MLB Player News

Gonzales (forearm) is healthy to begin spring training, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Gonzales managed only 10 starts and 50 innings in 2023 before undergoing surgery to address a forearm issue. He was then traded twice this offseason but figures to settle into being either the second or third starting pitcher in Pittsburgh behind Mitch Keller and potentially Martin Perez. In addition to his rehab, Gonzales also went to Driveline during the offseason to work on regaining the feel on his cutter while attempting to pick up some added velocity.

Sale indicated Saturday that he'd been completely healthy this offseason for the first time since 2018, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

The 34-year-old left-hander has dealt with a litany of injuries in the years since, and his typical winter during that time involved rehabbing from his latest issue rather than focusing on the upcoming campaign. A clean start to 2024 doesn't guarantee that Sale will be able to take 30-plus turns in the rotation for Atlanta, of course, but it does offer some reason for optimism that he'll top the 102.2 innings he threw for Boston last year. Sale still flashes premium stuff, posting a 29.4 percent strikeout rate last season with a 6.8 percent walk rate, and his 33.6 percent chase rate was in the 92nd percentile. If he can handle a bigger workload, he could produce 200 strikeouts for the first time since 2019.

Pinto signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies on Sunday that includes an invitation to big-league camp, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Pinto spent the 2023 campaign playing in Mexico and Venezuela, and he posted a 4.12 ERA across 137.2 innings. The 30-year-old last pitched in affiliated ball at the Triple-A level in 2022 and had a 3.58 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 39:13 K:BB over 32.2 innings.

Lodolo (leg) threw a bullpen session Saturday and acknowledged being pain-free, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Lodolo, who was limited to seven starts in 2023, has been in Arizona since mid-January and estimated he's thrown off a mound seven or eight times. While the left-hander's leg is pain-free when pitching, he acknowledged that it isn't feeling 100 percent. "That's where I got into trouble last year. I was feeling it and tried to continue going for a month-and-a-half. It just gave out," he said. "We're trying to avoid that. We're being smarter with the build-up." Saturday's session, in which Lodolo threw 25 pitches, was his second since camp opened earlier this week; he tossed 20 pitches Wednesday. Reds manager David Bell said Lodolo could be ready by Opening Day if "everything goes well, goes perfect."

Ashcraft (toe) will be ready for the start of Cactus League play, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Ashcraft had said Tuesday that his toe was still not quite at 100 percent following his surgery in September, but it appears the 26-year-old has made significant progress since then. Ashcraft will look to cement himself in Cincinnati's rotation during the spring after posting a 4.76 ERA and 1.37 WHIP across 145.2 innings last season.

Sanchez is out of minor-league options, but the right-hander isn't guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

He's thrown only one inning since 2020 due to a pair of shoulder surgeries, and the upside he displayed prior to that is a distant memory. The Marlins have a vacancy in their rotation this season with Sandy Alcantara (elbow) out, but Sanchez might be a long shot just to win a low-leverage relief job. He threw a bullpen session Thursday and at least appears to be healthy to begin camp, but the 25-year-old has a lot to prove. "That's the reality," manager Skip Schumaker said Thursday. "He's in big-league camp. He's got a chance just like anybody else, but he's gonna have to show something."

Anderson signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Saturday and received an invitation to big-league spring training, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Anderson logged a 5.42 ERA and 1.42 WHIP across 86.1 innings between the Rays and Rockies last season. The 36-year-old right-hander hasn't turned in a season with an ERA below 5.00 since 2019 (4.21), making him an unreliable fantasy option even if he were to make the Pirates' roster out of spring training.

Meyer is fully recovered from his elbow injury, but the Marlins won't push him too hard to begin spring training, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

"It's probably more mental than the physical," manager Skip Schumaker said Thursday about a group of pitchers that also includes Trevor Rogers and Anthony Bender. "They are healthy physically and trying to get over that mental hurdle of what if they throw too hard or throw too much [or] it's just gonna happen again. It's more of a mental hurdle than anything." Meyer, the third overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2022 and didn't pitch at all last season after the Marlins elected not to send him to the Arizona Fall League. The 24-year-old right-hander displayed an ace-level arsenal prior to the surgery, and a strong showing in camp could land Meyer in the Opening Day rotation as the team looks to fill the hole left by Sandy Alcantara (elbow).

Rogers is healthy to begin spring training, but the Marlins intend to bring him along slowly during the early part of camp, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

"It's probably more mental than the physical," manager Skip Schumaker said Thursday about a group of pitchers that also includes Max Meyer and Anthony Bender. "They are healthy physically and trying to get over that mental hurdle of what if they throw too hard or throw too much [or] it's just gonna happen again. It's more of a mental hurdle than anything." Rogers made only four big-league starts last year, getting shut down in April with a bicep strain and then having his recovery derailed in June by a lat tear. With Sandy Alcantara (elbow) set to miss all of 2024, Miami's counting on Rogers to stay healthy and take a regular turn in the rotation, so getting the southpaw to Opening Day in one piece will be the priority.

Marquez (elbow) threw off a mound Friday, Patrick Lyons of TheDNVR.com reports.

Marquez is ramping up his throwing program after he underwent Tommy John surgery last May. The hope is that the veteran right-hander will be ready to rejoin the Rockies' rotation at some point after the All-Star break.