MLB Player News

Rodriguez will make his next start Wednesday on a back field, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports

Rodriguez tossed 3.2 dominant innings against the Reds on Friday, and the decision to hold him out of Cactus League competition for his next start does not indicate anything other than a scheduling issue. The club plans to start Jordan Montgomery on Wednesday, so Rodriguez will get his work in while maintaining his five-day schedule.

Burnes allowed one run on four hits and struck out four over four-plus innings in Saturday's spring start against the White Sox.

He struck out the side in the first en route to retiring the first six batters he faced, and Burnes pitched into the fifth inning before being removed after 64 pitches (42 strikes) following a leadoff single. He owns a 1.35 ERA with 17 strikeouts over 13.1 spring innings. Those results -- and the contract Burnes signed during the offseason -- put him in line to start Opening Day, but Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo has yet to decide between Burnes and Zac Gallen, per Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports. The manager said the league is after him to name a starter and he needs to get back to them, but he wants "to be as thorough as possible." Arizona is set to host the Cubs in their March 27 opener.

Manager Dave Roberts said that Betts "showed some fatigue" during pre-game workouts for Sunday's exhibition against the Hanshin Tigers and later added, "We're really trying to mindful not just of Opening Day but not putting him in harm's way...not putting him in a position where he potentially could get hurt," Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Betts is scheduled to work out again Monday and be re-evaluated, and he may not be available for Tuesday's season opener against the Cubs in Tokyo unless he shows significant improvement. The 32-year-old has been battling an illness over the past week and lost some weight, so it could take a few days for him to regain the strength necessary to be cleared for game action.

The Reds reassigned Shaw to minor-league camp on Saturday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Shaw signed an NRI deal with the Reds in December after appearing in five games for the White Sox during the 2024 regular season, during which he allowed four earned runs across four frames. He logged a 4.05 ERA in spring training, but he allowed eight walks while striking out seven and will begin the 2025 campaign in Triple-A, though he could return to the majors if the Reds need to bolster their bullpen.

Vasquez may be one of two finalists for San Diego's fifth-starter role, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

For most of spring training, Vasquez, Matt Waldron, Kyle Hart and Stephen Kolek have been battling for the job as the Padres' fifth starter. However, Waldron is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day due to a recent oblique injury, and Hart may not be built up in time for the start of the regular season after having his progression temporarily paused due to the flu. That may leave Vasquez and Kolek as the final two candidates for the team's final rotation spot. Vasquez has a clear edge in terms of starting experience after starting in all 20 of his outings with the Padres last season, while Kolek came out of the bullpen for all 42 of his appearances. Vasquez also impressed with five scoreless frames in a Triple-A start Friday, but Kolek has opened eyes this spring by allowing just one run over nine frames and averaging a mere 12 pitches per inning.

Kolek may be one of two finalists to open the season as San Diego's fifth starter, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Kolek, Kyle Hart, Randy Vasquez and Matt Waldron have been battling for the Padres' final rotation spot for most of spring training, but Waldron recently suffered an oblique injury that will probably prevent him from being ready for Opening Day, and Hart had his throwing progression temporarily stalled due to the flu. That could leave Kolek and Vasquez as the finalists for a rotation role, and Kolek has looked slightly better in Cactus League action this far. Over nine innings spanning three appearances, Kolek has given up just one run while posting a 5:1 K:BB, while Vasquez has surrendered two runs over four frames with a 4:0 K:BB. However, Vasquez has the edge in terms of starting experience -- he started 20 games for San Diego last season, while Kolek came out of the bullpen for all 42 of his appearances.

Hart's lack of game action so far this spring may lessen his chance of beginning the regular season as San Diego's fifth starter, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union Tribune reports.

Hart has pitched in only one Cactus League game so far, and he got in just two innings (without allowing a run) before the contest was stopped due to rain. He then came down with the flu, which temporarily delayed his progression. The left-hander is scheduled to start Sunday against the Angels, and he could get in two more appearances after that, so it's not out of the question that Hart will be able to build up enough to win a job in the rotation. However, manager Mike Shildt recently acknowledged that the Padres haven't had much of a chance to evaluate Hart -- who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2020 and played last year in Korea -- for a rotation role, saying, "We're not as familiar with him, but we like what we've seen. Unfortunately for him, he had a little bit of illness that set him back in his progression, but he can be in a progression to take that role. Just haven't had as much time to evaluate him." If Hart ends up not being able to make the Opening Day rotation, Stephen Kolek and Randy Vasquez would be the leading candidates to begin the campaign as San Diego's fifth starter.

Manager Pat Murphy told reporters Saturday that his decision to take Turang (shoulder) out of the lineup against the Athletics was done as a precaution, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Medical staff had cleared Turang to play Saturday, but Murphy wanted to give the 25-year-old some additional time to recover from right shoulder fatigue. It remains to be seen whether Turang will play in Sunday's spring game against Cleveland, but he doesn't appear to be in serious jeopardy of missing Opening Day.

Estrada was pulled from Saturday's Cactus League game against the White Sox after getting hit in the head, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

The second baseman was hit in the head by Michael Taylor's foot while tagging him out at second base in the fourth frame. Estrada was able to finish the half-inning but was replaced by a pinch hitter in the fifth. Manager Bud Black said the incident shook Estrada up quite a bit, but his removal was precautionary, and he likely won't need to miss much time.

Myers told reporters after Saturday's spring game against the Angels that he will undergo imaging Sunday to determine the severity of his left oblique injury, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Myers was removed from Saturday's game after feeling discomfort in his left oblique. He appeared optimistic that he avoided serious injury, though manager Pat Murphy relayed that he expects the 26-year-old right hander to miss some time, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Imaging will determine the severity of the injury and provide Myers a better idea of his recovery timeline, but he seems to be in jeopardy of starting the regular season on the injured list.