MLB Player News

Mize gave up two earned runs on one hit and two walks while striking out one over 1.2 innings Tuesday in the Tigers' 6-4 win over the Blue Jays in Grapefruit League play.

Mize tossed 35 pitches (17 strikes) in his spring debut, which also marked his first official MLB game in 22 months following a prolonged recovery from Tommy John and back surgeries. The 26-year-old's fastball topped out at 97.3 miles per hour and averaged 95.8 mph, a couple ticks up from his average over his two starts during the 2022 regular season. While the velocity readings are encouraging for Mize, sharpening his command and control will be the greater concerns for him as the spring unfolds. Mize isn't assured a spot in Detroit's Opening Day rotation, and even if he does secure a starting gig, he could be piggybacked by another pitcher early on during the season as the Tigers look to manage his innings in 2024.

Martin (elbow) threw his second bullpen session of the spring Monday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Working his way back from Tommy John surgery, Martin threw 20 fastballs in the session and sat in the 84-to-86 mile-per-hour range. He will incorporate changeups during his next bullpen session next Monday and before the end of spring will progress to throwing off the mound twice per week. The 27-year-old is unlikely to be an option for the White Sox before the second half.

Manoah gave up four runs on three hits and a walk over 1.2 innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers. He failed to strike out a batter and hit three batters with pitches.

The 26-year-old right-hander had neither control nor command, managing to throw only 17 of his 38 pitches for strikes in his first spring start and immediately reviving worries that his 2023 struggles are not yet behind him. If there was a positive takeaway from Tuesday's outing, it was that he was touching 95 mph with his fastball, a step up from last season. Manoah still has a lot to prove this spring to be anything more than a fantasy dart throw however, and if he continues having difficulty finding the plate in Florida, there's no guarantee he even opens the season in the big-league rotation.

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay indicated recently that he would like to see Miller gradually move up the bullpen hierarchy rather than anointing him as closer right away, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

It sounds like the plan is for Miller to be used in 2-to-3 inning stints initially this spring before scaling down his workload as Opening Day nears. While there's little doubting the 25-year-old has the best stuff in Oakland's bullpen, the A's want to be careful with him since he had a UCL sprain last year and will be making the transition from starter to reliever. Miller is still probably the first A's reliever that should be drafted in fantasy, but Dany Jimenez, Trevor Gott, Lucas Erceg and perhaps others could be in the mix for saves ahead of him initially.

Anderson (knee) is scheduled to start Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Rockies, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Anderson missed the final two weeks of the 2023 regular season due to left knee soreness, but he appears to have had a normal offseason and will toe the rubber for the Angels' fifth spring training game. After inking a three-year, $39 million deal with the Angels in November 2022, Anderson wasn't able to meet expectations in his first season in Anaheim, as he delivered a 5.43 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 119:64 K:BB in 141 innings. His contract should still give him plenty of security in the rotation in the early part of the upcoming season, but if Anderson continues to deliver middling results in his second year in Anaheim, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Angels shifted him to the bullpen and gave a younger pitcher a look in a starting role.

Verlander (shoulder) felt good during a bullpen session Tuesday but isn't yet ready to face hitters, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Verlander was already working with a tight window to be ready for Opening Day, and the fact that he's not yet able to face hitters increases the likelihood that he'll begin the season on the shelf. While he's still not ruling Verlander out for the season opener, Astros manager Joe Espada admitted Wednesday that "obviously we're kind of running out of days here." The veteran right-hander has been throwing without issue in camp after his shoulder didn't bounce back well during his offseason work, but he simply just needs more time to build up. The coming days should paint a clearer picture as to Verlander's availability for Opening Day.

Crawford allowed one run on three hits and struck out one over two innings in Tuesday's spring start against the Cardinals.

Crawford made his Grapefruit League debut ahead of what is expected to be a role in Boston's starting rotation. Tuesday's effort was a good first step toward becoming a rotation staple, but the right-hander needs to work on extending himself deeper into games. He averaged 77.4 pitches over his 23 starts in 2023, and manager Alex Cora told Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe that Crawford's stuff will play, but he has to maintain it for 100 pitches. The pitcher acknowledged the need to face opponents a third time and pitch into the sixth and seventh innings.

Dunning allowed two runs on two hits, a walk and a hit batsman while striking out two over two innings in Tuesday's spring start against the Diamondbacks.

Dunning allowed runs in each of his two innings and threw 40 pitches (28 in the second frame). "I got into trouble but worked out of certain situations, made some pitches when I needed to, but I just can't get myself into those positions to begin with," Dunning told Michael Reynolds of MLB.com. He also threw the new pitch he's been working on and induced a pop-out, after he spiked the same pitch during his Cactus League opener last Friday. He'd kept the pitch a mystery, but the Diamondbacks' Salt River Fields is equipped with Statcast, which indicated the pitch was a splitter. Unlike 2023, when the right-hander started in the Rangers' bullpen, Dunning is rotation bound in 2024.

Kirby didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's Cactus League tie with the Giants, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits over 1.1 innings.

The talented right-hander was spotted an early 2-0 lead courtesy of Mitch Garver's home run in the top of the first, but Kirby quickly squandered it by allowing an RBI single to LaMonte Wade and then loading the bases. Kirby was pulled for Jarod Bayless, who promptly surrendered a grand slam to Patrick Bailey, before coming back out for the second inning and tossing a scoreless frame. Per MLB.com, Kirby faced nine hitters and hit 95 mph on his fastball while also working in plenty of breaking pitches.

Stripling (finger) threw a side session Tuesday but remains without a firm timetable for his Cactus League debut, MLB.com reports.

The right-hander was scratched from Monday's start against the Diamondbacks because of a cut on his right index finger, which was described as minor by manager Mark Kotsay. Stripling did feel well enough to throw Tuesday's side session, so his delayed spring debut should come at some point in the near future.