MLB Player News

Canning tossed two scoreless innings in Monday's Cactus League contest against Cleveland, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out two batters.

Canning missed the entire 2022 season due to a lower-back stress fracture, so Monday's outing was particularly important for the right-hander. He tossed 31 pitches and didn't appear to have any lingering effects from the injury. Canning allowed just two singles in Monday's start -- one didn't leave the infield, and the other was a blooper. The 26-year-old is battling for a role at the back of the Angels' rotation, though it remains to be seen how much he'll be able to stretch out by the end of spring.

Rodon hurled two-plus innings in a Grapefruit League game against Atlanta on Sunday, allowing five runs on six hits and one walk while striking out two batters.

Rodon's first game action in a Yankees uniform went about as poorly as possible, as the southpaw was shelled by Atlanta's bats. Three of the hits against him went for extra bases, and both Matt Olson and Austin Riley took Rodon deep. The third inning was particularly brutal for the New York newcomer, as he allowed five runners to reach base without recording an out. Of course, this was still just an exhibition contest, so fantasy managers who have drafted Rodon as an anchor of their rotation need not despair. He'll have plenty of time to straighten things out ahead of Opening Day.

Gilbert is working on a split-changeup this spring that he unveiled in his Cactus League debut against the Padres on Thursday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

Gilbert allowed three earned runs on three hits and two walks over 1.2 innings versus the Padres, even though manager Scott Servais feels the 25-year-old is the furthest along of the Mariners hurlers experimenting with some form of a splitter at the moment. The right-hander took a major step forward with a 13-6 record, 3.20 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 32 starts in 2022, but he also was unsurprisingly fatigued by the time Seattle's postseason concluded after throwing 185.2 innings during the regular season and 5.1 frames in his one playoff start. Consequently, Kramer notes Gilbert is being eased into his spring training work, and the plan is to keep a close eye on how much live hitting he faces in Cactus League play. "I think they're on track with probably the best idea for what I should do," Gilbert said. "I've been feeling great and bullpens, locked in."

Kirby, who allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and a walk over 1.1 innings in his Cactus League debut against the Rockies on Saturday, impressed manager Scott Servais with his arm care and pitch adjustments as a rookie in 2022, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports. "For a young player to be able to make those kinds of adjustments and then to incorporate into his arsenal as quickly as he was against the best players in the world, like, that's special," Servais said.

Kirby's rocky first spring outing notwithstanding, Servais has nothing but praise and elevated expectations for his precocious right-hander. The 25-year-old took full advantage of the knowledge base of the older arms on the Mariners' staff once he arrived at the big-league level in May, learning an arm-care routine and also working up to throwing six different pitches. Kirby is now experimenting with a splitter this spring in order to expand his arsenal even further as he looks to build on the 8-5 record, 3.39 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 24.5 percent strikeout rate he generated across 25 starts in 2022.

Cole topped out at 99 mph in his spring pitching debut Friday, per Max Goodman of SI.com, and he tossed three scoreless innings against Detroit during which he allowed one hit and no walks while striking out four batters.

Based on Cole's results in his first Grapefruit League appearance, the veteran hurler appears primed for the regular season. The right-hander threw 37 of 51 pitches for strikes and allowed just two baserunners -- one on a double and the other on an error. Though Cole's 3.50 ERA last season was his worst since 2017, he still posted an impressive 1.02 WHIP and 32.4 percent strikeout rate, and he's consistently been among the first three starting pitchers off the board in 2023 fantasy drafts.

McKenzie allowed three runs on three hits and three walks over 1.2 innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game versus the Diamondbacks. He struck out four.

"He had trouble leveraging his fastball down," manager Terry Francona said after the game. McKenzie's control issues can likely be attributed to just an off game -- he posted an excellent 2.1 BB/9 and 0.95 WHIP while adding 190 strikeouts in 191.1 innings a year ago. The Guardians are expected to have Shane Bieber start Opening Day, but McKenzie shouldn't be too far behind him in the rotation.

Paxton (hamstring) did some throwing from his knees Sunday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Paxton's Grade 1 right hamstring strain is keeping him from normal workouts, but he's doing his best to keep his arm in shape in the meantime. The left-hander is not expected to be ready in time for Opening Day. Paxton, of course, has had a terrible time staying healthy, having made just six major-league starts and one rehab start over the last three years due to injury.

Bush (oblique) recently resumed throwing bullpen sessions at the Angels' minor-league camp, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

One of the Angels' better pitching prospects, the 23-year-old Bush was denied an invitation to big-league spring training after developing the left oblique injury at some point during the offseason. The Angels aren't ruling out of the possibility of Bush making a Cactus League appearance at some point before the end of the spring, but the southpaw will continue ramping up at minor-league camp for the next week or two. Bush turned in a 3.67 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 101:29 K:BB across 103 frames for Double-A Rocket City in 2022.

Crawford struck out three over three scoreless relief innings in Sunday's spring game against Miami.

Crawford made his second spring appearance (one as a starter) and has yet to allow a run while striking out five over five innings. The right-hander keeps his name in the mix for a spot in the rotation if health becomes an issue early in the season. Brayan Bello (forearm), James Paxton (hamstring) and Garrett Whitlock (hip) are all in danger of missing Opening Day.

Kluber allowed two hits and two walks while striking out four over 2.2 scoreless innings in Sunday's spring start against the Marlins.

Kluber fanned the side in the first inning then worked around two baserunners in the second before leaving with the bases loaded in the third. All eight outs were either strikeouts or groundouts. Kluber has allowed four hits and two walks while striking out five over 4.2 innings.