MLB Player News

Killian underwent an MRI after exiting a Cactus League appearance Tuesday with right shoulder discomfort, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.

The results of the MRI aren't yet in, but it's certainly a discouraging development for the young right-hander. If healthy, Killian is likely slated for a spot in the Triple-A Iowa rotation, though he could also be an option for the big-league club as a reliever.

Palacios (lower leg) will start in right field and bat leadoff in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Palacios will be making his spring debut after he suffered a lower leg injury early in camp that prompted the Pirates to slow play his entry into the Grapefruit League lineup. After slashing .239/.279/.413 with 10 home runs and five stolen bases across 264 plate appearances with Pittsburgh in 2023, Palacios may need a strong showing in spring to solidify his spot on the Opening Day roster. The lefty-hitting Palacios still has a minor-league option remaining, so the Pirates could choose to send him to Triple-A Indianapolis if he's unable to win a strong-side platoon role with the big club.

Reds manager David Bell said Wednesday that India (foot) is slated to make his Cactus League debut Friday against the Dodgers, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

India has been brought along slowly in the Reds' camp because he still wasn't completely recovered from the plantar fasciitis in his left foot that plagued him last season. It's not clear whether he's 100 percent yet, but he's at least feeling well enough to test out the foot in games. While he has played only second base to this point in his big-league career, India is slated to fill a utility role for Cincinnati this season.

Alzolay (illness) struck out one and worked around a base hit in a scoreless inning of relief Sunday in the Cubs' 5-3 win over the Guardians in Cactus League play.

Alzolay had been in line to make his second appearance of spring training last Friday, but the Cubs scratched him from the pitching schedule after he came down with the illness. The right-hander quickly overcame the ailment, clearing up any lingering concern about his status heading into Opening Day. Though Alzolay paced the Cubs with 22 saves in 2023, he could face competition for save chances from the likes of Hector Neris, who signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the Cubs in January.

Barnes (back) will start at catcher and bat eighth Wednesday in the Dodgers' Cactus League game against the White Sox.

Barnes was scratched from Tuesday's lineup because of a back issue, but he's back behind the plate a day later. The 34-year-old is again slated to be Will Smith's understudy at catcher this season for the Dodgers.

Winn (elbow) has progressed to throwing live batting practice, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.

Winn had to cut a bullpen session short two weeks ago due to right elbow soreness, but he's come along nicely since then. The next step for the righty should be appearing in a Cactus League game, although it's uncertain when exactly that will come. The hope is that Winn can ramp up in time for Opening Day, and if he can, he's expected to be part of the Giants' rotation.

Rosario agreed to a split contract with the Nationals on Wednesday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Alvarez-Montes relays that Rosario can earn up to $4 million if he's on the major-league roster and reaches all of his incentives. The 32-year-old would seem to be a good bet to at least do the former and should receive regular playing time against right-handed pitching between left field and the designated hitter spot. Rosario's addition would seem to be bad news for Jesse Winker's chances of making the Opening Day roster, and could also point to Stone Garrett being used mostly just against left-handers. Rosario slashed .255/.305/.450 with 21 home runs and 74 RBI over 142 games for Atlanta last season.

Fujinami (personal) returned to the Mets' camp this week and is scheduled to appear in relief during Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

The upcoming appearance will mark the spring debut for Fujinami, who signed a one-year deal with the Mets in early February but was a late arrival to camp while he remained in his home country of Japan to attend to a family matter. Since the Mets are likely viewing Fujinami as a one- or two-inning reliever this season, he'll likely need just a handful of appearances in the spring to get fully ramped up for Opening Day.

Olivares is 2-for-18 with four strikeouts in Grapefruit League action.

The Pirates acquired Olivares this winter, and he should have a role in right field with the team in 2024. Exactly how much he'll play is unclear, as the Pirates also have Josh Palacios (leg) and Connor Joe as potential fits at the position. Olivares's spring performance isn't ideal given the competition for playing time, though his adequate 22.2 percent strikeout rate suggests a few more hits could start falling in soon.

Both Taylor and Enrique Hernandez are expected to work as super-utility players for the Dodgers this season, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

When Los Angeles signed Teoscar Hernandez to play left field in January, it closed a door to Taylor nabbing an everyday corner-outfield role. The organization then signed Enrique Hernandez in late February, giving the team another player capable of playing all over the field. While that may cut down on Taylor's opportunities to some extent, manager Dave Roberts has historically found a way to give Taylor fairly regular work, though he did see a drop in his plate appearances to 384 -- his fewest over a full campaign since 2016 -- last season. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect to see Taylor penciled into the lineup on an everyday basis, but he still offers some value in leagues with daily lineup changes due to his positional versatility and ability to notch homers and steals in the mid-teens.