MLB Player News

Montero (lat) has yet to arrive at camp due to visa issues, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Several players around the league are dealing with similar issues, but Montero should still have time to get ready for the season if the delay doesn't last too long. Montero's availability is also in question due to the lat injury which kept him out down the stretch last year, though it should become clear once he arrives whether or not that's still an issue.

Puk will be stretched out this spring and given a shot to win a rotation spot, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Puk's undeniable talent earned him the sixth-overall selection in the 2016 draft, but injuries have so far prevented him from living up to expectations. The 26-year-old lefty has only thrown 24.2 major-league innings, all of which have come in relief, and his 4.74 ERA isn't particularly good. It looked as though his clearest path to fantasy relevance may have been through fully committing to the bullpen and eventually pushing for the closer job, but it now appears as though he could have a chance at a starting role. The Athletics will likely need as much rotation help as they can get, as they've already traded Chris Bassitt to the Mets and could potentially deal Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea as well.

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Monday that Kelly (biceps) isn't expected to be ready to pitch by Opening Day, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Hahn provided the update on Kelly's condition after the White Sox officially confirmed the reliever's signing on a two-year, $17 million contract. Though Hahn acknowledged that Kelly himself would probably say that he's on track for the start of the season, the White Sox are inclined to take a more cautious approach with the right-hander while he continues to build back up from a nerve issue related to the biceps strain he sustained during the NLCS while pitching for the Dodgers last fall. Once healthy, Kelly is expected to slot into a middle-relief role for a White Sox bullpen that is overflowing with impressive arms.

Munoz has yet to report to Mariners camp as of Monday due to visa issues, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

In addition to Munoz, visa issues have also prevented outfield prospect Alberto Rodriguez and non-roster utility man Erick Mejia from arriving for the start of camp. After inking a four-year contract extension in November, Munoz is expected to fill a high-leverage role out of the bullpen in 2022, but his absence to begin camp could hurt his chances of factoring into the Mariners' murky closing picture.

Boston manager Alex Cora has not yet named a closer, a role that Barnes filled for much of the 2021 season, Christopher Smith of Mass Live reports.

When asked about the team's closer this season, Cora simply responded, "We'll see on April 7 (Opening Day)." Barnes was an All-Star in 2021 but fell apart in the second half of the season. He allowed 12 earned runs in 10 innings (10.13 ERA) over his final 16 outings, while opponents batted .340 against him. Cora said the Barnes worked on a few things over the offseason, and he's looked good throwing thus far. The team will work to get the right-handed reliever back on track and, as Cora described it, "back to the mentality of attacking, attacking, attacking."

Diekman is expected to finalize a multi-year contract with the Red Sox during the upcoming week, pending a physical, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

The exact details of Diekman's deal with Boston aren't known, but he'll give the team a much-needed lefty reliever out of the bullpen. While with the Athletics in 2021, Diekman posted a 3.86 ERA, .211 batting average against and 1.34 WHIP over 60.2 innings while fanning 31.7 percent of batters faced.

Hatch will be viewed as a starting pitcher during spring training, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

The Blue Jays have bolstered their starting rotation during the offseason, most recently by adding Yusei Kikuchi on Saturday. As a result, Hatch is a long shot to earn a spot in the starting rotation after spending most of last season at Triple-A Buffalo. Even if the right-hander is unable to secure a spot on the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster, he'll likely be one of the team's top options to serve as a spot starter after stretching out during spring training.

Kay will be treated as a starting pitcher this spring, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Kay made 11 appearances (five starts) for the Blue Jays in 2021 and posted a 5.61 ERA and 1.66 WHIP in 33.2 innings. He's a long shot to begin the regular season as a starter, especially after the Blue Jays signed Yusei Kikuchi on Saturday. However, the southpaw is one of several pitchers who will be stretched out as starters during the team's spring training, and he'll be one of the top options to serve as a spot starter in 2022.

Pearson (groin) will be treated as a starting pitcher this spring, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Pearson worked mainly as a reliever last year and gained increased competition for a starting role when the Blue Jays signed Yusei Kikuchi on Saturday. However, the right-handed Pearson is still one of several pitchers who will be stretched out as starters ahead of the regular season. Pearson should be healthy to begin camp after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia in early November, and the team was pleased with how he performed to close out the 2021 campaign.

Garcia will be a late arrival to spring training due to visa issues, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Garcia landed a two-year contract with the Blue Jays shortly before the lockout, but he'll have a delayed start to camp due to his visa issues. It's not yet clear how long the right-hander will be away from the team or whether his absence will impact his availability to begin the regular season.