MLB Player News

The Cubs have reached an agreement with pitcher Jason Hammel, according to FoxSports.com.

The deal is pending a physical. Hammel spent last season with the Orioles, and posted a 4.97 ERA in 139 1/3 innings. He missed time due to a forearm injury.

Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu is hoping to be in better shape this season, according to MLB.com.

Ryu began his conditioning earlier than usual this offseason. He believes he came into camp last year out of shape, and wants to avoid that situation this year. Despite his lack of conditioning, Ryu posted a solid 3.00 ERA in 192 innings.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo floated the idea earlier in the offseason about bringing starting pitcher prospect Sammy Solis to the majors as a reliever, so he could get a taste of life in the big leagues and help provide left-handed bullpen depth for the club.

It seems Solis is fine with whatever the team has in store, according to The Washington Post.

"I’m willing to be shortstop if I have to," Solis said. "Honestly, I think I’m finally ready to make an impact with the team. I’m just working hard, keeping my head down and letting the front office make all the decisions … It’s up to the team. I’m a starting pitcher, but I’ll relieve, catch, whatever."

Solis hasn't been in a relief role since he was a freshman at the University of of San Diego. However, he made an impressive return from Tommy John surgery in 2013, going 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 appearances (13 starts). Solis then pitched extremely well in the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League, going 5-2 with a 2.17 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 29 innings in seven starts.

"The breaking ball for me was the hardest thing to find after surgery, especially out in the fall league it really came around and I was able to develop it and it was my most effective pitch," he said. "I’m excited to see how it turns out this year. As of now, I feel ready to go, 100 percent."

It's not like two-time NL Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw needs to improve in many areas, especially after he was rewarded with a seven-year, $215 million contract. However, that hasn't stopped the Dodgers' ace from trying to improve his game.

"I'm starting to work on a two-seamer. Starting to throw that a little more," he told MLB Network Radio Wednesday. "I'm also working on my changeup."

Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg said Saturday he's fully recovered from October surgery to have bone chips removed from his elbow, according to CSN Washington. Strasburg said he's 100 percent ready for the start of spring training.

Even though spring training has yet to begin, the Mets are already formulating a plan on how to handle top pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard, who is likely to make his MLB debut in 2014. The big issue is regarding Syndergaard's innings, according to ESPN.

The right-hander threw just 124 2/3 innings last season, which included the Double-A playoffs and his Futures Game appearance. Matt Harvey logged 135 2/3 innings the season before his MLB debut and Zack Wheeler logged 149 innings the year before his debut. Typically, teams only like pitchers to make a 30-35-inning increase from the previous season, which means Syndergaard might be shut down before he reaches 160 innings this year.

Mets vice president of player development and scouting Paul DePodesta said the team can get creative in order to have Syndergaard available late in the season. He said the team won't delay the start of Syndergaard's season, but they might consider initially bringing the young righty to the majors as a reliever.

"We're in the process of planning everyone's schedule, Noah included," DePodesta said. "[Wheeler and Harvey] had different paths to the major leagues, even though both resulted in a midseason call-up. Noah's path will also be different, even if there are similarities. Further, while we will create a plan for him before the season begins, the plan will inevitably change as the season progresses."

Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha had a pretty impressive run during his first stint in the majors last season. The 2012 first-round pick would go 4-1 with a 2.78 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 15 regular-season appearances (nine starts) before going 4-1 with a 2.64 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in five postseason starts.

Wacha struck out 9.0 batters per nine innings during the regular season and struck out 9.7 batters per nine innings in the postseason. His strong performance impressed teammate Adam Wainwright, who finished second in the NL Cy Young race behind winner Clayton Kershaw.

"Michael, if he does what he did down the stretch and if he does that for a whole season, he's going to be in the Cy Young talks," Wainwright said Saturday at the annual Cardinals' Winter Warmup, per FOX Sports. "I think Michael may be one of the most talented pitchers I've seen. He's a guy who almost threw a no-hitter and then almost threw another no-hitter.

"I'm very, very impressed with his game. I'd like to see it through a whole season."

Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez missed most of spring training last year because of visa issues. This year, he wanted to make sure he is prepared for spring training, so he made six starts in the Dominican Winter League, according to MLB.com.

"I'm working hard right now and hopefully with all my hard work, I'll be in it," Martinez said through his translator and business manager Alexy Hernandez. "I thank God for the opportunity to be here. I have been working hard in the offseason to get to that (rotation) spot."

Martinez tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings during two regular-season starts for Aguilas Cibaenas, while striking out nine and not issuing a walk in that span. In four postseason starts, he was 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings. However, he pitched seven shutout innings in his final start.

"I wanted to get more experience as a starter and pitch to more quality guys to get the experience that I needed," Martinez said. "I wanted to work on certain pitches that I'll use as a starter before I come in and compete for that spot."

Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn didn't seem very pleased with the media Sunday when he was asked about competing for a spot in the team's rotation, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Lynn has won at least 15 games the last two seasons and is 33-16 with a 3.87 ERA in 64 career starts.

"I'm a starter," he said. "That's it.

"I found out through this little media session that there is a [rotation] competition. I have not talked to anyone. They fully expect me to be in the rotation. There’s been no talk that I’m fighting for a job. I’m just getting ready."

Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright has no regrets about signing a five-year, $97.5 million contract extension last year, even after Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw recently landed a seven-year, $215 million contract. 

"I was so happy to go into this offseason and not have to worry about being a free agent. I'm right where I want to be," Wainwright told MLB.com. "Do I think I could have made more money on the free-agent market? Absolutely. But you can't buy happiness. I'm not going to be happier anywhere else but where I am right now."

Wainwright will be 37 years old when his contract ends and Kershaw, who is 25 years old, will still be in the prime of his career, which certainly played a factor into the young lefty getting more money.

"What I want to do at the end of this contract -- just like I did in the other one -- is say I lived up to the contract I signed," Wainwright said. "I have great confidence that I'm going to do that. The contract that he signed is amazing. There's no doubt about it. But he's also 25 years old. Compared to him, I'm an old man. I take my role here on this team very seriously. I love where I'm at, I love what I've learned here, and I can't wait to pass it on. There's no other color I want to wear."