MLB Player News

The Athletics announced Monday that Medina will be part of the team's bullpen to begin the season, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Medina could merit consideration for a spot in the rotation later on in the season, but at least to begin the campaign, he'll likely operate as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen. Deploying Medina in relief should allow the Athletics to better manage the right-hander's workload over the course of the campaign, after he missed all of 2025 while completing his recovery from his Aug. 6, 2024 Tommy John surgery. Medina faced no restrictions during spring training but showed shaky command in the Cactus League, allowing six earned runs on six hits while posting a 5:9 K:BB in 7.1 innings.

Bassitt is scheduled to make his Orioles debut March 30 against the Rangers, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.

The Orioles will roll out Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish and Shane Baz in their opening series versus the Twins before Bassitt and Zach Eflin round out the rotation. Bassitt's final spring training tuneup will come Monday against the Nationals when he follows Baz. The 37-year-old Bassitt holds a 2.51 ERA and 9:8 K:BB over 14.1 innings this spring.

Cease struck out six over five scoreless innings Sunday, allowing three hits and two walks in a Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

The Blue Jays' big offseason signing fired 50 of 83 pitches for strikes in his final game of the spring. Cease has been impressive in camp, posting a 0.93 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB over 9.2 innings, and he'll head into 2026 looking for his sixth straight 200-strikeout campaign in his first season with Toronto.

Varland struck out one and gave up a solo home run to Carson Williams in an inning of relief during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.

Varland has a 5:2 K:BB through 5.1 innings this spring but has been tagged for two homers. Keeping the ball in the yard has been an issue for the right-hander in the past -- he served up 12 homers in only 49.2 innings for the Twins in 2024, leading to a bloated 7.61 ERA -- but he reined in those tendencies last season en route to a 2.97 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and a career-high 23 holds over 74 appearances between Minnesota and Toronto. Varland will begin 2026 as one of the top setup man in front of closer Jeff Hoffman.

Pitching coach Matt Blake said Sunday that Gil won't be in line for a starting role to begin the season while the Yankees plan to get by with a four-man rotation for the first 13 days of their schedule, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. "He'd like to be a starter with us, so it's frustrating," Blake said. "But at the same time, he understands the position we're in with the way the schedule lines up for the first two weeks."

The Yankees won't need a fifth starter until April 11, so Gil would appear to be tentatively in line to make his first start of the season that day against the Rays. According to Blake, the team hasn't decided whether Gil will be sent to the minors over the first two weeks, or if he'll be used in a piggyback/long-relief role until he's needed in the rotation. After missing the first four months of the 2025 season while recovering from a lat strain, Gil went on to go 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA and 41:33 K:BB in 57 innings over his 11 starts with the Yankees. He's looked sharper this spring, submitting a 19:4 K:BB in 14.1 innings during the Grapefruit League.

Gray allowed two runs on four hits while striking out nine over six innings in Sunday's spring start against the Pirates.

Gray needed a quality effort after a rough stretch to start the Grapefruit League. The right-hander entered his final spring outing having allowed six runs (6.23 ERA) on 10 hits and seven walks over 8.2 innings. Gray responded with his best performance of the spring, which should allay concerns as he prepares to start the second game of the regular season, Saturday on the road against Cincinnati.

Williams allowed one run on five hits and struck out three over five innings in Sunday's spring start against the Reds.

Williams made his final Cactus League tune-up and appears ready for the regular season. He'll follow Opening Day starter Tanner Bibee and pitch Friday against the Mariners. The right-hander had one hiccup this spring but finished on a high note. Williams, who has averaged 4.2 BB/9 over three major-league seasons, walked just two batters over 17.2 innings this spring.

Woo allowed one run on three hits while striking out four without a walk over six innings in Sunday's Cactus League win over the White Sox. "Extremely locked in, extremely focused, the intent he has on the mound is next to none, and it's really a big part of what he does," manager Dan Wilson said after the game regarding Woo's performance, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.

Divish notes that Woo induced 11 whiffs, including six with his four-seam fastball, on 73 total pitches (52 strikes) in his fourth and final start of spring training. The pitch count sets Woo up for a relatively normal workload in his 2026 regular-season debut this weekend at home against the Guardians. He is not the ace in Seattle, and in fact it appears he will slot in behind both Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, but Woo has a case as a fantasy ace after a top-five finish among fantasy starting pitchers in his age-25 breakout last season.

Zulueta was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday.

Zulueta was traded to Seattle from the Reds in January, and he was able to produce a 3.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 10 strikeouts over seven innings in eight appearances with the Mariners during spring training. The right-hander struggled to a 6.14 ERA over 7.1 innings in seven appearances out of the bullpen with Cincinnati in 2025. He'll look to get into a groove at Tacoma in an attempt to get a shot with the Mariners' major-league roster this season.

Rodriguez (arm) is expected to begin the regular season on the injured list, Erica Weston of Bally Sports West reports.

Rodriguez is dealing with a dead arm, according to manager Kurt Suzuki, and the right-hander will require a stint on the injured list to start the 2026 campaign. Rodriguez described the injury as "not serious" Friday, per Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register, but the issue is significant enough for him to miss time. In his absence, Jack Kochanowicz and Ryan Johnson will round out the Angels' starting rotation.