wise but was not pleased about his mechanics. Specifically, his shoulder was flying open, and deGrom couldn't keep the ball down with his slider and caught too much of the middle of the plate overall. The Rangers' ace worked his pitch count to 57, which is less than optimal at this stage of the Cactus League, but deGrom is expected to pitch when his turn comes up in the opening week of the regular season.

The Astros optioned Sousa to Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

The left-handed reliever missed all of the 2024 campaign following thoracic outlet surgery. While Sousa was healthy this spring, he had a shaky Grapefruit League showing, allowing seven runs on 13 hits and three walks over 7.2 innings.

Garcia has been shut down due to soreness in his surgically repaired right elbow, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Garcia had been scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Thursday, but that's been scrapped and he will be evaluated by doctors. The right-hander has encountered multiple bumps in the road in his comeback from May 2023 Tommy John surgery, suffering a couple setbacks last season and now another.

Allen allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out six over 4.2 innings in Wednesday's split-squad start against the Angels.

This was Allen's fifth Cactus League appearance and third start. Following a regression season in 2024, Allen has pitched well this spring, elevating his chances among several candidates for one of the open rotation spots. He lowered his Cactus League ERA to 1.89, the best of all starters not named Tanner Bibee. His 19 strikeouts to four walks over 19 innings also points to him opening the regular season in the Guardians' rotation.

Williams allowed three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out five over 4.1 innings in Wednesday's split-squad start against the Athletics.

Williams made his fourth Cactus League start and got up to 80 pitches (52 strikes), putting him on schedule for the regular season. The right-hander has impressed this spring with 21 strikeouts over 12.1 innings. There's room for him to make one more start prior to the regular season, likely Monday or Tuesday against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field after the Guardians break camp. Williams is expected to pitch during the opening series of the regular season in Kansas City.

Dezenzo (jaw) is in the lineup for Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

After being struck in the face by a groundball Tuesday, Dezenzo was diagnosed with a TMJ sprain. However, he was cleared of a concussion and will be able to make a quick turnaround, continuing his bid for a roster spot. The 24-year-old is having a great spring, batting .378 with three doubles, two homers and six RBI across 15 exhibition games.

Hancock will open the regular season as Seattle's No. 5 starter, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports.

There was little doubt Hancock would be able to win the job, given the lack of other candidates on the roster, but he solidified himself after allowing just one run on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Rangers. George Kirby (shoulder) is not expected to rejoin the Mariners until mid-April, setting up Hancock to make a handful of starts to begin the campaign. "He's really had a good camp. I think he's really taken a step forward here," manager Dan Wilson said. Even so, the 2020 first-rounder's fantasy upside could still be restricted, considering Hancock fanned a lowly 14.7 percent of the batters he faced over 60.2 innings in 2024.

Chisholm went 2-for-3 with a home run, three total RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's Grapefruit League victory against Philadelphia.

Chisholm is slashing just .179/.273/.359 this spring, but he reminded Yankees fans (and fantasy managers) of his dynamic skill set with a two-run homer and a swipe of second base Wednesday. The 27-year-old posted career highs with 24 long balls and 40 thefts last season, and he will look to build upon those numbers in his first full campaign with New York in 2025. Chisholm is slated to be the Yankees' primary second baseman, and he's a candidate to bat leadoff for the team this year after hitting mostly in the middle of the order following his trade to New York last season.

Stroman tossed three scoreless innings in a Grapefruit League game against Philadelphia on Wednesday, allowing one hit and issuing one walk while striking out three batters.

The only hit Stroman allowed was an infield single, though he did display a bit of wildness by walking two batters and plunking another. That led to him needing 64 pitches to get through three frames, but the overall results were mostly positive as the veteran righty prevented the Phillies from crossing the plate. Stroman struggled early this spring, but he's since bounced back and has a tolerable 4.66 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 7:2 K:BB over 9.2 spring innings. He's a leading candidate to open the season in the Yankees' rotation, due in part to long-term injuries to Gerrit Cole (elbow) and Luis Gil (lat).

Pasquantino went 0-for-3 in Wednesday's spring training loss to the Giants. He's hitting .238 (10-for-42) with two home runs this spring.

Pasquantino is locked in as Kansas City's starting first baseman and No. 3 batter, and it isn't worth looking too closely at his spring numbers. More important than the spring production, the 27-year-old is healthy this spring after suffering a broken thumb that limited him late last season.