MLB Player News
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Janson Junk RP | MIA
Marlins' Janson Junk: Has mild ankle sprain
Junk has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 mild right ankle sprain, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Junk suffered the injury during a drill Tuesday. It's unclear when the righty might be ready to pitch in games, but he said Thursday that he's "not concerned that this is gonna be a multi-week thing." While the injury is minor, it will not help Junk's bid for a spot in the Marlins' rotation.
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Gus Varland RP | WAS
Nationals' Gus Varland: Healthy for spring training
Varland (undisclosed) faced live hitters during Wednesday's full-squad workout.
Varland didn't pitch after July 28 last season while tending to an undisclosed injury, but he's seemingly back to full health for spring training. The Nationals added Varland to their 40-man roster via a waiver claim in January and will give him the chance to compete for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. Over parts of two big-league seasons across stops with the White Sox, Brewers and Dodgers, Varland owns a 4.82 ERA and 47:24 K:BB over 46.2 innings.
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Bryce Montes de Oca RP | WAS
Nationals' Bryce Montes de Oca: Looks healthy in camp
Montes de Oca (elbow) faced live hitters during Wednesday's full-squad workout.
Montes de Oca looks to be free of restrictions this spring after he missed the entire 2025 season while he was on the mend from his second career Tommy John surgery, which he underwent late in 2024. The 29-year-old right-hander signed a minor-league deal with the Nationals in January and is likely to open the season in the Triple-A Rochester bullpen.
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Tobias Myers RP | NYM
Mets' Tobias Myers: Will make Opening Day roster
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday that Myers will be on the team's Opening Day roster, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Myers has a minor-league option remaining, but the Mets will retain him on the big-league roster in some capacity rather than keeping him stretched out at Triple-A Syracuse. It would likely take multiple injuries to other starters for Myers to be part of the Mets' rotation, so he should be expected to fill a long-relief role.
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Brusdar Graterol RP | LAD
Dodgers' Brusdar Graterol: Ruled out for Opening Day
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Graterol (shoulder) will not be ready in time for Opening Day, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Graterol has been built up slowly this spring after missing all of the 2025 season following November 2024 right shoulder surgery. His velocity crept up during his last bullpen session, but it's still not where it needs to be in order for Graterol to be effective. The 27-year-old is entering his walk year, so Graterol has financial incentive to stay healthy and have a bounce-back season, but he's a wild card in terms of what the Dodgers can expect out of him in 2026.
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Nationals' Drew Smith: Fully healed from TJ surgery
Smith (elbow) completed a bullpen session Wednesday and said that he's under no restrictions during spring training, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
Smith didn't pitch at any point in 2025 after undergoing the second Tommy John surgery of his career in July 2024, but he said that he made a complete recovery by the end of last season. After the Mets declined his team option for 2026 back in November, Smith sat on the open market for more than three months before landing a minor-league deal with Washington earlier this week. Though Smith isn't currently on the 40-man roster, a solid spring should put him in good position to break camp with the Nationals, given their lack of experienced relief arms. The 32-year-old owns a 3.06 ERA over 192 career big-league appearances, all of which came with the Mets.
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Andrew Nardi RP | MIA
Marlins' Andrew Nardi: Dealing with blister
Nardi is a few days behind schedule due to a blister on his pitching hand, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Nardi was able to throw Tuesday, so it doesn't seem to be a significant setback. The lefty reliever will be held out of the first few Grapefruit League contests, but his prep for the regular season shouldn't be affected. Nardi missed the entire 2025 campaign with back issues, but if he's healthy in 2026, he'll likely fill a high-leverage relief role in Miami.
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Anthony Bender RP | MIA
Marlins' Anthony Bender: Nursing shin injury
Bender is slightly behind schedule in Marlins camp due to a shin injury, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
It's not clear how or when Bender sustained the injury, but he threw a bullpen session Tuesday. The veteran reliever will not appear in Grapefruit League games right away, but it's not a significant setback. Bender is slated to serve in a setup role for the Marlins in 2026.
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Ryan Thompson RP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Ryan Thompson: Addresses pitch-tipping issue
Thompson said he addressed an issue of tipping pitches that impacted him early in 2025, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.
Thompson was uncharacteristically ineffective over the first 19 outings last season, leaving a May 19 appearance with a 7.50 ERA while allowing 2.0 home runs per nine innings. Once the side-armer discovered he was tipping pitches and addressed the issue, Thompson finished with a stretch of 29 games during which he posted a 1.16 ERA and did not allow a home run over 23.1 innings. The right-hander enters spring training as part of an unsettled bullpen without a closer and could pick up save opportunities on 2026. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo included Thompson along with Kevin Ginkel and Paul Sewald as potential closers.
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Janson Junk RP | MIA
Marlins' Janson Junk: Wearing boot after rolling ankle
Junk was wearing a boot on his right foot after rolling his ankle Tuesday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Initial testing on the ankle was good, and the Marlins are saying the boot is merely precautionary. Junk had been slated for a pitch-design session Wednesday, but he'll be evaluated by a doctor that day instead. Consider him day-to-day for now. The 30-year-old is competing for a spot in the Marlins' rotation but is more likely to fill a long-relief role.