MLB Player News

Suarez is lined up to start the Angels' fifth game of the season, which will take place April 4 in Seattle, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Suarez was essentially a lock for a starting role coming into spring training after posting a 3.96 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 22 games (20 starts last season). He has been fine in three Cactus League starts, allowing five runs (four earned) and posting a 6:3 K:BB over 8.2 innings. Suarez doesn't have the strikeout numbers or history of consistency to be an exciting option in fantasy, but he can give managers in deeper leagues decent ratios at a reasonable cost.

McKenzie underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed a right teres major muscle strain. He'll be shut down from throwing for two weeks and could remain sidelined for up to eight weeks.

The MRI didn't bring the favorable news the Guardians were hoping for with Opening Day only a few days away, but they'll undoubtedly elect to play it safe with one of the top arms in their rotation. A more precise target date for McKenzie's return as well as a plan for his rehab program could come into focus once he's re-evaluated in the second week of April.

McKenzie is awaiting results of an MRI performed on his right arm Monday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

McKenzie felt what he thought was normal soreness in his tricep/shoulder area while warming up prior to Sunday's Cactus League start against the Reds. He then alerted the coaching staff when the feeling returned after the first inning, prompting his removal from the game. You'd have to think a stint on the injured list is likely even if the tests come back relatively clean.

Baltimore optioned Rodriguez to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.

Multiple reports earlier Monday indicated that Rodriguez wasn't going to be part of the Orioles' Opening Day rotation, and now he's officially been sent down to the minors. While the top prospect endured some struggles this spring, the odds are good that he'll get off to a strong start with Norfolk and join the O's rotation sooner rather than later.

Bradish is expected to begin the season as a member of the Orioles rotation after Grayson Rodriguez was informed Monday that he won't be part of the 26-man Opening Day roster, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Neither Bradish nor Tyler Wells pitched particularly well in spring training, but with Rodriguez likely to head to Triple-A Norfolk and John Means (elbow) likely out until at least mid-season, Baltimore should have back-end rotation spots available for both Bradish and Wells. A string of poor outings ended up taking Rodriguez out of the Opening Day mix, but the talented right-hander remains Baltimore's top pitching prospect and likely won't require much time to iron things out at Norfolk. With that in mind, both Bradish and Wells may need to show improved results in their first few starts of the regular season to lock themselves into a permanent spot whenever Rodriguez is deemed ready for the big leagues.

Rodon (forearm) completed a 30-pitch bullpen session Monday and was encouraged by how he felt afterward, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Following a two-week shutdown period, Rodon resumed mound work last Thursday, tossing a 15-pitch side session. He doubled up that pitch count Monday and is expected to throw off a mound once or twice more before advancing to facing hitters. While he continues to work through a left forearm strain, Rodon is expected to be on a build-up program that lasts around a month, so fantasy managers who are stashing him early on during the season shouldn't bank on him being ready to debut until late April in a best-case scenario.

Rodriguez will not be part of the Orioles' Opening Day roster, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimore Banner.com reports.

Prior to spring training, Rodriguez cracking the Opening Day rotation seemed like a foregone conclusion. However, Kostka writes that "the internal feeling was that Rodriguez hadn't been consistent enough" during his five Grapefruit League outings. The top prospect struck out 19 over 15.1 innings this spring but also walked seven and held a 7.04 ERA. Rodriguez should be part of Baltimore's rotation soon enough, but for now he'll have to wait.

Manager Kevin Cash confirmed Eflin will start the Rays' second game of the season Saturday versus the Tigers at Tropicana Field, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The Rays are expected to roll out Shane McClanahan, Eflin and Jeffrey Springs as their starters for the season-opening series with Detroit, while Drew Rasmussen, Josh Fleming and McClanahan are slated to pick up starting nods in the following series in Washington next week. Eflin, who signed a three-year, $40 million deal with Tampa Bay in December, built up to 3.1 innings in his most recent Grapefruit League start March 20, so he could have some light restrictions with his pitch count in his regular-season debut.

Waldichuk, who's slated to open the regular season in the starting rotation, allowed five earned runs on four hits, four walks and a wild pitch across 3.1 innings in a Bay Bridge Series exhibition loss to the Giants on Sunday. He struck out six.

Waldichuk is heading into the regular season with a worrisome spring body of work in tow, as the left-hander allowed multiple earned runs in each exhibition appearance and gave up four home runs across 13.2 innings. Nevertheless, with Paul Blackburn (finger) and Drew Rucinski (hamstring) both unavailable for Opening Day, Waldichuk will still have a chance to turn his fortunes around early in the campaign.

Blackburn (finger) is slated to throw off a mound Monday after his flat-ground session Thursday went well, the team's official site reports.

Manager Mark Kotsay noted that Blackburn was able to spin some curveballs during the flat-ground session without issue. Consequently, Monday's activity is considered the next step in the natural progression of his recovery. If the right-hander emerges from Monday's session without setbacks, a firmer regular-season debut date could come into focus.