MLB Player News

Martinez (shoulder) had a PRP injection and won't be re-evaluated until March 12, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports.

Martinez had already been shut down for a two-week period due to concerns over his shoulder, and that period has now been extended by a week. An MRI taken in mid-February revealed no structural damage, but the injury and setback happening so early in the season is certainly discouraging. Even if he's fully cleared March 12, his chances of building up to a starting role by Opening Day would appear minimal. His recent injury problems, which led to three trips to the injured list last season, have already prompted speculation that he may spend a considerable portion of the season as a reliever, and this latest setback should only serve to increase those odds.

Martinez (shoulder) was spotted at camp Tuesday with his right arm in a sling, Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports.

The Cardinals haven't offered an update on Martinez's condition since revealing Feb. 19 that he would be on a no-throw regimen for two weeks, but the fact that he requires a sling suggests his shoulder issue may be more severe than the club has been letting on. It's possible the team provides more clarity on Martinez's outlook in the days to come, but the 27-year-old is looking likely to open the 2019 campaign on the injured list at this juncture.

Lyles allowed one run on one hit and a walk in two innings Monday. He struck out one batter.

He gave up a line drive homer to Bryce Brentz in an otherwise strong debut. Lyles is set to battle Nick Kingham, Steven Brault and perhaps Rookie Davis for the team's fifth starter's spot. He likely has an advantage in the competition as he was signed to a $2.05 million deal in the offseason. Lyles has totaled 18 starts in the past three seasons and his 4.11 ERA in 2018 was more than one run better than his career mark of 5.28.

Wood gave up three runs in his spring training debut Monday and struggled with his command, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. Wood walked the leadoff hitter, went into multiple full counts and threw a wild pitch before giving up a two-run homer to Domingo Santana. "I would have liked a better start for sure, but that's what spring training is for," Wood said. "You come to a new place and you want to make a good first impression, even if it is in spring. Obviously, three runs in the first are not what you want, but physically, I felt all right. So, I will get some work in the bullpen and getting ready for the next one."

It's Wood's first spring training start, so it's easy to filter out this result. We're more concerned about his fastball velocity decline from last season than anything that occurs in February, so long as it's not an injury.

Manager Dave Roberts said he is not sure when Kershaw (shoulder) will throw again, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. "It's not ideal," the manager said.

Kershaw apparently didn't feel great playing catch Monday, prompting the Dodgers to put his throwing program on hold for the time being. "Might be a day or two before he picks it up again," Roberts noted, per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. This certainly isn't ideal for the southpaw -- who has averaged just 24.7 starts over the last three seasons due to injuries -- though he still has time to build back up before Opening Day if he can get back on track relatively quickly. According to Castillo, Kershaw isn't scheduled for an MRI at the moment.

Kershaw (shoulder) played catch Monday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

While there has been no word as to how Kershaw felt afterwards, it's encouraging to see the southpaw resume throwing after a frustrating bullpen session last Wednesday led to a brief shutdown period. If Kershaw checks out OK in the coming days, he could be cleared to resume mound work later in the week, giving him plenty of time to get up to speed before the start of the season.

Anderson will test out an altered delivery this spring, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.

Anderson will change a variety of small things, including keeping his back foot in contact with the rubber and raising his hands above his head. He was reportedly inspired to make a change by watching videos of Nolan Ryan, Max Scherzer and Nathan Eovaldi. If Anderson becomes the second coming of Nolan Ryan, the Brewers certainly wouldn't object, but any small improvements would help the team and help fantasy owners. The 31-year-old's decent 3.93 ERA last season hid a worrying 5.22 FIP, and his underlying numbers were generally unimpressive. Anderson's spring starts could give a clue as to whether the new delivery will truly bring new results for the veteran righty.

Gray (elbow) was able to play catch Sunday, John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

So far there's no date scheduled for his return to game action. He could still be ready by Opening Day if he returns in the next week or so. Anything longer would likely necessitate a start to the season on the DL.

Mahle spent the offseason trying to improve his offspeed offerings, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "It came down to living off the fastball (last year)," Mahle said. "There were days, just like everyone has, that the other pitches would come around, but for the most part, I was just pitching on one pitch. You can't do that, especially in the big leagues with everything they have now. Guys know you are going to throw it. I think that was a big deal last year. Trying to be successful a whole year is tough doing it on one pitch."

Mahle's analysis holds up: His secondary pitches got crushed last season. Opposing hitters slugged .557 against his slider and .604 against his changeup. The question for Mahle is where he'll get to apply that work: He's not currently a candidate for the Reds' rotation, so he'll either be in the bullpen or down at Triple-A Louisville.

Kershaw (shoulder) will resume throwing Monday, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Kershaw hasn't thrown since a frustrating bullpen session Wednesday, during which his shoulder apparently didn't feel right. He downplayed the issue and said he didn't feel his best and decided to just take a few days off. Of course, any mention of arm troubles is quite concerning for a player who has averaged just 24.7 starts over the last three seasons. If he's able to resume his throwing program Monday and his spring proceeds without further hiccups, he'll still have time to be ready to take the ball on Opening Day.