MLB Player News

Yamamoto is scheduled to start the Dodgers' second game of the regular season March 21 versus the Padres in Seoul, South Korea.

Manager Dave Roberts had previously announced earlier in spring training that Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow would both pick up starts during the two-game set in Seoul to open the season, but the Dodgers didn't disclose until Monday which order the two pitchers would take the bump. Glasnow will end up drawing the Opening Day assignment, while Yamamoto will take the hill for Game 2 in his MLB debut, matching up against Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove. After claiming Pacific League MVP awards in each of his final three seasons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball before inking a lucrative long-term deal with the Dodgers this winter, Yamamoto has gotten off to a shaky start in spring training, as he's allowed five earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out seven in five innings. However, given Yamamoto's track record of elite production in Japan in addition to an impressive arsenal that includes a mid-90s fastball and two plus pitchers -- a high-to-low-90s splitter and an upper-70s curveball -- it shouldn't take long for him to find success in the big leagues.

The Padres announced Monday that Darvish will serve as the team's Opening Day starter March 20 against the Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea.

The Dodgers will counter with Tyler Glasnow in the first game, while Joe Musgrove opposes Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the second contest in Seoul on March 21. Darvish missed the final month of last season with a bone spur in his right elbow, but he's had no limitations this spring, permitting two runs with a 9:0 K:BB over 5.1 frames.

Glasnow will start the Dodgers' Opening Day game March 20 in Seoul, South Korea versus the Padres.

He will be opposed by Yu Darvish, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Joe Musgrove will start the second contest of the two-game set for the NL West rivals. Glasnow has looked sharp in his 4.2 innings so far this spring, allowing just one run with a 6:2 K:BB. The big right-hander remains one of the biggest health risks in the game, but he should be a safe bet to perform at a high level for as long as he can stay on the field.

Cobb (hip) could make his Cactus League debut as soon as Saturday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

After Cobb underwent left hip surgery in October, the initial expectation was that he probably wouldn't be ready to make his season debut until a little before the All-Star break. However, he's blown his projected recovery timeline out of the water thus far and now might rejoin the rotation sometime in April if all continues to go well. Whenever Cobb is cleared to debut, his return would be a big boost to a Giants rotation that has already lost Tristan Beck (arm) and could be without Keaton Winn (elbow). Cobb now shapes up as a nice value pick in fantasy leagues.

The Nationals optioned Parker to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Parker was one of seven players sent out of big-league camp Monday in the Nationals' latest round of roster cuts. The 24-year-old hurler is coming off a stellar 2023 campaign in which he struck out 132 batters over 113.2 innings with Double-A Harrisburg, but he struggled in his late-season promotion to Rochester, as he posted a 10.45 ERA and 2.18 WHIP over 10.1 innings. Parker will look to cut down on the control and command issues in his second go-around at Triple-A in 2024, and if he's able to find success, he could get a look with the Nationals at some point later in the season.

The Nationals optioned Herz to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Herz was one of seven players sent out of big-league camp in the Nationals' latest round of spring roster cuts. Acquired from the Cubs last July in the deal that sent Jeimer Candelario to Chicago, Herz settled at Double-A Harrisburg with his new organization and turned in a 2.55 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 53:20 K:BB in 35.1 innings. He'll get a new challenge at the Triple-A level to begin the 2024 campaign and could get a look with Washington at some point later in the season if he continues to excel with Rochester.

The Nationals optioned Henry to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Henry was added to the Nationals' 40-man roster this winter, but that move was made primarily to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft rather than being an acknowledgement that the 24-year-old right-hander is big-league ready. He looks like he'll at least get his first taste of the Triple-A level to begin the 2024 season, despite posting an ugly 10.31 ERA and 1.99 WHIP across 18.1 innings at Double-A Harrisburg in 2023. The Nationals are hopeful that he'll be able to resolve some of the command and control woes that plagued him at Double-A now that he's nearly 19 months removed from the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent in August 2022.

The Nationals optioned Adon to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Adon posted a 6.45 ERA and 1.63 WHIP over 12 appearances (10 starts) with the Nationals a season ago, but with the Washington rotation in a better spot from a health standpoint heading into spring training than it was late in the 2023 campaign, the right-hander won't earn a spot on the Opening Day squad. He's still likely to stay stretched out on the farm as a member of Rochester's rotation and will be available to make spot starts for the big club whenever injuries test the Nationals' rotation depth.

Atlanta optioned Smith-Shawver to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.

Smith-Shawver finished with an 8.22 ERA over three Grapefruit League starts but also boasted an 11:2 K:BB across 7.2 innings of work. The young right-hander was always pegged for Gwinnett's rotation to open the season but could wind up making a good number of starts with the big club in 2024.

Gray (hamstring) will throw a bullpen session Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Gray will throw from the bump for the first time since he suffered a mild right hamstring strain a week ago. While Gray still looks like a longshot to complete his ramp-up program ahead of Opening Day, the veteran hurler is making nice progress and shouldn't miss too much time if he continues trending in the right direction.