MLB Player News
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Luke Weaver SP | NYM
Mets' Luke Weaver: Can't find plate Sunday
Weaver gave up a run on three walks in one-third of an inning during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins.
His one out was a strikeout, but Weaver threw only nine of 23 pitches for strikes in what could end up as his final spring appearance. The veteran right-hander has been having a strong camp prior to Sunday, and through 4.1 innings he sports a 2.08 ERA and 5:4 K:BB. Weaver will be one of the Mets' top setup men this season in front of new closer Devin Williams, and over the last two seasons for the Yankees he delivered a 3.21 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 with 11 wins, 12 saves and 44 holds in 126 appearances.
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Sandy Alcantara SP | MIA
Marlins' Sandy Alcantara: Fans six in final spring outing
Alcantara gave up three runs on five hits over 4.2 innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets. He struck out six without walking a batter.
The right-hander tossed 56 of 86 pitches for strikes in his final spring tuneup. Alcantara wraps up camp with a 5.68 ERA over 12.2 innings, but he gave up only one home run and sported a 16:2 K:BB, much more encouraging signs. The 30-year-old is set to take the mound Opening Day at home against the Rockies as he looks to rebound after a disappointing return from Tommy John surgery in 2025.
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Zack Wheeler SP | PHI
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Still tracking toward April return
Wheeler (shoulder) threw 29 pitches over two simulated innings on the back fields of Phillies camp Monday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
The 35-year-old righty is still slated to open the season on the 10-day injured list while he builds back up from venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, which he underwent Sept. 23. While facing off Monday against some of the Phillies' lower-level farmhands, Wheeler reportedly looked sharp and ramped up his velocity in the second inning. Wheeler is expected to continue increasing the volume and intensity of his sim games over the next week or two before potentially kicking off a rehab assignment shortly after the minor-league season gets underway. Though he's currently without a firm target date for making his 2026 Phillies debut, Wheeler appears likely to return from the IL at some point in April.
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Jose Suarez SP | ATL
Braves' Jose Suarez: Could step in as fifth starter
Atlanta is expected to turn to Suarez as its fifth starter to begin the season after manager Walt Weiss said Monday that Spencer Strider (oblique) will be placed on the injured list, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Non-roster invitee Martin Perez is also a candidate to fill the open spot in the rotation, but Suarez looks primed to get the first chance to replace Strider since he's already on the 40-man roster and was built up as a starter during spring training. Prospect Didier Fuentes, who also made the Opening Day roster, will remain in the bullpen for now. Before Strider suffered the oblique injury, Suarez had secured a long-relief spot in the Atlanta bullpen after logging a 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 14:8 K:BB in 16 innings over five Grapefruit League outings. Assuming he's indeed called upon to fill in for Strider when a fifth starter is first needed, Suarez would line up to make his Atlanta debut March 31 versus the Athletics at Truist Park.
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Spencer Strider SP | ATL
Braves' Spencer Strider: Headed to IL with oblique strain
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Monday that Strider will begin the season on the injured list with an oblique strain, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Strider had been slated for his final Grapefruit League tune-up outing Monday versus the Pirates, but that assignment will now go to Didier Fuentes. Jose Suarez is expected to slide into Strider's rotation slot once the regular season gets underway, with Fuentes still set to open in the bullpen. Atlanta is hoping Strider will be back in action in a couple weeks, but that's no safe bet given the fickle nature of oblique injuries. Strider has dealt with depressed velocity this spring, though the results have been there, as he allowed three runs with an 11:2 K:BB over 8.1 innings.
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Jose Urquidy SP | PIT
Pirates' Jose Urquidy: Makes roster
The Pirates informed Urquidy on Monday that he'll be included on the Opening Day roster, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Urquidy didn't have a good spring, logging a 9.28 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and eight strikeouts in 10.2 innings. However, he'll break camp with the big club as a long reliever after signing a $1.5 million contract in the offseason.
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Emmet Sheehan SP | LAD
Dodgers' Emmet Sheehan: Cracks Opening Day rotation
Sheehan will slot in to the Dodgers' Opening Day rotation, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Sheehan will officially operate in a traditional starter's role, joining Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki in the Dodgers' rotation. There was some thought about the 26-year-old piggybacking off of Ohtani's starts, but manager Dave Roberts clarified that Justin Wrobleski will be the one handling the hybrid role after Sunday's 13-5 win over the Angels. Sheehan produced an impressive 2.82 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 89 strikeouts over 73.1 innings in 15 appearances, including 12 starts, with Los Angeles during the 2025 regular season, and he'll look to build off of those numbers in 2026.
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Jose Butto SP | SF
Giants' Jose Butto: Allows homer in exhibition game
Butto took the loss in Sunday's 2-1 exhibition defeat to Triple-A Sacramento, allowing one earned run on two hits, including one home run, while striking out two over one inning.
Butto entered in the eighth inning and surrendered a home run to the first batter he faced, and he also gave up a single before escaping the inning. The right-hander appeared in only three Cactus League games but pitched for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic this spring, during which he allowed one hit while striking out one in 5.2 scoreless innings over five outings. Butto began the 2025 campaign with the Mets but was traded to San Francisco in late July. Over 21 relief appearances with the Giants last season, the 28-year-old recorded a 4.50 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 17:10 K:BB in 20 innings.
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JP Sears SP | SD
Padres' JP Sears: Headed to El Paso
Sears was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Sunday.
Sears will head to Triple-A after producing an 8.44 ERA and 1.69 WHIP with 10 strikeouts over 10.2 innings in four appearances, including two starts, with the Padres during spring training. The 30-year-old signed a one-year contract with San Diego in January, and he will now have to earn another shot with the major-league roster down the road.
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Emmet Sheehan SP | LAD
Dodgers' Emmet Sheehan: Could begin season in hybrid role
Sheehan could operate in a hybrid role within the Dodgers' pitching rotation to open the season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Sheehan may not slot in as a traditional starter in the rotation to open the season; either he or southpaw Justin Wrobleski will follow Shohei Ohtani in his starts. Sheehan piggybacking Ohtani's starts would allow the Dodgers to limit both of their workloads in the early portion of the 2026 campaign. Sheehan remains a high-upside starting pitcher for Los Angeles, and the team is expected to turn to a six-man rotation at some point early in the campaign, which could put Sheehan into a traditional starting role.