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Davis Daniel RP | CIN
Angels' Davis Daniel: Placed on 60-day IL
Daniel was placed on the 60-day injured list by the Angels on Thursday due to a right shoulder strain, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
This move clears out a 40-man roster spot for left-hander Matt Moore, whose one-year, $7.55 million deal with the Angels is now official. Daniel posted a 4.49 ERA and 83:32 K:BB over 102.1 innings last season at Triple-A Salt Lake and won't be much of a factor in the early part of the 2023 campaign.
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Chris Rodriguez RP | CHW
Angels' Chris Rodriguez: Still recovering with shoulder
Rodriguez (shoulder) acknowledged Thursday that he is still in recovery mode, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.
"We're getting there," said Rodriguez. "You know, there's still a process to this. So I'll leave that to the higher ups but right now we're feeling really good and everybody's really happy with where we're at." The 24-year-old right-hander did not pitch at any level in 2022 following November 2021 surgery to repair the capsule in his throwing shoulder, and it sounds like he will not be available at the beginning of the 2023 campaign.
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Mitch White RP | MIL
Blue Jays' Mitch White: Recovered from shoulder injury
White revealed Thursday to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com that he suffered a right shoulder impingement over the offseason, though he's currently healthy.
White is thankfully over it by now and believes he can make a strong claim this spring for the No. 5 spot in the Blue Jays' rotation to open the season. Yusei Kikuchi is his primary competition for that role. The odd man out will likely wind up in long relief.
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Mark Melancon RP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Mark Melancon: Among many possible closers
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said the Diamondbacks' closer role will "be fluid," which means Melancon is not a lock to finish games, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. "I haven't yet made up my mind about naming somebody as our ninth-inning guy," the manager said.
Melancon opened the 2022 season as the sole closer, but his grip on the job was tenuous. He finished the year with a 3-10 record, 18 saves and three blown saves and a 4.66 ERA, including stints when he was removed from the role. Lovullo sounds open to the idea of having a fluid bullpen. Beyond Melancon, the manager could be eyeing Andrew Chafin, Kevin Ginkel and Joe Mantiply.
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Gregory Soto RP | PIT
Phillies' Gregory Soto: Yet to arrive in camp
Soto has yet to arrive at Phillies camp due to visa issues, per Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Soto close to the Phillies' facility in the Dominican Republic and can work out there while the visa situation gets resolved. He was acquired from the Tigers in January and projects to operate in a high-leverage bullpen role this year with Philly. Soto should see some save chances but is unlikely to operate as the team's primary closer as he did for Detroit.
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A.J. Puk RP | ARI
Marlins' A.J. Puk: Headed for high-leverage role
Puk will fill a late-inning role in the Marlins bullpen, Jordan McPherson of The Miami Herald reports.
The southpaw had been working on a splitter and cutter this offseason to supplement his 96-mph fastball and plus slider in anticipation of a move to the Oakland rotation, but the trade to Miami puts Puk back in the kind of high-leverage bullpen role he excelled in last season. "[The trade] creates a much deeper bullpen, with some guys with swing-and-miss stuff at the back that's going to give our manager some nice options," pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said Wednesday. "We're probably going to mix-and-match back there. They'll step up and define their roles as we go, but [we have] some guys that have experience back there and it's a much better feeling going into the spring with those guys that we have back there. Lots of options." Puk recorded 20 holds, four saves and four wins in 62 relief appearances for the A's in 2022 with a 3.12 ERA and 27.0 percent strikeout rate over 66.1 innings.
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Drey Jameson RP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Drey Jameson: Will battle for rotation
Jameson is expected to compete for the No. 5 starter job this spring, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.
Jameson started 2022 at Double-A Amarillo before moving on to Triple-A Reno, and he was effective in a four-start stint with the Diamondbacks. The 25-year-old right-hander pitched to 1.48 ERA over 24.1 innings and threw at least six innings in three of his four starts while up in the majors. He and Ryne Nelson are considered the top candidates for the rotation, ahead of Tommy Henry and Brandon Pfaadt.
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Blake Treinen RP | LAD
Dodgers' Blake Treinen: Lands on 60-day IL
Treinen was placed on the 60-day injured list by the Dodgers on Thursday as he recovers from right labrum and rotator cuff surgery.
The move frees up a 40-man roster spot. Treinen is hoping to make it back late in the 2023 season after going under the knife in November, but there's a good chance he'll be out until 2024.
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J.P. Feyereisen RP | LAD
Dodgers' J.P. Feyereisen: Placed on 60-day IL
Feyereisen was placed on the 60-day injured list by the Dodgers on Thursday as he recovers from right rotator cuff and labrum surgery.
The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster. Feyereisen was designated for assignment by the Rays in December after it was discovered that he needed surgery, and he was subsequently traded to the Dodgers. He'll be sidelined at least until the second half of the 2023 campaign.
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Cole Waites RP | DET
Giants' Cole Waites: MRI shows no major damage
Waites was cleared of any tendon damage in his right lat on Wednesday, Evan Webeck of the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Waites strained his right lat just before he arrived at Giants camp, but an MRI taken this week showed significant healing. He is expected to pick up a baseball again within a couple of weeks, though the 24-year-old can probably already be ruled out for a spot in the Giants' active Opening Day bullpen.