MLB Player News

The Reds optioned Phillips to Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Phillips has a 5:3 K:BB over six scoreless innings this spring but nonetheless finds himself sent to minor-league camp. The talented 22-year-old could still wind up making a decent number of starts for the Reds this season, but there are currently others ahead of him in the pecking order.

Gore allowed one run on two hits and three walks over 5.2 innings during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets. He struck out two.

Fatigue may have played a factor in the walk total, as Gore didn't issue his first free pass until the fourth inning, at which point he walked Pete Alonso, Ji-Man Choi and Starling Marte to load the bases before escaping the jam with a double play. Control remains the biggest obstacle between the 25-year-old lefty and a breakout campaign after he posted a 25.9 percent strikeout rate against a 9.8 percent walk rate in 2023, and Gore's 9:4 K:BB through 10.2 spring innings suggests he may still have some work to do in that area.

Miley (shoulder) will throw a simulated game Wednesday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

The left-hander got through a 30-pitch bullpen session Monday and will now progress to facing hitters. Miley hasn't made any Cactus League appearances because of left shoulder soreness but hasn't yet been ruled out for Opening Day.

Quintana allowed two hits and a walk over four scoreless innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals. He struck out two.

Facing a Washington lineup that included CJ Abrams, Lane Thomas and Joey Gallo, Quintana cruised through another sharp spring outing. The veteran southpaw has a 9:4 K:BB through 8.2 Grapefruit League innings as he prepares for an Opening Day assignment in the absence of Kodai Senga (shoulder). Quintana didn't make his 2023 debut until July 20 due to rib surgery but pitched well in the second half, posting a 3.57 ERA and 1.31 WHIP over 75.2 innings.

Schwarber was scratched from the Phillies' Grapefruit League lineup Wednesday against the Tigers due to right groin tightness, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

It's not clear when the injury popped up for the slugger, but the Phillies are referring to him as day-to-day. Schwarber had been slated to serve as the designated hitter Wednesday, which is the slot he's expected to occupy most often this season.

Garcia is batting .179 (5-for-28) through 10 Grapefruit League games with one double and a 2:10 BB:K.

After an injury-plagued 2023 that saw him play only 37 games and stumble to a .185/.241/.315 slash line with a 33.6 percent strikeout rate, Garcia came into camp healthy this spring but hasn't shown any kind of noticeable improvement at the plate. The Marlins are likely hoping the 32-year-old can regain the form that saw him slug 29 homers for the Brewers in 2021 and replace Jorge Soler in their DH slot, but at this point Garcia's looking like little more than a dart throw for fantasy purposes. With two years and $24 million left on his contract though, Miami isn't likely to cut bait on him completely just yet.

De La Cruz is batting .208 (5-for-24) through nine Grapefruit League games with two doubles and a 0:3 BB:K.

The 27-year-old outfielder has made some hard contact, but overall he hasn't quite locked things in at the plate this spring. De La Cruz set career highs with 19 homers and 78 RBI last season over 153 games while slashing .257/.304/.411, and he's expected to hold down a starting role in left field again for the Marlins in 2024.

Luzardo is focused on pitching deeper into games this season, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

With Sandy Alcantara out for all of 2024 while he recovers from Tommy John surgery, Luzardo is stepping into the role of staff ace for the Marlins, and he's taking the job seriously. "First-pitch strikes are No. 1 probably on his list, and then early outs," manager Skip Schumaker said Tuesday. "We want him to eat up innings. He wants to eat up innings and he wants to be the ace of the staff... He wants to show that he can go deep in games and help out the bullpen and be that guy." Luzardo lasted at least seven innings in only five of his 32 starts last season, although he did produce 17 quality starts, so better pitch efficiency would put less pressure on the Miami bullpen. The 26-year-old southpaw struggled to put away hitters in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, allowing three runs on five hits over 3.1 innings and 67 pitches (45 strikes), but he struck out four without walking a batter and now sports a 12:1 K:BB through 12 spring frames.

Uribe threw one-third of an inning of relief and gave up four earned runs in Tuesday's spring game. He allowed four hits, walked a batter and hit two others.

Tuesday's tough outing may not mean much long-term, but it is worth noting with closer Devin Williams being evaluated for a back injury. Either Uribe or Joel Payamps would likely step in if Williams misses Opening Day, but neither player has been sharp this spring, and that could open the door for other relievers to join the mix.

Contreras went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI in Tuesday's exhibition contest.

Contreras had been a bit quiet after homering in his first appearance of the spring, but he made all kinds of noise Tuesday and now owns a .976 OPS through 10 spring games. The Brewers brought in fellow backstop Gary Sanchez over the offseason, but he will likely see most of his action at the designated hitter spot while Contreras handles the bulk of the starts behind the plate.