MLB Player News

Senzatela (knee) threw a bullpen session Friday, Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette reports.

It's a big step for Senzatela as he continues to work his way back from last August's torn left ACL. The big right-hander is hoping to be ready to rejoin the Rockies' rotation at some point in May, although he still has plenty of hoops to jump through before a timetable for his return becomes clearer.

Senga displayed noticeably better command in his latest bullpen session Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

His fastball touched 98 mph during the session. Senga has had a bit of a tough time adjusting to the larger ball and steeper mound in MLB, but per DiComo, the Mets aren't worried. After signing a five-year, $75 million contract out of Japan over the offseason, Senga will be deployed as a mid-rotation starter in his debut big-league campaign.

Hendricks (shoulder) threw a light bullpen session Friday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

It only lasted 10 pitches and wasn't at full effort, but Hendricks felt good during and after the mound workout. It was his first time stepping on the bump since he suffered a capsular tear in his right shoulder last summer. The veteran starter is not expected to be ready for the beginning of the 2023 regular season, but the hope is that his initial IL stint will be a relatively short one.

Ashcraft (ankle) threw a successful round of live batting practice Friday, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Ashcraft made an early exit from his last round of live BP after taking a comebacker off his right ankle, but the 25-year-old hasn't skipped a beat with his spring training throwing progression. He'll soon begin appearing in Cactus League games as he readies himself for a prominent spot in Cincinnati's starting rotation.

Wright (shoulder) was encouraged by how Friday's bullpen session went, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Wright threw 23 fastballs and wound up unintentionally surpassing the 85 mph mark he was targeting for much of the session. It was his first regular bullpen session of the spring as he works his way back from right shoulder discomfort, and the right-hander said his "arm felt as fresh as it's been in a while." While Wright wasn't ready to definitively say he'll be ready for his first regular-season rotation turn, he appears to be on track.

Marquez (hamstring) will throw live batting practice Saturday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Marquez came into camp with a sore left hamstring, but he's been going through workouts the last several days with no issues and is now ready to test things out against hitters. The veteran right-hander will probably need another week or so before he's ready for game action.

Falter's primary competition for the Phillies' No. 5 starter spot is phenom Andrew Painter, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Falter would be the more traditional selection for the fifth starter's spot, as he has paid his dues and had some success in the rotation last season, but he obviously can't match Painter's upside. The 25-year-old southpaw had a 3.76 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 71 strikeouts in 76.2 innings as a starter last season.

Painter has a legitimate chance to win the Phillies' No. 5 starter spot in spring training, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Painter will be primarily competing with Bailey Falter for the fifth starter spot, while Cristopher Sanchez, Nick Nelson and Michael Plassmeyer are emergency depth options. Painter is arguably the No. 1 pitching prospect in the game, and his skills belie his youth, as evidenced by his 1.8 percent walk rate in 28.1 innings as a 19-year-old at Double-A. He took part in a live batting practice session earlier this week and has been bonding with veterans Zack Wheeler and Kyle Schwarber so far in camp.

Nelson (shoulder) will start the Diamondbacks' Cactus League home opener Saturday against the Rockies, Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic reports.

Drey Jameson will get the split-squad nod over at the Athletics' minor league complex. Those two are the lead candidates to claim the No. 5 spot in the Diamondbacks' rotation out of camp this spring, though word is that top prospect Brandon Pfaadt might be somewhere in that mix as well. Nelson suffered a right scapula injury toward the end of the 2022 season but is now fully healthy at the start of spring training.

Stroman will start for the Cubs in their Cactus League opener Saturday against the Giants, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Stroman will probably also get the nod on Opening Day of the regular season with Kyle Hendricks (shoulder) ticketed for an early IL stint. Stroman signed a three-year, $71 million contract with Chicago in December 2021 and went on to register a solid 3.50 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 119:36 K:BB over 138.2 innings (25 starts) in the first year of that deal.