MLB Player News

The Nationals optioned Cornelio to Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.

Cornelio impressed in his limited Grapefruit League action with a 7:0 BB:K while holding batters to a .176 average over five innings, but having minor-league options remaining may have worked against his bid for a spot on the Opening Day roster. The 25-year-old righty is likely to remain on a starter's development track at Rochester, though poor command and the lack of a deep arsenal could make him a better fit in the bullpen once he reaches the big leagues.

Hernandez went 1-for-2 with a walk, a solo home run and a stolen base in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.

The 26-year-old outfielder is having an impressive start to his spring, going 4-for-14 (.286) with a double, two homers and three steals in three attempts. Hernandez likely won't keep up that kind of success on the basepaths in the regular season -- his career high in stolen bases is eight, set at Double-A in 2023 -- but he could be productive at the plate if he gets consistent playing time in 2026. As a rookie last year, he slashed .266/.347/.438 with 10 home runs in 87 games.

The Nationals optioned Perales to Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.

Perales is still waiting to make his MLB debut, but his presence on the Nationals' 40-man roster boosts his chances of contributing to the big club at some point in 2026. The 22-year-old right-hander was limited to just three appearances in the minors last season as he completed his recovery from July 2024 Tommy John surgery. The Nationals will likely keep him stretched out as a starter at Rochester, but if he receives a call-up to the majors in 2026, he could work out of the bullpen in order to manage his workload.

Meyer gave up two hits over three scoreless innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets. He struck out four without walking a batter.

The 26-year-old right-hander is having an impressive spring, posting a 6:0 K:BB over four scoreless frames. Meyer is locked into an Opening Day rotation spot, and while good health might be the only thing standing between him and a breakout campaign, he has a lot to prove given his 5.29 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 127.2 career big-league innings.

Moreno went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's spring game against the Giants.

Moreno clubbed a first-inning home run that travelled 460 feet over the fence in left field. The blast is a reminder that Moreno's offense took a leap forward in 2025, when he posted a career-high .433 SLG (.148 ISO) and swatted nine home runs. A healthy Moreno, who was limited to 83 games by a fractured hand last season, is expected to join Corbin Carroll (hand), Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo atop Arizona's order.

The Nationals reassigned Martinez to minor-league camp Sunday.

Formerly a top prospect in the Blue Jays organization, Martinez has seen his stock fall dramatically since being handed an 80-game suspension for a violation of the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy shortly after he made his MLB debut in June 2024. After struggling mightily with Triple-A Buffalo last season, the Blue Jays released him in September, with the Nationals bringing him aboard on a minor-league deal shortly thereafter. Martinez didn't make enough of an impression in spring training to win a spot on the Opening Day roster, but if the 24-year-old can find his swing at Triple-A Rochester in 2026, he could put himself in the mix for a call-up.

India went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's Cactus League win over the Reds.

India opened the scoring, driving a Nick Lodolo sinker over the left-field fence to lead off the bottom of the first inning. The second baseman has put together a strong showing at the dish so far in Cactus League play, going 4-for-13 with two extra-base hits, three RBI and five walks through seven appearances. India is looking to bounce back from a lackluster first season with the Royals in 2025, when he slashed .233/.323/.346 with 29 doubles, nine homers and 45 RBI across 136 games.

The Nationals reassigned Alcantara to minor-league camp Sunday.

Alcantara logged four plate appearances with the Giants last season in his first MLB action since 2022, but he was outrighted off the 40-man roster in July and ended up finishing the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Reno in the Arizona organization. He caught on with the Nationals on a minor-league deal in January but fell short in his bid for a spot on the Opening Day roster. The 29-year-old is likely to report to Triple-A Rochester to begin the upcoming season.

The Orioles optioned Trimble to minor-league camp Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Baltimore added Trimble to its 40-man roster during the offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. The 25-year-old could make his big-league debut at some point in 2026, but he may need multiple outfielders to go down with injuries before he gets a look. Trimble is expected to open the 2026 campaign at Triple-A Norfolk after slashing .259/.319/.435 with five home runs and eight steals in 30 games at the level last season.

Scherzer walked one and struck out one over four scoreless, no-hit innings during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies.

Making his first appearance of the spring, the 41-year-old Scherzer ended up in something of a pitcher's duel with 22-year-old Andrew Painter in what ended up being a 1-0 win for the Blue Jays. Scherzer faced the tougher lineup of the two, as the Phillies sent out most of their Opening Day starters who weren't participating in the WBC, including Trea Turner, Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto. Scherzer tossed 29 of 40 pitches for strikes, and while it's not yet clear how Toronto will arrange its rotation to begin the season with Jose Berrios healthy and Trey Yesavage likely to handle a limited workload, the future Hall of Famer Scherzer looks like he'll be ready for a significant role right out of the gate.