MLB Player News

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said last week that Cole (elbow) is a candidate for the 60-day injured list if the team needs to clear space on the 40-man roster, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.

This news is far from surprising given that Cole isn't expected to be able to start throwing until at least mid-April and would presumably need considerable time to build back up even if he doesn't encounter any setbacks along the way. The right-hander was diagnosed with nerve inflammation in his right elbow in mid-March and was originally estimated to be sidelined for 1-to-2 months, though Cashman's comments suggest the ace hurler is unlikely to make it back near the early end of that timeframe. It's logical to expect New York to avoid rushing Cole back into action considering the investment it made in him when it signed the former Astro to a nine-year, $324 million contract before the 2020 campaign.

Walker reported shoulder discomfort while getting loose for a bullpen session Saturday, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The Phillies sent Walker in for an MRI upon learning of his discomfort, and more information should be available Sunday after results come back. Should Walker have to begin the season on the injured list, Spencer Turnbull would claim the open spot in Philadelphia's rotation.

Manager Matt Quatraro informed Sauer he made the Royals' Opening Day roster, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports Saturday.

Sauer will be a member of the Royals' bullpen to begin the season. As a Rule 5 pick, Sauer has a fair amount of job security, though he's also earned the spot with a 2.53 ERA over 10.2 innings across eight Cactus League appearances. Sauer has experience as a starter in the minors while in the Yankees organization, so he should be able to provide a multi-inning option out of the bullpen with the Royals.

Anderson signed a major-league contract with the Red Sox on Saturday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Anderson was let go by the Pirates earlier Saturday, and it didn't take long for the 36-year-old righty to latch on with another organization. The Red Sox will be without Liam Hendriks (elbow) and Chris Murphy (elbow), and Cotillo notes that adding Anderson brings experience as a multi-inning reliever to go alongside Josh Winckowski.

Manager Craig Counsell said Saturday that Steele (knee) is still scheduled to start for the Cubs on Opening Day against Texas, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Steele's status for the first game of the season had been in question after he took a hard comebacker off his left knee Friday against San Francisco. However, he only suffered a bruise as a result of the incident, and his knee doesn't seem to be bothering him enough to keep him off the mound. Steele owns a 4.91 ERA through 11 spring innings and will be making the first Opening Day start of his career Thursday.

Gil tossed four innings in a Grapefruit League game against the Mets on Friday, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out five batters.

Gil served up a two-run homer to Mark Vientos in the second inning but was otherwise strong over his four frames. The right-hander has been mentioned as a candidate to step into the Yankees' Opening Day rotation in the wake of Gerrit Cole's extended absence due to an elbow injury, and Gil has made a compelling case for himself with a 2.87 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 23:6 K:BB over 15.2 spring innings. Per Erik Boland of Newsday, rival scouts have raved about Gil looking "electric" over the past few weeks, and he's "very much in the mix" to break camp with the big club. However, Will Warren and Clayton Beeter -- who are also in contention for the vacated rotation spot -- have also looked good this spring, and veteran Luke Weaver is also a candidate for the role, so Gil could still feasibly begin the campaign in the minors.

Castillo allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks over 5.1 innings in a Cactus League spilt-squad tie with the Brewers on Friday. He struck out nine.

Castillo was tagged for an RBI double by Jake Bauers and a run-scoring single by Joey Wiemer in the fourth inning, but he was otherwise busy overpowering most of the other hitters put in front of him. The right-hander put together a successful spring that saw him post a 2-1 record, 2.95 ERA and 22:6 K:BB across 18.1 innings, and he'll be on the hill for Seattle in an Opening Day matchup against the Red Sox on Thursday.

The Mariners optioned Hancock to Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

Hancock was never able to get comfortable on the mound this spring, surrendering 11 earned runs over just 9.2 frames. He'll head to Triple-A for the first time in his career, and he likely won't return to the majors until he strings together several successful minor-league outings.

The Marlins informed Meyer on Saturday that he would make the team's Opening Day roster, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.

Along with winning a roster spot, Meyer is also the favorite to begin the season as the fifth member of Miami's starting rotation. The 25-year-old right-hander fired seven scoreless innings this spring while striking out five batters and walking one. Meyer's time in the majors may be short-lived, however, with Eury Perez (elbow), Braxton Garrett (shoulder) and Edward Cabrera (shoulder) all potentially returning relatively early in the season.

The Pirates released Anderson on Saturday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 reports.

Anderson entered camp as a non-roster invitee and looked sharp with a 2.45 ERA and 0.73 WHIP across 11 innings, but he will ultimately miss out on the team's Opening Day roster. The 36-year-old righty may receive attention in free agency from teams in search of organizational starter depth.