MLB Player News

Urias was officially named the Dodgers' fourth starter Saturday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Urias was seemingly part of a four-way competition with David Price, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May for the Dodgers' final two rotation spots, though he always appeared to be a favorite. Despite debuting back in 2016, Urias has made a total of just 38 big-league starts, spending time in both the bullpen and on the injured list. If he remains healthy all season, he could blow past his previous career highs of 15 starts and 79.2 innings, though the Dodgers can afford to give him plenty of rest to manage his workload given their impressive rotation depth.

Toussaint was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain Saturday.

Toussaint had made four Grapefruit League appearances and posted a 2.00 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in nine innings during that time. However, he's apparently dealing with a shoulder injury and will be forced to miss extended time to begin the regular season. It's not yet clear when Toussaint will be able to make his 2021 debut.

Kershaw tossed 3.1 innings against Oakland in a Cactus League contest Friday, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits and two walks while striking out six.

Aside from a nice strikeout total, very little went right for the southpaw, and the rough outing pushed his spring ERA to an unsightly 10.22. Kershaw breezed through a 1-2-3 first inning but was knocked around for the remainder of his outing and was pulled after allowing five of the first six batters to reach base in the third frame. Despite his rough spring, Kershaw is lined up to start for the Dodgers at Colorado on Opening Day.

Guerrero was reassigned to minor-league camp Friday.

Guerrero served as a non-roster invitee this spring but should begin the season with Triple-A El Paso. The southpaw hasn't yet made his major-league debut but has posted a 5.43 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in his past two minor-league seasons.

Lucchesi will follow an opener (Jacob Barnes) Saturday against Houston and could do the same during the regular season, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.

Lucchesi appears to be locked in as the team's fifth starter, though he may not actually be a true starter. Following an opener could provide a small boost to his fantasy value, as he'd get to skip the opponent's toughest batters the first time through the order and won't have to throw five innings to be eligible for a win.

Gray (back) felt good after throwing about 30 pitches in a simulated game Friday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The 31-year-old continues to progress after being shut down for a few days in mid-March with back spasms, and the fact he's working against live hitters is a good sign. Gray isn't expected to be available for the start of the season, but he may only miss one or two turns through the rotation as he builds up to a starter's workload.

Gomber allowed five runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out three over 5.1 innings in Thursday's spring win over the Angels. He didn't factor into the decision.

Gomber gave up four home runs over the first five innings Thursday but still maintained his control and didn't issue any walks. The southpaw had three scoreless outings to begin spring training but has now given up seven runs in 9.2 innings across his past two starts. However, Gomber will still begin the regular season in the starting rotation during his first year with the Rockies.

Wood (back) is on the schedule to pitch Saturday against Seattle, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Back troubles, which eventually required a minor surgical procedure, have kept Wood from appearing in game action since March 9. While it's certainly a positive that he's scheduled to pitch again soon, it would be a surprise if he has enough time to get up to speed by Opening Day just five days later. Given Wood's extensive injury history, the Giants have every reason to be cautious with him, though it doesn't look as though he'll miss too much time if he does indeed open on the injured list.

Finnegan was reassigned to the Reds' minor-league camp on Friday.

Finnegan had impressed earlier this spring, but he had a really rough outing against the Rockies a week ago and hasn't pitched in a big-league spring training game since last Thursday.

Kim (back) is scheduled to pitch two or three innings Saturday but won't be ready for the start of the season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The 32-year-old continues to build up to a starter's workload after back tightness cropped up in early March, and he won't have enough time before Opening Day to do so. Kim appears to be progressing well and may only miss one or two starts, but the absence provides an opportunity for Daniel Ponce de Leon in the starting rotation.