MLB Player News
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Joe Ryan SP | MIN
Twins' Joe Ryan: Named Opening Day starter
Ryan will start the Twins' Opening Day game against Baltimore, the team announced Friday.
With Pablo Lopez (elbow) sidelined, it's not a surprise to see Ryan get the Opening Day nod. It'll be his second Opening Day start, with his first coming in 2022. Ryan set career bests in ERA (3.42) and innings pitched (171) in 2025.
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Zebby Matthews SP | MIN
Twins' Zebby Matthews: Headed to Triple-A
The Twins optioned Matthews to Triple-A St. Paul on Friday.
Matthews had been a candidate to make Minnesota's Opening Day rotation, but the 25-year-old will come up short. In 2025, the right-hander made 16 big-league starts, posting a 5.56 ERA and an 88:24 K:BB across 79.1 innings. Matthews' move to Triple-A likely means Mick Abel will have a spot in the Twins' rotation.
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Joey Wiemer RF | WAS
Nationals' Joey Wiemer: Appears to have won roster spot
Wiemer seems ticketed for a spot on the Nationals' 26-man roster after Robert Hassell was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Thursday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.
The decision to send down Hassell may have been matchup-based, as he hits left-handed and doesn't offer a platoon partner for Daylen Lile. Wiemer swings from the right side and has experience playing all three outfield spots. The 27-year-old hasn't stood out in camp, however, batting .152 (5-for-33) with a 4:10 BB:K. Wiemer has flashed a bit of power and speed during his big-league career, but his contact issues and 29.7 percent strikeout rate have put a firm cap on his fantasy production.
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Zack Gelof 3B | ATH
Athletics' Zack Gelof: Fails to make Opening Day roster
The Athletics optioned Gelof to Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday.
The 26-year-old had a delayed start to spring training while completing his rehab from surgery to repair a dislocated right shoulder, and he went 5-for-18 with a double, three walks and four strikeouts in six Cactus League games. Gelof posted an .840 OPS in 69 games as a rookie in 2023, but he's scuffled to a .612 OPS the past two seasons and played in just 30 MLB games last year due to injuries and ineffectiveness.
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Tyler Ferguson RP | CHC
Athletics' Tyler Ferguson: Optioned to Triple-A
The Athletics optioned Ferguson to Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday.
Ferguson was one of the A's most used relievers in 2025, making 56 appearances and throwing 58.0 innings. However, he'll be sent down to the minors before Opening Day. Ferguson posted a 6.00 ERA, a 1.83 WHIP and a 6:2 K:BB across six innings this spring.
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Kodai Senga SP | NYM
Mets' Kodai Senga: Solidifying rotation spot
Senga gave up three hits and a walk over four scoreless innings in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out four.
Facing most of Houston's likely Opening Day lineup, including Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and Carlos Correa, Senga fired 41 of 63 pitches for strikes in another impressive performance. The 33-year-old right-hander has posted a 1.86 ERA and 11:1 K:BB through 9.2 spring frames while showing much better velocity on his four-seam fastball, which averaged 94.7 mph in 2024. With more consistent heat to set up his elite splitter, Senga may be poised to regain something close to the form that saw him deliver a 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 202:77 K:BB over 166.1 innings during his MLB debut in 2023.
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Alejandro Kirk C | TOR
Blue Jays' Alejandro Kirk: Struggling since WBC
Kirk has gone 0-for-9 with six strikeouts in three games since rejoining the Blue Jays following the World Baseball Classic.
The 27-year-old catcher was a key player for Mexico in the tournament, batting .267 (4-for-15) in four games with a double and a homer, but Kirk hasn't been able to maintain that form back in the Grapefruit League. He's coming off a strong 2025 season in which he set new career highs with 15 homers and 76 RBI in 130 regular-season games while slashing .282/.348/.421.
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Gavin Sheets 1B | SD
Padres' Gavin Sheets: Slugs third spring homer
Sheets went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and two runs in a 13-6 Cactus League win over the White Sox on Thursday.
Sheets was a key contributor to a big offensive performance by San Diego, swatting a two-run homer in the first inning and coming around to score following a single in the fourth. He's swung the bat well this spring, slashing .270/.400/.568 with three long balls, eight RBI, six runs and an 8:4 BB:K. Manager Craig Stammen said in late January that Sheets would be the team's top option at first base to begin the campaign, and that still appears to be the case despite the mid-February signing of Nick Castellanos, who has been seeing plenty of first-base reps during exhibition play.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B | TOR
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero: Two hits in return from WBC
Guerrero went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees.
It was his first game back with the Blue Jays after the first baseman starred for the Dominican Republic at the WBC, batting .444 (8-for-18) in five games with three doubles and two homers. Guerrero is also 5-for-13 (.385) in Grapefruit League action, and he has yet to strike out this spring either for the Jays or in the WBC. The 27-year-old will be looking to take his offense to another level after slashing .292/.381/.467 over 156 regular-season games last season with 23 homers and 84 RBI.
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George Klassen SP | LAA
Angels' George Klassen: Assigned to minor-league camp
The Angels assigned Klassen to minor-league camp Friday.
Klassen's strong start to spring training put him in contention to make the Angels' big-league rotation, but it looks like the 24-year-old will open 2026 in the minors. One of the Halos' top prospects, Klassen posted a 3.86 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 10:5 K:BB across 11.2 innings this spring.