MLB Player News

Berti got the start at third base and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.

Batting leadoff, Berti drew a free pass off a tiring Jose Quintana in the fifth inning, advanced to third on a Dane Myers single and came around to score on a Jesus Sanchez groundout. Berti has seen most of his action this spring at the hot corner but has also played shortstop for a few games, batting .250 (7-for-28) with a 3:9 BB:K and one steal in two attempts. The 34-year-old will fill a utility role in the Marlins' infield again this season, and while his 16-for-22 performance on the basepaths in 2023 was disappointing, he did record an average sprint speed in the 95th percentile. A bounce-back performance in the category isn't out of the question after he led the majors with 41 steals in 2022.

Finnegan has been unavailable lately due to back tightness but will throw a bullpen session Monday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Assuming he comes out of Monday's session with no issues, Finnegan will pitch in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals. The right-hander is at the top of the Nationals' bullpen hierarchy but could face some competition for saves from Hunter Harvey.

Garrett (shoulder) threw live batting practice Sunday to Jazz Chisholm and Jake Burger and showed no issues, Paige Leckie of MLB.com reports.

The southpaw sat 90-92 miles per hour with his fastball and gave Chisholm fits with his slider and changeup. Garrett won't be ready for Opening Day, but the shoulder soreness he reported at the beginning of camp appears to be gone, and he can begin to ramp up in earnest. He's expected to miss the first few weeks of the regular season, dealing another blow to a Miami rotation that will be without Sandy Alcantara (elbow) throughout 2024 and could also be down Edward Cabrera (shoulder) and Eury Perez (elbow/finger) to kick off the campaign.

Moreno (back) will start at catcher and bat second in Monday's Cactus League game versus the Athletics, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

The Diamondbacks wound up giving Moreno an additional day to recover from his lower-back tightness, but he's back behind the plate Monday for the first time in a week. Moreno has had a productive spring, going 4-for-17 with one home run and a 2:3 K:BB over seven contests.

The Diamondbacks optioned Walston to Triple-A Reno on Monday.

Walston was dispatched to minor-league camp along with right-handers Slade Cecconi and Corbin Martin after all three pitchers fell short in their bids for spots on Arizona's Opening Day roster. Unlike Cecconi and Martin, Walston has yet to make his MLB debut, but the Diamondbacks saw enough potential in him to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft this winter and add him to their 40-man roster. The 22-year-old southpaw will be returning to Reno, where he posted a 4.52 ERA and 1.57 WHIP over 149.1 innings while pitching mostly in hitter-friendly venues in the Pacific Coast League.

Jimenez struck out one in two-thirds of a scoreless inning of relief during Sunday's split-squad game against the Red Sox.

The right-hander has had a solid spring, giving up only one run with a 6:3 K:BB over 4.2 innings. Jimenez should be one of Atlanta's top setup men from the right side this season in front of closer Raisel Iglesias, and he's got a strong chance of topping the 13 holds he recorded in 2023 over 59 appearances.

The Diamondbacks optioned Martin to Triple-A Reno on Monday.

Martin was slow-played this spring after missing all of last season with a tear in the lat tendon of his right shoulder. He's healthy now and could contribute out of the Diamondbacks' bullpen at some point this season. He'll try to sharpen his command at Reno.

The Diamondbacks reassigned Garlick to minor-league camp Monday.

Unless Garlick's minor-league contract contains an opt-out clause that enables him to pursue an opportunity elsewhere, he's expected to remain in the organization and serve as corner-outfield depth at Triple-A Reno. He logged 30 plate appearances at the big-league level with Minnesota in 2023, slashing .179/.233/.429 with two home runs and four RBI.

The Diamondbacks optioned Cecconi to Triple-A Reno on Monday.

Cecconi's dismissal from big-league camp leaves Ryne Nelson, Tommy Henry and Bryce Jarvis as the likely candidates for the fifth and final spot in Arizona's Opening Day rotation. While making seven appearances (four starts) for the big club in 2023, Cecconi submitted a respectable 4.33 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB in 27 innings. He should open the upcoming season as a member of Reno's rotation and will likely be on the short list for a call-up if Arizona requires a spot starter or a pitcher capable of covering multiple innings out of the bullpen.

Murphy went 1-for-3 in Sunday's split-squad game against the Orioles.

The catcher is batting .286 (6-for-21) this spring, but he has just one double and zero homers among those hits. Power production isn't expected to be an issue for Murphy in 2024 after he set career highs with 21 home runs and 68 RBI last season in his first campaign with Atlanta.