MLB Player News

Verlander gave up two runs on two hits and six walks over 4.2 innings in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals. He struck out three.

The 2022 AL Cy Young Award winner came into the game with zero walks in 11.1 spring innings, not to mention 16 strikeouts, so Verlander can probably get a mulligan on this one. The Mets aren't expecting him to repeat last season's incredible 1.75 ERA and 0.83 WHIP, but after handing him a two-year, $87 million contract in the offseason, the team is counting on him to pitch like an ace and hopefully win at least 15 games for the 13th time in his Hall of Fame career.

Cueto has his back-field work skipped Monday due to what the Marlins are labeling as general arm soreness, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

Manager Skip Schumaker indicated the team isn't concerned, however. "This is a time where there's no reason to push through this general soreness," Schumaker said. "We're [about] a week away. If he needs another extra day, you give people extra days and that's the value of spring training. You're allowed to do that." More worrisome for the Marlins might be Cueto's performance so far this spring -- the 37-year-old got tagged for 11 runs in 3.2 innings over two starts before leaving camp for the WBC, and he wasn't much better in one start for the Dominican Republic, coughing up three runs over two innings in his only appearance. Cueto is still penciled into a spot in the Opening Day rotation, but if Miami determines he needs more time to round into shape, it could open the door for Braxton Garrett to get a start or two in April. Cueto is currently set to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, and if all goes well he could see game action as soon as Friday.

Wright gave up four runs on five hits over 2.2 innings in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays. He didn't walk or strike out a batter.

Seeing his first game action of the spring after recovering from a shoulder issue, Wright got taken deep by Brandon Lowe in the first inning and Yandy Diaz in the second, but per Mark Bowman of MLB.com the right-hander's fastball touched 95 mph and he felt fine afterward. Wright will make one more Grapefruit League start before working a simulated game against minor-leaguers after camp breaks, and if he avoids any setbacks he won't miss a turn in the rotation to begin the season, although his workload could be capped in his first start.

The Nationals are expected to place Strasburg (ribs/shoulder) on the 60-day injured list to begin the season, a source tells Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post.

Considering Strasburg hasn't been taking part in spring training workouts after experiencing a nerve-related setback during an offseason bullpen session, the news that he'll likely be sidelined for at least the first two months of the 2023 campaign comes as little surprise. Since experiencing renewed complications in his ongoing recovery from the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent in July 2021, Strasburg has sought out multiple medical opinions on his next steps, but the Nationals have yet to publicize what sort of treatment strategy the 34-year-old right-hander is following. Since earning World Series MVP honors in 2019 and then signing a seven-year, $245 million contract extension with Washington, Strasburg has made just eight starts over the first three seasons of the deal.

Mule was diagnosed with a torn UCL in his right elbow Tuesday and will undergo Tommy John surgery next week, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Mule was selected 113th overall by the Cubs during last year's draft and has yet to make his professional debut. The 18-year-old has shown potential as a two-way player, but he'll now be sidelined until next summer, at least from pitching.

Cueto's scheduled Grapefruit League start Monday against the Cardinals was pushed back after he experienced unspecified soreness, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.

Where Cueto was experiencing the soreness isn't clear, but the hope is that he'll be ready to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, so it doesn't sound overly serious. If that happens, the veteran right-hander should be able to get in one more Grapefruit League start before the beginning of the regular season. Cueto is slated to open 2023 toward the back end of the Miami rotation.

Darvish will not start Tuesday for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic final against Team USA, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

It will instead be Shota Imanaga on the mound to begin the contest. Darvish was the presumed starter for the contest, and it's likely both he and Shohei Ohtani will be available out of the bullpen for the championship contest with Darvish likely available for multiple innings. Padres manager Bob Melvin has expressed concern about the lack of innings Darvish has received in the tournament, so it'll be interesting to see how much -- if at all -- the 36-year-old pitches against USA on Tuesday.

Houser will pitch out of the bullpen for the Brewers to begin 2023, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

Milwaukee's rotation is full at the moment with Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Eric Lauer and Wade Miley all cemented as starters to begin the year. That means Houser will shift to a bullpen role with the ability to start if one or more of those players was to miss time. The 30-year-old was shaky over his 21 starts (22 total appearances) in 2022 with a 4.73 ERA, 69:47 K:BB and 1.46 WHIP so it's not a surprise that the Brewers are opting to go with some more consistent options in the starting group. Houser can safely be ignored in fantasy formats as a multi-inning reliever who isn't likely to rack up the strikeouts or pick up saves.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Urias has been removed from Team Mexico's active roster from the World Baseball Classic and is expected to start for the Dodgers in Friday's Cactus League game versus the Brewers, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Urias was cleared to report back to Dodgers camp after Team Mexico determined that he wouldn't be available to pitch if the club advanced to the WBC finals against Team USA. Before leaving for the tournament, the left-hander looked sharp in spring training with a 1.35 ERA in two Cactus League appearances. Assuming he sticks to a four-day rest schedule following Friday's outing, Urias would be lined up to start in Dodgers' March 30 season opener versus the Diamondbacks.

Steele allowed one run on four hits across three innings in Monday's Cactus League game against the Padres. He walked five and struck out three.

Steele is somewhat lucky he only allowed one run after letting nine players reach base in his three innings of work. The lefty had a nice 2022 campaign with a 3.18 ERA and 126 strikeouts across 119 innings, though control remains a bit of an issue. Steele posted a 4.3 BB/9 in 2021 and was only marginally better last year with a 3.8 BB/9. If the 27-year-old can improve in that area this season, he could be primed for another step forward.