MLB Player News

Greene allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven over five innings in Friday's spring start against the Mariners.

Greene made his final start of the Cactus League season, throwing 84 pitches (52 strikes). He finished the spring with a 5.57 ERA over six starts and 21 innings. Greene will next take the ball Opening Day against the Giants on March 27.

Woodruff (shoulder) threw two innings in a minor-league spring game Friday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Manager Pat Murphy said the 32-year-old righty's fastball reached 95 mph Friday -- a tick up from the 94 mph he achieved during his one-inning Cactus League appearance March 10. The plan is for Woodruff to travel with the team to New York for its first regular-season series and throw an extended bullpen session. After that, he'll head back to Milwaukee to play in a sim game before embarking on a minor-league rehab assignment.

Waldron (oblique) has yet to resume throwing, per MLB.com.

Waldron is dealing with a mild left oblique strain and is expected to begin the campaign on the injured list. He had been competing for the Padres' fifth-starter role this spring, though he struggled with an 8.68 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 7:7 K:BB over 9.1 Cactus League innings before getting hurt. With both Waldron and Yu Darvish (elbow) likely unavailable at the start of the season, Randy Vasquez, Stephen Kolek and Kyle Hart are battling to fill San Diego's two available rotation slots.

The Nationals optioned Herz to Triple-A Rochester on Friday.

Herz will miss the cut for Washington's Opening Day rotation and wrap up Grapefruit League play with nine runs allowed (seven earned) over 9.2 innings. The 24-year-old southpaw posted a 4.16 ERA across 19 starts with the big club last season, and if he's able to return to form in Triple-A, he could rejoin the Nationals at some point this summer.

The Nationals optioned Ogasawara to Triple-A Rochester on Friday.

Ogasawara's transition from Japan to the U.S. hasn't gone as well as he probably had hoped. In five Grapefruit League games, the 27-year-old lefty allowed 19 runs (15 earned) in 12 innings while striking out 10 batters and walking eight. He'll now head to the minors as a result of his rough start, and it may be a while before he's ready to face MLB hitters.

Gray acknowledged Friday that his velocity has been down this spring, but he says he's healthy, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

The 35-year-old ended last season on the injured list with right forearm flexor tendinitis and revealed Friday that he received a pain-killing injection at the time that delayed his offseason throwing program. He insists that his pitching arm is now fine physically, but the delayed throwing could be the cause for his velocity being down. Gray averaged just 90.6 mph with his four-seamer in Friday's start versus the Astros, which is down nearly two mph from last season's mark. The right-hander allowed five runs over 4.2 innings in the outing and now holds a 12.56 ERA in five Grapefruit League starts. For what it's worth, Gray said Friday of his velocity that "I still think that will come," per Katie Woo of The Athletic.

Atlanta acquired Wiles from the Rays on Friday in exchange for cash considerations, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.

Wiles, 26, spent last season at Triple-A Durham, posting a 5.54 ERA and 72:26 K:BB over 87.2 frames. He's struck out 11 and walked two over 6.1 innings this spring. Wiles will likely be assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett.

McGreevy struck out four while yielding just one hit over five scoreless frames in Friday's Grapefruit League start versus the Mets.

McGreevy's impressive spring continues, as he now boasts a 1.08 ERA, 0.60 WHIP and 12:0 K:BB across 16.2 innings of work. The young righty could be left out of the Cardinals' Opening Day rotation in spite of the strong Grapefruit League showing, although the club is mulling a six-man setup that would help McGreevy's chances.

Manager A.J. Hinch announced Friday that Maeda (illness) will begin the season working out of the bullpen, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Maeda has been dealing with an illness this week, but there's been no indication it will affect his availability for the start of the season. The right-hander had a 19:1 K:BB across 12.2 innings during spring training, but he served up four home runs and eight earned runs overall. Maeda should serve as a long reliever and potential spot starter when the Tigers deal with rotation injuries.

Steele will start the Cubs' domestic opener March 27 in Arizona, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Steele started the second game of the Tokyo Series against the Dodgers this week -- allowing five runs over four innings -- and will get the first turn back home. He will be followed by Jameson Taillon against the Diamondbacks.