MLB Player News

Atlanta reassigned Giles to minor-league camp Friday.

Giles was in camp as a non-roster invitee and allowed one run on one hit with five strikeouts and three walks in three innings across his three Grapefruit League appearances. The veteran right-hander has just nine big-league appearances since 2019 but has a strong track record and could receive a look later on with Atlanta if he can stay healthy.

Uribe tossed a scoreless inning of relief in Thursday's Cactus League contest against the White Sox.

Uribe was tagged for two earned runs in his spring debut, but he has since thrown three scoreless frames over three appearances, allowing two runners to reach base over that span. After a sterling rookie season in which he struck out 39 batters over 30.2 innings and posted a 1.76 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, he is on track to open the regular season with a high-leverage role in Milwaukee's bullpen.

Atlanta optioned Kerr to Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday.

The 29-year-old was acquired from San Diego for Matt Carpenter and cash in December but won't make Atlanta's Opening Day roster. Kerr had a 4.33 ERA in 22 relief outings for the Padres last season, and he allowed three runs with an 8:1 K:BB over 4.2 innings during Grapefruit League play this spring.

The Giants signed Garza to a minor-league deal Thursday, which includes an invitation to spring training, Ari Alexander of KPRC2 reports.

Garza has thrown 47 innings in the majors throughout his career, though he's managed only a 5.74 ERA in that span. He's likely to serve as organizational depth and could contribute sparingly out of the big-league bullpen.

Middleton left the Cardinals' camp Thursday to watch his brother play in Oregon's state basketball tournament, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Middleton has served as a part-time coach for his brother's team and arranged for his absence when he signed with the Cardinals in the offseason. He is expected to return to camp Sunday. The 30-year-old reliever has thrown two scoreless innings this spring with one strikeout and is in line to serve in middle relief for the Cardinals in 2024.

Burr was removed from Thursday's appearance versus the Rays with tightness in the back of his right shoulder, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Burr induced a groundout and a strikeout but then allowed a single to the third batter he faced before being lifted. The right-handed reliever will likely have tests done on the shoulder. Burr is in camp with the Phillies as a non-roster invitee.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Kilian will be sidelined until around the All-Star break after an MRI revealed a teres major strain in his right shoulder, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Counsell noted that it's the type of injury which can have varying timelines, but Kilian isn't expected to be pitching anytime soon. The loss of Kilian is a hit to the team's starting pitching depth, as he was likely slated to open the season in the Triple-A Iowa rotation.

The Diamondbacks reassigned Hughes to minor-league camp Thursday.

Hughes finished the 2023 season on the Cubs' 60-day injured list while he recovered from left knee surgery, but since he was making minor-league rehab appearances in September, he seemingly entered the offseason with a clean bill of health. After the Cubs non-tendered him in November, Hughes caught on with the Diamondbacks on a minor-league deal in free agency and turned in a 2.45 ERA while striking out five over 3.2 innings through his four Cactus League appearances. Though Hughes' solid spring wasn't enough to help him secure a spot in Arizona's Opening Day bullpen, he could be in the mix for a promotion to the big club if he continues to excel at Triple-A Reno early in the season.

Vasquez tossed 3.2 innings against Cincinnati in a Cactus League contest Wednesday, allowing five runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out three batters.

Vasquez came into the outing having tossed two spring outings during which he allowed just one run on two hits and four walks with six punchouts over five frames. Wednesday's start was a step in the wrong direction, as the right hander served up five extra-base hits, including a trio of homers. Vasquez is in the running for one of two spots at the back of the Padres' rotation to begin the campaign, with Jhony Brito, Matt Waldron and Pedro Avila being his primary competition. One thing going for Vasquez is that he had moderate success with the Yankees in his first taste of major-league action last year. Over 11 outings (including five starts), he posted a 2.87 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 33:18 K:BB across 37.2 innings.

Assad tossed two scoreless innings in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Angels. He allowed one hit and struck out two.

Assad entered the game having allowed seven runs (six earned) across his first 3.1 innings this spring, so this was a step in the right direction. After serving as a valuable swingman last season, the righty is in the mix to start for the Cubs on a more regular basis in 2024. He may need to string together a few more good outings in camp to beat out Jordan Wicks for a rotation spot.