MLB Player News
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Robert Stephenson RP | LAA
Angels' Robert Stephenson: Bouncing back well from surgery
Stephenson (elbow) said Wednesday that he's throwing up to 92 miles per hour during his bullpen sessions, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Stephenson is already on the 60-day injured list while he completes his recovery from a UCL reconstruction procedure involving an internal brace, which he underwent May 1, 2024. The right-hander said he'll begin incorporating breaking balls into his bullpen sessions next week, and if all continues to go well in his throwing progression, he'll likely start facing hitters in April. Based on where he currently stands in his rehab program, Stephenson could be a candidate to return from the IL around when he's first eligible in late May.
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Casey Lawrence RP | SEA
Mariners' Casey Lawrence: Sent back to minor-league camp
The Mariners reassigned Lawrence to minor-league camp Wednesday.
Lawrence re-signed with Seattle in November on a minor-league deal that included an invitation to big-league spring training, but the 37-year-old righty never appeared especially likely to win a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. He's previously seen big-league action in parts of four seasons from 2017 through 2023, logging a lifetime 6.75 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over 124 innings.
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Austin Kitchen RP | SEA
Mariners' Austin Kitchen: Sent back to minors camp
The Mariners reassigned Kitchen to minor-league camp Wednesday.
Kitchen made four relief appearances with Miami during the 2024 season before being claimed off waivers by Seattle in September. He finished the season on the Mariners' 40-man roster before being outrighted in January, so he never seemed to be a likely candidate to claim a spot in Seattle's Opening Day bullpen. Kitchen is expected to work in relief at Triple-A Tacoma to begin the upcoming season.
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Carlos Estevez RP | KC
Royals' Carlos Estevez: Slated for Cactus League debut
Estevez (back) is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut Friday against the Angels, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Estevez has been slowed in camp by lower-back tightness but has been throwing off a mound without issue for several days and is nearly ready to test himself in a game setting. The 32-year-old is expected to have enough time to get ready for Opening Day and projects to begin the season as the Royals' closer.
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Sam Long RP | KC
Royals' Sam Long: Set to pitch Wednesday
Long (hand) is scheduled to make an appearance out of the bullpen in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Mariners, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Long will be making just his third appearance of the spring and his first since March 3, when he was struck in the left hand by a line drive. The southpaw dealt with some residual swelling to his pitching hand as a result, but he was able to resume throwing a few days later. The 29-year-old remains firmly in the mix for a spot in Kansas City's Opening Day bullpen.
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Luis Curvelo RP | TEX
Rangers' Luis Curvelo: Optioned to minors camp
The Rangers optioned Curvelo to minor-league camp Wednesday, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Curvelo received a major-league contract from the Rangers this winter even though he hasn't pitched above the Double-A level. He'll begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Round Rock after permitting five runs with a 6:3 K:BB across five frames this spring.
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Cody Bradford RP | TEX
Rangers' Cody Bradford: Nursing sore elbow
Rangers general manager Chris Young said that Bradford has been scratched from his scheduled Cactus League start Wednesday against the Reds due to left elbow soreness, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports. Bradford will be shut down for four or five days before resuming his throwing program.
An elbow injury at this stage of spring training puts Bradford at risk of not being ready for Opening Day, but the Rangers will wait and see how the southpaw responds to a few days of rest before determining his next steps. On a positive note, Young relayed that Bradford underwent an MRI on his elbow, which came back clean. If healthy, Bradford would seemingly have the inside track on a spot at the back end of the Texas rotation to open the season. However, if Bradford requires a stint on the injured list, the door would be open for either Kumar Rocker or Dane Dunning to break camp in a starting role.
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Matt Brash RP | SEA
Mariners' Matt Brash: Slated for live batting practice
Brash (elbow) will throw a live batting practice session Wednesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
It will be the reliever's first time facing hitters since he underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow last May. The Mariners have said Brash could make his season debut by the third week of April in a best-case scenario, but closer to the beginning of May is probably a more realistic target.
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Hunter Strickland RP | LAA
Rangers' Hunter Strickland: Receives NRI from Texas
The Rangers signed Strickland to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training.
Strickland had a respectable 2024 campaign with the Angels, finishing with a 3.31 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 57:24 K:BB over 73.1 innings. The 36-year-old has some past history with manager Bruce Bochy, as the two were both with the Giants for the first five years of Strickland's career. He'll compete for a role in middle relief but might not have enough time to work his way onto the Opening Day roster.
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Andrew Kittredge RP | BAL
Orioles' Andrew Kittredge: Expected back in June or July
Kittredge (knee) said Wednesday that his timetable for a return is between June and the All-Star break, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
The veteran right-hander added that he is optimistic he can make it back on the earlier side of that timetable. Kittredge's knee had begun nagging him during live bullpens this spring, which ultimately led to left knee debridement surgery last Friday. Baltimore signed Kittredge to a one-year, $10 million contract in January, and he will likely pitch important innings for the team down the stretch, if healthy.