MLB Player News

Berroa has a Grade 1 right elbow strain, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Berroa was pulled from Saturday's Cactus League contest against the Cubs after experiencing discomfort in his right elbow, and subsequent testing revealed the elbow strain. The White Sox haven't yet announced a timeline or course of action for the reliever's return, but Grade 1 strains typically require several weeks of recovery. Berroa entered spring training as a candidate for a high-leverage role in Chicago's bullpen after posting a 3.32 ERA and 12.3 K/9 over 19 innings with the team last season.

Bautista (elbow) threw live batting practice Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Bautista's throwing session Sunday represented the first time he has faced live hitters since he underwent Tommy John surgery in October of 2023. The 29-year-old stated last week that he's confident in his ability to be ready to pitch by Opening Day, and all signs so far point to that scenario being a legitimate possibility. However, Bautista isn't expected to appear in any Grapefruit League contests until late in spring training, and how he fares when he gets back on the mound in exhibition play could be a determining factor in his return date for regular-season action.

Murphy (elbow) has thrown two bullpen sessions early this spring, Christopher Smith of MassLive reports.

Murphy has thrown a 10-pitch and a 15-pitch bullpen this spring as he works his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last April. The southpaw missed all of last season due to the procedure after throwing 47.2 innings over 20 appearances out of the bullpen for the Red Sox as a rookie in 2023. Smith said Sunday that he's currently aiming to throw to live hitters April 10 and that there's a possibility he could be ready for game action during the first half of the campaign. He added that he's unsure what his role will be upon making it back to the big club, though Smith indicated a desire to be used in a multi-inning role, saying, "I feel like that's something that's going on in baseball now -- guys that can go two innings, guys that can go three innings. So have some utility."

Merryweather (knee) pitched a scoreless inning of relief in Saturday's Cactus League game against the White Sox. He allowed a hit and a walk.

Merryweather missed the majority of last season due to rib and knee injuries and ended up making only 15 appearances for the Cubs, with his last one coming on Aug. 25. While he likely won't be in the mix for saves in 2025 with Ryan Pressly and Porter Hodge around, it's encouraging just to see Merryweather back on the mound. He figures to work in middle relief and likely won't have a ton of fantasy appeal in most formats.

Berroa was removed from Saturday's Cactus League game against the Cubs due to right elbow discomfort.

Berroa was only able to get through one-third of an inning before being removed, during which he allowed two earned runs on three hits and a walk. He's slated to undergo further evaluation after the game, at which point more will be known regarding his availability going forward.

Castillo was removed from Saturday's Cactus League game against the Rockies due to left adductor tightness, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Castillo went down after trying to catch a wild throw from Jordan Lawlar on a play at first base. The severity of Castillo's injury isn't immediately clear, but the Diamondbacks will likely give him at least a few days to recover before deploying him in another exhibition game.

Mlodzinski said Saturday that he is building volume this spring to become a starter, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Mlodzinski reportedly had conversations with the Pirates at the end of last season about transitioning into a starting role -- something he views as a long-term goal. However, he added that he remains open to working in any role the Pirates need him to fill. The 26-year-old righty was given an opportunity to start Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, during which he surrendered two earned runs on four hits over two innings.

Penrod isn't expected to need surgery on his injured left elbow, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Penrod has been dealing with a sore left elbow and got an MRI on Thursday. The results of the test were encouraging, as the lefty reliever doesn't appear to be slated to go under the knife. However, manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Penrod will be "out a while," which could impact his chances of making the Opening Day bullpen.

Manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that Phillips (shoulder) being ready for Opening Day is in doubt, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Phillips' shoulder problems date back to last year's postseason, as a torn rotator cuff prevented him from playing in the World Series. He's gotten back to throwing off a mound since the start of spring training, but he has already been ruled out for Los Angeles' two-game series against the Cubs in Tokyo.

Sims will throw a live batting practice session Sunday, his first one since signing with the Nationals on Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

The veteran right-hander is a little behind the Nats' other relief arms after signing late, but his availability for Opening Day isn't in jeopardy. Sims is coming off a bumpy 2024 split between Boston and Cincinnati, but he posted a 3.10 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 72:39 K:BB over 61 innings for the Reds in 2023, and he figures to be in the high-leverage mix for a Washington squad with a very unsettled bullpen picture.