MLB Player News

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.

Hamels (shoulder) is not expected to appear in any Cactus League games this spring, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Hamels did throw a successful bullpen session Thursday in Padres camp, but the plan calls for him to take it easy over the next month or so as he continues his recovery from September 2021 shoulder surgery. The veteran left-hander is slated to begin pitching in games at extended spring training soon after camp breaks. He inked a minor-league contract with San Diego on Feb. 16.

Manager Gabe Kapler confirmed Wednesday that he views Wood as a starter for 2023, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Wood is among seven potential starters in Giants camp, and there was some doubt to his role after he finished last year with a 5.10 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 130.2 innings. He ended the season with a shoulder injury, but he was deemed healthy at the start of camp and should be able to build up as normal during spring training. Wood likely slots in toward the back of the Giants' rotation, be it a five- or six-man group at any point in the season.

Gore (elbow) will start for the Nationals in their Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Cardinals, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

Then it'll be Trevor Williams and Josiah Gray handling the two split-squad games on Sunday, followed by Patrick Corbin versus the Cardinals on Tuesday. Gore did not wind up pitching for the Nationals last season after coming over in the Juan Soto trade, but he seems to be past the elbow issues that caused that delay. The talented 23-year-old might be ready for a full-on breakout if his health cooperates in 2023.

Keller will start the Pirates' Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Blue Jays, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Keller also figures to get the nod for Pittsburgh on Opening Day of the regular season. The 26-year-old right-hander experienced a lot of ups and downs during the 2022 campaign but ultimately delivered an overall 3.91 ERA with 138 strikeouts in 159 innings. He had a shiny 2.20 ERA in his final 41 frames.

Reds manager David Bell said Thursday that Dunn (shoulder) will miss a significant portion of spring training, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Dunn had to essentially sit out a full calendar year between the summer of 2021 and the summer of 2022 because of a right shoulder injury, and that area began barking again last week in Reds camp. The 27-year-old can comfortably be ruled out for the beginning of the 2023 regular season, and he's currently without a clear return timeline.

Allard will start Atlanta's Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Red Sox, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Allard is currently buried on the rotation depth chart for the reigning NL East champions, but he can do his best to try to change that with a strong showing this spring. The 25-year-old former top prospect will lug a rough-looking 6.07 career major-league ERA into the 2023 campaign.

Davis will start the Rockies' Cactus League opener Saturday against the Diamondbacks, Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette reports.

Davis made his MLB debut in relief last season, but he has operated as a starter throughout the minor leagues and is being built up as an emergency rotation option this spring. The 25-year-old right-hander mostly split the 2022 campaign between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque, and he struggled to a combined 5.41 ERA in 138 frames.

Shuster could pitch his way into an early call-up to the majors this season, MLB Pipeline reports.

Given the lingering uncertainty around Mike Soroka (Achilles/hamstring) and Ian Anderson (5.00 ERA last year), there may indeed be a path for Shuster to make his MLB debut with Atlanta in the first half of the 2023 campaign. The 24-year-old left-hander went 25th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Wake Forest and worked to a 3.29 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 145:38 K:BB in 139.1 innings last summer between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett.