MLB Player News

Kirby was assigned to minor-league camp Monday, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

As expected, Kirby joined the big-league squad for the first few weeks of camp before being re-assigned. After spending the 2020 campaign at Seattle's alternate training site, he figures to begin the 2021 season at High-A or Double-A.

Hancock was assigned to minor-league camp Monday, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

Hancock didn't see any game action while with the big-league club, but he did get an opportunity to surround himself with major leaguers during the first few weeks of spring training. He's currently ranked as one of Seattle's top prospects after being drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Kikuchi allowed an earned run on two hits and a walk over 3.1 innings in a Cactus League win over the Brewers on Sunday. He struck out six.

Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports Kikuchi's velocity ticked as high as 97 mph and he was able to utilize his cutter with more conviction. Kikuchi also stretched out all the way to 66 pitches, and although he's allowed an earned run in each of his first three spring starts, his Cactus League ERA sits at a solid 3.24 and he's held opposing hitters to a cumulative .179 average across 8.1 innings.

Montas fired three scoreless innings in a Cactus League loss to the White Sox on Sunday, allowing two hits and no walks while recording two strikeouts.

Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports Montas consistently hit 95-97 mph with his fastball and even ticked up to 99 mph at one point. The right-hander also officially began the process of reincorporating a splitter that had worked very effectively back in his career-best 2019, but one that he'd largely abandoned last season. "That's something I think will help me like it helped in the past," Montas said of throwing the splitter more. "I want to be able to work on it and make sure it's ready for the season."

Boyd allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk across four innings of work in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays. He struck out four.

Boyd surrendered a leadoff home run but settled in nicely after that and looked sharp while tossing 60 pitches. He now has seven strikeouts across his last seven Grapefruit League innings, which is right in line with the 9.0 K/9 he registered in 12 starts last season, and he has a spring ERA of 2.00. If the lefty can get closer to his 2019 K/9 of 11.6 this year, he should once again be a solid fantasy asset, even if he doesn't deliver a great ERA or win total.

Baz, who Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports was reassigned to minor league camp Monday, was effective in adding a changeup to his arsenal this spring.

The hard-throwing right-hander, who's recorded four strikeouts over two spring frames thus far, already came in with a highly effective fastball and slider, so the addition of the changeup is likely to make him that much more of a challenge for hitters in the future. Baz could conceivably make his big-league debut sometime in 2021 given his electric stuff, and manager Kevin Cash noted Monday the 21-year-old is also in the midst of developing a curveball.

Means has given up six runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out four across 7.2 innings over his first three Grapefruit League starts.

According to Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com, Means is slated to pick up his fourth start of the spring Wednesday, when he'll likely pitch four or five innings in a matchup with Atlanta. The Orioles have yet to officially announce an Opening Day starter, but the nod will presumably go to Means, who was able to offset a so-so 4.53 ERA in 2020 with an excellent 0.98 WHIP and a solid 19.9 K-BB% (up from 13 percent in 2019).

Lynn will start Chicago's third game of the season against the Angels, LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel will be starting the first and second games of the season, respectively. Lynn has struck out 12 over eight scoreless innings this spring.

Keuchel will start Chicago's second game of the season against the Angels, LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.

He has a 3.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and six strikeouts in 12.2 innings this spring. Lucas Giolito will get the ball on Opening Day and Lance Lynn will slot into the third spot in the rotation. Keuchel will likely be facing Shohei Ohtani or Andrew Heaney in this start, as Dylan Bundy has already been named the Angels' Opening Day starter.

Giolito will start on Opening Day against the Angels, LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.

He has a 1.00 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and 11 strikeouts in nine innings this spring. Dylan Bundy has been confirmed as the Angels' starter in what should be an exciting Opening Day matchup.