MLB Player News

Mejia was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Monday.

Mejia was traded from the Guardians to the Brewers in November, and he posted a 4.76 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 5.2 innings across six relief appearances this spring. Although he was unable to make the Brewers' Opening Day roster, he made 17 appearances (11 starts) for Cleveland last year, so he'll likely be in the mix for a major-league roster spot at some point in 2022.

The Cubs reassigned Gonsalves to Triple-A Iowa on Monday.

Even though the Cubs lost multiple rotation candidates and relievers to injuries since the start of camp, Gonsalves appeared to have only an outside shot of breaking camp with the club, even he submitted a tidy 3.00 ERA and 1.17 WHIP while striking out eight over six innings this spring. He'll likely serve as a swingman at Iowa, the same role he held last season while he was with Triple-A Worcester in the Red Sox organization.

The Cubs reassigned Gsellman to Triple-A Iowa on Monday.

He was one of five players sent to the minors Tuesday as the Cubs narrowed down their group at big-league camp ahead of Opening Day. Gsellman, who joined the Cubs on a minor-league deal earlier this month, produced a 3.77 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 28.2 innings out of the Mets bullpen in 2021.

The Nationals reassigned Weems to minor-league camp Monday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Though he made a strong case for a spot in Washington's Opening Day bullpen by striking out six over five scoreless frames during his four Grapefruit League appearances, Weems will ultimately begin the season with Triple-A Rochester. Weems previously made seven unsuccessful appearances in the majors between Oakland and Arizona last season, giving up 10 earned runs and issuing six walks in 5.2 frames.

Pop was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Miami's bullpen got more crowded when the team acquired Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott from the Orioles on Sunday. Pop had a respectable 4.12 ERA in 54.2 innings as a rookie last season but will have to wait to get his next chance in the majors.

The Dodgers reassigned Almonte to minor-league camp Monday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Almonte was one of nine non-roster invitees that the Dodgers shipped out of big-league camp with Opening Day just four days away. The 27-year-old made 48 appearances in the majors with the Rockies in 2021 and produced a 7.55 ERA over 47.2 innings, but he wasn't able to secure a spot in a Dodgers bullpen that contained more high-quality competition.

Garcia was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday.

Garcia should serve as rotation depth this season, but there wasn't a role for him to fill right away. He struggled to a 6.85 ERA in 24 outings at the Triple-A level last season, walking 15.6 percent of opposing batters, so he needs to sort out his control before he makes his push for a rotation spot.

Baumann could have a chance to break camp with the Orioles, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.

With Cole Sulser and Tanner Scott traded to the Marlins on Sunday, the Orioles will need to have some reinforcements in their bullpen. Baumann has traditionally worked as a starter in the minors, though he also made four relief appearances in the majors last season. The right-hander could be in competition for a multi-inning or piggyback role with the Orioles' rotation far from set in stone ahead of Opening Day. He's allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 4.1 innings in two Grapefruit League appearances. Baumann tossed 2.1 hitless innings in Sunday's loss to the Twins to strengthen his bid for a roster spot.

Heasley was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Monday.

Per Anne Rogers of MLB.com, Heasley could have made the Opening Day bullpen, but the Royals want him to stretch out as a starter in the minors. The 25-year-old made three major-league starts last season but spent the bulk of the year with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, where he recorded a 3.33 ERA and a 27.7 percent strikeout rate.

Manager David Bell said Monday that Diaz has made the Reds' Opening Day roster, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

After being added to the Reds' 40-man roster over the winter, Diaz will bypass the Triple-A level entirely and make the jump from Double-A Chattanooga to the majors to begin the 2022 campaign. The 25-year-old righty posted a 3.83 ERA and 70 strikeouts over 42.1 innings for Chattanooga in 2021 while limiting opposing hitters to a .194 average. He'll likely start the season in a low-leverage role out of the bullpen, but he could quickly move up the pecking order in a Cincinnati relief corps lacking in upside arms.