MLB Player News

Pfaadt was unable to get out of the second inning in his second spring start Wednesday, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports. He allowed three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out two over 1.1 innings.

Pfaadt elevated his pitch count to 46, even if the results weren't pretty. The right-hander's outing was the first in a line of starters battling for the Diamondbacks' final rotation spot -- Ryne Nelson will pitch Thursday, and Jordan Montgomery (finger) is scheduled for his spring debut Friday. If Pfaadt had a lock on a rotation spot, then Wednesday's performance could be chalked up to a pitcher just getting his work in, but instead his numbers will get measured against his competition.

Nelson allowed one run on three hits while striking out three over 2.1 innings in Thursday's spring start against the Guardians.

Nelson toed the rubber for a second Cactus League start and worked up to 51 pitches (30 strikes). The battle for the final rotation spot kicked into high gear this week. Nelson followed Brandon Pfaadt, who started Wednesday, and Jordan Montgomery (finger) will make his spring debut Friday in what is expected to be a multi-inning relief appearance.

Montgomery (finger) will follow starter Zac Gallen in Friday's spring game against the Angels, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.

Montgomery will be making his Cactus League debut but will be used as a reliever. Despite the bullpen role Friday, Montgomery is still in the mix for Arizona's final rotation spot, along with Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo believes the left-handed Montgomery will be ready for the start of the regular season despite his delayed start to spring games.

Yastrzemski went 2-for-2 with a home run Thursday for his second homer of the spring. He's likely to platoon with Luis Matos in right field to begin the season, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Yastrzemski hit eighth in the likely Opening Day lineup that the Giants used Thursday. The veteran outfielder clubbed 18 homers with 57 RBI and 60 runs to go along with a .231/.302/.437 slash line in 140 games last season.

Matos is the front-runner for the fourth outfielder role and is likely to platoon with Mike Yastrzemski, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Matos is hitting .308 (8-for-26) with a home run in ten games this spring. Matos would be in the weak side of the platoon and face lefties. He hit 14 home runs with a .779 OPS at Triple-A last season, but he struggled with a .584 OPS in 45 games in the majors. At age 23, he may finally be finding his footing against big-league pitching this spring, though there's no guarantee that carries over to the regular season.

Chapman batted cleanup and went 2-for-3 with two home runs in Thursday's Cactus League win over the White Sox. He's hitting .462 (6-for-13) this spring with three home runs.

The Giants used their expected starting lineup in the game, so Chapman looks set to hit behind No. 3 hitter Jung Hoo Lee. Chapman had a bounce-back season last year with 27 home runs and a .791 OPS in his first campaign with the Giants.

Barco was reassigned to minor-league camp Thursday.

The Pirates' top left-handed pitching prospect, Barco made two appearances in Grapefruit League play this spring, allowing four hits, two walks and four earned runs across 2.2 innings, striking out one. Barco advanced to Double-A last season before his 2024 campaign was cut short in July due to a leg injury. He entered spring training healthy and figures to open the year back in Double-A.

Brown allowed three runs on four hits across 3.2 innings in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Royals. He struck out five.

Brown picked up the start when Justin Steele (illness) was scratched before the contest. Brown is competing as a starter this spring, and while the righty has tallied nine strikeouts in just eight innings so far in Cactus League play, he's also allowed six runs on a whopping 13 hits. The 25-year-old will have to be a bit sharper if he wants to earn a rotation spot. Brown will still likely begin the year in the bullpen, though he could pick up some starts down the road if he performs well in a relief role.

Chandler was reassigned to minor-league camp Thursday.

Chandler entered spring training with a shot at winning a spot in the Pirates' Opening Day rotation, but he appears destined to open the 2025 season in the minors. Pittsburgh's top pitching prospect, Chandler made three appearances this spring, allowing five earned runs on four walks and three hits across 2.1 innings, while striking out a pair. Chandler seems likely to make his MLB debut at some point this year.

Collier, who got reassigned to the Reds' minor-league camp Wednesday, tweaked his thumb last weekend and might be sidelined for a while, Dave Clark of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Collier was scheduled for further evaluations Thursday. He finished 2024 at High-A Dayton and had a .798 OPS in 119 games, and it hasn't been decided yet whether he'll return there or move up to Double-A Chattanooga.