MLB Player News

The Astros optioned Gordon to Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Gordon should get the opportunity to make his MLB debut at some point in 2025, but he'll begin the season in the minors after losing out in the spring competition for the Astros' No. 5 starter role. Hayden Wesneski now profiles as the leading candidate for the final spot in the Opening Day rotation, though Gordon made a decent push for the gig after giving up five runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven over seven innings across his three Grapefruit League starts.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that Smith will play right field in a Grapefruit League game soon, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Smith is a natural third baseman and his long-term home is probably still at the hot corner, but he did see a little action in left field during the Cape Cod League in 2023. The 22-year-old has wowed the Astros this spring, going 8-for-13 with two home runs and a 2:5 K:BB. While a spot on the Opening Day roster for Smith is probably still a long shot, it does seem as though he'll debut sooner rather than later, and showing comfortability in the outfield could speed up that timetable.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that Crawford (knee) is feeling better but has not progressed with his baseball activities, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

Crawford will not be ready for Opening Day as he battles patellar tendon soreness and things look to be trending toward longer than a minimum stay on the 15-day injured list. Brayan Bello (shoulder) is also expected to begin the year on the IL but appears likely to rejoin Boston's rotation before Crawford.

Manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that Giolito (elbow) will make 2025 debut in Baltimore during Boston's second series of the regular season, which runs from March 31 to April 3, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Boston is opening its season with a four-game set in Texas, so Giolito will presumably take the hill when a fifth starter is first needed March 31. Giolito missed the entire 2024 season after requiring an internal brace procedure last March to address a torn UCL, but he was fully cleared in advance of spring training. After completing a series of live sessions without issue, Giolito will make his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday versus the Phillies and will likely make another two starts after that during spring training to get stretched out in advance of the season.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that Devers (shoulders) is now slated to make his Grapefruit League debut Saturday versus Atlanta, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

The initial plan called for Devers to make his spring debut March 5, but that's now been pushed back twice. Instead, he will face Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler on the back fields on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, before making his first official game appearance Saturday. That gives Devers just over a week's worth of games to get ready for Opening Day. The Red Sox have not indicated any worry about how Devers is doing physically following last year's shoulder problems, pointing to him simply working on getting his timing down. Still, it's an atypical situation that raises red flags.

Thompson leads the Red Sox this spring with a .391 average and six home runs over 11 games.

Thompson, who is in camp as a non-roster invitee, is doing his best to make the team, although there isn't an obvious path. At the time Thompson was signed in February, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told him to be "on time" with his swing, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. Cora said he'll keep putting Thompson in the spring lineup and see what happens. The 33-year-old outfielder could end up serving as a short-term replacement for Wilyer Abreu, who may not be ready for Opening Day after a gastrointestinal virus caused him to lost a significant amount of weight this spring.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that Bello (shoulder) will not be ready for Opening Day but is expected back sometime in April, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Cora confirmed that Bello will require a stint on the injured list due to right shoulder soreness, which cropped up at the start of camp. Bello has been throwing off a mound since the beginning of March and is trending in a good direction, but he simply needs more time to build up. Quinn Priester or Richard Fitts is expected to fill Bello's rotation spot to begin the season.

Duran is not included on the latest Opening Day roster projection compiled by Kennedi Landry of MLB.com.

Duran's path to a roster spot would be as a utility player and appears to be blocked by Josh Smith and Kevin Pillar. Duran's 2024 struggles at the plate have carried over this spring; he's batting .118 (2-for-17) and is hitless over his last 12 at-bats.

Rocker pitched in an intrasquad game on the backfields Saturday and tossed three hitless innings, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Rocker did issue one walk and hit a batter, but the right-hander was pleased with the progress made after allowing eight runs in his first two Cactus League innings. "That was better," Rocker said. "A lot better. That's what we needed. I was able to take a step back and work on the process and try to find the results." Texas general manager Chris Young said the 25-year-old Rocker is medically fine after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery in 2023, and that the issues early this spring were fixable mechanical things, something he did in the team's pitching lab. It's not yet clear when Rocker will throw next in a live game.

Lively scattered three hits and one walk while striking out three over four scoreless innings in Monday's Cactus League start against the Royals.

Lively strengthened his case for a spot in the rotation during his third Cactus League start against a lineup with several Kansas City regulars. He's allowed just one run over nine spring innings. The right-hander won't blow away many hitters, but he doesn't hurt himself with walks. The key will be locating and preventing the long ball. He's penciled in as one of the five members of the rotation in the latest roster projection offered by Mandy Bell and Tim Stebbins of MLB.com.