MLB Player News

DeGrom threw a bullpen session Saturday, his first since the start of training camp, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

DeGrom entered camp healthy after dealing with a second Tommy John elbow surgery that wiped out much of 2023 and 2024. The right-hander made three starts last September and recorded a 1.69 ERA over 10.2 innings. A healthy deGrom is key for the Rangers, who have won seven of the pitcher's nine starts over the last two seasons.

Bieber (elbow) threw off a mound Saturday, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com reports.

Bieber threw a 15-pitch session, and his velocity was in the 87-to-89 mph range, which is higher than he anticipated. The right-hander underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in April of 2024 and is targeted for a return this summer.

Lowder (elbow) is being handled cautiously to the point that he may not be ready by Opening Day, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. "I wouldn't even put an artificial timetable on him," manager Terry Francona said on Saturday. "Everybody shoots for Opening Day. I get it; I do, too. We need to do what's right by him, and we will. So that's kind of our timetable."

Lowder, who reported slow recoveries from throwing sessions in January, underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage. During the offseason, Lowder worked on his four-pitch mix of four-seamers, sinkers, sliders and changeups. He had a focus on landing his breaking ball to batters on both sides of the plate. Francona said once the right-hander is ready to pick up a ball, which the manager said could be "in a couple of days," there will be a throwing progression first.

McClanahan will start Opening Day, March 28 against the Rockies, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

McClanahan missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from a Tommy John procedure he underwent in August 2023 -- already the second such operation of his career. Despite his extended hiatus, the Rays will entrust him with starting the first game of the season, as he owns a 3.02 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over his three seasons in the majors. The 27-year-old southpaw said Wednesday that he won't have any sort of restrictions during spring training, though the Rays are still expected to put a ceiling on his workload -- likely around 150 innings -- during the regular season.

Knoth underwent Tommy John surgery during the offseason and will miss the entire 2025 campaign, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Knoth spent his entire first season as a pro with Single-A Carolina, finishing with a 4.48 ERA and 1.40 WHIP alongside a 96:40 K:BB over 84.1 innings. However, he spent the final month of the year on the injured list due to an elbow injury that will ultimately cost him another whole season. The 19-year-old right-hander will now spend the next several months recovering from the procedure before turning his focus to returning sometime in 2026.

Teodo was pulled from his bullpen session Saturday due to right thumb soreness, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

The Rangers have marked Teodo as day-to-day, so the injury doesn't seem to be anything worthy of major concern. The 24-year-old righty earned a spot on Texas' 40-man roster this winter after turning in a 1.98 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 86.1 innings at Double-A Frisco. He'll likely be bumped up to Triple-A Round Rock for the start of the 2025 campaign, and his MLB debut may not be far away if he continues to dominate in the minors.

Sugano reported to Orioles camp Saturday.

Sugano's arrival was delayed a few days due to visa issues, but he's now managed to make his way to the Orioles' facility in Florida without falling too far behind. He expects to throw his first bullpen session Monday, per Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com, and the 35-year-old righty is projected to open the season in Baltimore's starting rotation.

Cavalli will have his workload managed in the early part of the season, with the goal being to have him in the big-league rotation later in the year, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

The 26-year-old right-hander has pitched just 8.1 innings over the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2023, but Cavalli is healthy to begin spring training and threw a bullpen session Thursday. "When you see him throw and he's healthy and in the right frame of mind and the right shape, the sky's the limit for that guy," general manager Mike Rizzo said Thursday. "His first bullpen today was terrific, and we're just going to take it slow with him. But to have him healthy and pitching like he's capable of is exciting to me." A first-round pick in 2020, Cavalli displayed his upside in 2022 when he posted a 3.71 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 104:39 K:BB over 97 Triple-A innings, and he's expected to get a chance to regain that form with Triple-A Rochester to begin the current campaign before the Nats give him another crack at big-league hitters.

Ogasawara threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session Friday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

The 27-year-old left-hander didn't even fly in from Japan until Wednesday night, but Ogasawara had already been throwing with an MLB ball prior to his arrival in camp and may actually be a little ahead of the Nationals' other pitchers. While he doesn't have overpowering stuff or the strikeout upside to be worth a late-round dart throw in most fantasy formats, Ogasawara will be given every opportunity to win a spot in a Nationals' rotation that has plenty of arms in the mix but little established depth -- only MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin made 30-plus starts in the majors last year among the Nats' starting pitching options. Over 144.1 innings for the Chunichi Dragons in 2024, Ogasawara posted a 3.12 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 82:22 K:BB.

Blackburn (back) is a little behind the Mets' other rotation options at the start of spring training, Will Sammon and Tim Britton of The Athletic report.

This is no real surprise, as Blackburn underwent spinal surgery in October. The 31-year-old right-hander made only five starts for the Mets in 2024 after being acquired from the A's, stumbling to a 5.18 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 21:7 K:BB in 24.1 innings, and he's never thrown more than 111.1 innings in a big-league season. If he demonstrates he's fully recovered from the surgery and back to his pre-injury form, Blackburn should compete for the No. 6 starter role alongside Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill.