MLB Player News

Garrett is being brought along slowly in Marlins camp due to soreness in his left shoulder, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Garrett was still allowed to throw each of the last two days, so there doesn't appear to be any major concern on the team's part. The southpaw collected a 3.66 ERA and 156:29 K:BB across 159.2 innings for Miami last season, making a career-high 30 starts (31 total appearances).

Ohtani (elbow) is slated to take live batting practice Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Ohtani has been hitting on the field without issue this week and is ready to take the next step. Working his way back from an internal brace procedure on his right elbow, Ohtani is on track to be ready to serve as the Dodgers' designated hitter when they open their season March 20-21 in South Korea.

Martinez said Thursday that he prefers starting but is willing to handle a bullpen role, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "I haven't been shy in saying that I prefer starting, but I also find a lot of things I am passionate about as a reliever," Martinez said.

Martinez, who has been a swingman the last two seasons for San Diego, is one of 10 arms competing for a spot in Cincinnati's rotation. The Reds signed him to a two-year, $26 million deal during the offseason and expect him to fill a pivotal role. If the right-hander isn't starting, then he'll be called on in high-leverage situations. Martinez's versatility wasn't his only attractive trait; he was in the 98th percentile with an average exit velocity of 84.7 mph and 95th percentile in hard-hit rate (29.9 percent) in 2023.

Brazoban has yet to report to Marlins camp because of a visa issue, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Non-roster invitees Elvis Alvarado and Jhonny Pereda have also been delayed by visa problems. The 34-year-old Brazoban still seems ticketed for a spot in the Marlins' bullpen provided his absence from camp doesn't drag on too long.

Barnes signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Barnes' most recent big-league experience came with the Cardinals last year, as he held a 5.93 ERA and 1.54 WHIP with eight strikeouts over 13.2 innings. The veteran reliever will provide the Nationals with some experienced depth.

Caissie has been invited to major-league spring training and will get a chance to make an impression before the start of the season, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

While Caissie will almost certainly begin the regular season in the minors, he is definitely on the radar for the Cubs. The 21-year-old outfielder played for Double-A Tennessee last year and managed a strong .917 OPS with 22 home runs and 84 RBI across 120 games. A promotion to Triple-A may be in order for Caissie, and he could find himself in the majors not long after that if he keeps up a similar level of production at the plate.

The Marlins will limit the amount of innings Perez pitches in 2024, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

The Marlins have yet to decide on a number, but the team figures to bump Perez up from the 128 innings he pitched last season (91.1 in MLB). The 20-year-old right-hander ended 2023 on the injured list due to inflammation in his shoulder but posted a 3.15 ERA and 1.13 WHIP alongside a 108:31 K:BB while healthy. He is expected to be a part of Miami's Opening Day rotation.

Ynoa (elbow) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Ynoa underwent Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2022 season, causing him to miss the entire 2023 campaign. Although manager Brian Snitker said Ynoa looked "great" during his first throwing session of the spring, the 25-year-old's availability for the beginning of Grapefruit League play remains unknown.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Wednesday that Young is competing with Victor Robles for the center field job, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Martinez acknowledged that Robles will enter spring training with an advantage, but the manager was impressed with Young down the stretch last season. Young slashed just .252/.322/.336 in 33 games with the Nationals but went 13-for-13 in stolen base attempts after swiping 39 bags over three levels in the minors. Martinez also noted that Young would get work at all three outfield positions this spring, so a bench role might end up being a better fit for him if he wins a spot on the 26-man roster. Even that isn't guaranteed though, as he played only four games at Triple-A in 2023 during a rapid ascent through the Nationals' system that saw him begin last season at High-A.

Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Wednesday that Robles and Jacob Young will "battle" for the starting job in center field, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

After being pressed about whether it was an open competition, Martinez conceded that Robles "has a little bit of the upper hand" entering spring training. Robles was limited to only 36 contests with the Nationals in 2023 due to nagging back issues and has posted just a .614 OPS since the start of the 2020 season. However, the former top prospect will turn just 27 in May and is valued for his defense, giving him a leg up for the center field gig heading into his walk year.