MLB Player News

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Thursday that it's now likelier Arenado is the team's Opening Day third baseman than it is he's traded, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Arenado nixed a potential trade to the Astros in December and the Red Sox are no longer a potential landing spot after they signed Alex Bregman. Discussions with Arenado's other approved destinations have beared little fruit, so unless that changes or the player expands his list of teams to which he would approve a trade, it appears the 33-year-old is staying put. The domino effect is likely Nolan Gorman staying at second base, Brendan Donovan primarily playing left field and Lars Nootbaar shifting to center.

Kershaw (toe/knee) said Thursday that he expects to be placed on the 60-day injured list but is hopeful of being ready once those 60 days are up, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Kershaw underwent surgery on both his left knee and left toe during the offseason, but he has passed a physical and his one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Dodgers became official Thursday. The future Hall of Famer has been throwing on flat ground, but it's not clear when he might be ready for mound work. Kershaw will be brought along slowly, which is a luxury the Dodgers can afford given their rotation depth.

The Dodgers placed Ryan (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ryan isn't expected to pitch in 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August. He'll concede his spot on the 40-man roster for Clayton Kershaw (toe), who officially re-signed with Los Angeles on Thursday.

Imaging revealed a strain in Montgomery's left index finger Thursday, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

The Diamondbacks don't seem too concerned about Montgomery's finger, but they'll hold off on having him throw for now and see how he feels in a few days. The 32-year-old southpaw also reported shedding 20 to 25 pounds over the offseason, as he's determined to bounce back from a 2024 campaign that was easily the worst of his career.

Nunez (forearm) does not have any restrictions at the start of camp, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Nunez missed most of the second half and all of the postseason with a right flexor strain, but he touched 96 mph during a Mets-supervised live batting practice session over the winter and is now considered fully healthy. While this certainly qualifies as good news, Nunez should still be considered a bit of a health risk moving forward, given the nature of his previous injury. The 28-year-old was superb for the Mets when on the bump in 2024, collecting a 2.31 ERA and 48:8 K:BB over 35 innings.

Ashcraft (elbow) threw a live batting practice session Thursday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Ashcraft looks to be opening spring training without any restrictions after he didn't pitch after the All-Star break last season due to a right elbow strain. The 27-year-old will be vying for a spot in the Opening Day rotation, but with the Reds adding Brady Singer in the offseason, the team may not have a starting role available for Ashcraft. The right-hander could change minds with a strong showing in spring training, but his track record as a starter over parts of three big-league seasons isn't overly impressive (4.91 ERA, 1.52 WHIP in 328 innings), and his lack of reliable offerings beyond his big fastball and slider could make him a better fit in the bullpen.

Ray (hamstring) completed a bullpen session Thursday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Ray finished the 2024 season on the injured list after straining his hamstring in an Aug. 27 start, but he was able to throw a simulated game in September and seems to have had a normal offseason. Heading into the fourth season of the five-year, $115 million deal he signed with Seattle in November 2021, Ray should have a hold on a rotation spot after he fared well for San Francisco upon completing his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Though he posted a 4.70 ERA over his seven starts for the Giants before being shut down with the hamstring strain, Ray's underlying metrics (21.7 K-BB%, 3.51 SIERA) were more impressive.

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said Thursday that he sees Arraez as the team's first baseman this season, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Manager Mike Shildt also added of Arraez and Jake Cronenworth that "they're everyday guys that'll be on the field," implying that Arraez is expected to be the everyday first baseman rather than the designated hitter. Cronenworth, meanwhile, is expected to settle in at second base. The Padres don't currently have a clear favorite for DH duties, but they could use the spot to rotate players or potentially acquire some help from outside the organization.

Manager Bud Black said Thursday that Sullivan will be behind the Rockies' other pitchers to begin spring training while the left-hander continues to recover from hip surgery, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.

It's unclear when Sullivan had surgery, but it was presumably at some point over the winter, as he finished last season on Double-A Hartford's active roster. Sullivan was excellent over his seven starts with Hartford (1.97 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 24:7 K:BB in 32 innings), and his efforts earned him his first invitation to big-league camp as a non-roster invitee. Once he's fully ramped up, Sullivan will likely open the 2025 season with either Hartford or Triple-A Albuquerque.

Rockies manager Bud Black said Thursday that Gilbreath (shoulder) has been fully cleared for spring training, Patrick Lyons of JustBaseball.com reports.

Gilbreath didn't make his 2024 debut for the Rockies until mid-August after he completed his recovery from his March 2023 Tommy John surgery, and he made just three appearances before going back on the injured list Aug. 26 due to left shoulder inflammation. The southpaw seems to have moved past the injury over the offseason and will now work to solidify his spot in the Rockies' Opening Day bullpen during spring training. Gilbreath is likely to serve in a middle-relief role if he makes the club.