MLB Player News

The Rangers optioned Santos to Double-A Frisco on Sunday.

Texas protected Santos from the Rule 5 Draft over the winter by adding him to the 40-man roster, but the 22-year-old righty is still in need of some further seasoning in the upper levels of the minors before making his MLB debut. He'll return to Frisco to open the 2025 campaign after he turned in a 4.89 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 57:14 K:BB over 46 innings last year.

The Rangers optioned Winn to Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.

Winn was one of three candidates for the Opening Day bullpen sent back to the minors Sunday, with lefties Jacob Latz and Walter Pennington also getting optioned to Round Rock. The 25-year-old Winn reached the majors for the first time in 2024, making 13 appearances while posting a 7.79 ERA and 1.27 WHIP over 17.1 innings.

Horton (shoulder) gave up one earned run on one hit and struck out one over one inning in Saturday's 9-8 win over the Mariners in Cactus League play.

The right-hander is being brought along slowly this spring after he didn't pitch during the final four months of the 2024 season while recovering from a Grade 2 right subscapularis strain. Horton should increase his workload in his next spring outing, though it could come at minor-league camp rather than in the Cactus League.

Nunez (shoulder) gave up two unearned runs on one hit and one walk over one inning Wednesday in the Padres' 4-3 loss to the Rockies in Cactus League play.

The Rule 5 pick made his spring debut for the Padres after recovering from the shoulder injury that cost him the final four months of the 2024 season. Nunez has yet to pitch above the High-A level, but in order for the Padres to retain his rights, he'll need to spend the entire 2025 season on the 26-man active roster or on a reserve list. The 24-year-old righty will likely be limited to a low-leverage role out of the bullpen if the Padres opt to carry him on their Opening Day roster.

Winn threw two scoreless innings with four strikeouts and two hits, picking up the win during Saturday's 7-3 win over the Royals in Cactus League play.

Winn has made two appearances (one start) this spring, covering three scoreless innings while collecting five strikeouts. The 26-year-old made 12 starts last season before undergoing season-ending ulnar transposition surgery in late July. Winn could begin the season in the bullpen, as he appears to be a long shot for the fifth-starter role while competing with Hayden Birdsong, Kyle Harrison and Landen Roupp.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Sunday on the Marlins Radio Network that "no innings limit" has been set for Alcantara this season.

The skipper backed up comments from Alcantara himself, who said Saturday that the team hadn't informed him of any innings restrictions. That contradicts an earlier report from Jeff Passan of ESPN.com. The right-hander missed all of last season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, but he had a relatively normal offseason and is poised to start Opening Day for the Marlins.

Astros manager Joe Espada said that McCullers (forearm) is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Wednesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

The upcoming live BP session represents the final hurdle McCullers will need to clear before taking the mound for what would be his first game action since the 2022 World Series. Now 31 years old and no longer an intriguing prospect, the right-hander missed the last two seasons while recovering from June 2023 surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon and remove a bone spur from his right forearm. He had been expected to return to action at some point in 2024, but those plans were tabled after he suffered a setback in his throwing program last summer. McCullers resumed throwing off a mound over the winter and seems to have steered clear of any setbacks since then, leaving the Astros optimistic he'll be able to contribute this season. While he remains on track to open the season on the injured list, the fact that he's on the cusp of pitching in spring games suggests that his lengthy stint on the shelf could finally end early in 2025.

Ortiz allowed four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out five over 2.2 innings in Saturday's spring start against the Padres.

Ortiz struggled with his command during his third Cactus League start. He walked two and allowed four runs in the first inning before being pulled, returning in the second via the re-entry rule to retire six of the final seven batters he faced. Ortiz's spring ERA jumped to 14.14 over seven innings, but as the Guardians' major offseason pitching acquisition, the right-hander should be locked into a spot in the rotation.

Rodriguez was diagnosed with right elbow inflammation Sunday and will be shut down from throwing for 7-to-10 days after receiving a cortisone injection, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

The 25-year-old still doesn't appear to be dealing with any structural damage, but the elbow inflammation will shut him down for at least the next week. Manager Brandon Hyde already announced Friday that Rodriguez would be unavailable for Opening Day, but it remains to be seen just how much time he'll miss to begin the season.

The Tigers optioned Manning to Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Manning was on the outside looking in for a rotation spot after logging a 4.88 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 23:12 K:BB over his five starts in the big leagues and a 4.28 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 72:25 K:BB in 69.1 innings at Triple-A last season. He'll begin the 2025 season back in Toledo's rotation and will be on the short list for a call-up whenever the Tigers require a spot starter.