MLB Player News

Darvish (elbow) has resumed throwing from flat ground, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Darvish, who underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure of his right elbow in mid-September after battling arm injuries all season, is right on schedule in his recovery. Barring any setbacks, he's expected to be ready for the start of spring training. The right-hander struggled through an injury-riddled 2018, making just eight starts and posting a 4.95 ERA and 1.42 WHIP across 40 innings for the Cubs.

Urias will pitch out of the starting rotation for the Dodgers in 2019 but will have an innings limit, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Urias serving as a starting pitcher next season was to be expected, as was an innings limit. The left-hander returned to the team in September and pitched out of the bullpen in the playoffs as he spent essentially the entire season rehabbing after undergoing shoulder surgery in June of 2017.

Manager Dave Roberts said Maeda will be in the starting rotation to begin the 2019 season, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reports.

Maeda has also begun the previous two seasons as a starter only to eventually be moved to the bullpen, which seems plausible again in 2019. The Dodgers have a plethora of legitimate options for their starting rotation already on the roster and could still acquire additional talent this offseason, so the 30-year-old's role on the team could very well change by the time Opening Day comes around.

Lyles agreed to a contract with the Pirates on Tuesday, pending a physical, Jon Heyman of FancredSports.com reports.

Lyles has found a new home in the NL Central after the Brewers declined his club option following the 2018 campaign. The 28-year-old right-hander spent time in San Diego and Milwaukee last season, posting a combined 4.11 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 84:28 K:BB across 87.2 innings (eight starts, 35 appearances). He'll compete for a rotation spot during spring training, though he's likely on the outside looking in given his career 5.28 ERA over 115 starts.

Graves was outrighted to Triple-A New Orleans on Tuesday, Andre Fernandez of The Athletic reports.

Despite never having pitched at Triple-A, the 25-year-old made his major-league debut in 2018, posting a 5.40 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 21:12 K:BB across 33.1 innings of relief.

Lorenzen could see some playing time in the outfield under new manager David Bell, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

In a small sample of 92 career plate appearances, Lorenzen has looked like a capable big-league hitter, posting a .250/.276/.500 slash line (good for a 101 wRC+) with six homers. His 31.5 percent strikeout rate and 2.2 percent walk rate cast some doubt on the idea that he should hit on a regular basis, however. As a pitcher, Lorenzen's 3.11 ERA in 81 innings last season was solid, but as a player who worked primarily as a non-closing reliever, his fantasy value was limited. If he does become something approaching a true two-way player, that would have appeal in certain formats, though it's not clear yet just how often Bell intends to use him in the field.

President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said Friday that Darvish (elbow) looks healthy and is expected to resume throwing in a couple weeks, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

Darvish underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure of his right elbow in mid-September after batting arm injuries throughout the course of the 2018 campaign. It should come as no surprise that he hasn't started throwing just yet, though there will be some cause for concern if he isn't cleared by the end of December, considering his previous issues. The right-hander was limited to just eight starts this past year, logging a 4.95 ERA and 1.42 WHIP across 40 innings.

Manager Mickey Callaway said he prefers to keep Lugo in the bullpen heading into the 2019 season, Matt Ehalt of The Record reports.

This shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering Lugo served exclusively as a reliever during the second half of this past season. He only would up starting five games in 54 appearances while logging a 2.10 ERA and 0.82 WHIP during the final two months. The 29-year-old figures to serve in a high-leverage, multi-inning setup role alongside Robert Gsellman with the recently-acquired Edwin Diaz set to close.

Kelly signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports.

The deal also includes a pair of club options. Kelly has yet to pitch in the majors, having topped out at Triple-A with the Rays in 2014 before moving to the KBO. The 30-year-old pitched well during his four seasons with SK Wyverns in Korea, notching a combined 3.86 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 641:206 K:BB across 119 appearances (118 starts, 729.2 innings). The right-hander figures to have the inside track for a rotation spot with Arizona in 2019.

Corbin agreed to a six-year contract with the Nationals on Tuesday, Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post reports. The deal is worth $140 million, according to Jon Heyman of FancredSports.com.

Corbin will round out an impressive rotation in Washington that already sports Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg. The 29-year-old Corbin was rewarded after his breakout campaign in 2018, during which he posted an impressive 3.15 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 246:48 K:BB across 200 innings (33 starts) with the Diamondbacks.