MLB Player News

The Yankees optioned Gil to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday.

With multiple off days to begin the season, the Yankees will operate with a four-man rotation early on. Gil will be recalled once a fifth starter is needed April 11 against the Rays. The right-hander had a strong Grapefruit League showing with a 24:5 K:BB over 19.1 innings.

The Yankees placed Volpe (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.

Volpe is still working his way back from surgery last October to repair the labrum in his left shoulder. He's expected to be ready for a rehab assignment around the second week of April and could make his season debut around May 1. Jose Caballero will cover shortstop for the Yankees while Volpe is on the mend.

Castillo allowed one run on four hits and a walk while striking out five across five innings in Monday's matchup with the Padres.

Castillo finished Cactus League play on a high note, allowing three runs over nine innings in his final two outings. It's certainly an encouraging development after the right-hander struggled to a 27.00 ERA in his first three appearances (six innings). Castillo, who's posted a sub-4.00 ERA in each of his last seven seasons, made a team-high 32 regular-season starts in 2025, finishing with a 3.54 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 162:46 K:BB across 180.2 innings.

The Yankees placed Rodon (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.

Rodon had surgery last October to remove a bone spur from his left elbow and is still in the process of getting built back up. The southpaw should be close to starting up a rehab assignment, and the Yankees anticipate him being ready for his season debut before the end of April.

Diaz went 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI in Tuesday's exhibition matchup against Triple-A Sugar Land.

Diaz is starting to warm up just in time after struggling for much of spring training -- the 27-year-old backstop finished Grapefruit League play with a .143/.226/.214 slash line, no homers and just two extra-base hits across 11 games. Still, Diaz should offer some upside at the catcher position after batting .256 with 20 homers, 70 RBI and a .701 OPS across 143 regular-season games in 2025.

Atlanta released Nelson on Thursday.

Nelson signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta in late February but won't end up sticking around in the organization once the season gets underway. The veteran left-hander will likely seek out a minor-league deal elsewhere with the hope of pitching well enough at the Triple-A level to earn another opportunity in the big leagues. Nelson made three appearances in the majors with Arizona in 2025, giving up two earned runs on one hit and four walks over two innings.

Triple-A Gwinnett placed Kerr (elbow) on its 60-day injured list March 18.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2024, Kerr appeared to be back to full strength for spring training, as he made a one-inning Grapefruit League appearance Feb. 24. He didn't pitch in any games after that, however, with Lindsay Crosby of BravesToday.com relaying that Kerr will require additional rehab from elbow surgery before returning to action at Gwinnett.

Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti on Tuesday lauded the work Martinez put in during the offseason to become a better hitter, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports. "He worked really hard on his left-handed swing over the course of the winter, and we saw that play dividends in spring training," Antonetti said.

Pending any additional moves the team may make to finalize its Opening Day roster, Martinez appears to have beaten out Stuart Fairchild for the final outfield spot. The switch-hitting Martinez closed the spring slashing .356/.396/.800 with six doubles, one triple, four home runs, six RBI, three steals and 10 runs scored over 18 contests. Along with his ability to hit from both sides of the plate, Martinez brings defensive versatility and could play second base if needed. "He could be a really valuable member of our team and help us find ways to win games," Antonetti added.

The Dodgers signed Cousins (elbow) to a one-year contract and placed him on the 15-day injured list Tuesday.

Cousins is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will be sidelined until after the All-Star break. He should eventually get transferred to the 60-day IL but could contribute in the Dodgers bullpen in the second half. The 31-year-old posted a 2.37 ERA and 53:20 K:BB over 38 innings with the Yankees in 2024.

Fairchild is expected to open the regular season at Triple-A Columbus, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

Fairchild, who was in camp as a non-roster invitee, appears to have lost out on his bid for a roster spot to Angel Martinez, who raked (1.196 OPS) this spring. The 30-year-old Fairchild has an upward mobility clause in his contract; if another team wants to add him to their 26-man or 40-man roster, the Guardians would have to decide whether they would match the proposition for part ways. Fairchild can play all three outfield spots and could be of value to another club.