MLB Player News

The Rays recalled Williams from Triple-A Durham on Tuesday and will have him start at shortstop in Thursday's season opener at St. Louis, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The injury to Taylor Walls (oblique) made Williams' call-up likely, and the Rays have now made it official. Williams had a solid showing this spring with a .779 OPS, one home run and one stolen base, though it came with a 1:7 BB:K. The 22-year-old has major swing-and-miss issues, but Williams could hit for enough power and steal enough bases to be a viable fantasy contributor even if he proves a drag in the batting-average category.

The Rays recalled Boyle from Triple-A Durham on Tuesday and will have him start the second game of the season Saturday against the Cardinals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The right-hander was competing for a roster spot before being sent to minor-league camp last week, but he'll end up being a late addition to the Opening Day rotation with Ryan Pepiot (hip) headed to the injured list Nick Martinez (knee) banged up. Boyle started in nine of his 13 appearances for Tampa Bay last season and had a 4.67 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 58:28 K:BB across 52 innings.

Martinez's season debut will be pushed back to March 30 in Milwaukee due to a minor hamstring injury, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

He had been slated to start Saturday in St. Louis but instead till get a couple extra days of rest. It's unclear how long Martinez's hamstring has been bothering him, but it could partly explain why he was lit up for 18 runs over 7.2 innings in his final two Grapefruit League starts.

The Rays placed Pepiot on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right hip inflammation, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

It's an injury that seemingly came out of nowhere and will cost Pepiot at least his first couple turns in the rotation. Joe Boyle will be recalled from Triple-A Durham to slide into Pepiot's rotation slot. Manager Kevin Cash said Tuesday that he does not anticipate Pepiot being sidelined long, so it could be a minimum stay on the IL for the right-hander.

Fermin is among those in the mix for starts in left field while Lars Nootbaar (heels) is sidelined, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Fermin is an infielder by trade but has played a bit in the outfield in the majors and at the Triple-A level. The 26-year-old will vie for playing time in left field with Nathan Church and Thomas Saggese. Church is the lone left-handed hitter of the three and also the only traditional outfielder, so he likely enters the season at the top of the pecking order. However, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has said he does not plan to employ a strict platoon at the position.

Saggese is in the mix to start games in left field for the Cardinals while Lars Nootbaar (heels) is shelved, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

An infielder by trade, Saggese learned the outfield on the fly this spring and missed out on some development time while on Team Italy's roster for the World Baseball Classic. However, he showed enough aptitude defensively in the outfield -- and also posted a .907 OPS this spring -- to convince the Cardinals to carry him on the Opening Day roster. Nathan Church and Jose Fermin will also see action in left field, and Fermin and Saggese are options to play several other positions, as well. Nootbaar is being evaluated for potential placement on the 60-day injured list, so the trio of competitors could have ample time to make a good impression.

Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Monday that Nootbaar (heels) will be evaluated this week for potential placement on the 60-day injured list, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Bloom noted that the team's current wish is to avoid the 60-day IL with Nootbaar, as the transaction would leave him ineligible to make his season debut until late May. However, that decision will be made after the Cardinals get a better sense of how far Nootbaar is along in his rehab from offseason surgery on both heels. Per Brian Walton of TheCardinalNation.com, Nootbaar is slated to take batting practice with minor leaguers at the team's spring training complex Tuesday. St. Louis will use a combination of Nathan Church, Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin in left field until Nootbaar is ready.

Wetherholt is likely to bat leadoff on Opening Day against the Rays, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Wetherholt not only won the Cardinals' second-base job, but the top prospect is also in line to receive the team's first at-bat of the season against right-hander Drew Rasmussen. The left-handed-hitting Wetherholt could hit lower in the order versus southpaws, with Masyn Winn a candidate for the leadoff spot those days. Wetherholt finished Grapefruit League play with a .386 on-base percentage thanks in large part to a 9:7 BB:K, and he added two home runs and two stolen bases.

Oviedo will open the season in Boston's bullpen, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

The Red Sox are going with Connelly Early as their fifth starter, with Oviedo occupying a piggyback/long-relief role. Early is expected to receive at least a couple turns in the rotation before the club reassesses its options. Oviedo came into spring training as the favorite to round out Boston's rotation, but his Grapefruit League showing ended on a sour note Monday versus the Twins when he showed diminished velocity and yielded six runs over 3.1 frames.

Early will open the season in the Boston rotation, garnering his first start Sunday in Cincinnati, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Johan Oviedo also made the Opening Day roster but will open the season in the bullpen as a possible piggyback option. The Red Sox plan to give Early at least a couple turns in the rotation before reassessing their options. Early was stellar in Grapefruit League play, posting a 1.59 ERA and 16:5 K:BB over 17 innings, which came after he held a 2.33 ERA and 29:4 K:BB across 19.1 regular-season frames down the stretch last year. He will have to pitch well to retain a rotation spot over the long haul, but the news is a big boost to Early's fantasy prospects.