MLB Player News

Ynoa (shoulder/elbow) is listed as an available reliever for Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

After being non-tendered by Atlanta over the winter, Ynoa caught on with the Twins on a minor-league deal. Ynoa missed considerable time in 2024 while tending to elbow inflammation and a shoulder injury, but he finished the past season healthy, as he was able to make six rehab appearances at Triple-A Gwinnett in September, including two of at least two innings. Ynoa has worked as a starter for most of his professional career, but with injuries having limited his availability in recent years, the Twins may be preparing him for a multi-inning relief role at Triple-A St. Paul to begin the season.

Bello (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Bello has been slowed in camp by right shoulder soreness but has been throwing on flat ground without issue and will take the next step in his throwing progression Friday. The Red Sox remain optimistic that the right-hander has enough time to be ready for Opening Day, but Bello will have to continue showing progress without having any setbacks.

Giolito (elbow) threw a 15-pitch live batting practice session Tuesday, Chris Cotillo of Mass Live reports. "Being able to get through that step, for me, it feels like the end of the rehab arc," Giolito said.

Giolito missed the entirety of 2024 with an elbow issue that required an internal brace procedure. He's behind other starters at this point, but the right-hander feels he'll be ready by Opening Day. The next step is a two-inning live BP in about five days, but then it's Grapefruit League play. The 30-year-old Giolito is looking to re-establish himself after posting a 4.88 ERA and giving up a league-high 41 home runs over 33 starts for three teams in 2023. The version of the pitcher we saw from 2019 through 2021 that logged a 3.47 ERA and received Cy Young Award votes in all three seasons may be too much to expect, but he could fill out the back end of Boston's rotation.

Houck is taking measures to avoid the shoulder fatigue that led to a velocity dip in the second half of 2024, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Even with the second-half dip, Houck took a step forward overall in 2024. His 30 starts and 178 innings were career highs and a building block for 2025. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Monday that the velocity dip led to a lack of separation on pitches, but the shoulder issue can be rectified by mechanical tweaks. The manager added that Houck is working with coaches on a few pitches, including a four-seamer that can create space for Houck's other offerings. The right-hander threw just one four-seamer in 2024.

Rocker allowed four runs on four hits while striking out one over one inning in Tuesday's spring start against the Royals.

Rocker's quest for a spot in the Rangers' rotation got off to a rocky start in his Cactus League debut. The right-hander hit the first batter faced and allowed loud contact during his one inning, during which he threw 22 pitches (14 strikes). Rocker told Kennedi Landry of MLB.com that he was leaving pitches up in the zone which contributed to three hard-hit balls. Early in camp, he appears to be outside the top five starters, but with a good spring season going forward, Rocker could force the coaching staff's hand.

Ortiz allowed six runs on six hits and one walk while striking out one over 1.1 innings in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Brewers.

Ortiz gave up three runs in the first and second innings before departing after 37 pitches (20 strikes). He had trouble finding the plate and paid for it. One silver lining was Ortiz's fastball velocity, which topped out at 97.6 mph. Another is that spring games don't count. The right-hander's career took a leap in 2024, when he posted a 3.32 ERA as a swingman for the Pirates, and Ortiz is expected to win a job as a full-time starter in Cleveland.

Cobb (hip) received an epidural injection to further aid in his recovery process, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

He had already received a platelet-rich plasma injection earlier this month and played catch over the weekend. Cobb is scheduled to play catch again Wednesday but will not get into games until at least mid-March (a return timeline of a month was estimated Feb. 12). He was up around 150 innings in 2022 and 2023, but injuries greatly plagued him in 2021 and 2024, and it looks like 2025 is perhaps trending in a similar direction.

McDermott (lat) said Tuesday that he feels "really good," but he's not sure when he'll be cleared to begin a throwing progression, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

McDermott has been limited to strengthening exercises since being diagnosed with a mild right lat/teres strain earlier this month. The injury has likely eliminated any chance he had to make the Orioles' Opening Day roster, but he could have a shot to be ready to join the rotation at Triple-A Norfolk at the start of the season.

Gray threw two scoreless innings, striking out one in Monday's Cactus League game against the White Sox.

Texas plated nine runs in the top of the first, making it a pressure-free day for Gray, who set down all six batters faced. He threw mostly fastballs and sliders among his 26 pitches while mixing in one curveball, a pitch he threw just 74 times in 2024. He told MLB.com that he's working on throwing the curve for strikes so that it can be a useful pitch instead of having batters lay off it and wait for a fastball.

Young averaged 95 mph with his four-seamer (touched 97 mph) in his first Grapefruit League outing Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASN reports.

Young isn't a serious threat to make the big club out of camp, barring injuries ahead of him, but he made a strong statement in his first appearance of the spring after averaging 92-93 mph with his fastball in 2024. The results were good too, as he tossed two scoreless innings against the Phillies in Clearwater. His two strikeouts were both called strikes on 95-mph fastballs. Young came into the year relevant because of his proximity to the big leagues, but if his fastball has jumped a grade, that would obviously improve his long-term upside. The 26-year-old righty also worked on his slider and changeup this offseason after logging a 3.44 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 96 strikeouts in 89 innings at Triple-A last year.