MLB Player News

Scrubb (shoulder) is expected back in mid-April, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Scrubb will start the season on the injured list after developing shoulder soreness in mid-March, but he's apparently avoided any long-term injury. He could join the big-league bullpen a few weeks into the season.

Lovelady was optioned to the Royals' alternate training site Tuesday.

Lovelady hasn't shown much of note in his 21 major-league innings thus far, struggling to a 7.71 ERA. He could join the active roster when the Royals need another lefty in the bullpen, but he's unlikely find himself in a high-leverage role.

Alexander has been awarded a spot in the Dodgers' Opening Day bullpen, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Alexander will give the Dodgers a second matchup lefty out of the bullpen to complement Victor Gonzalez. Fellow southpaw David Price will serve as more of a multi-inning option. The 31-year-old Alexander saw his effectiveness wane during his third season with the Dodgers in 2020, giving up four runs on nine hits and nine walks over 12.1 innings.

Santana won't be included on the Dodgers' Opening Day roster, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.

The coaching staff evidently felt the team was better off carrying another lefty reliever to begin the season, so Scott Alexander was awarded the final spot in the bullpen over the right-handed Santana. The 24-year-old is expected to spent the next month at the Dodgers' alternate site or as a member of the taxi squad before reporting to Triple-A Oklahoma City for the start of the minor-league season in May.

The Giants reassigned Leone to their minor-league camp Tuesday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Leone was one of four non-roster relievers with previous big-league experience whom the Giants sent back to minor-league camp ahead of Opening Day. He spent 2020 with Cleveland, making 12 appearances out of the bullpen while giving up nine earned runs over 9.2 innings.

The Giants reassigned Gott to their minor-league camp Tuesday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Gott was one of four non-roster relievers with previous big-league experience whom the Giants sent back to minor-league camp ahead of Opening Day. The 28-year-old righty was lit up for 13 runs over 11.2 innings with the Giants during the abbreviated 2020 campaign before he was dropped from the 40-man roster in February.

The Giants reassigned Littell to their minor-league camp Tuesday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Littell was one of four non-roster relievers with previous big-league experience whom the Giants sent back to minor-league camp ahead of Opening Day. The 25-year-old righty made 43 appearances with Minnesota across the past three seasons, accruing a 4.52 ERA.

Curtiss has posted a 2.70 ERA and 9:3 K:BB over 6.2 Grapefruit League innings this spring.

The right-hander was picked up from the Rays in the offseason after a breakout 2020, and Curtiss is expected to handle a fairly high-leverage role in an unsettled Marlins bullpen if he can maintain the improvements in his control and command he demonstrated last year. That may not put him in the saves picture, but at the very least, the 27-year-old should quickly record his first career hold.

The Red Sox designated Schreiber for assignment Tuesday.

Boston booted Schreiber from the 40-man roster to clear a spot for outfielder Franchy Cordero, who was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move. A waiver pickup from Pittsburgh in February, Schreiber didn't make a serious run at winning a spot in Boston's Opening Day bullpen this spring.

Manager Alex Cora said Andriese rejoined the team Tuesday and is slated to begin the season in the bullpen, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Andriese had been away from the team for only a few days due to COVID-19-related contact-tracing concerns, so he should be ready to go for Opening Day. Though Eduardo Rodriguez (arm) is expected to begin the season on the injured list, the Red Sox are expected to turn to Tanner Houck rather than Andriese to fill in as the fifth starter to begin the season.