MLB Player News

Wilson is part of a large group of pitchers who could close games for the Reds this season according to manager David Bell, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Lucas Sims looked like the top candidate but will open the season on the injured list due to elbow troubles. Wilson has 18 career saves, but the 34-year-old doesn't look like the same guy he was at his peak. He stumbled to a career-high 5.29 ERA and a career-low 19.5 percent strikeout rate in 34 innings last season.

Lawrence was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Saturday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Lawrence appeared in five games this spring, surrendering three earned runs on four hits while striking out five over five innings. The right-hander will begin the season at the minor-league level, but considering the lack of top-tier options in the bullpen for the Rockies, he'll likely rejoin the big-league squad at some point in the coming months.

Santillan is expected to fill a high-leverage middle-innings role this season, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The Reds intend to use Santillan the same way they used Tejay Antone last season before the latter underwent Tommy John surgery. Santillan could pick up the occasional save that way -- Antone saved three games in 23 appearances -- but his main path to fantasy relevance may come from the fact that he'll likely throw more than an inning at a time. Santillan has a history as a starting pitcher but didn't show the command necessary to fill that role last season, walking 11.1 percent of opposing batters.

Burke will break camp on the major-league roster, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Burke made six starts in his major-league debut back in 2019, struggling to a 7.42 ERA. He missed all of 2020 due to shoulder surgery and was stuck at Triple-A for all of 2021, where he struck out 28.9 percent of opposing batters but finished with a 5.68 ERA. He appears lined up for a bullpen role for now, but his past experience as a starter makes him an option for spot starts as needed.

Chavez's contract was selected by the Cubs on Saturday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

The 38-year-old looked like he might be toast following the 2020 season, as he struggled to a 6.88 ERA that year while posting a 16.9 percent strikeout rate. He bounced back in a big way last season, however, posting a career-best 2.14 ERA in 33.2 innings for Atlanta as his strikeout rate jumped all the way up to a career-high 27.1 percent.

Abreu and Robert Ahlstrom were sent from the Yankees to the Rangers on Saturday in exchange for Jose Trevino.

Abreu had been expected to break camp in the big leagues, and that's presumably still true for his new team, as he's out of options. The 26-year-old righty tossed 26.2 innings of relief last season, struggling to a 5.15 ERA while walking 12.2 percent of opposing batters, so he's likely to find himself in a low-leverage role.

Gilbert was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Saturday.

Gilbert pitched a no-hitter and finished with a 3.15 ERA in 40 innings as a 27-year-old rookie last year, but he won't get the chance to reprise that performance right away. He should be one of Arizona's top options when the team needs more pitching depth, though his 15.9 percent strikeout rate suggests he's unlikely to repeat his strong ERA in his next MLB opportunity.

Karinchak (shoulder) will begin the season on the injured list, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Karinchak is currently shut down from throwing as he recovers from a teres muscle strain in his right shoulder. He should resume throwing soon but presumably won't be ready for game action right away. His poor season last year and Emmanuel Clase's emergence put some distance between Karinchak and the closer role, though a bounce-back performance should at least position him to be one of the top options if Clase gets hurt.

Pilkington has made Cleveland's Opening Day roster, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Pilkington has been a starter throughout his minor-league career, but the Guardians don't appear to have a rotation spot open for now, so he'll presumably work in relief. He's yet to pitch above Double-A, but his 3.04 ERA and 30.8 percent strikeout rate in 22 appearances at that level last season suggest he should have the stuff to get major-league hitters out.

Medina was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday.

Medina is just 25 years old and was an interesting prospect in the lower minors, but his star has faded to the point that he was designated for assignment by the Phillies over the winter. The Pirates don't have a particularly tough rotation to break into, but his 5.05 ERA in 17 Triple-A starts last year suggests he has more work to do before making a push for a starting role in the majors.