MLB Player News
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Max Scherzer SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Back with Blue Jays
Scherzer agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Blue Jays on Wednesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The Blue Jays and Scherzer had mutual interest in a reunion throughout the offseason, and the two sides have now finally agreed on a deal that includes up to $10 million in incentives. The veteran righty took a step back in 2025, as he finished the regular season with a career-worst 5.19 ERA and gave up 19 home runs in 85 innings (17 starts). That being said, he still maintained a strong 82:23 K:BB in the regular season, then posted a 3.77 ERA in three starts during Toronto's postseason run. With Shane Bieber (forearm) due to open the season on the injured list, Scherzer has a path to being included in the Blue Jays' Opening Day rotation, though he likely won't be guaranteed a job when the team's starters are all fully healthy.
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Peyton Pallette SP | CLE
Guardians' Peyton Pallette: Battling shoulder fatigue
Pallette has yet to make his Cactus League debut due to right shoulder fatigue, SI.com reports.
Pallette is scheduled to throw live batting practice in the near future, and the Guardians are hopeful that he'll begin pitching in spring games sometime next week. The 24-year-old righty joined the Guardians in December through the Rule 5 Draft and will have to remain on the major-league roster all season. Otherwise, he'll be offered back to the White Sox.
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Grayson Rodriguez SP | LAA
Angels' Grayson Rodriguez: Mixed results in spring debut
Rodriguez completed 1.2 innings in a Cactus League contest against San Francisco on Tuesday, allowing one run on one hit and three walks while striking out two batters.
Rodriguez missed all of the 2025 regular season due to injuries to his elbow and lat, so this was his first game action since spring training of last year. The right-hander gave up just one hit -- a second-inning double -- but struggled to find the plate, tossing only 23 of 40 pitches for strikes and issuing three free passes. The promising news, however, is that Rodriguez appeared to emerge from the outing with no setbacks while handling a normal pitch count for a starter early in spring training. If he can get through the remainder of the preseason healthy, Rodriguez will likely begin the campaign in the Angels' starting rotation.
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Cameron Schlittler SP | NYY
Yankees' Cam Schlittler: Ready to face hitters
Schlittler (back) is scheduled to throw about 25 pitches in a simulated inning of live batting practice Wednesday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
The Yankees have been moving Schlittler along slowly in his throwing program after he experienced mid-back inflammation shortly upon reporting to camp. He was able to throw multiple bullpen sessions without incident and will now take the next stop forward by facing hitters. If all goes well Wednesday, Schlittler could get the green light to make his Grapefruit League debut at some point next week.
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Gavin Williams SP | CLE
Guardians' Gavin Williams: Makes first Cactus League start
Williams allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit and one walk while striking out one over 1.1 innings in Tuesday's start against the Dodgers.
A first-inning walk and a fielding error by third baseman Juan Brito drove up Williams' pitch count and forced an early exit with one out. The right-hander then returned for the second inning and set down the side in order. He threw 33 pitches (17 strikes). Reducing walks and better location are his focus heading into 2026. In some order, Williams and Tanner Bibee will be atop the Guardians' rotation this season.
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Jason Alexander SP | HOU
Astros' Jason Alexander: Hit hard in spring debut
Alexander allowed four runs on five hits and a walk across two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's Grapefruit League matchup with the Mets. He struck out one.
It was a disastrous start to the spring for Alexander, who gave up back-to-back one-out singles before Mike Tauchman smacked a three-run homer in the first inning. Alexander then gave up a solo shot to Ronny Mauricio with two outs, followed by a single and a walk, before he was ultimately pulled. Alexander served as a swingman for Houston after he was acquired off waivers from the A's in May. The right-hander posted a 4.77 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP and 65:26 K:BB across 77.1 innings between the Astros and Athletics. Alexander will likely start the year with Triple-A Sugar Land if he can't crack the Opening Day bullpen.
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George Kirby SP | SEA
Mariners' George Kirby: Shaky to start spring
Kirby allowed two runs on two hits and a walk across 1.1 innings in Tuesday's Cactus League matchup with the White Sox. He struck out one.
It was a tough start to the spring for Kirby in his first Cactus League outing. The right-hander gave up a two-out run on a Lenyn Sosa double in the first inning before he was charged with two more runs after departing with one out in the second. Kirby is looking to rebound from an up-and-down 2025 campaign in which he posted a career-worst 4.21 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP and 137:29 K:BB across 23 regular-season starts (126 innings).
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Joe Ryan SP | MIN
Twins' Joe Ryan: Throwing after MRI
Ryan (back) played catch from 90 feet Tuesday, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.
Ryan experienced lower back tightness Saturday and underwent an MRI the next day that revealed just inflammation. It still remains unknown when Ryan will take the mound in spring training, but the setback isn't keeping him from using his arm.
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Trey Yesavage SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage: Easing into action
Yesavage threw a side session Tuesday and is expected to make his Grapefruit League debut sometime next week, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The Blue Jays are building up Yesavage deliberately following a considerable workload jump in 2025. His next mound work will be a live batting practice session, and a Grapefruit League start could follow that. The top pitching prospect threw 139.2 innings in 2025, including the postseason, after logging 93.1 innings as a junior at East Carolina in 2024. The Blue Jays plan to manage Yesavage's workload fluidly throughout the season, per Zwelling, who notes that Yesavage could have starts skipped or pushed back depending on how he's recovering between outings.
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Ricky Tiedemann SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Ricky Tiedemann: Battling elbow soreness
Tiedemann experienced left elbow soreness after a side session last week and will be shut down from throwing for a week after undergoing an MRI, which came back clean, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
It's encouraging that the left-hander appears to have avoided any structural damage, but any elbow problems early in camp are particularly notable after he missed all of 2025 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Tiedemann is one of the Blue Jays' top prospects, and the organization was considering having him work as a reliever this season in his first year back from the procedure. The 23-year-old's outlook could gain some clarity next week when he's re-evaluated, but his availability for the start of the campaign is now in question regardless of whether or not a longer shutdown is needed.