MLB Player News

Gonzales is expected to serve as the Pirates' primary second baseman in 2025, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Gonzales got his first prolonged look in the majors in 2024 and held his own by posting a 94 wRC+ and .709 OPS. That performance combined with his prospect pedigree sets him up as a key contributor for the 2025 season, with the majority of his playing time likely coming at second base. Across 28 plate appearances this spring, Gonzales has struck out only 14.3 percent of the time, though that's also come with just two extra-base hits.

Falter is projected to begin the season in the Pirates' rotation, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Falter's role was precarious after Andrew Heaney was signed, though Bubba Chandler was since reassigned to Triple-A and Johan Oviedo (lat) placed on the 60-day injured list. That should keep Falter in the rotation to begin the campaign. In two spring starts, he has allowed two earned runs across 4.2 innings with a 7:3 K:BB.

The Cardinals optioned Roby to Double-A Springfield on Wednesday.

Roby had a nice showing this spring, allowing four runs (three earned) with a 10:2 K:BB over nine innings of work. He was never going to make the Opening Day roster, though, after another injury-shortened season in 2024. Roby has some of the best stuff among the Cardinals' pitching prospects but has totaled only 96.2 innings over the last two seasons because of arm problems.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez said that Abrams was lifted from Wednesday's spring contest versus the Astros due to cramping in both quads but is scheduled to return to the lineup Thursday against the Rays, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Abrams' quads cramped up following a leadoff triple in the first inning Wednesday, but he's going to be fine. The young shortstop is 9-for-30 with a home run in 10 Grapefruit League games this spring.

Rosario was a late scratch from the lineup for Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros after his knee "didn't feel right" while taking part in defensive drills prior to the contest, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Shortly before first pitch, the Nationals pulled Rosario from the lineup in favor of Cayden Wallace, who started at second base and batted eighth. Rosario suggested that the knee injury was minor, noting that he would have been able to play if it was a regular-season game.

Winn went 0-for-3 with one strikeout in Wednesday's game versus the Mets and is now hitting .094 with a 10:3 K:BB this spring.

Winn struggled last year in Grapefruit League play, too, with a .638 OPS and no home runs, before going on to have a solid rookie season in which he had 15 homers and 11 steals with a .730 OPS. He has batted leadoff in every one of his starts this spring and appears poised to hit at the top of the order for the Cardinals on Opening Day.

Mikolas limited the Mets to one run on five hits and one walk over five innings Wednesday in Grapefruit League action.

Mikolas was facing a Mets lineup that featured most of their regulars, and he put together a solid effort, getting his pitch count up to 73 and limiting the damage to just an RBI single from Francisco Lindor in his final inning of work. The 36-year-old righty has made at least 32 starts in three straight seasons, but over the last two years his ERA sits at an unsightly 5.04. He is guaranteed a spot in the Cardinals' Opening Day rotation.

Ramos went 1-for-3 with a double in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Athletics in Cactus League play, and he is making a case to hit leadoff against lefties during the regular season, Shayna Rubin of the San Fransisco Chronicle reports.

Ramos hit leadoff against southpaw Jeffrey Springs in Tuesday's win, and he crushed lefties in 2024 with a .370/.439/.750 slash line and 10 homers in 123 at-bats. "Look at his numbers last year against lefty pitching and he's inspired to do it, too," manager Bob Melvin said. "We'll see where it goes." The 25-year-old outfielder is hitting .231 in 13 at-bats in Cactus League play, and he has also recorded two stolen bases. Ramos is slated to serve as the club's everyday left fielder in 2025 after a successful 2024 campaign, during which he finished with a .269/.322/.469 slash line, 22 home runs and six steals over 121 outings.

Birdsong has a 2.89 ERA and a 13:1 K:BB this spring, including an outing against minor leaguers that doesn't count toward his Cactus League stats, and he is in the mix for a rotation spot, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

It seemed like Birdsong would be behind Kyle Harrison and maybe even Landen Roupp in the competition for the fifth starter's spot, but Birdsong has pitched well enough to keep his name in the mix. In fact, Birdsong was so efficient in his most recent appearance Monday, throwing 45 pitches over three scoreless innings, that he went back out to the bullpen to keep throwing in order to meet his pitch count requirement, per delos Santos. Birdsong threw 129.1 innings last season, significantly more than Roupp (76.2 innings) and also more than Harrison (124.1 innings), and is up over 10 unofficial innings this spring, so he won't miss out on the rotation due to any any durability concerns. Birdsong's control was poor in 2024, particularly in the majors (13.7 BB%), but if he has indeed taken a step forward in that aspect of his game, he could be in for a breakout 2025 season.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday that Graveman has experienced more back tightness following Tuesday's live batting practice session, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Graveman appeared to have turned a corner in his recovery from the back issue, but now he's encountered a setback. The veteran reliever has not yet appeared in a Cactus League game after missing the entirety of the 2024 season following shoulder surgery. Graveman's availability for Opening Day is very much in question.