MLB Player News

Burnes (elbow) expects to throw off a mound by the end of spring training, Jack Sommers of SI.com reports.

Burnes also reiterated his goal of making his season debut around the All-Star break. The veteran right-hander is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, which he had last June. A midseason return would appear to be a best-case scenario for Burnes, who is entering the second year of a six-year, $210 million contract.

Rea will likely work in a bullpen role to begin the season, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Chicago's key offseason pitching addition was Edward Cabrera, and he will likely slot in near the top of the rotation. The Cubs will also start the year with Cade Horton, who made a splash in the majors after he debuted last May. Justin Steele (elbow) should return at some point as well. The deeper pitching staff figures to push Rea into more of a swing role, at least early in the season. The veteran righty appeared in 32 games for Chicago last year, making 27 starts, and posted a 3.95 ERA and 127 strikeouts across 159.1 innings. Rea is a serviceable starter when given the opportunity, but his fantasy value takes a hit in long relief.

The Cubs invited Wiggins to Major League spring training on Monday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Wiggins is Chicago's top pitching prospect, and while the 24-year-old is likely to begin the season with Triple-A Iowa, he could make his MLB debut at some point in 2026. Cade Horton followed a similar route last year and ended up making a big impact in the majors once he got the call in May, so Wiggins is worth keeping an eye on early in the campaign. The righty posted a 2.19 ERA and 97 strikeouts over 78 innings across three minor-league stops in 2025, giving a glimpse at his upside.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Monday that he doesn't anticipate Wheeler (shoulder) being ready for Opening Day, but he "doesn't think he'll be too far behind that," Paul Casella of MLB.com reports.

The declaration largely aligns with previous reports regarding Wheeler's timetable, though Thomson's words are the clearest indication yet that the Phillies don't plan on having the 35-year-old available for Opening Day. Recovering from venous thoracic outlet surgery -- which is the less severe of the two TOS diagnoses -- Wheeler began a throwing program in early December, and his rehab has gone off without a hitch to this point. More clarity on Wheeler's timeline could be available during spring training, but he seems to have a good shot at making his season debut sometime in April.

The Marlins signed Paddack to a one-year, $4 million contract Monday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Paddack pitched to a 4.95 ERA across 21 starts with the Twins last season before being shipped to the Tigers at the trade deadline. He pitched in 12 games for Detroit, making seven starts, and logged a miserable 6.32 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 29:10 K:BB across 47 innings. In Miami, Paddack figures to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation behind Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Max Meyer (hip) and Braxton Garrett (elbow). Robby Snelling, Janson Junk and Adam Mazur will be Paddack's top competition.

The Brewers acquired Drohan on Monday in a trade with the Red Sox, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Drohan missed a large chunk of last season with a forearm injury but pitched well after returning, holding a 2.27 ERA and 1.02 WHIP alongside a 67:16 K:BB through 47.2 innings. He was added to the 40-man roster this offseason and will be in the mix for a spot in the Brewers' rotation during spring training, though a stint at Triple-A Nashville first is likely.

The Brewers acquired Harrison, David Hamilton and Shane Drohan from the Red Sox on Monday in exchange for Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler and a Comp B pick, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

After being sent from the Giants to the Red Sox in last year's Rafael Devers trade, Harrison is on the move again. The left-hander made six starts and five relief appearances between the Giants and Red Sox last season, posting a 4.04 ERA and 38:14 K:BB across 35.2 innings. The Brewers have garnered a reputation for getting the most out of pitchers in recent years, and Harrison gives them some ability to work with. He will be among a host of competitors for one of the final spots in Milwaukee's rotation.

Alcantara is the favorite to get the Opening Day start for the Marlins, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

It's an honor the right-hander has been given five times previously, and after he surprisingly was one of the starting pitchers Miami didn't trade this offseason, Alcantara's only real competition for the assignment is Eury Perez. Alcantara also believes he's much more prepared to regain his top form in 2026 than he was last season in his return from Tommy John surgery. "Coming back from TJ, you're not going to do great since the first day," he said Friday. "You've got to be step by step. Mentally, I was thinking too much, people talking negative about myself... I've just got to be able to be healthy this year, showing the people in Spring Training that I can do great and just got to keep believing." Alcantara did seem to turn a corner over the final six weeks of 2025, posting a 2.68 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 52:10 K:BB over his last eight starts and 53.2 innings.

Nelson focused on getting physically stronger this offseason so that he can handle the rigors of 30 or more starts in 2026, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander has bounced between the rotation and bullpen the last three seasons but threw a career-high 154.0 innings in 2025. His first 10 appearances were out of the bullpen, before he shifted to the rotation in late May when Corbin Burnes required Tommy John surgery. With Burnes projected to be out until the second half of 2026, Nelson enters spring training with a guaranteed spot in the rotation, per general manager Mike Hazen. Nelson has relied heavily on his fastball but has also worked on his slider and curveball, and both pitches showed promise in 2025.

Ashcraft will earn $1.75 million in 2026 after winning his arbitration hearing against the Reds, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

The three-person arbitration panel sided with Ashcraft rather than the Reds' $1.25 figure. Ashcraft had a solid 2025 campaign in his first year as a full-time reliever, posting a 3.99 ERA and 64:25 K:BB over 65.1 regular-season innings. He's slated for a middle-relief role again in 2026.