MLB Player News

Strasburg threw 53 pitches over three simulated innings in a bullpen session Wednesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander is staying on a five-day schedule during spring training, requiring him to toss a bullpen on the Nats' off day rather than making a Grapefruit League start a day late Thursday. If he stays on that routine, Strasburg could toss a bullpen again Monday -- another off day for the club -- before seeing game action again Mar. 14 against the Tigers.

Sanchez is unlikely to pitch in a Grapefruit League game this spring, Craig Mish of SportsGrid reports.

Sanchez is not injured, but according to the report, the Marlins are happy with his progress and want him ready for the long haul this season. While not pitching this spring would mean a late start to Sanchez's season in the minors, it sounds like the team is still planning to give him a shot at the top level at some point, and the delayed start could help him avoid being shut down later in the campaign.

Ray allowed one run on three hits while striking out three over four innings in Thursday's spring game against the Rangers.

Ray had a third straight strong start, including a "B" game against a college team, and has allowed just one run in eight spring innings. He talked about his new mechanics at the start of camp, referencing an arm adjustment designed to keep him in the zone more consistently, and the lefty has walked just two batters in three outings.

Darvish (illness) is expected to pitch three innings Friday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.

Darvish was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday against the Rangers due to flu-like symptoms, though he's apparently already feeling better. It's not yet clear whether Darvish will pitch in a Cactus League game or throw a simulated game.

May (side) played catch Thursday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

This is an encouraging sign for May, who was shut down near the end of February after showing little improvement in his recovery from a side issue. That said, the right-hander hasn't thrown from a mound since the first day of spring camp and will remain without a recovery timeline until he does so.

Gore is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut Thursday against the Mariners, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

The Padres' top pitching prospect has been fully healthy during his first big-league camp; his lack of spring innings to date is likely just a measure to keep his workload in check. Though Gore doesn't look like he's being evaluated for a spot in the Opening Day rotation, the 21-year-old lefty could get a look with the big club at some point in 2020 if he proves he can handle upper-level minor-league competition. Gore is likely slated for a return to Double-A Amarillo to begin the campaign after he posted a 4.15 ERA and 25:8 K:BB in 21.2 innings with the affiliate following his July promotion from the California League.

Quantrill (illness) is scheduled to appear behind starter Dinelson Lamet in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Mariners, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Quantrill will be making his first appearance since covering two innings in the Padres' spring opener back on Feb. 22. After he missed nearly a week's worth of workouts while recovering from the flu, Quantrill resumed playing catch over the weekend and is now ready to test himself against hitters again. The right-hander remains in the mix for a spot in the Padres' Opening Day rotation, though veteran Zach Davies is the most likely candidate to secure the fifth starter's job.

Freeland (back) indicated that his condition has improved in recent days and that he expects to pitch in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Indians, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports.

Freeland is slated to complete a bullpen session Thursday, so if his back responds well to the activity, he should be cleared to return to action over the weekend. The southpaw was only shut down for about a week with the injury, so he still looks like he'll be ready to go for Opening Day.

Lugo (toe) completed a 29-pitch simulated game Thursday and indicated he felt good afterward, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, the Mets gave Lugo the option of pitching in Thursday's Grapefruit League road game against the Cardinals, but the veteran reliever chose to stay behind at the team facility to face hitters rather than making the trip to Jupiter, Fla. Lugo will presumably make his spring debut at some point within the next few days, but the fact that he was able to pitch in a competitive environment indicates that he's ready to go after fracturing his left pinkie toe early on during camp.

Burnes tossed three scoreless innings in Wednesday's spring game against the White Sox. He gave up three hits, hit a batter, and posted a 4:1 K:BB in the contest.

Burnes has taken the mound three times this spring and has shut down opposing hitters, allowing just the three hits and posting a 7:2 K:BB over six frames. He hasn't forced his way into a rotation spot just yet, but he is at least in the conversation. The Brewers are planning to use him as a starter this year, so if he does not earn a spot in the big-league rotation he will head to Triple-A San Antonio. In that scenario, he would be among the top options should the Brewers need to bring up a starter, and perhaps the most preferred one.