MLB Player News

Smith will primarily work in a high-leverage setup role for Altanta, but manager Brian Snitker said he wouldn't hesitate to use the 30-year-old to close, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Mark Melancon is considered the team's primary ninth-inning option right now, and the new rule requiring a pitcher to face at least three batters would seem to prevent Snitker from using the southpaw Smith to face only one or two tough left-handed hitters to close out the ninth. Nonetheless, Smith had the better overall season of the two in 2019, and if Melancon falters, the free-agent signee will be next in line for closing duties.

Gsellman is fully recovered from the torn lat that ended his 2019 season early, Mike Puma of The New York Post reports. "I am healthy and I am feeling great," Gsellman said Friday.

The right-hander thinks he could have returned to the mound in September, but the club elected not to rush him back into action. The Mets' offseason additions of Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha have closed the door on any chance Gsellman might have had on getting stretched out as a starter in camp, but he could still be a useful middle-relief or set-up arm after posting a K% north of 20 percent each of the last two years.

Bracho (elbow) is expected to start the season on the injured list, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Bracho underwent Tommy John surgery last March, so this is not a surprising bit of news. Tommy John survivors typically require more than a year before pitching competitively again.

Biddle won't pitch until the second week of camp as he works his way back from September arthroscopic surgery, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

BIddle missed the second half of last season due to shoulder troubles and isn't free of them to start this year, either. Whether or not he'll be able to pitch enough this spring to make a case for a roster spot remains to be seen.

Hader will make $4.1 million this season after losing his arbitration case Friday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The oddities of baseball's financial system benefit the Brewers in this case, as they'll get arguably the game's best reliever at a bargain price. Hader was seemingly hurt in arbitration by an outdated system that greatly favors closers, a role which he only filled for one of his three dominant seasons to date. Hader had filed for $6.4 million, a number which would have been a record for a first-time arbitration-eligible reliever but which would have been far below the value of his services on the open market.

Webb (elbow) is throwing without any restrictions, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

As expected, Webb is on track to be ready for the start of the 2020 season after missing the second half of the 2019 campaign with a right elbow impingement that ultimately required surgery. The 26-year-old should reprise his role in Atlanta's bullpen after posting a 1.39 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 28:12 K:BB across 32.1 innings last season.

Graterol was sent home from camp Thursday due to an illness, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Manager Dave Roberts said the hard-throwing right-hander is otherwise healthy, per Gurnick. Still, the Dodgers are expected to monitor Graterol's workload throughout spring once he's over the illness. He spent most of the 2019 season with Double-A Pensacola but made his big-league debut in September, compiling a 4.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 10 strikeouts in 9.2 innings with the Twins.

Burdi (biceps) reported to spring training this week without any restrictions to his throwing program, Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic reports.

Burdi will be a full participant to begin camp after he required season-ending surgery last June to relieve symptoms of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. Prior to getting shut down, Burdi had been lit up for nine runs over 8.2 innings, though he picked up 17 strikeouts on the back of his upper-90s fastball. Assuming Burdi can quickly regain his pre-surgery velocity in camp, he could emerge as a dominant setup man in front of newly minted closer Keone Kela.

Hartlieb (foot) reported to camp this week healthy and without any restrictions following offseason surgery, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

Hartlieb required the procedure on his right foot in October, but the offseason provided sufficient time for him to make a full recovery. The 26-year-old righty will be aiming to secure a spot in the Pirates' Opening Day bullpen after compiling a 9.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP and 38:18 K:BB across 35 innings with the big club in 2019.

Boxberger agreed Thursday with the Marlins on a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Boxberger arrives in Miami with two 30-save seasons on his resume, but he's unlikely to factor into the Marlins' closer competition this spring. The 31-year-old may not even be a viable setup option at this stage of his career, as he's coming off a rough 2019 season with Kansas City in which he posted a 5.40 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 27:17 K:BB in 26.2 innings before being waived in July. He went on to land minor-league deals from Washington and Cincinnati later in the summer, but both organizations released him when he was unable to earn a promotion back to the big leagues. Boxberger will get another opportunity in Miami to compete for a bullpen job, though he'll remain well off the fantasy radar unless he somehow finds himself back in a high-leverage role.