MLB Player News

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Moreta is dealing with a ligament injury to his right elbow, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

The hurler is still being evaluated before a decision is made about how to treat the injury, but Tomczyk said Moreta will miss "an extended period of time." The loss of Moreta for any length of time is a big blow to the Pirates bullpen, as he held a 3.72 ERA and 76:24 K:BB across 58 innings in 2023 and had been pegged for a key role again in 2024.

Lodolo (tibia) threw a two-inning simulated game Wednesday and said afterward that his next step is pitching in a Cactus League game, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Lodolo's left tibia still doesn't feel 100 percent after a stress reaction in the leg caused him to miss much of last season. However, the leg doesn't seem to be bothering him to the point where he can't pitch, and the Reds appear content to allow him to ramp up his progression. Lodolo is still far from a safe bet to be ready for Opening Day, but completing a simulated game is certainly a positive step forward.

Marcano (knee) took live at-bats against Joe Musgrove on Saturday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Marcano's ability to face live pitching marks an important milestone in his recovery from the ACL repair surgery he underwent last August, but the 24-year-old utility man is still sporting a brace on his right knee and has yet to be cleared for running. He's likely to open the 2024 season on the 10-day injured list and will presumably require an extended minor-league rehab assignment before being activated.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Wednesday that Jones is among those competing for a spot in the rotation, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Jones has turned heads this spring, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings with a 3:3 K:BB while touching triple digits on the radar gun. The 22-year-old is not on the 40-man roster and held a 4.72 ERA during his time at Triple-A Indianapolis last season, which would seem to make him a long shot for the Opening Day roster on the surface. The Pirates have a couple rotation spots up for grabs, though, so Jones could make the decision difficult if he continues to pitch well.

Happ (hamstring) was able to take part in batting practice Wednesday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Stepping in to face live pitching is a promising sign that Happ is making progress in his recovery from a left hamstring strain, though the real test for the outfielder will come when he starts running the bases at full speed. Though Happ doesn't appear particularly close to drawing back into the Cubs' Cactus League lineup, the team is still optimistic that the 29-year-old will be ready to go by the time Opening Day arrives.

Lodolo (tibia) threw a live batting practice session Wednesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Lodolo saw a specialist and underwent testing Monday as he deals with nagging discomfort in his left tibia. Reds manager David Bell also said the club had been set to meet Wednesday morning to discuss the next steps for the left-hander. What exactly came out of the exam and meeting remains unclear, but it would certainly appear to be a good sign that Lodolo is facing hitters again. The southpaw's status for Opening Day remains very much in question.

Kim will be held out of action until Friday after experiencing back spasms during drills Tuesday, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Acee says Kim was virtually pain-free by Tuesday evening, but he's being held out Wednesday as a precaution and the Padres are off Thursday. Xander Bogaerts slid over to his old position at shortstop to cover for Kim on Wednesday. Kim has had a nice start to Cactus League play, going 6-for-15 with a home run and two stolen bases.

Thomas worked on retooling his swing over the offseason in an effort to create more balance and also separation in activating his hips, shoulders and hands, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Thomas' father and personal hitting coach, Allen, partnered with a trainer named Chad Miller to open a high-tech hitting company named ID Evolution last spring, and Alek revamped his swing this winter while working with the company's staff. While Thomas said his new swing doesn't feel totally natural yet, he's noticing positive results so far this spring. He hit a ball 116 miles per hour against a Triple-A pitcher prior to spring training, which is notable given that his max exit velocity in his two major-league seasons was 111.3 mph. Thomas has slashed just .230/.274/.359 so far in the big leagues, but the 23-year-old is a former top prospect who hit .316/.391/.500 in the minors. Perhaps the new swing will allow him to come closer to realizing his offensive potential.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Hudson "will be in our bullpen," Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Hudson is attending camp as a non-roster invitee, but Roberts' comments imply that the veteran reliever will be added to the 40-man roster and 26-man active roster ahead of the Dodgers' March 20 season opener versus the Padres in South Korea. Though he missed most of the last two seasons with knee issues, Hudson has been healthy thus far in spring training. Hudson hasn't been overly sharp in 3.2 Cactus League innings, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks, but the Dodgers will bet on the veteran right-hander's track record as they include him in their bullpen.

Madrigal underwent a precautionary MRI on his right hamstring Tuesday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Madrigal exited Monday's game versus the Padres with what was deemed a leg cramp, but the Cubs have now specified that he's dealing with a hamstring-related concern. The Cubs are optimistic the injury isn't serious but wanted to put Madrigal through imaging just to be safe, particularly with his history of leg problems. Madrigal is competing for starts at the hot corner for the Cubs.