MLB Player News

Quantrill (illness) played catch over the weekend and is scheduled to toss a bullpen session Monday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Quantrill came down with the flu last week, but the illness doesn't look like it'll be anything that dramatically derails his preparation for the regular season. Assuming he comes out of the bullpen session feeling fine, Quantrill should advance to facing hitters in live batting practice before slotting back into the Cactus League rotation by the end of the week.

Lauer started Sunday's spring game against the Reds and tossed 2.1 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and posted a 5:0 K:BB.

Manager Craig Counsell said about a week ago that Lauer was competing with Freddy Peralta for the fifth spot in the Brewers' starting rotation, and Lauer has responded, giving up just one earned run and posting a 7:1 K:BB in 4.1 innings over two outings. Peralta has pitched equally as well, so the two are seemingly neck-and-neck at this point.

Martinez started a Grapefruit League win over the Nationals and fired three scoreless innings, during which he allowed no hits and three walks while recording four strikeouts.

The hard-throwing right-hander continued to make an airtight case for a spot in the starting rotation, mostly breezing through a Nationals lineup loaded with regulars on 51 pitches. Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports Martinez topped out at 94 mph on his fastball but mostly hovered in the range of 90 mph while concentrating on his fastball command. Martinez's velocity certainly speaks to the health of his previously troublesome shoulder, a sentiment the veteran echoed after the game. "Right now I feel really good," Martinez said. "Last year I felt frustration because of [shoulder weakness], but right now I feel really comfortable, I feel ready. I feel strong."

May (side) still isn't throwing and has no set return date, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

May participated in a long-toss session last week but didn't feel great and was subsequently shut down. Manager Dave Roberts indicated that there has been "a little bit of improvement" in May's recovery but did not indicate when he'll resume throwing. The right-hander has not thrown from a mound since the first day of spring camp.

Musgrove, who has been bothered by "pinching" in his right shoulder this spring, gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in three innings against Toronto on Sunday. He struck out a pair of batters.

The righty has been concerned with the injury because the discomfort has lingered. While the issue cleared up Sunday, it will be interesting to see if he continues to make his regularly scheduled outings the rest of spring training. The Pirates are counting on him to serve at the top of their rotation.

Gallen allowed three runs on one hit, one walk and a hit batsman while striking out four over 2.1 innings in Sunday's spring game against the Indians.

Gallen breezed through the first two innings Sunday, retiring three batters by strikeout. Things got dicey in the third when he issued a walk and hit a batter before missing his location on a fastball that Cleveland's Brayan Rocchio turned into three-run home run. "I felt good, and all the pitches were coming out good," Gallen told Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. "It's spring, so things are starting to come together, which is nice." Prior to the troublesome third, Gallen had retired 12 consecutive spring batters.

Gray (foot) will make his Cactus League debut Monday against the Mariners, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

The 28-year-old had a delayed start to spring training after undergoing left foot surgery in August, but his return to the mound Monday should put him on track for the start of the regular season. Gray was sharp in 2019 with a 3.84 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 150:56 K:BB over 150 innings (25 starts).

Lugo (toe) completed a live batting practice session Sunday and says he'll next pitch in Grapefruit League games, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

Lugo has been slowed early in spring training by a fractured left pinky toe, but he's apparently ready for games after his first spring action against live hitters Sunday. The 30-year-old figures to retake the mound sometime this week and should not have any issues being ready for Opening Day.

Alcantara gave up five runs on five hits and four walks without striking out a batter in a Grapefruit League game against the Orioles on Saturday, Jordan McPherson of The Miami Herald reports.

The right-hander failed to make it out of the second inning, and the rough outing comes after he walked three batters in his spring debut. Control has never been Alcantara's strong suit, but a 1:7 K:BB through his first 3.2 spring innings is not what the Marlins were hoping to see from the 24-year-old. He's still expected to open the regular season at the top of the team's rotation after tossing 197.1 solid innings in 2019, but if he doesn't turn things around soon, Miami may have little choice but to consider other plans.

Fried gave up three hits and two walks over 2.2 scoreless innings against the Rays on Saturday, Dawn Klemish of MLB.com reports. He struck out one.

While it wasn't the cleanest outing for the left-hander, it was a vast improvement on Fried's spring debut, when he lasted only one-third of an inning against the Jays. "He looked better," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "He's still not there yet, but... he looked a little more on the attack and commanded things better, which I figured he would." Fried, who is working to refine his changeup in camp, is expected to open the season as the team's No. 2 starter on the heels of a breakout 2019.