MLB Player News

Borucki is in the running for the last spot in the Blue Jays' rotation, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.

According to general manager Ross Atkins, four pitchers are guaranteed spots in the rotation: Aaron Sanchez, Marcus Stroman, Matt Shoemaker and Clayton Richard. That leaves one spot for a number of young starters, none of whom were mentioned by name. Borucki seems like the frontrunner for the time being after posting a 3.87 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 17 starts -- 11 of which were quality starts. Others in the mix likely include Sean Reid-Foley, Thomas Pannone and Sam Gaviglio, though the players with a realistic shot to grab the final spot will likely become clearer as spring training rolls along.

Smith (shoulder) was limited to simulating a throwing motion with a towel Tuesday as Red Sox pitchers and catchers reported to spring training this week, the Boston Herald reports.

Smith is targeting a day next week to resume throwing a baseball, but it could be months before he is game-ready again after he suffered a subluxation of his pitching shoulder upon throwing his glove at the dugout wall following his removal from a game in May. With a minor-league deal and no 40-man roster spot, Smith could wind up pitching at Triple-A once he's ready to pitch this season before earning an opportunity in the Boston bullpen.

Axford signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Keegan Matheson of Baseball Toronto reports.

Axford is back in Toronto, where he opened the 2018 campaign before being traded to the Dodgers in July. The veteran reliever posted a 4.41 ERA and 8.8 K/9 across 51 innings with the Blue Jays last season. Axford figures to have a good shot at winning an Opening Day relief role with Toronto.

Diekman signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract with the Royals on Wednesday, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports. The deal includes a mutual option for 2020.

Diekman opened the 2018 campaign with the Rangers, posting a 3.69 ERA and 11.1 K/9 across 39.0 innings before being dealt to the Diamondback prior to the trade deadline. The southpaw struggled with Arizona, but is a solid bounce-back candidate in 2019 given his overall body of work over the past three seasons (3.92 ERA and 10.6 K/9 across 117 innings). Diekman should fill a high-leverage role for the Royals.

Hill is a candidate to see occasional save opportunities in 2019, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

Manager Ned Yost was noncommittal when asked about naming a closer Wednesday, implying he may take a different approach to the ninth inning in 2019. Should Yost decide to use the team's top relievers in more flexible roles, Hill could see occasional save opportunities when the situation calls for a left-handed pitcher. That said, Brad Boxberger and Wily Peralta also represent endgame options for the Royals, and Hill posted a 4.53 ERA and 8.3 K/9 across 45.2 innings last season, so there are likely better options for those looking for a flier.

Manager Ned Yost would not name Boxberger as the team's closer heading into camp, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports. "The roles will define themselves over time," Yost said.

Yost also hinted at moving away from a traditional ninth-inning role, instead using his most trusted pitchers in high-leverage situations regardless of the inning. Boxberger, who tallied 32 saves to go with a 4.39 ERA and 71:32 K:BB in 53.1 innings last season, will likely battle Wily Peralta for save opportunities, while Tim Hill represents a left-handed option for late in games.

King has been shut down for three weeks after an MRI discovered a stress reaction in his right elbow, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

King will undergo another MRI after the three-week rest period, after which the Yankees will determine the next step in his recovery process. If everything checks out, King could push for a big-league roster spot thanks to the 1.79 ERA and 4.4 percent walk rate he posted in 161 innings across the three highest levels of the minors last season.

The Athletics placed Manaea (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

The southpaw's move to the IL opens up a spot on the 40-man roster for fellow starting pitcher Brett Anderson, who officially re-signed with Oakland on a one-year, $1.5 million contract. After undergoing surgery Sept. 19, Manaea is in danger of missing the entire 2019 season, though executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane noted earlier in the offseason that the 27-year-old could be ready to rejoin the Athletics shortly after the All-Star break if he hits no significant snags in his recovery.

Manager Kevin Cash would not name Alvarado as the team's closer heading into spring training, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Cash said that he felt "no urgency" to name a closer. There's always a chance Cash will opt to have multiple players share the job based on scenarios. Alvarado seems the most likely candidate to grab hold of the primary role, as he converted eight saves while posting a 2.39 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 11.3 K/9 across 64.0 innings in 2018. The lefty would remain valuable even in a committee thanks to his impressive ratios.

Major League Baseball has rescinded Kittredge's three-game suspension for throwing at Austin Romine's head last season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Kittredge will be in camp as a non-roster invitee after being outrighted from the team's 40-man roster in November. The right-hander appeared in 33 games for the Rays in 2018, posting a 7.75 ERA and 1.85 WHIP in 38.1 innings.