MLB Player News

Nelson allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three over 4.2 innings in Thursday's split-squad start against the Cubs.

Nelson set down the side in three of his four full innings before the Cubs knocked him around in the fifth, prompting his departure. It was an interesting day for those monitoring the battle for the No. 5 starter job in the Diamondbacks' rotation. Nelson's competition, Drey Jameson, was working the other split-squad game and he posted similar numbers. It looks like one more outing for each will be needed before manager Torey Lovullo makes a decision.

Musgrove (toe) threw three innings in a simulated game Wednesday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Musgrove threw to batters who weren't allowed to swing, as the pitcher is recovering from a fractured left toe and hasn't yet reached a point where the team is comfortable with him fielding his position. Nonetheless, this was a positive step for the right-hander. He'll almost certainly miss his first start of the campaign, but it's possible he could be ready to pitch by the second turn through the rotation.

Cobb (knee) might not be on the active roster on Opening Day, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Cobb took a comebacker off his knee March 11, though he didn't seem to be hindered by the injury after he threw five frames five days later. However, the issue has kept him off the mound since and manager Gabe Kapler remarked that Cobb's status for the start of the regular season is "iffy." Injuries have played a major role in Cobb's career, though he did manage to record 149.2 frames in 2022 while maintaining a 3.73 ERA and 1.30 WHIP with the Giants.

Julio Urias is likely to be named the Dodgers' Opening Day starter, with Kershaw following him in the rotation for the second game of the season, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

For the decade leading into last season, Kershaw and Opening Day went hand-in-hand, as the future Hall of Famer started every season opener in which he wasn't injured from 2011 to 2021. However, Walker Buehler was chosen as the team's first starter last season, and Urias appears to be in line for that honor this year. Nonetheless, Kershaw is coming off an excellent campaign during which he started the All Star game for the first time and finished with a 2.28 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 137:23 K:BB over 126.1 innings. The southpaw is about as much of a guarantee to put up strong ratios as any pitcher in baseball, but injuries have slowed his ability to put up big counting stats late in his career.

Soroka (hamstring) was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.

Slowed for most of camp by a right hamstring strain, Soroka just made his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday with an outing that lasted only 1.1 innings. He'll need to get stretched out on the farm before Atlanta can map out a plan for his first major-league appearance since 2020. The good news is that he seems to be over this latest physical setback.

Wesneski allowed just one unearned run with five strikeouts over five innings in a Cactus League start Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

Wesneski continues to charge toward the final spot in the Cubs' season-opening rotation, and he's now boasting a 2.12 ERA and 22:6 K:BB in 17 innings of Cactus League work. The 25-year-old right-hander looked great down the stretch with Chicago in 2022 and is shaping up as an attractive late-round grab in fantasy drafts for 2023.

Mikolas is the leading candidate to start on Opening Day for the Cardinals, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

The honor would have almost certainly gone to Adam Wainwright in what is expected to be his farewell MLB season, but it was announced Thursday that Wainwright will begin the year on the IL because of a groin strain. Mikolas was the most reliable starter for St. Louis throughout the 2022 campaign, working to a 3.29 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 202.1 regular-season innings. He'll make his final Grapefruit League start Friday night against the Nationals.

Cueto (arm) threw a bullpen session Wednesday without issue, Barry Jackson and Craig Mish of the Miami Herald report.

Cueto was held out of some scheduled back-field work this past Monday due to general arm soreness, but he passed the test Wednesday and will throw again Friday. If all goes well from this point forward, the veteran right-hander should be able to take the ball for the Marlins somewhere within the first week of the 2023 regular season.

Snell appears lined up to serve as the Opening Day starter for the Padres, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Joe Musgrove (toe) will miss at least the first week of the season and Yu Darvish is still in buildup mode following his run with Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, so the Opening Day call figures to go to Snell. An official decision is expected Friday. Snell, 30, registered a 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 171:51 K:BB across 128 regular-season innings (24 starts) for San Diego in 2022.

Darvish likely won't make his 2023 debut until the Padres' fifth or sixth game of the regular season, which would come April 3 or 4 against the Diamondbacks, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Darvish probably would have been the Opening Day starter for the Padres, but he got limited use while representing Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic and still has some buildup to do here in late March. He's aiming to throw four innings in one of the team's final remaining Cactus League games and could then jump into the San Diego rotation during the second series of the season. Blake Snell looks to be lined up for the Opening Day nod.