MLB Player News
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Nick Pivetta RP | SD
Padres' Nick Pivetta: Has rocky first spring start
Pivetta completed two innings in a Cactus League game against the Reds on Thursday, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out one batter.
Pivetta gave up a triple in the first inning but held Cincinnati scoreless. However, he was touched up for three runs in the second frame as a result of issuing two walks and giving up two hits. Pivetta threw just 22 of 38 pitches for strikes, but a rough outing near the start of spring for a veteran pitcher shouldn't cause fantasy managers to be concerned. The right-hander is coming off arguably his best MLB campaign and is locked in near the top of San Diego's rotation for 2026.
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Yuki Matsui RP | SD
Padres' Yuki Matsui: Uncertain for Opening Day
Matsui (groin) is limited to flat-ground throwing and is questionable for Opening Day, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Matsui has been limited after tweaking his left groin last week. The reliever has already had to pull out of pitching for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic and might not be ready for Opening Day, either. Matsui holds a 3.86 ERA and 130:60 K:BB over 126 regular-season innings in his two years with the Padres.
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A.J. Minter RP | NYM
Mets' A.J. Minter: Facing hitters next week
Minter (lat) expects to throw a live batting practice session next week, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
It would be his first time facing hitters since last May's left lat surgery. Minter is aiming to pitch in at least one Grapefruit League game before the end of camp, and the Mets hope to get the southpaw back in their bullpen by early May.
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Cole Henry RP | WAS
Nationals' Cole Henry: Makes spring debut
Henry (back) struck out two batters in a perfect inning of relief Tuesday in the Nationals' 6-1 win over the Cardinals in Grapefruit League play.
Despite closing the past season on the injured list while recovering from a back strain, Henry appears to be under no restrictions during the early weeks of spring training. The Nationals head into the 2026 season without an obvious option to close games, and Henry should have the opportunity this spring to stake his claim to a late-inning role. While Henry collected two saves and nine holds over his 57 relief appearances for Washington last season, his peripherals (4.69 SIERA, 8.3 K-BB%, 31.7 GB%) were mostly underwhelming.
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Andre Pallante RP | STL
Cardinals' Andre Pallante: Incorporating kick-change
Pallante was charged with one run while fanning two batters over two innings Tuesday versus the Nationals in his first Grapefruit League outing.
Pallante didn't give up a hit, but the Nats plated a run against him in the first inning on a walk, a stolen base, a wild pitch and an error. The righty has been working on a kick-change and threw four of them in the start, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Pallante noted that the kick-change is "nothing like anything I throw" and is "going to be really good" when he has a feel for the pitch. The hope is that it helps Pallante -- who has a career 16.2 percent strikeout rate -- miss more bats. Pallante is competing for a spot in the Cardinals' rotation following a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw him post a 5.31 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 111:62 K:BB over 162.2 innings covering 31 starts.
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Janson Junk RP | MIA
Marlins' Janson Junk: Set for bullpen session
Junk (ankle) will throw a bullpen session Wednesday, Stephen Strom of Marlins Radio Network reports.
It's another box to check for Junk, who is working his way back from a Grade 1 mild right ankle sprain. He shouldn't be far off from his Grapefruit League debut, barring any setbacks. Junk is in the running for a spot in the Marlins' rotation, but a long-relief role is more likely.
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Shota Imanaga RP | CHC
Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Velocity up in spring debut
Imanaga allowed three hits across two scoreless innings in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Padres. He struck out one.
Making his spring debut, Imanaga looked sharp as he logged 33 pitches. Most notably, his fastball velocity was 93 mph on average in the contest, which is up from last season's 90.8 mph average, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. This supports reports coming out of camp about increased velocity for Imanaga. It remains to be seen if this is just a blip for the southpaw in a short start or something he can actually sustain throughout the year. If Imanaga can regularly throw harder, he might be able to improve upon last season's 7.3 K/9, which was down from the 9.0 K/9 he recorded during his 2024 rookie campaign.
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Gregory Santos RP | SF
Giants' Gregory Santos: Issues two walks in spring debut
Santos allowed two hits and two walks across one scoreless inning during Monday's 6-2 Cactus League win over the Athletics.
Santos surrendered a double, a single and two walks but was able to escape the third inning without allowing a run. A non-roster invitee to spring training, Santos signed a minor-league pact with San Francisco in mid-December after being non-tendered by the Mariners following a forgettable two-season stretch in which he made just 16 relief appearances while missing time due to right knee and arm issues. He'll look to earn a spot in the San Francisco bullpen and return to form after his injury problems.
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Riley O'Brien RP | STL
Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Bullpen session Tuesday
O'Brien (calf) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
It will be the first time O'Brien has thrown from the mound since he went down with a minor right calf strain a week ago. The injury is expected to prevent the reliever from pitching for Team South Korea in the World Baseball Classic, but O'Brien should not have trouble ramping up in time for Opening Day if he can avoid setbacks.
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Clay Holmes RP | NYM
Mets' Clay Holmes: Already stretched out for WBC
Holmes gave up two runs on one hit and two walks over 3.2 innings in the Mets' Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays on Monday. He struck out three.
The right-hander threw 57 pitches (30 strikes) as he prepares to represent Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Holmes' one real mistake came on an 82.2 mph curveball to Kazuma Okamoto, which the Japanese slugger put over the fence in center field for a two-run home run. It's a pitch Holmes didn't throw at all in 2025. Once he returns to camp from the WBC, Holmes will be battling with Kodai Senga for the fifth spot in the Mets' Opening Day rotation, although with only two days off through the first three weeks of their schedule, it's possible the team will roll with a six-man rotation out of the gate.