MLB Player News

Hendricks will pitch in the team's fifth game of the season April 8 in Milwaukee, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Manager Joe Maddon didn't want lefties Brett Anderson and Jon Lester to pitch in consecutive days, so he put Anderson fourth and Hendricks fifth. That means Lester will follow Hendricks in the rotation. But make no mistake, Hendricks is not a typical No. 5 starter -- he led the majors with a 2.13 ERA last season.

Martinez (2-0) fired five scoreless innings in Wednesday's 6-1 Grapefruit League win over the Nationals, giving up three hits and recording three strikeouts.

Fresh off being named the Opening Day starter, Martinez looked every bit the part against a Nationals lineup replete with regulars. Martinez regularly hit 96 mph with his fastball while his changeup was consistently in the mid-80s. The hard-throwing righty also broke three bats and fired 42 of his 66 pitches for strikes. Martinez is slated for one more tune-up before taking the mound on April 2 versus the Cubs.

Wheeler allowed four runs on four hits -- including two home runs -- and three walks Wednesday but remains in the discussion for a rotation spot, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Wheeler hit 97 mph and threw 65 pitches Wednesday, and he's scheduled to start Monday's Grapefruit League contest.

The right-hander coughed up the pair of dingers in the eighth inning, possibly showing fatigue with the volume of work. Wheeler may have to dazzle in his Monday outing to overtake Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo in this battle. If he falters, a bullpen job or a trip to extended spring training may be in his future, though Wheeler has enough under his belt to earn consideration sometime this season even if his major league return is delayed.

Freeland is competing for one of the final two spots in the Rockies' rotation, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports.

He gave up one run on four hits and a walk with five strikeouts in five innings Wednesday, and now boasts a 2.25 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 16 innings this spring. Four of the Rockies' top young arms (Jeff Hoffman, German Marquez, Antonio Senzatela and Freeland) are competing for the final two spots in the rotation. Hoffman and Marquez are the favorites to start the year in the rotation, but Freeland's spring will not go unnoticed, and he figures to earn at least a handful of starts at some point this year.

Lugo will start Wednesday for Team Puerto Rico against Team USA in the WBC finale, MLB.com reports.

For the second consecutive outing, Lugo matches up against Marcus Stroman. Lugo outperformed Stroman last Friday, falling one out short of a quality start and earning the win over Team USA. Lugo has allowed just six hits in 11 innings in the WBC so far, albeit with only five strikeouts.

The Nationals have lined up their rotation in an order that suggests Strasburg will take the mound for Opening Day, MASN Sports reports.

The Nationals likely will wait for their third game to start Max Scherzer, who is making his first Grapefruit League appearance of the year Wednesday. Although it hasn't been officially announced, Strasburg is in line to start Opening Day against Miami, with Tanner Roark likely to handle the second game.

Cease said he wants to work on his changeup and breaking ball this season, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Cease can touch 100 mph on the radar gun, but the development of reliable secondary pitches will be key in his rise through the minors. "I would like to see development in my changeup this year," Cease said. "I feel very good with my breaking ball right now. So with that one, it will be more of throwing one for a strike and then bounce it when I want to because I feel confident enough with the spin and depth. With the changeup, I'm still using that in the games and getting that feel." The 21-year-old is likely to begin the 2017 season with Low-A South Bend.

Martinez will be the Cardinals' Opening Day starter, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports.

Martinez will face Jon Lester and the Cubs in the Sunday night opener, with Adam Wainwright and (presumably) Jake Arrieta then squaring off Tuesday in the second game of the series. Martinez is back in Cardinals camp and scheduled to start Wednesday's Grapefruit League matchup for the Nationals, after striking out eight batters while allowing one earned run over eight innings at the World Baseball Classic.

Marquez covered five scoreless innings in his start against the Giants Triple-A lineup Monday, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out six batters.

Though the 22-year-old wasn't facing high-caliber competition, he made another compelling case for a spot in the big-league rotation to begin the season, as he was working on a no-hitter through the first four innings of his outing. Marquez's fantasy appeal remains somewhat limited while he calls Coors Field his home park, but his strong spring seems to have put him ahead of fellow prospect Antonio Senzatela and the injured Chris Rusin (oblique) in the competition for the No. 5 starting role.

Urias (illness) will pitch on the back fields Thursday, MLB.com's Ken Gurnick reports.

He dealt with strep throat recently, but rejoined the team Monday and will get back to work later this week. Urias is expected to start the season at extended spring training, as the Dodgers want him to be able to pitch into the postseason, and will therefore have to find a way to limit his innings early on. Even so, he has as much per-inning upside as any young pitcher in the game, with the exception of Noah Syndergaard, and should therefore be stashed in almost all formats.