MLB Player News

Manager Bud Black announced Sunday that Freeland will start Opening Day against the Rays on March 28, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

The left-hander is one of Colorado's longest-tenured players and will take the mound in the season opener after posting a 5.24 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 85:26 K:BB across 113.1 innings last year. Freeland has pitched well in spring training with three earned runs allowed and an 11:1 K:BB over 9.2 frames.

Lee is out of the Giants' Cactus League lineup Sunday due to back discomfort, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The back issue surfaced Saturday after Lee apparently slept wrong, and he'll need a few days to get back to full strength. The issue isn't believed to be serious, so the 26-year-old could still be ready to go for Opening Day on March 27.

Atlanta reassigned Marisnick to minor-league camp Sunday.

The journeyman outfielder signed as a non-roster invitee in February and went just 4-for-27 with nine strikeouts in 13 games during spring training. Marisnick didn't play in the majors last season and is likely to spend most of 2025 back in the minors.

The Reds assigned Young to minor-league camp Sunday.

Young signed a minor-league contract with the Reds in January after being non-tendered by the Mets in late November. He gave up six runs on six hits and one walk while striking out five across three innings in spring training, and the 31-year-old southpaw will look to regain his form in the minors, likely with Triple-A Louisville.

Kepler (undisclosed) was removed from Sunday's game against the Orioles, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Kepler collided with the wall in left field while making a catch. He was able to jog off the field under his own power but was replaced by Christian Arroyo at the top of the second frame. Kepler's removal from Sunday's game is likely out of precaution, but he'll undergo further testing.

Atlanta assigned Casali to minor-league camp Sunday.

Casali was brought in by Atlanta on a minor-league deal in January after appearing in 41 regular-season games for the Giants in 2024. Even with Sean Murphy rehabbing from a fractured rib on his left side, Casali will start the 2025 campaign in Triple-A, leaving Drake Baldwin, Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon to battle for catching duties to begin the campaign.

Atlanta reassigned Farmer to minor-league camp Sunday.

The right-hander joined the club as a non-roster invitee in February and appeared to have a good chance of making the Opening Day roster, but his four runs allowed and 8:4 K:BB over 5.2 spring innings apparently weren't good enough. Assuming Farmer doesn't receive big-league interest from another organization, he'll likely begin the campaign at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Atlanta assigned Diekman to minor-league camp Sunday.

Diekman signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta in February after appearing in 43 regular-season games for the Mets in 2024 with a 5.63 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. He opened spring training with five scoreless outings but gave up four earned runs over his last two appearances. The 38-year-old southpaw will likely be dispatched to Triple-A Gwinnett but could see major-league action at some point in 2025.

Spiers appears to be behind Andrew Abbott for the Reds' fifth starter's job, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Abbott started the spring a little bit behind because of a left shoulder issue, and he still hasn't pitched in a big-league spring training game. He did toss two innings in a minor-league game however, and with the Reds not immediately needing a fifth starter to begin the season, the team seems willing to wait for him to get stretched out. To his credit, Spiers hasn't pitched poorly in camp, posting an 8:2 K:BB over five Cactus League innings without giving up a homer -- something that was an issue for the right-hander in 2024, when he served up 20 long balls in only 90.2 MLB innings.

Abbott appears to be the favorite to win the Reds' fifth starter job, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

The southpaw has yet to in a major-league spring training game this season, but the Reds won't need a fifth starter right away so Abbott's incumbency advantage still weighs heavily. That said, his edge is pretty precarious. "If there's a hiccup -- even not just him but weather-wise -- it could derail that first day," manager Terry Francona said. Graham Ashcraft and Carson Spiers are also still vying for the job.