MLB Player News

Thompson worked 1.1 scoreless innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League finale against the Mets, allowing one walk and striking out two. He also threw a wild pitch.

Control issues are nothing new for Thompson, who posted a 7:3 K:BB through 5.2 innings this spring after managing a 12.4 percent walk rate in his rookie campaign last year, split between the Padres and Nationals. The 24-year-old right-hander has the stuff to emerge as a high-leverage arm if he can learn to harness it, but for now Thompson will handle a middle-relief role for Washington.

Koch signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners on March 10.

He's been assigned to Triple-A Tacoma, where he's expected to serve in a relief role. The 31-year-old has made appearances at the big-league level in four different seasons, though he hasn't reached the majors since 2019.

Cousins struck out two batters and picked up a save in Tuesday's spring game.

Cousins was knocked around a bit this spring, allowing five earned runs over 4.2 innings. However, he did post a 6:1 K:BB and ended the exhibition season on a high note. He won't be in position to pick up saves when the regular season gets underway, but he does figure to be part of the Brewers' late-inning mix, and the 13.2 K/9 he posted in his rookie season suggests he does have closer's stuff.

Marinaccio will make the Yankees' Opening Day roster according to manager Aaron Boone, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.

Boone previously indicated that Marinaccio was likely to break camp with the club, and that appears to be the case given Boone's statement Tuesday. The 26-year-old's first appearance with the Yankees during the regular season will mark his big-league debut. Marinaccio pitched 4.2 innings for New York this spring, giving up five unearned runs and registering a 4:2 K:BB.

Perez allowed one walk in a scoreless inning in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays.

Perez wrapped up spring training in good form -- he pitched six scoreless innings with a 7:2 K:BB and three hits allowed in six appearances. The southpaw struggled to a 6.38 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 25:20 K:BB in 24 innings with the Reds last season, but the Orioles clearly saw enough potential in him to claim him on waivers in November. Given the lack of proven relievers in Baltimore, Perez is likely to begin 2022 in a low-leverage role with the chance to seize more responsibility if he can keep his momentum going from the spring.

Pressly agreed to a two-year, $30 million contract extension with the Astros on Tuesday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Pressly is under contract for 2022 after his $10 million option vested in September, and he's now reached a new deal with the Astros for at least two more years. The extension also includes a $14 million option for a third year, which includes a $2 million buyout that will vest if he makes at least 50 appearances in both 2023 and 2024, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. The 33-year-old has been dominant since being acquired from Minnesota in 2018 and has a 2.21 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 214:35 K:BB over 162.2 innings for Houston. Pressly went 26-for-28 in save opportunities during 2021 and will work as the Astros' closer again this year.

Moll finished Cactus League play with a 1.59 ERA and 9:0 K:BB across 5.2 innings over six appearances.

The southpaw provided encouraging results in preparation for what Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports could be a fluid role in front of established closer Lou Trivino to start the season. Moll will be one of three southpaws in Oakland's bullpen to start the 2022 campaign -- Kirby Snead and A.J. Puk being the other two -- and he'll look to build on a 2021 big-league stint during which he posted a 3.48 ERA and 1.26 WHIP across 10.1 innings over eight appearances.

Ramirez finished Cactus League play with a 3.60 ERA and 7:3 K:BB over five innings across five appearances.

The right-hander impressively allowed just a pair of hits during that span as well and looks tuned up for what could be a boost in volume during his third big-league season. Ramirez has been a relatively nimble bullpen asset during his first pair of big-league stints, recording five saves in addition to adeptly filling a middle/later-inning relief role. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com notes the 26-year-old also showed a knack for getting out of jams last season, posting a 77.2 percent LOB rate across his 27.2 innings.

Banks has earned a spot on the White Sox's Opening Day roster, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Banks was initially reassigned to minor-league camp last week, but Chicago instead decided to include him on the roster to begin the season. The 30-year-old has reportedly upped his fastball velocity by nearly four miles-per-hour and is now primed to make his major-league debut.

Swanson wrapped up Cactus League play with a 10.80 ERA and 4:1 K:BB over five innings across five appearances. He was credited with one save.

The right-hander worked an inning in each appearance and gave up at least one earned run in three of them while surrendering 11 hits overall. The fact Swanson pitched to so much contact is at least somewhat concerning when factoring in he's once again projected to be a key middle-relief component of Seattle's bullpen. However, Daniel Kramer reports the 28-year-old had some of the best quality of contact numbers on the Mariners in 2021, a season in which he recorded a save and five holds alongside a 3.31 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over 33 appearances.