MLB Player News

Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who is coming off October surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow, had his first formal throwing session this spring Sunday.

"I saw today Stephen Strasburg, in his first bullpen session, varying his slide step and working on his looks to home plate," manager Matt Williams said, per CSNwashington.com. "That’s the attention to detail we’re looking for. He’s concerned about it and he wants to improve on it. His first bullpen session, he’s working on it. I think that’s a really good thing."

Holding runners has been an issue for Strasburg, as opponents have been successful on 79 percent of stolen base attempts against him, which is above the MLB average of 73 percent. 

"I didn’t really have much time in the minors to work on the little nuances of pitching," he said. "And that was one thing where I just compensated for it by just being really quick to home plate. And big-league baserunners, hitters, coaches, they’re going to pick up on that. They’re just going to cheat and sell-out. If I can’t even see where they’re at, they know I’m going to home plate, so they’re gone."

The Dodgers' schedule, which starts with a two-game series with Arizona in Australia in late February, would allow for ace hurler Clayton Kershaw to start three of the team's first six regular season games. However, it appears manager Don Mattingly doesn't want that to happen.

"We have to be very mindful of Clayton and the number of innings he pitched last year -- and the short winter," Mattingly said, per MLB.com. "It's not being cautious or babying him, but being mindful of him. He's a workhorse, he pitches deep into games. We have to take care of him, give him an inning off here and there when we can."

Pirates starting pitcher Charlie Morton said he's motivated to live up to the three-year, $21 million contract he signed in the offseason, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

"There are new responsibilities that come with it, and that cancels out any relief I might have felt from it," Morton said. "I feel there is a greater responsibility on me to hold up my end of the bargain and earn it. It's almost like whatever load may have been taken off my back, I have a new outlook on things. I have a new responsibility.

“I don't want to think about money when I'm pitching. I don't think that's beneficial anytime. But it is healthy to set goals and have expectations for yourself that are based on some sort of objective thought process."

The Braves have not told pitcher Alex Wood whether he'll start the season in the bullpen or as a starter, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Gavin Floyd is expected to assume the final spot in the rotation once he's out of the disabled list, which is expected around May. Wood and Freddy Garcia are candidates to take that final spot once the season starts.

A glut of starting pitchers will likely prevent 24-year-old right-hander Kyle Hendricks from landing a spot in the Cubs rotation out of spring training, the Chicago Tribune has speculated.

Hendricks is well behind several veterans on the depth chart, including Jake Arrieta, Jason Hammel and James McDonald. But he did show his promise in 2013 at Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa with a 13-4 record and 2.00 ERA.

He will probably open the year at Iowa, for which he pitched just 40 innings last year.

Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg is planning to pace himself in spring training coming off surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow in October, from which he said he's fully recovered.

"I want to get back to the swing of things, not really trying to go out there and give max effort every time," he told CSNWashington.com. "I'm trying to ease my way into the season and see what it's going to feel like. So I have to be there when it matters."

Strasburg took a small step back in 2013 after a brilliant rookie season. He finished 8-9 with a 3.00 ERA, but yielded just 136 hits and fanned 191 in 183 innings.

Pirates pitching prospect Jameson Taillon had some nice things to say about Gerrit Cole.

"I wasn't surprised by [Cole's success]," Taillon said. "I thought he was ready, and there's no spot too big for him. It didn't really shock me that he was doing so well." Taillon said he watched nearly every start Cole made last season. 

Cole posted a 3.22 ERA in 117 1/3 innings last year. 

Taillon enters the year in a similar situation. While he should start the year in the minors, he's expected to make his major-league debut at some point during the regular season. He's coming off a season in which he posted a 3.73 ERA in 147 1/3 innings across two levels. 

The Braves have announced they have signed right-hander Julio Teheran to a six-year contract with an option for a seventh that could keep him in Atlanta through 2020. A source has told MLB on Fox that the deal is worth $32.4 million.

Teheran is an important piece to a young and talented pitching staff. The 23-year-old thrived as a rookie in 2013 at 14-8 with a 3.20 ERA. He fanned 170 and walked just 45 in 185 2/3 innings. He is considered the third starter behind Kris Medlen and Mike Minor heading into the 2014 season.

The Cubs acquisition of right-hander Jason Hammel is official. The parties have finalized a one-year contract worth $6 million with incentives.

That news comes as no surprise considering Hammel was working out with the team Thursday in spring training.

The Cubs have yet to announce the signing of right-hander Jason Hammel, but he was scheduled to throw in camp on Thursday, per MLB.com.

Hammel, who was sidelined for a month in 2013 with a forearm injury, struggled with the Orioles. He managed a 7-8 record with a 4.97 ERA after enjoying arguably his finest season in 2012.