MLB Player News

The Astros announced that Brett Oberholtzer, Josh Fields and Brad Peacock will all start the season on the 15-day disabled list, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Oberholtzer  is dealing with a blister on his left index finger, and will have his DL stint backdated to March 31.

"It's a blister. It's not an arm injury," Oberholtzer said. "I just have to wait until the skin heals and take a little time and get back at it. ... I'm just day to day right how, obviously. I'll just wait until the skin heals up and gets right and allows me to make pitches comfortably and not deal with any side effects from the skin."

Fields is working his way back from a groin injury, and will have his DL stint backdated to March 27.

"I was trying to push it pretty hard, but I felt like I was going about it in a wise way," Fields said. "I made pretty quick progress. The fact that they've laid something out for me like that I think is going to help of 'OK, I can relax. I have a plan now of when I'm supposed to be back and just make sure everything is good and right.'"

Peacock, who is recovering from offseason hip surgery, will start the first game of the season at Triple-A Fresno, per MLB.com. His DL will be backdated to March 30.

Rays pitchers Alex Colome (illness), Jake McGee (elbow surgery) and Matt Moore (Tommy John surgery) were each able to throw bullpen sessions Tuesday as a part of their rehab, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

"(Colome) looks like he feels really good," manager Kevin Cash said. "It's exciting to see."

The trio has yet to see any action this spring as they recover from elbow injuries.

Rangers pitcher Nick Martinez gave up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings while striking out two and serving up two home runs in his team's 8-7 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Martinez was making his final start of the Cactus League season after winning the fifth spot in the rotation. He made it through just one scoreless inning Tuesday, and his ERA jumped from 0.84 to 4.20 over the course of one afternoon. Martinez will likely be on the mound for the team's home opener on April 10 against the Astros.

Astros pitcher Josh Fields still recovering from a groin injury and progressing well, manager A.J. Hinch said to MLB.com.

Hinch is hopeful Fields will be able to get on the mound soon. The young pitcher is not expected to be ready for Opening Day after suffering the injury over a week ago.

Yankees pitcher Justin Wilson appears to have wrapped up a bullpen spot. The team and Wilson are pleased with his velocity in spring training. Wilson has consistently thrown 96 MPH and has peaked at 97. 

"I think my velocity has always been up in the spring, usually kind of lively," Wilson said, per MLB.com. "You get extra days off in the spring, so it's a little bit more controlled. It's nice to be fresh out there for the most part. I've heard it's been up there and it's been kind of normal."

Wilson was acquired from the Pirates in an offseason trade. 

"I'm very excited. A lot of good arms," Wilson said. "It's going to be fun to watch and fun to build off each other and compete with these guys within ourselves, especially against other teams."

Wilson is 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA this spring. 

Yankees manager Joe Girardi still doesn't know what he will do with the closer role when the season begins, reports MLB.com.

Girardi, who will decide between Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances, is still considering using both in the role to start the year.

"It's actually something we've got to talk a lot about this week coming up and what we're going to decide to do, if we're going to try to name a closer or if we're going to kind of go with a two-guy sort of situation," Girardi said. "We've ironed a lot of things out, and we've just got to work on that one."

Betances has posted a 7.11 ERA in seven appearances this spring with five strikeouts while Miller has posted a 2.84 ERA in seven appearances with eight strikeouts.

Rays starting pitcher Matt Andriese had his worst outing of the spring Monday against the Orioles in likely what was his last start before Tampa Bay finalizes its rotation plans.

However, manager Kevin Cash said he is not going to base his decision after one bad outing from Andriese, who is 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in six spring outings (four starts).

“I don’t think it hurts. I don’t think it factors in too much,” Cash said, per The Tampa Tribune. “He’s had a good spring. If we’re judging on one start, one bad outing, that’s not fair to the guy."

Andriese allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks in three innings Monday. Although, Cash assigned some of the blame to the Rays defense.

“We didn’t make some plays we know we should make,” Cash said. “We definitely didn’t help him by any stretch. He did fall behind some guys, so that doesn’t help the cause.”

White Sox pitcher Zach Putnam continues to make a push for a role in the bullpen. That journey continued Monday, throwing his fourth consecutive scoreless appearances after giving up eight runs over 3 2/3 innings in his first four games of spring training.

"I feel as if it's been there since the start of camp, but what changed was the frequency with which I was throwing it," Putnam said to MLB.com. "I was going into at-bats early on trying to kind of work on my fastball and polish my cutter just a little bit.

"When you are not fine with those pitches and guys are coming in taking massive hacks trying to hit homers, as they are sometime in Spring Training, I got hurt a lot. As soon as I figured it out and started throwing it more and setting up hitters the same way I set them up during the season, things fell into place for me."

Blue Jays manager Jon Gibbons is putting the finishing touches on the team's roster for the beginning of the season. Gibbons is considering going with eight men in the bullpen, which would give pitchers Todd Redmond and Liam Hendriks spots on the rosters, reports MLB.com.

"We're looking at possibly going with eight guys in the 'pen to start the season, when your regulars don't need as much rest," Gibbons said. "Of course, we've got an off-day on the second day of the year. That's something we're debating now, too."

Redmond and Hendriks would have to clear waivers if they were sent down to the minors. Redmond has posted a 1.80 ERA in seven appearances this spring with five strikeouts in 10 innings. Hendriks has a 3.52 ERA with nine strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings pitched this spring.

Athletics pitcher Drew Pomeranz pitched six scoreless innings during Monday's 11-2 blowout win over the Rockies. 

Pomeranz gave up only two hits and one walk while striking out six batters. 

"He pitched well. He pitched really good," Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said of Pomeranz, via MLB.com. "He was hitting spots. His curveball was effective today, too. He has that big curveball. I've never faced him before. I saw the ball really well coming out of his hands."