MLB Player News

Whitley (knee) is not likely to be on the Astros' Opening Day roster, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Whitley suffered the injury in a Grapefruit League game in mid-March and there has been no news of him resuming throwing or other baseball activities. However, general manager Dana Brown did say he expects Whitley to be available at some point in April.

The Blue Jays optioned Bloss to Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday.

Bloss allowed eight earned runs across eight innings in four appearances during spring training. His best outing came in his most recent appearance March 10, when he pitched three scoreless frames. It was thought the 23-year-old had a chance at cracking the rotation to begin the season depending on the availability of Max Scherzer (thumb), but Bloss will have to wait to make his Blue Jays debut.

White Sox manager Will Venable said that Thorpe will undergo imaging after leaving his appearance in a minor-league game Thursday due to right elbow discomfort, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.

Thorpe has encountered multiple setbacks since he had surgery last September to remove a bone spur from the elbow. More will be known once the right-hander's test results are in, but Thorpe could be looking at an extended absence.

Wright (shoulder/hamstring) threw a live batting practice session Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Wright was initially behind early on in camp as he continues to work his way back from October 2023 right shoulder surgery, and he suffered an additional setback in the form of a hamstring strain in late February. The righty is now ramping things back up, but it's not clear when he might be ready to pitch in a game.

Carrasco pitched five scoreless innings in a Grapefruit League game against Atlanta on Wednesday, allowing two hits and issuing one walk while striking out three batters.

Carrasco allowed a single to the first batter he faced, then retired the next six hitters and ended up allowing just four baserunners in the outing. The veteran righty was efficient in needing just 54 pitches to get through five frames, and he lowered his spring ERA to 1.69. Carrasco also has a 0.94 WHIP and 15:7 K:BB over 16 innings during the exhibition slate, and he's likely to have earned a spot in New York's season-opening rotation due to his superb spring.

Lynch is expected to open the season in the Royals' bullpen, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

He had been competing with Kris Bubic for the final spot in the rotation, but Lynch made a relief appearance Wednesday and is set for another one Friday as the Royals prep him for a bullpen role. Lynch proved to be a weapon in relief last season, collecting a 1.84 ERA and 27:8 K:BB over 29.1 regular-season innings.

Bubic is likely to open the season as the Royals' fifth starter, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Daniel Lynch gave himself a fighting chance to nab a rotation spot with a strong showing this spring, but he made a one-inning relief appearance Wednesday and is scheduled for another relief outing Friday, which points to Bubic opening in the rotation. Bubic has yielded six runs with a 13:3 K:BB over 13 innings this spring and will look to carry over his success last season as a reliever (32.2 percent strikeout rate over 30.1 regular-season innings) into the rotation.

Scherzer (thumb) said Thursday that he's tentatively lined up to pitch in a game Saturday, Jayson Stark of The Athletic reports.

Scherzer got through a bullpen session Thursday without any apparent issues, but he will have to wait and see how his right thumb recovers before he's cleared to pitch Saturday. If he is able to take the ball this weekend, the goal is to get up to the 65-to-70 pitch count, which would set him up to be ready to make his first start of the regular season.

Scherzer (thumb) will throw another bullpen session Thursday and hopes to pitch in a game this weekend, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Scherzer and the Blue Jays remain hopeful that the veteran right-hander will be ready to go on Opening Day, but they'll have to wait and see how his sore thumb responds. The 40-year-old has been excellent this spring when on the bump, yielding just two runs with a 14:0 K:BB in nine innings.

DeGrom allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three over four innings in Wednesday's Cactus League start against the Mariners.

DeGrom made his second Cactus League start but has also built up in minor-league games during the spring. He told Kenndi Landry of MLB.com that he feels good health-wise but was not pleased about his mechanics. Specifically, his shoulder was flying open, and deGrom couldn't keep the ball down with his slider and caught too much of the middle of the plate overall. The Rangers' ace worked his pitch count to 57, which is less than optimal at this stage of the Cactus League, but deGrom is expected to pitch when his turn comes up in the opening week of the regular season.