MLB Player News

The Twins reassigned Ynoa to minor-league camp Tuesday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Ynoa made 31 appearances (24 starts) in the majors for Atlanta from 2019 through 2022, but he hasn't seen big-league action since while missing extensive time due to Tommy John surgery and a shoulder injury. The 26-year-old righty linked up with the Twins on a minor-league deal in December and has enjoyed good health in the spring, but his mediocre numbers in the Grapefruit League (5.79 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 4:2 K:BB in 4.2 innings) prevented him from making a serious run at an Opening Day roster spot. Ynoa worked one inning or less in each of his five spring appearances, perhaps signaling that the Twins intend to deploy him out of the bullpen at Triple-A St. Paul after he had mostly been used as a starter during his time in the Atlanta organization.

The Twins reassigned McCaughan to Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

McCaughan made 12 appearances (five starts) in the big leagues between stops with the Guardians and Marlins in 2024, logging a 6.21 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in 42 innings. He joined the Twins on a minor-league deal in December and never made much of a run at an Opening Day roster spot while the Minnesota pitching staff has enjoyed relatively sound health this spring. McCaughan is expected to report to Triple-A St. Paul, where he could be deployed in the rotation or in long relief.

Lord is in the running to win a spot in the Nationals' Opening Day bullpen, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.

Washington still views the 25-year-old right-hander as a potential starter in the long term, but Lord has shown improved velocity this spring and has been mostly sharp, aside from an eight-run implosion against the Rays on March 13. "I think he can come in and get us a ground ball in a tough situation, which is nice," manager Dave Martinez said Monday after Lord tossed a perfect inning against the Cardinals on 12 pitches. "But it's the deception. It's what he can do. It's everything that he's become and that we've seen that allows us to say: If this guy can throw strikes, he can give us two-plus innings." Lord appears to be in the running for one of the final two spots in the Nats bullpen, and he could be the team's best option to handle a long-relief role.

Weathers gave up one unearned run on one hit and two walks over four innings in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets. He struck out one.

The 25-year-old southpaw built up to 65 pitches (37 strikes) in another sharp outing. Weathers has a 0.79 ERA and 11:8 K:BB through 11.1 innings this spring, and he's locked into a rotation spot for the Marlins to begin the season.

The Nationals returned Reifert to the Rays on Tuesday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports.

A Rule 5 selection by the Nationals in December, Reifert flashed his swing-and-miss slider this spring in striking out nine batters over 6.1 innings. However, he also issued 12 walks and yielded 12 runs (11 earned) to earn a trip back to his previous organization. Reifert should begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Durham.

Dunning's "stock only seems to continue slipping" and he could begin the season in the minors, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Given the expected makeup of their Opening Day rotation, the Rangers have a big need for relievers capable of throwing multiple innings. It's a quality Dunning can provide, but it sounds like he might be on the outside looking in for a rotation spot, anyway. Dunning posted a 5.31 ERA over 15 starts and 11 relief appearances for Texas last season and has minor-league options remaining.

The Tigers announced Tuesday that Urquidy (elbow) has been cleared to play catch up to 105 feet three times a week, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Urquidy underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career back in June, so he'll have several more checkpoints to reach in the recovery process before he's cleared to make his Tigers debut, perhaps at some point in the second half of the season. Detroit signed Urquidy earlier this month on a one-year, $1 million deal that includes a $4 million team option for 2026.

Bloss could be an option as the Blue Jays' No. 5 starter if Max Scherzer (thumb) isn't ready for the start of the season, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Yariel Rodriguez is the more likely candidate to fill in, but he's struggled this spring, serving up four homers and walking six batters over 9.2 innings with 11 strikeouts. Bloss' numbers aren't any better -- he's got a 6:6 K:BB and has been taken deep three times in eight Grapefruit League innings -- but per Matheson, he has looked sharper in his recent outings. Eric Lauer would be another candidate for a spot start or two early in the season if Scherzer's season debut is delayed. The Jays won't need a fifth starter until March 31.

Rodriguez could begin the season in the rotation if Max Scherzer (thumb) isn't ready to make his first start, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

The Blue Jays will need a fifth starter March 31, giving Scherzer little time to recover and get fully stretched out. Rodriguez has worked 9.2 innings in Grapefruit League action this spring, striking out 11 batters but also walking seven and serving up four homers. If Toronto decides he's better suited for a long-relief role, or Scherzer's thumb issue is deemed to be minor and he's only expected to miss one or two turns through the rotation, Jake Bloss or Eric Lauer might be called upon instead.

Cobb (hip) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is slated to throw another one Wednesday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Saturday's session was the first time Cobb has thrown off the mound since he was diagnosed with right hip inflammation at the beginning of spring training. The Tigers had indicated previously that Cobb might be ready to pitch in games by mid-March, but clearly he's not ready for that yet. There's no timetable for the veteran right-hander's return, but he can safely be expected to miss at least the first month or so of the season.