MLB Player News

Worley threw two innings Friday and seems to have made Baltimore's Opening Day roster as a swing man, MASN Sports reports.

Worley should be available out of the bullpen on Opening Day at the minimum. His sights will be set on April 10. If healthy, Kevin Gausman (shoulder) will start that game. If not, either Worley or Tyler Wilson will make the start. Worley gave up 10 runs -- eight earned -- on 19 hits with seven strikeouts and four walks in 16.2 innings this spring. Once Gausman or Brian Matusz is healthy, Worley's roster spot could be threatened.

McCullers (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday.

Recent reports on McCullers' recovery from the shoulder injury have been encouraging, and he will travel with the team to New York on Sunday to be part of the Opening Day festivities. Considering McCullers has already faced live hitters, it seems possible he could join an affiliate and begin a rehab assignment relatively early on in the season.

Walker scrapped his cut fastball and added a slider to his repertoire, the Seattle Times reports.

Walker said he's worked on the slider throughtout spring because his cutter didn't move enough. "It works to a lefty," Walker said of the cutter. "But I need something to use against a righty that I can get a swing and miss or a groundball with." He said he probably won't throw the slider much early in the season as it still needs work. His curveball and changeup are his best secondary pitches. Walker is scheduled to pitch a simulated game Sunday before making his season debut April 8 against the A's.

Severino will make his season debut Friday against the Tigers, Meredith Marakovits of the YES Network reports.

The Friday start lines up Severino to occupy the fourth spot of the rotation, beating out both CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova. The 22-year-old was terrific after earning a midseason call-up last year, working to a 2.89 ERA with 8.1 K/9, and doesn't figure to be on any sort of innings limit entering his first full season in the big leagues.

Smyly (3-1) threw four innings of no-hit ball and surrendered only one walk in Wednesday's 4-3 spring victory over a Red Sox split squad. He struck out seven.

The 26-year-old southpaw commemorated his final tune-up for the regular season with his best outing of the exhibition slate, striking out a spring-high seven. Smyly has whiffed 21 hitters in 20 March frames, and finishes spring training with a 3-1 record and 2.70 ERA.

Odorizzi (1-2) surrendered six hits, eight earned runs and three walks over an inning-plus of work in Thursday's 13-8 spring loss to the Pirates.

The 26-year-old right-hander was heavily battered by the Pirates and was chased in the second inning. He surrendered a homer to Matt Joyce off the left-field scoreboard with two on in the first, one of 10 batters that Odorizzi faced in a 43-pitch inning. After yielding a leadoff solo shot to Francisco Cervelli in the top of the second frame, the five-year veteran lasted only two more hitters before heading for the showers. "I just didn't have any stuff, plain and simple," said Odorizzi, who makes his regular-season debut on Tuesday against the Blue Jays at Tropicana Field. "Fastball wasn't good. Curve same way. Split, same way. So not too worried about it, really. It's not like I had my good stuff and got hit around."

McCullers (shoulder) threw a live batting practice session Thursday and manager AJ Hinch said that "All reports were good", Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle reports.

This is encouraging news, as it seems the young starter is making steady progress in his rehab process since injuring his shoulder on Mar. 11. He'll likely start the season on the disabled list, but Hinch will still let McCullers travel with the team to New York on Sunday so that he can be a part of the Opening Day festivities prior to throwing a bullpen session at Yankee Stadium.

Rodon stretched out to 108 pitches in his final spring appearance Thursday and is slated to make his next start Wednesday in Oakland, the Chicago Sun-Times' Daryl Van Schouwen reports.

Rodon entered Thursday's minor league tuneup with a 7.98 ERA across 14.2 innings, which is far from ideal, but he was able to put together a solid outing to close out spring training. He'll open the season as Chicago's third starter behind ace Chris Sale and Jose Quintana.

Eovaldi will pitch the final game of the Yankees' opening series against the Astros, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports.

The flame-throwing righty is locked in as the Yankees' No. 3 starter to begin the year, as he'll take the mound for the opening series finale against Houston. Eovaldi was slowed by a groin injury to start spring training, but he has since bounced back by working a 3.86 ERA across 9.1 innings of work. In two starts against Houston last year, Eovaldi struck out 13 batters across 14.0 combined innings and allowed just three earned runs in that span.

Worley threw an inning Wednesday and will start Friday's final exhibition game before the Orioles decide on their rotation, MASN Sports reports.

With Miguel Gonzalez released Wednesday, it comes down to Worley, Mike Wright and Tyler Wilson for two spots. Worley has the experience factor, but Wright and Wilson have outpitched him this spring. Realistically, the Orioles likely have made up their minds, but are trying to keep Worley motivated for Friday's start.