MLB Player News
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Brandon Williamson SP | CIN
Reds' Brandon Williamson: Wins roster spot
Williamson was informed that he has made the Opening Day roster, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports
The Reds have given a roster spot to Williamson along with fellow starters Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns. The three of them will occupy two rotation spots and back each other up in those spots due to their recent injury histories or lack of experience. Williamson went down with a full UCL tear in his left elbow in Sept. 2024, which required Tommy John surgery. With the southpaw securing an Opening Day roster spot, he will look to take the mound for the first time in a regular season game since then.
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Rhett Lowder SP | CIN
Reds' Rhett Lowder: Makes Opening Day roster
Lowder was told that he has made the Opening Day roster, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Lowder was informed along with fellow starters Brandon Williamson and Chase Burns. The three of them will occupy two rotation spots and back each other up in those spots due to their recent injury histories or lack of experience. Lowder is coming back from a forearm injury and oblique strain that he suffered in 2025.
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Connor Phillips SP | CIN
Reds' Connor Phillips: Secures Opening Day spot in pen
Phillips was informed by the Reds that he has made the Opening Day roster, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Phillips got off to a rough start to begin spring training as he allowed three earned runs in three of his first five appearances. After the last one in which he allowed three runs March 5, the righty gas gone his three most recent appearances with one earned allowed across 3.1 innings. The Reds are hoping the former starter can recapture the dominance he found as a reliever to conclude the 2025 season.
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Bailey Ober SP | MIN
Twins' Bailey Ober: Velocity drop continues
Ober allowed a run on two hits and two walks while striking out none during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. According to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic, the right-hander averaged 88.2 mph with his fastball and generated just three swinging strikes.
Ober has surrendered just two runs across 8.2 frames in his three Grapefruit League appearances, but he has only three strikeouts and has seen his fastball velocity decrease in each spring outing, with him not cracking 90 mph even once Tuesday. The 30-year-old's average fastball in 2025 was a career-low 90.3 mph, and he had the worst season of his career with a 5.10 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 27 starts. Ober doesn't have much time to right the ship with Opening Day little more than a week away.
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Braxton Garrett SP | MIA
Marlins' Braxton Garrett: Not guaranteed rotation spot
Garrett may not begin the season in the Marlins' rotation, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
The 28-year-old southpaw didn't pitch at all in 2025 while recovering from elbow surgery, and the Marlins may decide to be cautious with the final stages of his recovery, either by optioning him to Triple-A Jacksonville, or by placing him on the IL and giving him a rehab assignment to begin the season. Garrett's 6.75 ERA and 3:3 K:BB through four spring innings also don't make a strong case that he's ready to handle a regular turn in the big-league rotation. Janson Junk would likely fill the fifth starter role until Miami deems Garrett ready to make his return.
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Tyler Mahle SP | SF
Giants' Tyler Mahle: Scoreless spring continues
Mahle allowed one hit while striking out six across four scoreless innings in Monday's 3-1 Cactus League loss to the Padres.
Mahle gave up a double in the third inning but turned in a strong outing overall, throwing 37 of his 54 pitches for strikes. The 31-year-old has yet to allow a run through four Cactus League starts this spring, surrendering two hits and seven walks while striking out 13 across 10 innings. The veteran right-hander was limited to 16 starts for the Rangers in 2025 due to a shoulder strain, finishing the campaign with a 2.18 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 66:29 K:BB across 86.2 innings.
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Kyle Freeland SP | COL
Rockies' Kyle Freeland: Named Opening Day starter
The Rockies announced Tuesday that Freeland will start Colorado's March 27 season opener against the Marlins in Miami.
It will be Freeland's fifth career Opening Day nod, the most in Rockies franchise history. The 32-year-old Freeland put together an average season in 2025, logging a 4.98 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 124:38 K:BB across 162.2 innings. He started 31 games, tied for his most in a single season since 2018, but Freeland led the majors with 17 losses. His 4.51 FIP away from Coors was actually worse than his 3.76 FIP at home.
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Chris Sale SP | ATL
Braves' Chris Sale: Just about ready for Opening Day
Sale allowed one run on five hits over six innings in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays. He struck out three without walking a batter.
The veteran southpaw built up to 75 pitches (53 strikes) in a sharp performance against a Tampa Bay lineup that lacked most of the team's big names. Sale has a 3.29 ERA and 11:2 K:BB through 13.2 innings this spring, and he looks just about ready for the beginning of the season. While new manager Walt Weiss has yet to announce who Atlanta's Opening Day starter will be, Sale remains the favorite to get the assignment.
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Carlos Rodon SP | NYY
Yankees' Carlos Rodon: Unlikely to pitch in spring game
Manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that Rodon (elbow) is not expected to pitch in a Grapefruit League game this spring, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Rodon has been throwing side sessions and batting practice this spring and most recently threw 30 pitches across a pair of simulated innings over the weekend. However, there's just not enough time for Rodon to get into Grapefruit League contests. He's still building his arm up following offseason surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow. According to Phillips, Rodon is on track to make his regular-season debut sometime in April.
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Noah Davis SP | PIT
Pirates' Noah Davis: Moves to minor-league camp
The Pirates reassigned Davis to minor-league camp Monday.
Davis had attended spring training as a non-roster invitee and was given the chance to compete for a swingman role with the Pirates, but he fell short in his bid for the Opening Day roster after logging a 7.90 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 13.2 innings. The 28-year-old righty has seen big-league action in each of the past four seasons, but his lack of a 40-man roster spot could make it difficult for him to earn a call-up to Pittsburgh at any point in 2026.