MLB Player News

Smith has pitched to a 5.79 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 7:3 K:BB across 4.2 innings in four Cactus League appearances.

Smith struggled out of the gate in his Athletics debut against the Diamondbacks on Feb. 25, getting tagged for three earned runs on three hits and a walk over one inning. However, the veteran right-hander has bounced back to fire 3.2 scoreless, one-hit frames. Smith has flashed some solid swing-and-miss stuff and a penchant for keeping the ball in the park throughout his minor-league career before getting his first MLB opportunity with the Rockies in 2022, during which control issues (7.5 BB/9 across 18 innings) helped lead to a bloated 7.50 ERA and 1.72 WHIP.

The Mets claimed Santana off waivers from Minnesota on Friday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

Less than a month after being claimed by Minnesota from Atlanta, Santana will be on the move again to the Big Apple. The 26-year-old reliever recorded a 5.22 ERA and 1.33 WHIP through 58.2 frames with the Rangers last season.

Yarbrough (groin) made it through a one-inning minor-league appearance without issue Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

He's set up for a two-inning Cactus League appearance next in what will be his first official spring outing since late February. Yarbrough has been battling a groin strain but doesn't appear to be in any danger of missing Opening Day.

McHugh gave up a hit and struck out one over two scoreless innings of relief in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

Seeing his first game action of the spring, McHugh tossed 24 pitches, with 17 of them going for strikes. The veteran right-hander has posted a sub-1.00 WHIP in three of the last four seasons since moving into a relief role, and after collecting a career-high 17 holds in 2022, he's expected to fill a setup role once again for Atlanta.

Ottavino is an option to replace Edwin Diaz (knee) in save situations, Tim Britton and Andy McCullough of The Athletic report.

The veteran right-hander is probably the best healthy reliever remaining on the roster, but that fact could encourage manager Buck Showalter to use him earlier in games in high-leverage spots rather than limiting him to the ninth inning. Ottavino's platoon splits could also keep him out of the save picture in games where the opposition has tough left-handed hitters due up in the ninth. David Robertson and Brooks Raley appear to be the other internal options to replace Diaz, although Mets owner Steve Cohen likely won't be afraid to spend more money and acquire another relief arm.

Colome walked three batters and struck out one in a scoreless inning of relief during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.

The high-leverage roles in the Nationals' bullpen remain undecided beyond Kyle Finnegan, but Colome didn't do himself any favors in his quest to secure one with this performance. The veteran right-hander is coming off a season in which he posted a 5.74 ERA through 47 innings with the Rockies, and he's been no better at sea level this spring, giving up two homers with a 5:5 K:BB through 6.2 innings over seven appearances. Given that he's only on an NRI deal in camp, there's no guarantee Colome even makes the Opening Day roster.

Bachman (general soreness) is slated to make a Cactus League appearance Friday, Taylor Blake Ward of The Sporting Tribune reports.

Bachman has been held out of game action since February because of general soreness, but he appears ready to roll. The 2021 first-round pick appears ticketed for the Double-A Rocket City rotation to start 2023.

Vest has been held out of Grapefruit League games lately as he works on his delivery, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Vest has been blasted for eight runs over just three innings this spring. He'll throw live batting practice Saturday and could get into a game after that. "We have to get him moving down the mound the way he normally does," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.

Leclerc allowed one hit and two walks while striking out three over 1.1 scoreless relief innings in Thursday's spring game against the Dodgers.

Leclerc entered in the eighth inning and extricated the Rangers from a jam created by Marc Church. An inning later, Texas' probable closer had to escape a bases-loaded jam of his own making. The right-hander appears to be over the neck injury that paused his spring development for a week and has yet to allow a run over 4.1 Cactus League innings.

Sewald has fired two scoreless innings during which he's allowed one hit and recorded two strikeouts across two Cactus League appearances.

Sewald hasn't failed to throw a strike yet, finding the zone on all 11 of his pitches over his pair of appearances. The hard-throwing right-hander, who underwent heel and elbow procedures this offseason, is slated to see a fair amount of ninth-inning work this year after recording a career-high 20 saves in 25 chances in 2022, but Andres Munoz (foot) and Diego Castillo should also log an allotment of high-leverage opportunities.