MLB Player News

Canning is expected to start the third game of the Mets' season-opening series in Houston, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

That would line the right-hander up to face the Astros on March 29 after Clay Holmes and Tylor Megill work the first two games of the series, with David Peterson and Kodai Senga rounding out the initial rotation. Canning has yet to give up an earned run this spring with a 7:1 K:BB over 5.1 innings, and the Mets have adjusted his pitch mix to emphasize his slider and sinker over his mediocre four-seam fastball -- a pitch that generated a 14.8 percent whiff rate and 44.1 percent hard-hit rate last year along with a minus-12 run value. Canning could have a small window in which to establish himself with Sean Manaea (oblique) potentially returning in mid-April.

Megill is expected to start the second game of the Mets' season-opening series in Houston, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

That would line the right-hander up to face the Astros on March 28 after Clay Holmes gets the nod Opening Day, with Griffin Canning, David Peterson and Kodai Senga following in the rotation. Megill has looked good this spring, posting a 13:2 K:BB over 11.2 innings, and he should get a few turns through the rotation to establish himself as a reliable option with Sean Manaea (oblique) not set to return until at least mid-April, and Frankie Montas (lat) on the shelf into May.

Quantrill gave up one hit and two walks over three scoreless innings during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals. He struck out one.

The 30-year-old right-hander has been scuffling this spring, but he looked a little more comfortable Sunday as he built up to 43 pitches (23 strikes). Quantrill is ticketed for a spot in the Marlins' Opening Day rotation, but his 9.45 ERA and 3:4 K:BB through 6.2 spring innings don't offer much optimism that he'll be a useful arm for fantasy purposes. Over the last two seasons for Cleveland and Colorado, he's stumbled to a 5.08 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 48 starts.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Monday that the club is discussing using a six-man rotation to begin the season, with McGreevy serving as the sixth starter, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde and Miles Mikolas are locked into rotation spots, and Andre Pallante and Steven Matz are heavily favored for two other slots. Utilizing a six-man rotation would add a spot for McGreevy, who could swing back-and-forth between starting and relieving, per Denton. McGreevy has been the club's best starter this spring, allowing just two runs with an 8:0 K:BB over 11.2 innings.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Cabrera (blister) will play catch Monday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

It will be the first time Cabrera has thrown since he had to be removed from his Grapefruit League start last Thursday with a blister on his right middle finger. Cabrera might have to skip his next spring training start, which would threaten his Opening Day availability.

Butto (groin) is listed as an available relief option for Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays, Manny Gomez of NJ.com reports.

Butto hasn't made any appearances since March 7 while tending to a minor groin injury, but after throwing a bullpen session over the weekend without issue, he looks like he'll be incorporated into the Mets' spring pitching schedule Monday. The 26-year-old right-hander should have an inside track on a spot in New York's Opening Day bullpen after submitting a 2.55 ERA and 1.07 WHIP while striking out 79 batters over 74 innings during the regular season in 2024.

The Nationals announced Monday that Gore will start the team's March 27 season opener versus the Phillies in Washington.

Coming off a 2024 season in which he submitted a 3.90 ERA and struck out 181 batters over 166.1 innings, Gore entered the spring as the odds-on favorite to receive the Opening Day nod. The 25-year-old southpaw only strengthened his case to begin the season at the front of the rotation after breezing through his first two Grapefruit League starts, covering 8.1 scoreless innings while striking out 10 and scattering four hits and four walks. Gore will make his third start of the spring Monday versus the Cardinals and should have one more tune-up outing this weekend before taking the hill Opening Day.

Singer allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out five over 4.1 innings in Sunday's spring start against the Mariners.

Singer did not allow a run over the first four innings before being nicked for a home run to lead off the fifth frame. A couple more batters reached base following the homer, and the right-hander was pulled after working his pitch count to 78 in his fourth spring outing. Singer's had a strong Cactus League, recording a 2.25 ERA with 18 strikeouts over 12 innings.

Atlanta announced Monday that Sale will be its Opening Day starter March 27 in San Diego.

If there was any doubt the reigning National League Cy Young winner would be taking the ball for the opener, the club has now removed it. Sale has followed up his Cy Young-winning campaign with a nice spring, posting a 3.52 ERA and 15:4 K:BB over 15.1 frames.

Pfaadt allowed two hits and struck out seven over five scoreless innings in Sunday's spring start against the Padres.

Pfaadt was impressive in his fourth Cactus League start against a legit regular season San Diego batting order. After giving up a leadoff single in the first, Pfaadt set down the next 12 batters in order before a harmless leadoff single in the fifth -- the runner was eliminated on a double play. The right-hander threw 57 pitches (43 strikes) and left a good impression on manager Torey Lovullo, who has yet to settle on a No. 5 starter. The manager is mulling Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Jordan Montgomery for the final rotation spot.