MLB Player News

Lodolo (leg) is projected to be a member of the Reds' rotation, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.

Lodolo was limited to just seven starts in 2023 due to a lower-leg injury and will need to prove he's 100 percent healthy before the Reds hand him the final spot in the rotation. And, there will be no shortage of competitors for the job, as Brandon Williamson, Nick Martinez and Connor Phillips are in the mix. Cincinnati's staff should have the depth to manage any holes in the rotation that typically crop up during the regular season.

Henry and Ryne Nelson are expected to compete for the final spot in the rotation, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Henry had a decent run at the back end of the rotation during the 2023 season, taking over when Madison Bumgarner was designated for assignment in April before an elbow injury cut short his season. While Henry was healthy by September, he was not added to the postseason roster for any of the playoff rounds. The 26-year-old left-hander recorded a 5-4 record and 4.57 ERA over 136 innings (17 appearances, 16 starts) with 100 strikeouts and 56 walks in 2023.

Nelson is expected to compete with Tommy Henry for the final spot in the rotation, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

The top three in the rotation are set -- Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez -- and it looks like Brandon Pfaadt has the edge for the No. 4 spot, leaving Nelson and Henry to compete for the back end. Nelson spent the first four-and-a-half months of the 2023 season as part of the rotation before an August demotion. He returned to the Diamondbacks in September and made three postseason appearances as a reliever. Nelson recorded an 8-8 record and 5.31 ERA over 144 innings (29 appearances, 27 starts) with 96 strikeouts and 46 walks during the regular season.

Pfaadt is projected to open the season at the Diamondbacks' fourth starter, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Pfaadt seemingly has the edge over other young starters -- Ryne Nelson, Tommy Henry -- as the fourth starter, given the way he pitched in the postseason. The 25-year-old right-hander turned the page on his regular-season 5.72 ERA to log a 3.27 postseason ERA. Pfaadt hinted at an improvement during the regular season when he had 4.22 ERA over the second half compared to 9.82 ERA prior to the All-Star break.

Castellanos (elbow) was invited to major-league spring training.

Castellanos will get an opportunity to begin spring training with the big-league squad after failing to see any action in 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He'll be a long shot to crack the Opening Day roster and will likely start the 2024 campaign with Triple-A Reno.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns implied Monday that Severino (oblique) is fully healthy ahead of spring training, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Stearns noted that lefty David Peterson (hip), infielder Ronny Mauricio (knee) and right-hander Kyle Crick (calf) are the only players who will be held out of drills to begin camp, which suggests that Severino has a clean bill of health after a high-grade left oblique strain sidelined him for the final month of the 2023 season. Before hitting the shelf, Severino was roughed up to the tune of a 6.65 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 79:34 K:BB across 89.1 innings in what proved to be his final season with the Yankees, but the Mets are hoping that better health and a change of scenery can help the 29-year-old recapture some semblance of the form that made him one of baseball's top young pitchers just a few seasons prior. After inking a one-year, $13 million deal in November, Severino is likely being penciled in for a back-end spot in the Mets rotation.

The Dodgers plan to give Yamamoto a start during their two-game season-opening series against the Padres in South Korea on March 20 and 21, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports.

If Yamamoto pitches on the 20th or 21st, he could be in line to receive one final tune-up outing in Cactus League play, depending on how the Dodgers want to line up their rotation when they return for their domestic home opener March 28. The Dodgers are expected to use at least a modified version of a six-man rotation, which should make the transition for Yamamoto easier, given that he pitched on five days' rest during his career in Japan.

Cavalli (elbow) isn't expected to see game action this spring or face hitters as the Nationals take a cautious approach to his recovery from Tommy John surgery, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

The 25-year-old right-hander is almost 12 months removed from the surgery, but the Nats have little reason to push him to get back on a mound as they plan for another rebuilding year. Cavalli is likely to remain in extended spring training after camp breaks, and he could join the big-league rotation in June if everything goes smoothly. He made his big-league debut in 2022 after posting a 3.71 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 104:39 K:BB through 97 innings at Triple-A Rochester, and the 2020 first-round pick remains the organization's top pitching prospect despite the setback with his elbow.

Paxton said Sunday that he "has no doubt" he'll be ready for Opening Day, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

The Dodgers wound up lowering the guaranteed amount of Paxton's contract due to an unspecified physical issue, adding in roster bonuses based on the left-hander's availability. The injury concern is considered minor, so it's not a surprise to hear Paxton isn't worried about being ready to roll by the opener. He'll remain a major injury risk, of course, as the 35-year-old has made just 25 combined starts at the big-league level since the start of the 2020 season.

Dodgers manager Dave Robert said Sunday that there's "no hard start date" for Buehler's (elbow) season debut, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

The Dodgers are slow-playing Buehler's throwing progression this spring after he made just one rehab appearance last year following Tommy John surgery. In addition to an undetermined date for his season debut, Buehler will also no doubt be facing workload restrictions during the 2024 campaign. It's a tricky situation for fantasy managers to navigate.