MLB Player News

Rosario was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Rosario signed a minor-league deal with Los Angeles in February and he'll now likely open the regular season with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The outfielder struggled to a .154 average with two home runs, five RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base over 26 at-bats in 12 games during spring training.

Gonsolin (back) will begin the season on the injured list, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Gonsolin recently injured his back while lifting, and manager Dave Roberts confirmed Tuesday that the right-hander won't be ready for the regular season. Dustin May will claim the fifth spot in the Dodgers' rotation as a result, and there's no guarantee Gonsolin will automatically claim that spot once he's healthy.

Yamamoto will start March 18 against the Cubs in the first game of the Tokyo Series, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Yamamoto worked up to five innings in his final Cactus League start Monday, giving up one run on four hits and a walk while striking out seven batters. His strong finish in camp will give him plenty of momentum leading up to his return to his home country, though he will be tasked with facing a formidable lineup in his 2025 debut. Fellow Japanese-born righty Roki Sasaki will take the mound in Game 2.

Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Sasaki will make his MLB debut March 19 against the Cubs in the second game of the Tokyo Series, Kirsten Watson of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports.

The expectation all spring had been that Sasaki would get to pitch while the Dodgers were in Japan, but it has now been made official. The 23-year-old made his second appearance of the spring Tuesday in Los Angeles' final Cactus League game, allowing just one hit over four shutout innings while striking out two batters and walking two. His first regular-season test will come against a Cubs squad that posted an .868 OPS during spring training.

The Pirates optioned Cheng to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old had a strong showing in big-league camp with a 1.178 OPS in 12 spring games, but he'll begin the campaign at the Triple-A level. Cheng received a promotion to Indianapolis late last season but spent most of the year at Double-A Altoona, where he had a .218/.320/.341 slash line in 126 contests.

The Pirates optioned Valdez to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Valdez joined the Pirates over the offseason in a trade with Boston, but his tenure with the organization will officially begin in the minors. The 26-year-old owns a .686 OPS across 371 career plate appearances, though his ability to play in both the infield and outfield could help his chances at returning to Pittsburgh over the course of the season.

The Pirates optioned Peguero to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Peguero had been among the field battling for a spot on the Pirates' bench to begin the regular season, but going 2-for-15 with a home run in 10 games won't be enough to crack the Opening Day roster. Until the 24-year-old's bat improves, he's likely destined to spend most of his time in Triple-A, though he may be promoted throughout the season to provide Pittsburgh with some fresh legs off the bench.

The Pirates optioned Shugart to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Shugart made five appearances during spring training. He was off to a good start with three consecutive scoreless innings before imploding for five runs in just one-third of an inning against the Pirates back on March 2. The 28-year-old was able to earn a promotion to the big leagues at the end of the 2024 season for Boston, notching a 4.15 ERA over 8.2 innings. The right-hander will have to claw his way back from Triple-A in 2025.

The Pirates optioned Burrows to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Burrows didn't see much success during his time in the Grapefruit League, giving up four earned runs in just five innings while striking out three batters and walking four. That being said, the 25-year-old held his own during his MLB debut last season, so the Pirates may be willing to promote him again in 2025 for spot starts or perhaps a more permanent spot if there are injuries.

The Pirates optioned Ashcraft to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Ashcraft made two appearances for the Pirates this spring, giving up two earned runs on five hits while striking out four batters across 3.2 innings. He'll ultimately miss out on Pittsburgh's Opening Day rotation, but if the 25-year-old righty can put up a number anything close to the 0.44 ERA he logged over 20.1 frames in Indianapolis last year, he could be on track to debut sometime in 2025.