MLB Player News

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that Tate (elbow) threw his first half-mound session of spring training Wednesday, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Per Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Sun, Tate's throwing session consisted of all fastballs, as the Orioles aren't yet comfortable having him put spin on the baseball while he's working back from a right elbow flexor strain. Tate is already expected to be sidelined for the first month of the season, so the Orioles may not be planning on having him throw off a full mound until late in camp or until early April.

Sborz allowed three runs on one hit and three walks over a third of an inning in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Cubs.

Sborz entered in the fourth inning, an indication the Rangers are strongly considering him for a spot on the Opening Day roster. It also doesn't hurt that he's out of minor-league options. The right-hander remained on the 40-man roster over the winter despite his 6.45 ERA last season. The Rangers really like him, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. "He's got the arsenal, all the weapons; it's there. He's just lacked the consistency in the strike zone," manager Bruce Bochy said. What the manager sees is a reliever that fanned 101 batters over 81.1 innings (12.9 K/9) in two seasons with the Rangers, but as indicated by Tuesday's performance, command is the issue; Sborz walked 43 batters in that same span. Bochy said the reliever's got the stuff to pitch late in games, especially relevant with Jose Leclerc (neck) working his way back from injury.

Jansen is expected to join Team Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic if the club advances, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Jansen is still in spring training with Boston and just made his spring debut with the Red Sox on Monday. The long-time closer will remain in Florida as an option for the Grapefruit League, but he could be a late-inning option in the WBC if Team Netherlands advances. Jansen is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he recorded 41 saves along with a 3.38 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over 64 innings in 65 appearances.

Leclerc (neck) threw 14 pitches in a scoreless inning in a "B" game Tuesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Leclerc allowed a bloop double but nothing else and his neck injury did not hinder him at all in the appearance. The reliever would seem to be ready for a Cactus League appearance next, although that hasn't been confirmed. Leclerc is competing for the Rangers' closer job and, if healthy, might be the favorite to win it.

Morgan has allowed three earned runs on five hits and no walks while striking out four over three innings in three Cactus League games.

Morgan's solid control is nothing new -- he posted a 1.8 BB/9 over 66.2 innings last season. Given the right-hander's solid work as a reliever and the Guardians' stable set of starters, Morgan figures to pitch primarily out of the bullpen in 2023. He also had a 3.38 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 72:13 K:BB with 10 holds last year, so he could work his way into being part of the setup mix, though a multi-inning role is most likely.

Jimenez has struggled with his velocity this spring, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Jimenez was throwing just 88-89 mph in his first Cactus League appearance before bumping it up to 91-93 mph his second time out. That's still down a bit from what he threw in 2022, which is especially concerning since he ended last season with a shoulder injury. Jimenez entered camp as arguably the favorite to close for the Athletics, but he'll probably need to show better velocity in order for the team to trust him in the role. Trevor May, Zach Jackson and Domingo Acevedo are alternatives for the closer job.

Hoffman (elbow) worked an inning of relief and gave up two earned runs on two hits and one walk while striking out two in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Pirates in Grapefruit League play.

Hoffman, who inked a minor-league deal with the Twins in late February, made his spring debut Sunday after spending the prior week ramping up at camp. The right-hander appears to be healthy again after forearm and elbow trouble sidelined him for most of the entire second half of the past season while he was with the Reds. Since Hoffman isn't a member of the Twins' 40-man roster, he may face an uphill battle to win a spot in Minnesota's Opening Day bullpen.

Snead has been shut down due to a left shoulder strain, MLB.com reports.

Snead felt discomfort in his shoulder after his spring debut Feb. 25. It's not clear when he will resume throwing, so his status for Opening Day is in question.

Munoz (foot) was slated to throw a live batting practice Monday, the Mariners' official site report.

It's a significant step for Munoz in his ongoing recovery from October 2022 foot surgery, and if he experiences no residual setbacks, it would leave him poised to next test himself in a Cactus League game. The 24-year-old was a critical bullpen asset for manager Scott Servais last season while amassing four saves and 22 holds, even as he played through discomfort for a good portion of the campaign. Assuming a return to full health, Munoz should have ample opportunities in a setup role behind presumed top closer Paul Sewald, but the former's triple-digit fastball should earn him his fair share of save chances as well.

The Angels haven't yet decided whether to develop Soriano as a starter or reliever, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

Soriano was once an intriguing pitching prospect, but he's undergone two Tommy John surgeries since 2020 and tossed only 13 minor-league innings last season. While he's on the Angels' 40-man roster, the right-hander isn't likely to ascend to the big leagues this season. The Angels are understandably unsure about Soriano's future role given his lack of game action over the past four seasons, though manager Phil Nevin left the door open for him to develop as a starter, saying, "You can see him coming in and blowing it out for one inning or if he can sustain it and he can go for five, six innings, then obviously that's a great spot for him too."