MLB Player News

Swanson (forearm/elbow) will meet with Dr. Keith Meister in Texas on Thursday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Swanson has been slowed by forearm and elbow issues this spring. Blue Jays manager John Schneider referred to Swanson's arm issues as "a little bit of a recurring theme," and the goal with Thursday's exam is to "nail down exactly what's going on." More clarity on Swanson's situation is anticipated after Thursday's meeting, but the reliever is expected to begin the season on the injured list regardless of what comes out of the exam.

Diaz (hamstring) allowed one hit and one walk over a scoreless inning in Sunday's spring game against the Angels.

Diaz made his Cactus League debut, entering in the fifth inning after starter Graham Ashcraft worked the first four frames. Diaz was held out of early spring games as a precaution after he felt something in his hamstring during pitcher fielding drills. The Reds' closer is confident he'll be ready for Opening Day.

Strahm will be shut down until at least Thursday and is uncertain for Opening Day due to an impingement in his left shoulder that's caused inflammation, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

The good news is an MRI on Strahm's shoulder came back negative. He will be re-examined Thursday by the Phillies team doctor, at which point it will be determined whether he's able to resume a throwing program. The Phillies should have a good idea at that time whether Strahm will have a chance to be ready in time for Opening Day. The southpaw was one of the best relievers in baseball last season, collecting a 1.87 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 79:11 K:BB over 62.2 regular-season frames.

Wesneski has allowed one earned run across 6.1 innings while maintaining an 11:3 K:BB in the Grapefruit League this spring.

Wesneski is a top candidate to begin the season in the Astros' rotation with both Luis Garcia (elbow) and Lance McCullers (forearm) set to begin the season on the injured list. According to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, Wesneski has prepped for the role by adding a curveball to his arsenal. The results this spring have been strong, highlighted by his outing Saturday when he struck out five and walked one across 2.1 frames.

Blanco is prioritizing an attack of the strike zone this season, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Blanco had one of the biggest breakout performances in 2024, but he struggled to consistently find the strike zone, as his 10.1 percent walk rate in the regular season was the highest mark of any qualified starter. He escaped relatively unscathed thanks to a .187 BABIP with runners on base and .160 with runners in scoring position, both of which are unlikely to repeat in 2025. As a result, he plans to be less precise with his pitches in hopes of finding the strike zone more consistently.

Woods Richardson gave up three runs, all unearned, in three innings with four strikeouts and no walks in Sunday's spring training loss to Baltimore. He has a 1.29 ERA with a 7:2 K:BB in seven innings this spring.

Woods Richardson entered spring as the leading candidate for the fifth starter role and hasn't done anything to lose that position after three spring starts. He's in a competition with David Festa and Zebby Matthews, and the Twins' fourth starter spot could be up for grabs as well if Chris Paddack falters.

The Rays reassigned Gerber to minor-league camp Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Gerber made 17 appearances out of Seattle's big-league bullpen, but he's since toiled in the minors while also missing significant time with injuries. He landed a minor-league contract with the Rays in the offseason after he most recently spent the 2024 season in the Yankees organization. After failing to win a spot in Tampa Bay's Opening Day bullpen, Gerber is likely to report to Triple-A Durham.

The Tigers reassigned Miller to minor-league camp Sunday.

While with the Angels last season, Miller reached the big leagues for the first time and produced a 4.15 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in 13 innings. After being cut loose in November, Miller caught on with the Tigers on a minor-league deal and was given a chance to compete for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen, but he ultimately fell short in his battle for a roster berth. The reliever will likely open the season at Triple-A Toledo.

Manager Dave Martinez said Sunday that Brzykcy is considered day-to-day due to a right quad injury, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

The right-hander hasn't pitched in Grapefruit League action since making his spring debut Feb. 25, though he's recently thrown a few bullpen sessions. Assuming Brzykcy can soon progress to facing live batters, he may still have enough time to be ready for the start of the season.

Walters is returning from right shoulder stiffness and threw a bullpen session Sunday, SI.com reports.

Walters was shut down after giving up three runs over one-third of an inning during his spring debut Feb. 24, but he's been cleared to resume mound work. The right-hander delivered 8.2 scoreless frames in his first taste of the majors last season, but it's unclear if he'll be past the shoulder issue in time for Opening Day.