MLB Player News

Loftin was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's Cactus League game against the Padres due to right wrist soreness.

Loftin was penciled to bat fifth as the designated hitter but will instead sit out at least one game due to the wrist injury. The 26-year-old is competing for a utility role in spring training after he posted a .518 OPS in 57 regular-season games last year.

Giolito (elbow) is tracking toward making his first Grapefruit League start March 11 versus the Phillies, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

After spending the entire 2024 season on the shelf while recovering from an internal brace procedure, Giolito has been behind Boston's healthy starters in spring training but has been active throughout camp. He's been able to complete multiple simulated games and will face hitters once more in a controlled setting Thursday before making his spring debut the following week. Barring any setbacks while building up during spring training, Giolito should have an inside track on an Opening Day rotation spot.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Sunday that Henderson (side) is improving but is still a few days away from resuming baseball activities, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Henderson is still tending to a sore lower right side, which he tweaked in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against Toronto. The Orioles are hoping that a few more days of rest will be enough for Henderson to overcome the issue, though his return to the spring lineup still may be a week away or longer.

Westburg (back) took some swings in the batting cage Sunday, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

The 25-year-old has been battling a sore back over the past week but has returned to light hitting and throwing over the past couple days. Assuming he's able to continue ramping up his baseball activities over the next few days, Westburg could return to game action before the end of the week.

The Angels optioned Mederos to Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday.

Mederos is entering his third season as a member of the Angels' 40-man roster, but he made just seven total appearances at the big-league level between the 2023 and 2024 campaigns and was facing an uphill battle to win a spot on the Opening Day roster. All seven of his big-league outings have come in relief, but the 23-year-old righty will likely work out of the rotation at Salt Lake to begin the upcoming season.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Kittredge experienced left knee soreness while warming up in the bullpen prior to Saturday's 5-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Kittredge had been scheduled to make a relief appearance Saturday, but the knee issue prompted the Orioles to scrap those plans. Hyde categorized Kittredge's sore knee as a day-to-day concern, so the expectation is that the right-hander will be ready to go for Opening Day. After turning in a 2.80 ERA and collecting 37 holds over 70.2 innings with St. Louis in 2024 before signing a one-year, $10 million deal in the offseason, Kittredge is primed to handle a key late-inning role for Baltimore.

O'Neill (illness) rejoined the Orioles in camp Sunday and is expected to play in Monday's spring game against the Red Sox, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

O'Neill briefly stepped away from the team due to an illness but won't end up missing much time. The 29-year-old inked a three-year, $49.5 million contract with Baltimore in December and will be a key outfield piece after clubbing 31 homers for Boston last year.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that he's hopeful that Bautista (elbow) will make his Grapefruit League debut Monday versus the Red Sox, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

The Orioles will presumably wait and see how Bautista bounces back from his latest throwing session before locking him into Monday's pitching schedule, but up to this point, the right-hander has seemingly responded well to all of the bullpen and live batting practice sessions he's logged thus far in spring. Assuming he gets the green light to pitch Monday, Bautista will be making his first appearance in a game since August 2023, after he missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Now nearly 17 months removed from the procedure, Bautista should be on track to open the season as the Orioles' closer, provided he makes it through his spring appearances with no complications. Before suffering the elbow injury in 2023, Bautista had been one of baseball's top closers that season, turning in a 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 110:26 K:BB while notching 33 saves in 39 chances over 61 innings.

DeGrom threw live batting practice Saturday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. "He looked good," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He looked like Jacob; the stuff, everything. He felt good. I think he came out of it fine."

DeGrom threw 25 pitches (14 strikes) in his first live BP session of spring. One person on hand estimated he was throwing at about 80-to-90 percent. The 36-year-old deGrom is looking for his first full healthy season since 2020; he's made just 35 starts over the last four seasons. Despite what has been a deliberate pace in deGrom's ramp-up, Bochy expects the pitcher to be ready when the regular season begins. He'll make his first spring start this coming Friday.

Manager Brandon Hyde said Saturday that Suarez is currently positioned as Baltimore's No. 6 starting pitcher, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander is a strong bet to make the Opening Day roster since he's out of minor-league options, but he could be headed to the bullpen rather than the starting rotation. The Orioles have Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Charlie Morton, Dean Kremer and Tomoyuki Sugano poised to begin the campaign as their five-man unit, with Cade Povich coming in at the No. 7 spot. Suarez started in 24 of his 32 regular-season appearances last season and is on track to work as a swingman again in 2025.