MLB Player News
-
Hunter Gaddis SP | CLE
Guardians' Hunter Gaddis: Throws off mound
Gaddis (forearm) threw off a mound Thursday, MLB.com reports.
The session was a low-intensity mound workout that emphasized mechanics over velocity. It's typically an intermediary step between flat-ground throwing and a full bullpen, helping a pitcher transition back toward facing live hitters. As yet, Gaddis' availability for Opening Day remains uncertain.
-
Slade Cecconi SP | CLE
Guardians' Slade Cecconi: Lowers spring ERA
Cecconi allowed two hits and one walk while striking out six over four scoreless innings in Thursday's spring start against the Brewers.
Cleveland's pitchers dominated in a 1-0 win, with Cecconi leading the way. In his fourth Cactus League outing, the right-hander worked up to 67 pitches (43 strikes) and lowered his spring ERA to 2.13. Over the last three starts, Cecconi has recorded 13 strikeouts and three walks over 10.2 frames.
-
Sawyer Gipson-Long SP | DET
Tigers' Sawyer Gipson-Long: Throws bullpen session
Gipson-Long (oblique) threw a bullpen session Tuesday and appears to be on track for the start of the regular season, MLB.com reports.
Gipson-Long strained his left oblique early in spring training but has been throwing over the past few weeks as he attempts to get back to full health. It looks like the righty should be good in time for Opening Day, though it remains to be seen what his role might be. The Tigers added depth to their rotation in the form of Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander during the offseason, so Gipson-Long would likely need to settle for a bullpen spot if he makes the MLB roster.
-
George Klassen SP | LAA
Angels' George Klassen: Could be candidate for rotation
Klassen has had a strong spring training so far and may be looked at as an option for the Angels' Opening Day rotation, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com implies.
Alek Manoah remains the favorite for the team's fifth-starter role, but he's had two straight rough spring starts, surrendering nine runs with a 7:7 K:BB over 6.1 innings. That could open the door for the Angels to consider other options, and Jack Kochanowicz -- who's pitched well so far -- may be the lead candidate for the rotation should Manoah not get the role. However, Bollinger points that Klassen has excelled this spring, as the young hurler has given up just two runs while registering a 9:3 K:BB over eight innings spanning three appearances. Klassen isn't on the 40-man roster and has just one Triple-A outing under his belt, so he's probably still a longshot to open the season in the majors. He's one of the Angels' top prospects, however, and the organization certainly hasn't been shy in recent years about rapidly advancing prospects through the minors and up to the majors.
-
Jack Kochanowicz SP | LAA
Angels' Jack Kochanowicz: May be option for rotation
Kochanowicz is competing for a rotation spot this spring, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
The top three slots in the Angels' Opening Day rotation seem to be locked up by Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Soriano and Reid Detmers, while Grayson Rodriguez appears to have the inside track to the fourth slot as long as he remains healthy. Beyond that, Alek Manoah is the favorite for the fifth-starter role, per Bollinger, but the former Blue Jay has struggled in his past two spring outings, giving up nine runs with a 7:7 K:BB over 6.1 innings. Manoah, who has minor-league options remaining, thus may be on shaky ground in terms of breaking camp with the big club, which puts Kochanowicz and George Klassen, among others, potentially in position to be competing for a rotation spot. If that is indeed the case, Kochanowicz has made a strong pitch for the role, allowing just two runs on eight hits with a 5:1 K:BB over 8.2 frames across his first three appearances this spring.
-
Alek Manoah SP | LAA
Angels' Alek Manoah: Rotation slot may be in jeopardy
Manoah may not be a lock for the Angels' Opening Day rotation, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, after the veteran hurler allowed four runs on eights hits and two walks while striking out four over four innings in a Cactus League start against the White Sox on Wednesday.
Manoah signed with the Angels on a one-year, $1.95 million contract in early December, and he still has minor-league options remaining, so it's far from certain he'll break camp with the big club. Manager Kurt Suzuki said early in camp that Manoah would have to earn his spot in the rotation, and the hurler made a strong case early, beginning the spring slate with five scoreless frames despite an ominous 1:3 K:BB. Things haven't gone well for Manoah since, as he's yielded nine runs and posted a 7:7 K:BB across 6.1 frames over his past two outings. Suzuki said following Wednesday's game that Manoah is "still definitely in the mix" for the team's fifth rotation spot, but how he fares in his final starts this spring could go a long way to determining whether he makes the cut. Should Manoah begin the campaign in the minors or the bullpen, George Klassen and Jack Kochanowicz are candidates to step into the rotation.
-
Gerrit Cole SP | NYY
Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Could make spring debut next week
Cole (elbow) said following a 35-pitch live batting practice session Thursday that he and the Yankees "will likely" have a conversation about his next throwing session coming in a Grapefruit League game, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.
Cole's next outing will come in six days, but it has yet to be decided whether it will be in an official spring training game or a different capacity. The right-hander's rehab from Tommy John surgery with an internal brace has gone well, but if the Yankees put Cole on the 60-day injured list -- which still seems likely -- he will not be eligible to make his season debut until late May.
-
Bailey Ober SP | MIN
Twins' Bailey Ober: Velocity remains down
Ober allowed one run on five hits and one walk while striking out two over 2.2 innings during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox. According to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic, the right-hander averaged 88.8 mph with his fastball.
Ober's fastball was sitting in the lower 90s early in camp, but it averaged 89.9 mph during his spring debut last week and ticked even lower Thursday. The 30-year-old's average velocity of 90.3 mph in 2025 was a career low as he struggled to a career-worst 5.10 ERA and 1.30 WHIP, and the trend so far in spring training is a concerning development.
-
Tyler Bremner SP | LAA
Angels' Tyler Bremner: Makes first pro spring appearance
Bremner walked two batters and struck out one over a scoreless inning in Wednesday's Cactus League contest against the White Sox.
Bremner, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft, has been with the big-league club throughout camp but hadn't appeared in a game until Wednesday, as he had instead been focusing on working on his pitch mix, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. While Bremner struggled with his control in throwing just 10 of 22 pitches for strikes against Chicago, the right-handed hurler impressed by reaching 98.8 mph on his fastball and also threw a changeup, cutter and slider, according to Jesus Cano of Baseball America. He isn't going to break camp with the Angels, but considering how quickly the organization tends to promote its top prospects, it wouldn't be shocking if Bremner makes his MLB regular-season debut before the end of the 2026 campaign.
-
Eric Lauer SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Eric Lauer: Still getting stretched out
Lauer allowed four runs on four hits and a walk over 3.1 innings in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. He struck out three.
The big blow off the southpaw was a three-run shot by Giancarlo Stanton in the third inning. Lauer built up to 60 pitches (39 strikes), and while he's still expected to begin the season as a long reliever, his path to a spot in the rotation is beginning to look a little clearer. Shane Bieber (forearm) will begin the year on the IL, and Jose Berrios is dealing with elbow inflammation. That could leave Max Scherzer and Lauer in line to be the No. 5 and, if needed, No. 6 starters for the first weeks of the season.