MLB Player News

Denaburg (shoulder) will be managed cautiously this year, Byron Kerr of MASNsports.com reports.

He pitched through a shoulder injury in 2019 and it led to horrible results (7.52 ERA, 1.82 WHIP). The goal in 2020 will be for Denaburg to have some success on a light workload before the training wheels come off in 2021. He will likely be assigned to Low-A for his age-20 season whenever the minor-league season gets underway.

Mikolas (forearm) expects to be ready to go by Opening Day, which now appears to unfold in mid-May at the earliest, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Mikolas is one of a group of currently injured players whose stock benefits from the uncertainty surrounding the start date of the upcoming season. He's been dealing with a sore flexor tendon since mid-February and has received a pair of platelet-rich plasma injections. He was previously on target to return sometime in April, which, if accurate, should still leave him plenty of time to stretch out.

Senzatela spent spring training working on his curveball after employing it more often over his last four starts last season, often to better results, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Until he started throwing his curveball more, Senzatela was lacking a good offspeed pitch, as his changeup had caused 'uncomfortable sensations' along the nerves from his ring finger to his elbow. He's hanging on to hold his rotation slot this spring, and that hold got a little stronger when Peter Lambert got hurt this spring.

Martinez is slated to throw at least 45 pitches in twice-a-week bullpen sessions while spring training is suspended, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Manager Mike Shildt and his staff have developed the maintenance program to keep their projected starters ready to ramp up for a likely second wave of spring training, and, eventually, for the regular season. Martinez, who was fighting for a rotation spot when Grapefruit League play was paused Thursday, is expected to be subject to the protocol. The veteran right-hander went into the suspension of spring play on a somewhat sour note, as he allowed six earned runs over 3.2 innings versus the Mets on Wednesday, although he did record six strikeouts as well.

Wainwright is slated to throw at least 45 pitches in twice-a-week bullpen sessions while spring training remains suspended, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

The veteran right-hander put together his best performance of Grapefruit League play Thursday, throwing five scoreless innings against the Marlins before a pause was put on spring training. Manager Mike Shildt and his staff have put together the aforementioned maintenance program for their projected starting pitchers, and although each player's template is expected to be individualized to an extent, Wainwright's will likely be close to those parameters. The 38-year-old had worked up to 73 pitches in his start against Miami.

Flaherty is likely to throw at least 45 pitches in twice-a-week bullpen sessions while Grapefruit League play remains suspended, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Rogers reports manager Mike Shildt and his staff are in the process of setting up a maintenance program for the team's starting pitchers to follow during the suspension of spring training. The templates will be individualized to an extent for each player, but Flaherty's is likely to fall approximately within the 45-pitch, twice-a-week guideline. The right-hander will open the 2020 season as the ace of the staff and had already worked up to 68 pitches in his most recent start Tuesday, his fourth in Grapefruit League action.

Lucchesi is being challenged by Cal Quantrill for the fifth spot in the Padres' rotation, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Though Lucchesi entered spring training with a firm grasp on a rotation spot, he has struggled in Cactus League play, posting an 11.57 ERA and 2.57 WHIP in three starts. That appears to have allowed both Garrett Richards and Zach Davies to leapfrog him in the pecking order, as both hurlers have enjoyed impressive springs. Quantrill has been dominant as well, resulting in the possibility of Lucchesi being the odd man out.

Quantrill is battling Joey Lucchesi for the fifth spot in the Padres' rotation, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Lucchesi was expected to be a lock for a rotation spot entering the season but has struggled mightily in Cactus League play, opening the door for Quantrill to potentially fill the fifth-starter role. Quantrill has done his part to earn that honor, allowing only one run in seven spring innings while striking out nine. In his final start before the suspension of spring training, the right-hander hurled three scoreless and hitless innings and whiffed three batters against the Cubs.

Wainwright started Thursday's Grapefruit League win over the Marlins and fired five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and no walks while recording three strikeouts.

The veteran right-hander threw 73 pitches overall in a highly efficient performance, one that was in stark contrast to his prior start against the Mets, when he'd surrendered five earned runs on eight hits across four innings. Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Wainwright attributed his success Thursday to some tweaks he made after his last start, including changes to his delivery, timing and grips on the ball. The 38-year-old has enjoyed a solid spring overall with the exception of his aforementioned hiccup against New York, and he currently carries a 4.61 ERA across 13.2 innings over four starts.

Martinez started a Grapefruit League game against the Mets on Wednesday and allowed six earned runs on six hits, a walk, a wild pitch and a hit batsman across 3.2 innings. He struck out six.

The right-hander was truly all over the spectrum in what would turn out to be his final Grapefruit League start due to the cancellation of the remainder of spring training due to COVID-19 pandemic concerns. Martinez gave up a pair of extra-base hits overall, allowing a double to Robinson Cano and a two-run home run to J.D. Davis, who he also plunked during the outing. While the wild performance put somewhat of a damper on what has otherwise been a strong spring for Martinez, the six strikeouts were certainly a positive. Given his relatively solid form throughout Grapefruit League play, Martinez would seem to have a strong shot at a spot in the Opening Day rotation; however, with the first game of the season now delayed by at least two weeks past its original March 26 date, it's also possible veteran Miles Mikolas (forearm) has enough time to get healthy and reclaim one of the two spots currently considered as available.