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  • Tigers' Jordan Balazovic: Off to solid start

    Balazovic, who pitched a scoreless frame in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays, now has a 1.80 ERA across five innings this spring.

    Balazovic has made three appearances in the Grapefruit League, with two of them covering multiple innings, and he's pitched well so far. The 26-year-old came up as a starter in Minnesota's farm system and had some prospect buzz, but he never really made his mark with the Twins. After spending the end of the 2024 season as a member of Doosan Bears in the KBO, Balazovic will now attempt to crack Detroit's Opening Day bullpen, though he'll likely begin the year in the minors with a chance to get called up down the road.

  • Kelvin Caceres RP | LAA

    Angels' Kelvin Caceres: Sent to minors camp

    The Angels reassigned Caceres (lat) to minor-league camp Tuesday.

    Caceres was attending big-league camp as a non-roster invitee and has yet to make any appearances in the Cactus League while he continues to work his way back from the lat surgery he underwent last March, so he never seemed to have a legitimate chance to win a spot in the Angels' Opening Day bullpen. If healthy, Caceres will likely begin the season at Triple-A Salt Lake.

  • Richard Fitts SP | STL

    Red Sox's Richard Fitts: Could fill in for Bello

    Fitts could open the season in the Red Sox' rotation if Brayan Bello (shoulder) needs a stint on the injured list, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

    Bello is not expected to miss much time, if any, but Boston might elect to play things safely as he comes back from a shoulder issue. Fitts posted a 1.74 ERA in four starts with the Red Sox last season, although that came with just a 9:7 K:BB over 20.2 innings. However, the 25-year-old has shown more bat-missing ability in the minors and is also off to a strong start this spring, fanning five over four scoreless frames. Quinn Priester is the other potential option to fill in for Bello.

  • Emmanuel Clase RP | CLE

    Guardians' Emmanuel Clase: Set for spring debut

    Clase is scheduled to make his first Cactus League appearance Monday versus the Mariners, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.

    Clase's delayed addition to the Guardians' spring pitching schedule isn't due to an injury; instead, the coaching staff is likely prioritizing getting innings for rotation candidates as well as pitchers who are competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Despite coming off a rough postseason in which he converted two of three save chances and gave up eight earned runs over eight innings, Clase is locked in as Cleveland's closer and is solidified as an upper-tier fantasy option coming off three straight seasons of least 40 saves. For what he lacks his elite strikeout stuff (career 24.8 K%), Clase makes up for it by limiting walks (career 4.8 BB%) and leaning heavily on his cutter and slider to induce plenty of weak contact (career 60.7 percent groundball rate).

  • Orioles' Seranthony Dominguez: Might see some save chances

    Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Monday that Dominguez could see save opportunities early on in the season on days Felix Bautista (elbow) is unavailable, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

    Bautista won't pitch back-to-back days or throw more than one inning at a time initially in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. That opens the door to save chances for others, with Gregory Soto and Andrew Kittredge (knee) being named along with Dominguez by Hyde in what will be a "mix and match" situation. Dominguez served as the Orioles' primary closer down the stretch last season, going 10-for-11 in regular-season save chances after being acquired at the trade deadline.

  • Gregory Soto RP | PIT

    Orioles' Gregory Soto: Option as fill-in closer

    Orioles manager Brandon Hyde named Soto as an option to see save chance early in the season on days Felix Bautista (elbow) is unavailable, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

    Bautista will not be allowed to appear in back-to-back games or pitch more than one inning at a time for a while as he comes back from Tommy John surgery, and Hyde said he'll "mix and match" at closer those days. The skipper named Andrew Kittredge (knee) and Seranthony Dominguez in addition to Soto as relievers who could see save opportunities when Bautista is off limits.

  • Orioles' Andrew Kittredge: Could see occasional save chances

    Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Monday that Kittredge (knee) is an option to see save chances early in the season on days Felix Bautista (elbow) is unavailable, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

    Bautista's usage will be limited in the first half as he comes back from Tommy John surgery, as he won't pitch back-to-back days or go more than one inning. Hyde also listed Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez as fill-in closer options in what he expects to be a "mix and match" situation. Kittredge is still getting treatment as he recovers from left knee soreness, but he's not expected to be out long.

  • Felix Bautista RP | BAL

    Orioles' Felix Bautista: Cleared for spring debut Monday

    Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that Bautista (elbow) -- who will make his Grapefruit League debut Monday versus the Red Sox -- won't pitch back-to-back days or cover more than one inning early on in the season, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

    Bautista projects to open the season as the Orioles' closer, barring any setbacks during his appearances in the spring as he makes his return from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in October 2023. However, for occasions in which Bautista is unavailable, Hyde said he would "mix and match" at closer those days, with the manager naming Andrew Kittredge (knee), Gregory Soto and Seranthony Dominguez as options to fill in. Hyde noted that he'll apply the cautious usage of Bautista "especially in the first half." The Orioles don't seem to have a hard deadline for when the restrictions on Bautista will be lifted, as it likely just depends on how the pitcher looks and is bouncing back from outings.

  • Chris Martin RP | TEX

    Rangers' Chris Martin: Makes spring debut

    Martin struck out one over a scoreless fourth inning in Sunday's spring game against the Diamondbacks.

    Martin, who missed time earlier in camp due to the flu, made his Cactus League debut Sunday. Setting down the side in order on 15 pitches (nine strikes), Martin has been mentioned as a top candidate for the team's closer role, although Texas manager Bruce Bochy said that he may not "have a defined closer," Jack Magruder of MLB.com reports. However the manager chooses to close out games, Martin is expected to be one of the trusted arms Bochy turns to in the ninth inning.

  • Jackson Kowar RP | MIN

    Mariners' Jackson Kowar: Moves to 60-day IL

    Kowar (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Sunday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

    The right-hander missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March, and it's not a major surprise he'll be unavailable for at least the first two months of the 2025 season. Kowar has been throwing bullpen sessions and could be ready to face live batters before the end of spring training.

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