MLB Player News

Sale gave up three hits and a walk over four scoreless innings during Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays. He struck out five.

The veteran southpaw finishes his spring with a 2.79 ERA and 20:5 K:BB through 19.1 innings. Sale's checkered injury history wasn't erased by last year's National League Cy Young Award -- he hasn't worked 25-plus starts in back-to-back seasons since 2018-19 -- but he's shown no hint of a health concern in camp and looks ready to take the bump for Atlanta on Opening Day, just three days before his 36th birthday.

The Marlins reassigned Junk to minor-league camp Saturday.

Junk will finish Grapefruit League play with a 5.23 ERA and 1.06 WHIP alongside a 10:4 K:BB over 10.1 innings. He became a candidate to begin the season in Miami's rotation once Ryan Weathers went down with a forearm injury, but it now seems the Marlins will look elsewhere to fill their fifth rotation slot. Junk will presumably still be stretched out into a starter with Triple-A Jacksonville to provide extra organizational depth, though his fantasy appeal will be minimal if he finds his way back into the big leagues.

The Giants optioned Winn to Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Winn pitched well in the Cactus League, giving up three runs (two earned) with 10 strikeouts in five innings, but not well enough to crack the Giants' Opening Day staff. Kyle Harrison will head down to Sacramento alongside Winn, meaning Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp are the remaining candidates for the fifth spot in San Francisco's rotation.

Encarnacion was diagnosed with a fractured left hand Saturday and is expected to miss at least 4-to-5 weeks, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Encarnacion was originally diagnosed with a jammed finger after making a diving play in Friday's Cactus League game. However, X-rays have since revealed that the 27-year-old suffered a much more significant injury and will presumably need to miss an extended period of time. He had been expected to serve as the Giants' primary DH this season, though that title may now be passed onto Wilmer Flores until Encarnacion recovers.

Wade went 2-for-3 with a home run, three total RBI and a walk in Friday's Cactus League victory against the Cubs.

Wade plated three of San Diego's five runs, laying down an RBI bunt single in the fourth inning and slugging a two-run shot to right field in the sixth. The first of the two hits was more in line with Wade's skill set, as he ranked in the 85th percentile in sprint speed last year and has just seven home runs over eight big-league regular seasons. Wade has a .205/.279/.333 slash line this spring as he competes for a roster spot as a utility man for the Padres.

Vasquez pitched four innings against the Cubs in a Cactus League contest Friday, allowing one run on two hits and no walks while striking out four batters.

Vasquez worked in a piggyback role in the exhibition matchup, entering the game in the sixth frame following Michael King's five scoreless innings. Vasquez finished off the contest by allowing Chicago to score just one run, which came on a solo homer by Moises Ballesteros. The appearance was presumably Vasquez's final one of the spring, in which case he'll finish the Cactus League slate with a 3.38 ERA, 1.88 WHIP and 7:1 K:BB across eight innings. It remains to be seen what Vasquez's role will be to begin the campaign, but he's in the running for one of two open rotation spots along with Stephen Kolek and Kyle Hart.

Horton tossed two scoreless innings in Friday's Cactus League game against the Padres. He allowed a hit and two walks while striking out one.

Horton started a spring training game back on March 8 and got another turn Friday. The 23-year-old pitched at both Double-A and Triple-A last year, and he figures to return to Triple-A Iowa this season for an extended look at that level. If Horton pitches well there, he could push for his MLB debut at some point in the summer, though Chicago would have to open up a spot on its 40-man roster to make room for the young righty. He's an intriguing prospect who would have some fantasy appeal once he makes it to the majors.

King tossed five scoreless innings in a Cactus League start against the Cubs on Friday, allowing one hit and striking out four batters.

In his final spring outing -- and his first since being named San Diego's Opening Day starter -- King was royal on the mound, allowing a single to the first batter he faced and then retiring 15 straight hitters. The righty had an up-and-down spring, but he concluded it on a superb note and finished the exhibition slate with a 3.95 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 13:7 K:BB over 13.2 frames. King's next appearance is slated to take place next Thursday against Atlanta in the Padres' regular-season opener.

The Reds will place Steer (shoulder) on the injured list to start the regular season, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Steer played in a minor-league game Thursday -- his first competitive action of any kind since February -- but it appears he won't have enough time to prepare for Opening Day. He'll most likely head to one of Cincinnati's minor-league affiliates on a rehab assignment to pick up at-bats before rejoining the Reds.

With Jordan Wicks optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Rea appears locked into the fifth spot in the Cubs' rotation.

Wicks was on Chicago's roster for its two-game set against the Dodgers in Tokyo, but he'll head to Triple-A once the domestic regular season gets underway later this month. That should leave Rea as the fifth starter, at least until Javier Assad (oblique) is able to return. Rea should get a boost in fantasy value as a result, though he's probably best used only in favorable matchups as he doesn't offer overpowering stuff. The veteran righty posted a 4.29 ERA and 1.26 WHIP across 27 starts for the Brewers during the 2024 regular season.