MLB Player News
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Robert Stephenson RP | LAA
Angels' Robert Stephenson: Set to face hitters Friday
Stephenson (shoulder) will throw his first live batting practice session of spring training Friday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
Stephenson continues to work his way back from a nerve issue and thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms. He's been throwing bullpens for the past couple weeks and continues to believe he'll be ready for Opening Day. Stephenson missed the entire 2024 campaign recovering from Tommy John surgery and was limited to just 12 appearances in 2025, posting a 2.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 10:3 K:BB across 10 innings.
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Enyel De Los Santos RP | HOU
Astros' Enyel De Los Santos: Making spring debut next week
De Los Santos (knee) will make his Grapefruit League debut next week, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
The right-handed reliever has been shelved by a right knee strain since the start of camp, but he will progress to mound work Saturday before being slotted into game action. Barring setbacks, De Los Santos is expected to have enough time to prep for Opening Day.
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Josh Hader RP | HOU
Astros' Josh Hader: Slated for mound work next week
Hader (biceps) will throw a bullpen session early next week, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Hader developed left biceps inflammation before reporting to Astros camp and has been limited to flat-ground work since then. He also missed the final seven-plus weeks of last season with a left shoulder strain, so he hasn't pitched in a game setting since early August of last year. Hader is unlikely to have time to ramp up for Opening Day, setting up Bryan Abreu to serve as the Astros' early-season closer.
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Austin Vernon RP | TB
Rays' Austin Vernon: Shut down with elbow soreness
The Rays have shut Vernon down from throwing due to right elbow soreness, per MLB.com.
Vernon, who's a non-roster invitee with Tampa Bay, hasn't pitching in spring training and is likely be sidelined for "some time," according to manager Kevin Cash. The 27-year-old right-hander was likely to open the new season in the minor leagues before getting injured. He posted a 3.72 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 19.1 innings for Triple-A Durham a year ago.
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Mitch Farris RP | LAA
Angels' Mitch Farris: Showing improved velocity
Farris allowed two runs on five hits with one strikeout and no walks over three innings during an exhibition game against Team Italy on Wednesday. According to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, the left-hander was sitting around 93 mph with his fastball.
Farris averaged 90.3 mph with his fastball as a rookie last season, as he made five starts and had a 6.66 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 24:11 K:BB across 24.1 innings. The 25-year-old showed more strikeout potential in the minors with an 11.0 K/9 at Double-A, and a little more velocity could help to improve his results in the majors.
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Jeff Hoffman RP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Plans to ease back on fastball
Hoffman plans to throw his four-seam fastball less often in 2026 while increasing his slider usage, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports.
Two years ago with the Phillies, Hoffman threw his slider 47.9 percent of the time and his four-seamer 27.4 percent, and the result was a 2.41 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 33.2 percent strikeout rate over 52.1 innings, as well as a barrel rate allowed in the 99th percentile and a hard-hit rate allowed in the 95th percentile. In 2025, while feeling the weight of a big free-agent contract from the Jays and his first season as a full-time closer, the right-hander tried to attack the zone more often and threw his fastball 37.4 percent of the time, while reducing his slider usage to 29.9 percent. His numbers took a big step backward as a result, highlighted by a first percentile barrel rate allowed and 58th percentile hard-hit rate allowed. A renewed emphasis on his slider, which generated a career-high 47.4 percent whiff rate last season, should help Hoffman regain some of the dominance that slipped away from him.
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Liam Hendriks RP | MIN
Twins' Liam Hendriks: Makes spring debut
Hendriks (elbow) struck out one batter and gave up one hit and no walks over a scoreless inning Tuesday in the Twins' 5-3 loss to the Rays in Grapefruit League play.
Hendriks took the hill for his spring debut Tuesday, signaling that he's back to full health after undergoing right elbow ulnar nerve transposition with posterior interosseous nerve release surgery back in September. The 37-year-old righty has been limited to just 19 big-league appearances over his last three seasons and hasn't been particularly effective when available, so the Twins likely aren't envisioning him filling a high-leverage role in 2026. Hendriks' main objective is to pitch well enough in spring training to earn a spot in the Twins' Opening Day bullpen, as he's attending camp as a non-roster invitee.
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Lucas Erceg RP | KC
Royals' Lucas Erceg: Scoreless frame in spring debut
Erceg (shoulder) allowed no hits or walks across a scoreless inning in Tuesday's exhibition win over Team Cuba. He struck out one.
Erceg made his first appearance of the spring and didn't show any lingering effects from the right shoulder impingement that ended his 2025 season early, an encouraging sign for his health moving forward. The right-hander posted a 2.64 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 22 holds across 61.1 innings last season, though a diminished 7.0 K/9 and elevated 3.49 FIP are worth noting. Erceg is expected to serve as the primary setup man to Carlos Estevez and could see opportunities in the ninth inning if Estevez falters.
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Andrew Kittredge RP | BAL
Orioles' Andrew Kittredge: Headed for IL with shoulder issue
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said Wednesday that Kittredge is battling right shoulder inflammation and is "a low probability" to be ready for Opening Day, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Kittredge struggled in his lone Grapefruit League appearance last week and now it's clear why he hasn't pitched since. While he appears to have avoided structural damage in his shoulder, it's unclear at this point how long the setup man might be shelved.
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Vinny Nittoli RP | BOS
Red Sox's Vinny Nittoli: Gets MRI on sore elbow
Nittoli underwent an MRI on his right elbow Tuesday after feeling pain during his most recent Grapefruit League appearance, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
The results of the imaging are not in yet. Nittoli is in Red Sox camp as a non-roster invitee and has been roughed up for four runs over 2.2 innings in his three spring training outings. Even if the MRI is clean, Nittoli will be ticketed for Triple-A Worcester.