MLB Player News

Mears (illness) will make an appearance in a minor-league game with Double-A Biloxi on Monday.

Mears will close out spring training having made his last Cactus League appearance March 5, but the fact that he's pitching in minor-league games suggests that he likely won't be ticketed for a lengthy stint on the injured list to begin the season. The right-hander missed out on a spot on Milwaukee's Opening Day roster after falling victim to a stomach bug earlier this month that resulted in him losing nearly 10 pounds and missing several workouts.

Wade is not expected to be included on the Padres' Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Wade posted a .524 OPS for the Padres last season and had just a .641 OPS this spring. The utility player is out of minor-league options, so he will have to be traded or go through the waivers process.

Rosario is not expected to be included on the Padres' Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

The utility player had been in the running for a reserve role but didn't wind up making the cut. Rosario is out of minor-league options, so he will either have to be traded or placed on waivers.

Gonzalez will not be included on the Padres' Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Gonzalez played his way into consideration as a non-roster invitee by putting up a .995 OPS during Cactus League play, but it ultimately wasn't enough. He will be reassigned to minor-league camp and open the season at Triple-A El Paso, assuming he isn't able to find a major-league job elsewhere.

Turang (shoulder) will play in a minor-league game Monday and is considered a "full go" for the Brewers' season opener Thursday versus the Yankees, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Though they'll be playing the Rockies on Monday in their Cactus League finale, the Brewers sent Turang to the minor-league camp for the day so that he can stockpile competitive at-bats in a more uncontrolled game setting. Turang had missed more than a week of Cactus League action before he returned to the lineup Sunday as a designated hitter, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. It's not clear if Turang will be playing the field at minor-league camp Monday, but the expectation is that he'll be in the lineup at second base Thursday.

McCoy is not projected to make the Padres' Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

McCoy was added to the 40-man roster over the weekend, but he has minor-league options remaining and the Padres will use one to send him to Triple-A El Paso. He will provide utility depth in the minors.

Joe is not expected to make the Padres' Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Yuli Gurriel and Brandon Lockridge have made the team, squeezing Joe out of a job. Joe has minor-league options remaining, so he will begin the season at Triple-A El Paso.

Little (lat) struck out two and scattered three hits over 1.1 scoreless innings in his Cactus League appearance Friday versus the Padres.

Little suffered a season-ending left lat strain last July and was eased along slowly in spring training, as he didn't make any appearances before the Cubs opened their campaign with a two-game set versus the Dodgers in Tokyo last week. The Cubs had already optioned Little to Triple-A Iowa on March 7, and his ability to make his spring debut Friday suggests that he'll likely avoid a stint on Iowa's injured list to begin the season. Little remains a member of the Cubs' 40-man roster and should have a good chance at surfacing in the big-league bullpen at some point in 2025.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Monday that Painter will begin pitching in extended spring training games in a couple weeks, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Painter is considered healthy, but the Phillies slow-played him this spring after he missed nearly all of the last two seasons due to Tommy John surgery in July 2023. He will build up in extended spring training games and eventually the minors before becoming an option to join the Phillies' rotation around midseason.

Birdsong has made the Giants' Opening Day roster, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Birdsong has been in a battle with Landen Roupp for the final spot in the Giants' rotation, and while the team has yet to confirm it, it appears Birdsong will break camp as the fifth starter and Roupp will be used in the bullpen. The 23-year-old Birdsong earned the spot following a fantastic Cactus League showing that saw him allow just one run with an 18:0 K:BB over 12 innings of work.