MLB Player News

Strop, who battled a calf injury in spring training, is expected to be on the Opening Day roster, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Strop didn't make his Cactus League debut until last Thursday, but he was able to get in three appearances and seemingly did enough to convince the organization that he's ready to go for Opening Day. The 32-year-old righty will slot in as a key setup man in front of new closer Brandon Morrow and will look to build upon the 21 holds he posted each of the last two seasons.

Gearrin will be included in the Giants' Opening Day bullpen, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Gearrin was one of manager Bruce Bochy's more reliable relievers last season with a 1.99 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 64 strikeouts over 68 innings, but a 3.94 FIP, .265 BABIP and 86.4 percent strand rate all point to his production not being repeatable. Even if his numbers predictably slip, Gearrin should at least be a mainstay in the middle innings for the Giants, though his non-elite ratios and lack of opportunities for holds probably take him off the radar in most NL-only formats.

Gomez has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and will be on the Giants' Opening Day roster, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The Giants sent Gomez to the minors in mid-March but have apparently changed their mind and decided that the 28-year-old has earned the right to break camp with the big club. Gomez posted a 3.24 ERA over 8.1 innings of spring ball and is expected to work in long relief to begin the year.

Johnson has made the Giants' Opening Day roster, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. He will be recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.

Johnson was informed that he'll be making his first Opening Day roster just two weeks after being optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. The 26-year-old -- who has just one inning of major-league experience -- is expected to occupy a long-relief role with the club to begin the season.

Garcia has made the Marlins' Opening Day roster, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Garcia was sent to Double-A Jacksonville earlier in March to continue his transition to the bullpen, but an injury to Dan Straily (forearm) and the departure of Justin Nicolino to the Reds have since opened up a spot for the 25-year-old on the team's active roster. It's unclear if Garcia will work as a starter or long reliever at this moment. Either way, there are higher-upside options to consider over Garcia if you're looking for a streamer to start the season.

Peters will start the Marlins' fourth game of the season, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

Peters was expected to open the season in the minors after being optioned to Triple-A earlier in March, but the departure of Justin Nicolino to the Reds and an injury to Dan Straily have since opened up a spot for him in the big-league rotation. The 25-year-old struggled in his major-league debut in 2017, posting a 5.17 ERA and 1.63 WHIP across six starts (31.1 innings), but he showed some upside and could prove to be a decent streaming option in his sophomore season, especially when pitching in his home ballpark (4.64 ERA at home in 2017, 6.30 ERA on the road).

The Giants are unsure if Melancon (arm) will be ready for Opening Day, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Melancon is apparently feeling something in his arm, though manager Bruce Bochy wouldn't elaborate. This is certainly a concern after a series of arm issues derailed his first season with the Giants in 2017. He hasn't pitched since Friday, but the veteran is expected to play catch Tuesday and Wednesday, after which there should be a clearer idea regarding his status for the start of the season. If Melancon is ultimately forced to open the year on the disabled list, Sam Dyson would likely step in as the team's closer.

Hernandez (mouth) was placed on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.

As expected, Hernandez will start the 2018 campaign on the disabled list as he continues to work his way back from dental surgery to remove his wisdom teeth. It's unclear when the Rule 5 pick might be ready to return, but the Marlins will likely decide whether or not to keep him or return him to the Astros following his minor-league rehab assignment.

Brebbia was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Brebbia was fighting for a spot in the Cardinals' Opening Day bullpen, but the team's decision to carry top prospect Jordan Hicks to open the season leaves Brebbia bound for Triple-A for a second straight year. The 27-year-old posted a solid 2.44 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 51:11 K:BB across 51.2 innings of relief for the big club last season, so he should be the first man called upon when the Cardinals require additional bullpen help.

Hicks will make the Cardinals' Opening Day roster, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Hicks, one of the Cardinals' top prospects, was expected to open the year with Double-A Springfield, but an impressive showing in camp prompted the Cardinals to give him a spot in the big-league bullpen to open the season. The 21-year-old notched an impressive 2.53 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 8:1 K:BB across 7.2 spring innings. His spring was highlighted by a spot start against a regulars-heavy Nationals lineup that saw him toss four scoreless innings while allowing just one baserunner. Hicks is expected to factor into the late-inning mix for the Cardinals, and seeing as the team has yet to name a closer, the flamethrower should be a name to keep an eye on given his potential. He still hasn't pitched above High-A in his professional career, however, so it's also possible that he's sent back to the minors for more seasoning if he struggles to find his footing.