MLB Player News

Bednar (back) hasn't been taking part in workouts with the Giants thus far in spring training and is "still working his way back," Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The Giants are expected to provide another update on the young right-hander's status in the coming days, but he looks as though he's still in the midst of an extended shutdown period that dates back to the Arizona Fall League. The 2021 first-round pick has yet to pitch above the Single-A level through his first three seasons in the professional ranks, with injuries playing a major part in his slow ascent through the San Francisco farm system.

Rodriguez is scheduled to start the Diamondbacks' spring opener Friday versus the Rockies, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Rodriguez will likely work just an inning or two before turning the game over to the bullpen. After joining Arizona on a four-year, $74 million deal in free agency this winter, Rodriguez is projected to open the season as the No. 3 starter behind Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly as the Diamondbacks look to build on last season's surprise run to the National League pennant.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Senga experienced arm fatigue during his side session Tuesday and is being evaluated by the training staff, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

Mendoza didn't sound too concerned that Senga was dealing with an injury that could threaten his availability for the start of the season, but the Mets likely won't know the full extent of the issue until he's evaluated further. Senga walked 11.1 percent of the batters he faced during his first season in the majors in 2023, but he otherwise made a smooth transition from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB, pitching to a 2.98 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while striking out 202 batters over 166.1 innings. The Mets are counting on Senga to serve as the clear No. 1 starter in 2024 after the team shipped out Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in midseason deals last summer.

Jefferies could be needed in the Giants' rotation sooner rather than later if Keaton Winn (elbow) is sidelined, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

A non-roster invitee, Jefferies threw to hitters Tuesday for the first time since May of 2022 following a long rehab after his second Tommy John surgery. Given the length of time that he's missed, the expectation is that Jefferies will head to Triple-A Sacramento to begin the season. However, if he gets off to a nice start with Sacramento he could be needed on the big club in short order, particularly if Winn's elbow injury lingers. Jefferies posted a 5.75 ERA and 37:14 K:BB over 56.1 innings for the Athletics from 2020-22.

Singer (back) will make his Cactus League debut Feb. 28 versus the Mariners, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Singer ended last season on the shelf with a back strain, but he doesn't seem to be under any restrictions this spring. The right-hander is coming off an uneven 2023 campaign, having finished with a 5.52 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 133:49 K:BB in 159.2 frames covering 29 starts.

Cole is scheduled to face DJ LeMahieu, Anthony Rizzo, Anthony Volpe and Gleyber Torres over two innings Wednesday in his first live batting practice session of spring training, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports.

Since Cole had a healthy offseason, the Yankees could elect to slow play his Grapefruit League debut, but the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner should be fully ramped up by the time Opening Day arrives. Coming off a 2023 season in which he went 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 222:48 K:BB over 209 innings, Cole is justifiably being taken as one of the first two pitchers in most fantasy drafts.

Bello said Wednesday that his agents and the Red Sox have been negotiating a contract extension, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Bello noted that the conversations began a few weeks ago, and the pitcher intimated that there may be momentum toward a deal. Slated to turn 25 in May, Bello isn't eligible for arbitration until after the 2025 season and is under team control through 2028. The possible length and dollar amount of a long-term contract for the right-hander isn't clear. Bello collected a 4.24 ERA and 132:45 K:BB over 157 innings covering 28 starts for Boston in 2023.

Ashcraft is a few days behind other starters after undergoing right big toe surgery last September, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Atheltic reports.

The delay doesn't sound like a major concern; the team said it's mostly about Ashcraft's conditioning. If he's only be a few days behind other starters, Ashcraft's bid for a rotation spot should not be affected.

Greene worked on adding a curveball to his repertoire during the offseason, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Greene thew mostly his fastball (54.4 percent) and slider (40.3 percent) last season while occasionally mixing in a changeup (5.3 percent). The numbers were similar to 2022. "It's exciting," Greene said Sunday about the new pitch. "(I'll) continue to refine it and work on it, but looking forward to being able to have a good offering this season." Cincinnati pitching coach Derek Johnson said Greene needed a slower pitch, which will make his fastball play better. How much Greene throws the curve, which is in the low-80s this spring, will depend on how it looks against live batters during Cactus League games. The 24-year-old right-hander, who is expected to lead the Reds' rotation, has not thrown more than 125.2 innings in either of his first two seasons in the majors.

Kelly is expected to make his spring debut March 8 against the Cubs, Jack Magruder of MLB.com reports.

Kelly is set to open the regular season as the No. 2 starter behind Zac Gallen. Including the 2023 postseason, Kelly threw 201.2 innings, marking the second straight year the right-hander crossed the 200-inning threshold. As such, manager Torey Lovullo plans a measured buildup during the Cactus League season. "[We're] really trying to limit the overall innings. We're not trying to empty the tank so quickly," the manager said. Kelly was 12-8 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 30 regular season starts last year.