MLB Player News

Henry walked one and struck out one over three hitless and scoreless innings in Wednesday's spring game against Cleveland.

Henry made his second Cactus League appearance, entering the second inning following starter Brandon Pfaadt. The left-handed Henry was equally impressive Wednesday as he was during his scoreless start last week. "The two to three [inning] jump feels like the first real start," Henry said. "Two, you can argue, is kind of still bullpen. Now that third 'up' is your body treating it more like a start." He's in the mix for the Diamondbacks' final rotation spot. Ryne Nelson figures to be the main competitor, but the Diamondbacks are also looking at Slade Cecconi and Bryce Jarvis.

Pfaadt allowed two runs on two hits and one walk over one inning in Wednesday's spring start against the Guardians.

Unlike previous starters making their Cactus League debuts, Pfaadt was only scheduled to throw one inning, per Steve Stockmar of MLB.com. The 25-year-old right-hander said his slider was off but it was good to get the work in. Pfaadt, who was a postseason darling last year, threw a career-high 178.2 total innings in 2023, which may be the reason to control his buildup during camp. Last spring Pfaadt was pitching to earn a roster spot, but this year he's locked into the rotation.

Jones has made two appearances and thrown 2.2 scoreless innings while allowing one hit and two walks while striking out two in Grapefruit League action.

Jones pitched with Triple-A Indianapolis for half of the 2023 season. He struggled a bit at the level, putting up a 4.72 ERA and 1.32 WHIP across 82 innings, though his 99:34 K:BB highlights his potential. Jones is unlikely to make the Opening Day roster after the Pirates made multiple additions to the rotation this offseason, but he will almost certainly make his big-league debut at some point in 2024.

Treinen (shoulder) pitched a scoreless inning in a Cactus League game against the White Sox on Tuesday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter.

This was a significant outing for Treinen, as he didn't pitch in the majors at all last season and hurled just 3.1 minor-league frames after undergoing shoulder surgery in November 2022. The veteran reliever entered in the sixth inning Tuesday and began his outing by giving up a single to Gavin Sheets but rebounded with a punchout and two infield popouts. Treinen's successful outing further puts him on track to be ready for the Dodgers' opening series in Korea that begins March 20.

Priester threw his slider at an average of 88.7 mph in his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Priester reached the majors in 2023, but he struggled to a 7.74 ERA and 1.70 WHIP across 50 innings in Pittsburgh. One notable problem was a dip in velocity, something he aimed to change by reworking his delivery this offseason. The early returns were positive, as his slider velocity ticked up 3.2 mph compared to the 2023 campaign. The movement on the pitch also changed and now resembles more of a cutter than a slider. Priester is competing for a back-end rotation spot this spring and turned in two perfect innings with one strikeout Wednesday against the Tigers.

Yamamoto tossed two scoreless innings in a Cactus League contest against Texas on Wednesday, allowing one hit and no walks while striking out three.

Yamamoto's first game action in a Dodgers uniform began with a strikeout of Marcus Semien, and the only hit he allowed -- a first-inning single by Evan Carter -- was wiped out by a double play on the following pitch. The right-handed hurler's success in Japan was tied to his ability to strike batters out while limiting homers and walks, and that skill set was evident Wednesday, as Yamamoto punched out half of the six batters he faced while throwing 16 of 19 pitches for strikes. There's already plenty of hype around Yamamoto due to his dominance overseas and the lucrative 12-year deal he received from Los Angeles in December, and his Cactus League debut should provide more fodder for expectations that are already sky high.

Madrigal may have to settle for a bench role due to Christopher Morel seemingly being in line to start most days at third base, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

The versatile Morel has been focusing on the hot corner in camp, and it seems like he will emerge as the top option there. With Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson locked in up the middle, Madrigal seems destined for a utility role off the bench, which would cap his fantasy upside for the time being. Things could change if one of those other players suffers an injury.

Wicks logged three scoreless innings in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Brewers. He allowed four hits and struck out two.

Through two spring appearances, Wicks has now allowed one run across 4.2 innings while striking out three. The lefty is competing for the No. 5 spot in the Cubs' rotation and appears to be off to a good start. His fantasy value would of course go up if he secures a starting role versus a bullpen job or an assignment to Triple-A Iowa. Wicks has some upside and could be poised to take a step forward in his second MLB season.

Ashcraft (toe) will start Thursday's Cactus League game against the Dodgers, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Manager David Bell said Wednesday that Ashcraft will make his spring debut "within the next week," and it will end up coming just a day later. The right-hander has been brought along slowly in camp as he returns from September toe surgery, but it shouldn't affect his availability for Opening Day given how much time he has to ramp up his workload.

Muncy was diagnosed with a bruise on his left hand Wednesday, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

The 33-year-old was struck on the left hand by a pitch during Wednesday's Cactus League game versus the Rangers, but it appears he's avoided a serious injury. Muncy is scheduled to undergo an X-ray on Thursday, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, which should provide additional clarity.