MLB Player News

Pressly is not in favor of the pitch clock that will be implemented in 2023, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Pressly cited the fact that each pitcher is taught to work at their own pace to back his opinion, though he also didn't express concern about his ability to adjust to the new rule. He has most recently pitched in the World Baseball Classic, which does not use a pitch clock. Across three innings of Cactus League action, Pressly has allowed one earned run on five hits and a walk while striking out three across three frames.

Heasley was optioned to Triple-A Omaha by the Royals on Friday.

Heasley struggled in the majors last season to the tune of a 5.28 ERA and 1.49 WHIP across 104 frames, and his troubles have seemingly carried over into the spring (11.57 ERA, 2.29 WHIP through seven innings). He will likely need to show significant signs of improvement with Omaha before the Royals feel comfortable bringing him back onto the major-league roster.

Pilkington was optioned to Triple-A Columbus by the Guardians on Friday.

Pilkington will begin the year in the minors after failing to secure a bid on the Opening Day staff. The southpaw will likely be an up-and-down option for Cleveland during the 2023 campaign.

Cano struck out on in a perfect inning in Friday's Grapefruit League win over the Twins.

Cano has had an uneven spring, allowing four earned runs on five hits over 2.2 innings across four appearances. The Orioles still have a lot of trimming down to do with the pitching staff, and it's unclear if Cano will fit into the Opening Day plans. He had an 11.50 ERA, 2.33 WHIP and 21:16 K:BB across 18 innings between the Orioles and the Twins in 2022, which was his first taste of action in the big leagues.

Smith has pitched to a 5.79 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 7:3 K:BB across 4.2 innings in four Cactus League appearances.

Smith struggled out of the gate in his Athletics debut against the Diamondbacks on Feb. 25, getting tagged for three earned runs on three hits and a walk over one inning. However, the veteran right-hander has bounced back to fire 3.2 scoreless, one-hit frames. Smith has flashed some solid swing-and-miss stuff and a penchant for keeping the ball in the park throughout his minor-league career before getting his first MLB opportunity with the Rockies in 2022, during which control issues (7.5 BB/9 across 18 innings) helped lead to a bloated 7.50 ERA and 1.72 WHIP.

Yarbrough (groin) made it through a one-inning minor-league appearance without issue Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

He's set up for a two-inning Cactus League appearance next in what will be his first official spring outing since late February. Yarbrough has been battling a groin strain but doesn't appear to be in any danger of missing Opening Day.

Bachman (general soreness) is slated to make a Cactus League appearance Friday, Taylor Blake Ward of The Sporting Tribune reports.

Bachman has been held out of game action since February because of general soreness, but he appears ready to roll. The 2021 first-round pick appears ticketed for the Double-A Rocket City rotation to start 2023.

Vest has been held out of Grapefruit League games lately as he works on his delivery, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Vest has been blasted for eight runs over just three innings this spring. He'll throw live batting practice Saturday and could get into a game after that. "We have to get him moving down the mound the way he normally does," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.

Leclerc allowed one hit and two walks while striking out three over 1.1 scoreless relief innings in Thursday's spring game against the Dodgers.

Leclerc entered in the eighth inning and extricated the Rangers from a jam created by Marc Church. An inning later, Texas' probable closer had to escape a bases-loaded jam of his own making. The right-hander appears to be over the neck injury that paused his spring development for a week and has yet to allow a run over 4.1 Cactus League innings.

Sewald has fired two scoreless innings during which he's allowed one hit and recorded two strikeouts across two Cactus League appearances.

Sewald hasn't failed to throw a strike yet, finding the zone on all 11 of his pitches over his pair of appearances. The hard-throwing right-hander, who underwent heel and elbow procedures this offseason, is slated to see a fair amount of ninth-inning work this year after recording a career-high 20 saves in 25 chances in 2022, but Andres Munoz (foot) and Diego Castillo should also log an allotment of high-leverage opportunities.