MLB Player News

Bautista (shoulder/knee) felt good after throwing a bullpen session Wednesday, Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The 27-year-old continues upping his intensity on the mound and is scheduled for another bullpen session Saturday. It's unclear when Bautista will be cleared for game action, but he appears to be close to throwing against live hitters.

Balazovic (jaw) said Tuesday that he plans to throw a bullpen session before the end of this week, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Balazovic suffered a broken jaw when he was involved in an altercation at a bar earlier this month. He doesn't think the injury will affect his availability for the start of the minor-league season. Balazovic struggled mightily during his first taste of the Triple-A level in 2022 but is still viewed as one of the Twins' better pitching prospects.

Chapman (mouth) is slated to make his Cactus League debut Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Chapman had been slated for a bullpen session Tuesday after suffering a split lip and a cracked tooth in a fall at home, but it appears he'll be thrown into game action instead. The veteran reliever inked a one-year deal with the Royals last month and is expected to be in the mix for saves along with Scott Barlow.

Cisnero (neck) threw live batting practice without issue Sunday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Cisnero has been held back by neck spasms but appears to be past it now. He is expected to be in the mix to close games for the Tigers this season.

Burke allowed one hit and struck out one over a scoreless seventh inning in Monday's spring game against Cincinnati.

Burke has been mentioned as a possible candidate for saves and part of a closer mix. This was his first Cactus League appearance. Of note, Jose Leclerc, the leading candidate to close, pitched a scoreless fourth inning.

Leclerc allowed one hit and walked one over a scoreless fourth inning in Monday's spring game against the Reds.

Leclerc's appearance in the fourth inning, following starter Martin Perez's three-inning stint, indicates he's the team's closer, or at least part of the mix to save games. At this stage of the Cactus League, closers appear earlier in games when an opponent's best hitters are still in the lineup. Brock Burke, another candidate for saves, worked a scoreless seventh inning.

The Angels remain committed to having Bachman stretch out as a starter, though manager Phil Nevin has indicated that the hurler could initially be used as a one-inning reliever in the majors, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

Bachman was hampered by injuries to his back and biceps last season. limiting him to just 43.2 innings in Double-A ball and significantly impacting his velocity. However, the 23-year-old is reportedly throwing harder this spring, and he was drafted ninth overall in 2021 largely due to his penchant for hurling heat. That skill could help him fare well as a late-inning reliever, and Nevin hinted at a scenario in which a call-up could be in order if the team needs a hard-throwing pitcher out of the bullpen down the stretch in a playoff race. While such a circumstance could help Bachman reach the majors in 2023, all indications are that the organization has maintained a long-term goal of developing him as a future piece of the rotation.

Jax threw a scoreless inning with a strikeout and a walk in his spring debut Monday. Jax has introduced a new pitch this spring, a cutter, which he worked on at Driveline in the offseason, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Jax will likely use the cutter as a rare change of pace, as his primary off-speed pitch, a slider, held opponents to a .187 batting average against last season. Jax had a breakout season after moving to the bullpen and became a key setup man for the Twins. He improved both his strikeout (26.9 percent) and walk (6.9 percent) rates with a 78:20 K:BB ratio over 72.1 innings. He also induced grounders at a 47.3 percent rate and had 18 holds. He should be a good source of holds again, and possibly some saves, in Minnesota's bullpen.

Winder (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Monday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.

Winder looks to have taken the next step forward in his spring throwing progress after he had previously been limited to playing catch off flat ground, but he still finds himself behind the Twins' other healthy pitchers in camp while he works his way back from right shoulder soreness. The injury apparently surfaced while Winder was working out in December, and though the shoulder issue isn't yet being viewed as anything that jeopardizes his availability for Opening Day, it could hinder his chances of breaking camp as a member of the rotation.

White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said that the club will not have a set closer until Graveman's teammate Liam Hendriks (illness) returns. "Absolutely not. That's not how we are going to run it."

Hendriks is currently battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and he doesn't have a timeline for a return at this point. Graveman has closer experience, but it appears that the White Sox are going to go closer-by-committee until Hendriks is able to return. Other options for saves include Joe Kelly, Garrett Crochet, Aaron Bummer and Jake Diekman; among others.