MLB Player News

Thorpe (elbow) sat at 84-to-85 miles per hour with his fastball during a 20-pitch bullpen session Tuesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

The reduced velocity was by design as he gradually ramps up while working his way back from September surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. Thorpe will throw bullpen sessions for three weeks before progressing to live batting practice. Given that timeline, Thorpe appears unlikely to be ready in time for Opening Day, though the White Sox have not revealed a concrete timetable for the young right-hander.

Schultz will make his Cactus League debut Feb. 26 against the Padres, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

The White Sox were very careful with Schultz's workload in 2024, but he's been throwing live bullpen sessions earlier this season and will be challenged with taking on a bigger workload in 2025. Last year, Schultz never pitched beyond four innings, all the way through the Southern League postseason. However, this year those restraints are being taken off and he's moving into a true five-man rotation. With that in mind, Schultz focused on strength and conditioning this past offseason. He didn't add to his repertoire, instead focusing on throwing his cutter and four-seam fastball more to keep hitters guessing -- Schultz's slider is his best pitch. There's a chance Schultz creates a significant buzz this spring, which could set the stage for a big-league debut this summer.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Gausman looks "sturdier" in spring training after the right-hander deliberately put on added weight over the offseason, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. "I've never really pitched an entire season at over 200 pounds, but I think that might be a possibility for me this year," Gausman said. "We'll see what happens. I usually always lose a good amount of weight during the season, so that's why I try to gain as much as I can, knowing I'll lose some of it."

Gausman is listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds on the Blue Jays' official roster, and he's hopeful that by bulking up during the offseason through both his diet and strength training, he'll be able to maintain that weight over the course of the long season. The 34-year-old righty is also optimistic that a sturdier build will boost his odds of staying healthy and having something closer to a normal spring training in 2025. While he didn't go on the injured list at any point in 2024, a bout with shoulder fatigue early in camp slowed his ramp-up process and may have played a part in the steep drop in both his ERA (3.83) and strikeout rate (21.4 percent) compared to his first two seasons in Toronto (3.25 ERA, 29.7 K%).

Manoah (elbow) said Monday that he's scheduled to begin throwing off a mound in a couple weeks, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.

Manoah underwent a hybrid internal brace procedure last June to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow. The right-hander is hopeful to face hitters by June, begin a rehab assignment in July and be available as an option for the Blue Jays in August. In order to meet his goals, Manoah will have to avoid any bumps in the road in his recovery, which isn't always a guarantee coming back from UCL surgery.

White Sox manager Will Venable said that Thorpe (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Thorpe has experienced a couple of setbacks in his recovery from September surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow, resulting in him entering spring training behind the White Sox's other healthy pitchers. The right-hander still appears on pace to be ready for the start of the season, however, though he's probably at least a couple weeks away from pitching in Cactus League games. Assuming Tuesday's side session goes well, Thorpe will likely continue to throw at least a couple more bullpen sessions after that before advancing to facing hitters in live batting practice.

With Alex Cobb (hip) likely out for about a month, Maeda could be at least a temporary option to slide into the starting rotation, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Cobb's injury figures to prevent him from being able to ramp up properly for Opening Day, so the Tigers will have to fill his rotation spot for at least a turn or two. Detroit has Tarik Skubal, Reese Olson and Jack Flaherty locked in as starters, and the team could turn to the likes of Maeda, Jackson Jobe and Casey Mize to round things out. Maeda is a veteran option with plenty of MLB starts under his belt, so he could probably make the transition fairly quickly after pitching in relief to wrap up last season. The righty struggled in 2024, posting a career-worst 6.09 ERA, which ultimately prompted the move out of the rotation. If Maeda starts early in 2025, fantasy managers may want to take a wait-and-see approach given his rough performance a year ago.

The White Sox placed Bush (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Monday.

The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Owen White, who has been claimed off waivers. Bush underwent Tommy John surgery last week and will miss the entire 2025 season.

The Athletics placed Medina (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Monday.

Medina was moved to the 60-day injured list to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for infielder Luis Urias, who signed a one-year deal with the club. The transaction won't have any affect on Medina's timeline for a return, as the right-hander is likely to miss most or all of the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last August.

Castillo (hamstring) tossed a bullpen session Monday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Castillo finished last season on the injured list after sustaining a Grade 2 left hamstring strain during his final start Sept. 8, but he appears to be facing no restrictions in the early stages of spring training. The Mariners will once again be looking to Castillo to serve as a workhorse at the top of the rotation after he made at least 30 starts in both of his first two full seasons in Seattle. Before he was shut down with the hamstring injury, Castillo went 11-12 and turned in a 3.64 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 175:47 K:BB across 175.1 innings.

Macko has a meniscus tear in his left knee that will likely require surgery, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Macko injured the knee during a bullpen session this past weekend. He will be examined further Wednesday, at which point a decision on surgery will be made. The 24-year-old is on the Blue Jays' 40-man roster but has yet to appear in the majors. He spent most of the 2024 season at Double-A New Hampshire, where he posted a 4.87 ERA and 90:30 K:BB across 81.1 frames.