MLB Player News

The Dodgers are optimistic about Wood's forearm tightness and an MRI has not been scheduled, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

This is good news, but for a pitcher with an unusual delivery who has already had Tommy John surgery, Wood's forearm tightness is still something his fantasy owners need to monitor. For his part, Wood said the Dodgers are being "overly cautious" and that he expects to make his next start. Hopefully the southpaw is right and he can take the ball next week. Until then he should be considered slightly more risky than other pitchers of his ilk.

Wood was scratched from Saturday's game with left forearm tightness, MLB.com's Ken Gurnick reports.

The last thing the Dodgers need is another starter to go down with a significant injury, but this news on Wood certainly sounds foreboding. Wood's owners and prospective owners will need to monitor this situation closely over the next couple days. Carlos Frias will start in his place Saturday, and could be one of the names the Dodgers consider if they have dig any deeper into the rapidly diminishing organizational depth at starting pitcher. Michael Bolsinger and Brandon Beachy were already competing to fill the spot vacated by Brett Anderson, and prospects Julio Urias, Jose De Leon and Zach Lee could also be in the mix if Wood is forced to miss additional time.

Anderson was scratched from Saturday's game with a sore oblique, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Well-regarded prospect Jon Gray will pitch for the Rockies instead. Not much is known about Anderson's soreness, but more details should come out later. The 26-year-old missed the entire 2015 season with an elbow injury, so any significant time missed would be problematic.

Eickhoff (thumb) is likely to make his Grapefruit League debut next week after throwing in a minor league game on Saturday, Ryan Lawrence of The Philly Voice reports.

The 25-year-old is on track for the start of the season and is expected to pitch three innings in a minor league game Saturday after suffering a small fracture in his right thumb in February. During the offseason, manager Pete Mackanin said that Eickhoff will open the season in the Phillies' starting rotation after his success during the eight games he started for the team in 2015.

Strasburg gave up one run on three hits and two walks over three innings against the Mets on Friday, striking out one.

He was focused on spotting his breaking pitches rather than trying to get outs, but Strasburg still put together a solid afternoon. With free agency looming next offseason, the most important thing for Strasburg is his health, and so far this spring there's been no indication that he's anything less than 100 percent.

Nicasio hurled three scoreless innings Friday, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out three.

The righty has thrown six shutout frames in the early going. Pittsburgh is stretching him out as a potential starter and with Ryan Vogelsong and Jeff Locke currently occupying the fourth and fifth starter spots, Nicasio has a decent shot of starting for the Bucs in 2016.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle wouldn't say whether Cole (rib) will be ready for his first regular-season start, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Hurdle said Cole will be at the 6-inning/100-pitch mark by Opening Day. The righty hasn't pitched yet during spring training -- he's expected to make his Grapefruit League debut Sunday.

Martinez (shoulder) allowed one run on three hits and a walk while striking out two in two innings Friday against the Braves.

He got four outs via the groundout and two via the strikeout, and while it would have been nice if he had allowed fewer baserunners, it is still encouraging for Martinez to have made it through the two innings the Cardinals likely intended him to pitch in his first game action of the spring. Look for him to go three innings his next time out as he continues to ramp up for the start of the regular season.

Lorenzen (elbow) will play catch Friday, the Cincinnati Enquirer's Zach Buchanan reports.

He needed a couple days off due to elbow tenderness, and hopefully Friday's catch session will go well so that he can progress to more intense throwing. If Lorenzen can get back on the mound soon, he should still have the inside track for a rotation spot, but right now that situation looks pretty cloudy.

Syndergaard has added a cutter to go along with his changeup, curve and high-90s fastball, the NY Daily News reports.

Syndergaard hopes to use the cutter early in counts to get weak contact and keep his pitch count down. The pitch, which he learned from pitching coach Dan Warthen, is thrown like a fastball but generates less pressure on the elbow than a slider and breaks late, resulting in the weak contact. This combination and development of his pitches coupled with his mound presence is why some believe that Thor could end up as the best of Mets' young aces.