MLB Player News

Gausman will pitch in a minor-league game Tuesday, Gabriel Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

It's the time of the spring when teams start having their starting pitchers duck division rivals, and with the Braves facing the Nats in Grapefruit League action Tuesday, Gausman will get his work on a back field while Max Fried takes the bump with the big-league squad. Atlanta remains confident Gausman will be ready to take his first turn through the rotation once the regular season begins.

Buehler will not start Opening Day, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Manager Dave Roberts ruled Buehler out of the mix late in the day Tuesday after suggesting he was still a candidate earlier in the day. Buehler is behind schedule but could still make the opening roster, potentially starting later in the first week of games.

Corbin coughed up five runs (four earned) on nine hits over five innings while striking out five in Monday's split-squad game against the Marlins.

The outing drove Corbin's spring ERA up to 5.00, but the strikeouts were at least an encouraging sign. The southpaw now sports a 12:2 K:BB through 18 innings as he prepares to enter the regular season as the Nats' No. 3 starter.

Stripling will begin the season as part of the Dodgers' starting rotation, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

With Clayton Kershaw still working his way back from injury, manager Dave Roberts told reporters Monday that Stripling will open the season as a starter. How long he stays there will depend on Kershaw's progress, but the development increases his value, at least in the short term. The right-hander had a strong season last year, with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP over 122 innings in split duty between the rotation and the bullpen.

Stripling is set to make his next start on Sunday in the Freeway Series, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Stripling started Monday night, throwing 4.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits. He also walked four and struck out one. Stripling continues to stretch out as a starter, and with Clayton Kershaw's (shoulder) return date in question, he has a strong chance to begin the season in the rotation.

Freeland allowed two earned runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking one across 4.2 innings Monday against the Reds.

Freeland surrendered a home run to Scott Schebler to begin the game Monday. However, he settled in from there, with the only other run he allowed coming in the fourth inning. Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post also noted that Freeland was experimenting with a two-seam fastball that led to three of his four strikeouts.

Mahle will be the likely beneficiary of Alex Wood (back) beginning the season on the injured list, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. He was hit hard Monday against the Rockies, however, giving up four runs on seven hits, many of them barreled, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "It wasn't good. A lot of hard-hit balls and bad pitches," Mahle said. "Nothing was coming out of my hand right."

The Reds won't need a fifth starter until April 6 due to scheduled days off, but Mahle is likely to slide into that role while Wood works his way back to the mound. Mahle's past work in the major leagues hasn't gone particularly well -- he posted a 4.98 ERA across 112 innings in 2018 -- but he has looked capable this spring, posting a 3.60 ERA with 14 strikeouts and two walks in 10 innings of work.

Wood (back) is expected to start the season on the injured list, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Wood threw off of a mound for the first time in 10 days Monday and can now start ramping up for the season. Manager David Bell gave a targeted return of early-to-mid April. Tyler Mahle is expected to join the rotation in Wood's absence, though the Reds won't need a fifth starter until April 6 due to scheduled days off.

Nix felt soreness in his elbow while playing catch Monday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Nix was shut down last week after experiencing right arm soreness, and the issue resurfaced while he was playing catch Monday, prompting the Padres to shut him down indefinitely. This all but guarantees the right-hander will open the season on the shelf, leaving Robbie Erlin, Logan Allen and Cal Quantrill to compete for the team's final rotation spot.

Manager Dave Roberts said Buehler is still in the mix to start for the Dodgers on Opening Day, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

The Dodgers have yet to decide who will take the ball on Opening Day in place of Clayton Kershaw (shoulder), but the young right-hander seems like a viable option if he's able to prove his health. Buehler, who is being slow played this spring after a sizable innings jump in 2018, is set to make his spring debut Tuesday against the Indians.