MLB Player News

Paredes (undisclosed) has returned to camp and is throwing a bullpen session Thursday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Paredes had been away from the team due to health and safety protocols, but he's now back in action for the Astros. The right-hander will now have three weeks to build up ahead of Opening Day.

Diekman has been credited with two holds in as many Cactus League appearances -- a pair of one-inning scoreless efforts during which he's allowed no hits and one walk while recording four strikeouts.

The veteran southpaw's second outing came Wednesday against the Brewers, when he followed starter Chris Bassitt in the fourth inning. Diekman was outstanding as a setup option last season while racking up a 36.8 percent strikeout rate and recording a minuscule 0.42 ERA over 21 innings, and he seems set to serve as one of manager Bob Melvin's most reliable bullpen options once again in 2021.

Alcala threw a scoreless inning in Wednesday's spring training game and reached 99 mph with his fastball, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports. Alcala has given up one run with three strikeouts and three walks in three innings this spring.

Alcala had a 2.63 ERA with a 30 percent strikeout rate and respectable 8.9 percent walk rate last season, powered by a fastball that topped out at 100.7 mph. He could have some growing pains, though, as Alcala had pitched just 9.1 innings above Double-A before last year. For the time being, he looks set to have a prominent role among Minnesota's setup corps.

Coonrod may be on the outside looking in on Opening Day, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

The Phillies acquired Coonrod in exchange for their 2020 fourth-round pick Carson Ragsdale in January. He still has options remaining and owns a career 5.74 ERA, so while the team must have seen something in him to bother trading for him, he's certainly not a lock to win a job. Gelb's latest roster projection, based on conversations with scouts and team officials, has Coonrod losing the battle to JoJo Romero for one of the final bullpen spots. Which pitcher wins the job may depend in part on how many southpaws the Phillies want to carry; Coonrod throws right-handed, while Romero is a lefty.

Hicks recorded a clean inning on 11 pitches during a "B" game against the Nationals on Wednesday, his first game action of any kind since June 2019, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports. "I don't think it would have mattered what lens you're looking [through]," said manager Mike Shildt. "It was pretty darn good."

The right-hander recorded a strikeout while also inducing a pair of groundouts. Hicks, highly regarded for his ability to consistently hit triple digits on the radar gun when healthy, was also recorded at 102 mph in a live batting practice session Wednesday, further corroborating the fitness of his surgically repaired elbow. Assuming he remains free of any setbacks in coming days, Hicks' next step will be his Grapefruit League debut.

Brogdon is seen as a potential setup man by the Phillies this season, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Brogdon flashed plenty of potential during his 11.1-inning debut last season, posting a 3.97 ERA and 0.88 WHIP. His 38.6 percent strikeout rate proved to be more than enough to overcome his 11.4 percent walk rate and 36.4 percent groundball rate. Brogdon's inexperience means he's clearly behind Hector Neris and Archie Bradley in the battle for the closer job, but it's not out of the question that he could push for saves at some point if he excels while those two struggle.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Thursday that Honeywell (elbow) has looked good during his recent bullpen sessions and will soon advance to pitching in live batting practice, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Cash was unwilling to speculate if Honeywell would be ready to pitch in a Grapefruit League game at any point, but the right-hander looks like he'll at least be able to test himself against hitters in a controlled setting prior to the end of spring training. Honeywell is expected to open the season in the injured list while he works back from a minor procedure he required on his elbow last December. It was the fourth different elbow procedure or surgery for Honeywell, who hasn't pitched in affiliated ball since 2017.

Peters (back) will throw a bullpen session soon, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

He has been battling back spasms since late last week and will likely need to get into game action fairly soon to be considered for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Even if he were to return and make the club, Peters would likely pitch in low-leverage situations.

Naughton (elbow) resumed throwing Thursday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Naughton was diagnosed with an elbow strain in late February. He's back to throwing within two weeks of the diagnosis, which certainly appears to be a good sign. Naughton's not considered a candidate for the Opening Day roster, so he'll have plenty of time to build up before the Triple-A season begins.

Reyes will undergo Tommy John surgery next week, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Reyes was diagnosed with a UCL sprain in early March, and it turns out that the injury is bad enough to require surgery. A typical recovery timeline would see Reyes shut down until the middle of next season. At that point, he'll be a 29-year-old coming off major surgery with just 26 big-league innings to his name.