MLB Player News

Hendriks will pitch for the first time in nine days Friday against the Brewers after dealing with kidney stones, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

The medical scare threw off Hendriks' preseason preparation, but he should still be ready to go by Opening Day. His delayed buildup may mean the White Sox avoid using him on back-to-back days at the start of the regular season, but it shouldn't significantly impact his campaign.

Nelson was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Friday, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

The 24-year-old was competing for a spot in the bullpen to start the season, and he had a strong spring training with one run allowed and an 8:0 K:BB over five innings. Nelson still figures to be in the mix this season as Cleveland shuffles its bullpen pieces.

Biddle was one of three players assigned to the Reds' minor-league camp Friday, along with pitcher Brandon Finnegan and catcher Rocky Gale.

Biddle was already up against it to make the team, and then he had to deal with shoulder problems at the start of spring training.

Boxberger was released by the Brewers on Friday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

The 32-year-old was unable to secure a spot on the big-league roster to open the season, though Milwaukee apparently hopes to re-sign him to a minor-league deal. Boxberger had a 3.00 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 18:8 K:BB over 18 innings for the Marlins last season.

Chavez was let go by the Angels on Friday.

The veteran joined the team as a non-roster invitee in February but failed to impress this spring. In 4.1 Cactus League innings, he gave up seven runs on nine hits, striking out two and walking three. Now 37 years old and coming off a pair of seasons in which he struggled to a combined 5.21 ERA, it's possible his big-league days are over.

Anderson expects to try a platelet-rich plasma injection or stem cell treatment to address his partially torn elbow ligament, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Anderson's elbow woes are expected to keep him out until after the All-Star break. He's not planning on undergoing surgery at this point, though the aforementioned treatments don't have a 100 percent success rate, so he may be forced to change his plans eventually. Diego Castillo and Pete Fairbanks look like the top ninth-inning options in his absence, though the Rays are famously creative with their pitchers' roles, so it's always possible someone else enters the picture.

Matzek has posted a 2.25 ERA and 12:5 K:BB through eight innings this spring.

The run prevention is nice, but Matzek has had a little trouble getting the ball over the plate consistently, an issue that plagued him in the past prior to his remarkable comeback in 2020. The left-hander has the strikeout stuff to get out of jams and is still expected to fill a high-leverage role in the Atlanta bullpen to begin the season, but if he can't rein in the walks he could slip down the pecking order quickly.

Ponce de Leon, who allowed three earned runs on five hits and six walks while striking out three over 4.1 innings versus the Astros on Thursday, is on track to begin the season in the Cardinals' starting rotation, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Kwang Hyun Kim (back) is still building up to a starter's workload as camp winds down, allowing Ponce de Leon to open 2021 in the starting rotation. The 29-year-old may only receive one or two starts until Kim is fully stretched out, but a strong showing could go a long way toward creating additional opportunities. Ponce de Leon had eight starts in nine appearances with a 4.96 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 45:20 K:BB over 32.2 innings for the Cardinals in 2020.

Fulmer will open the season as a reliever for the Tigers, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

The 28-year-old was competing for a spot at the back end of Detroit's starting rotation, but he'll instead open the season in the bullpen. Fulmer has exclusively operated as a starter during his four years in the big leagues, but he's now set to serve in a multi-inning role as a reliever.

King hurled 2.1 innings in Thursday's Grapefruit League game versus Philadelphia, allowing seven runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two.

King was knocked around early in the contest, allowing the first four Philadelphia batters to reach base before getting his first out and yielding five runs prior to being pulled for a reliever. He went back out for the second frame and allowed another two runs before pitching a clean third inning. King has given up 12 earned runs across 15.1 innings this spring and may have pitched his way out of a roster spot with Thursday's ugly outing.