-
Austin Adams RP | BOS
Diamondbacks' Austin Adams: Reassigned to minors camp
Adams (forearm) was reassigned to minor-league camp Friday.
Adams signed a minor-league contract Friday, but he was unlikely to make the roster because he is recovering from surgery to repair a tear in his right flexor tendon. The veteran right-hander could make appearances with the Diamondbacks in 2023, but the team will need to add him to the 40-man roster in order for him to do so.
-
Cole Waites RP | DET
Giants' Cole Waites: Not expected to be ready for opener
Waites (lat) is not expected to be ready in time for Opening Day, Evan Webeck of the Mercury News reports.
Waites sustained a right lat strain in early February just before the start of camp. He's resumed throwing off a mound but isn't going to have enough time to avoid an injured list stint. It does seem as though Waites should be an option for the Giants at some point in April, though.
-
Thomas Szapucki RP | SF
Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Dealing with neuropathy
Szapucki is likely to begin the season on the injured list due to neuropathy in his pitching arm, Evan Webeck of the Mercury News reports.
Szapucki couldn't feel the fingers on his left hand during his lone Cactus League appearance back on Feb. 26. He hasn't thrown a ball since and the Giants are still trying to determine the root cause of the issue. It sounds like he'll remain shut down until the team has better idea of how to proceed, so he could be sidelined for a while.
-
Dakota Hudson SP | LAA
Cardinals' Dakota Hudson: Role not yet defined
Hudson is competing to win a spot in the Cardinals' rotation, Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Hudson had a rough 2022, coming back from Tommy John surgery and struggling to a career-worst 4.45 ERA and 1.45 WHIP over 139.2 innings. He was briefly demoted to Triple-A Memphis late in the season and also saw time as a reliever, which remains a possibility for 2023 as well as Hudson is currently projected as the Cardinals' sixth starter. He's done reasonably well through two Grapefruit League appearances, allowing one earned run on seven hits and two walks, though he's logged just one strikeout over five innings.
-
Sean Hjelle RP | SF
Giants' Sean Hjelle: Impressing this spring
Hjelle has allowed two earned runs on nine hits and no walks while striking out 10 over eight innings through three Cactus League appearances.
That's the good news, but as a 25-year-old with all of 25 big-league innings under his belt, Hjelle faces an uphill battle in a crowded competition for a job in the San Francisco rotation. The right-hander logged a 5.76 ERA, 1.64 WHIP and 28:8 K:BB across eight appearances last season, all as a bulk reliever, though he also started 22 times for Triple-A Sacramento and posted a 4.92 ERA and 1.55 WHIP over 97 innings at that level. Hjelle likely needs a bit more time in the minors, but it's encouraging to see him flash some potential in spring training.
-
Ryan Jensen RP | MIN
Cubs' Ryan Jensen: Optioned to Double-A
Jensen was optioned to Double-A Tennessee on Friday.
Jensen spent all of last season with Double-A Tennessee, logging a 4.25 ERA and 1.39 WHIP through 59.1 innings. If the 25-year-old righty can manage to improve upon his numbers from last season, there's a chance he cracks the Triple-A level at some point in 2023.
-
Pedro Avila RP | CLE
Padres' Pedro Avila: Optioned to Triple-A
Avila was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Friday.
After giving up three earned runs through 3.2 innings during spring training, Avila's chance at cracking the big-league roster has come and gone. The 26-year-old righty spent nearly all of last season in Triple-A, logging a 4.58 ERA and 1.31 WHIP through 112 innings of work.
-
Cole Waites RP | DET
Giants' Cole Waites: Set for another bullpen session
Waites (lat) is scheduled to throw another bullpen session Friday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
Waites suffered a right light strain in early February, but he's made steady progress since resuming a throwing program a couple of weeks ago. The 24-year-old could be an option for the Giants' bullpen sometime in the opening month of the 2023 season if everything continues to go smoothly.