MLB Player News

The Twins plan to have Varland stretch out as a starting pitcher this spring, although moving him to the bullpen remains an option, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. He's been working on an improved two-seam fastball and slider in the offseason to help him win a spot in the rotation.

Varland's improved velocity turned him into a late-season weapon out of the bullpen last year after working as a starter the first five months. As a reliever he had a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings with a 17:1 K:BB while throwing a fastball that touched triple digits. He'll be in the mix for the final spot in the rotation this spring. If Varland loses out on the fifth starter role to Anthony DeSclafani, it will be interesting to see if the Twins move him to the bullpen or keep him as a starter at Triple-A. He could be an impact fantasy asset as a starting pitcher this season given his improvement last season and if a new pitch can broaden his arsenal.

Lodolo (leg) threw a bullpen session Saturday and acknowledged being pain-free, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Lodolo, who was limited to seven starts in 2023, has been in Arizona since mid-January and estimated he's thrown off a mound seven or eight times. While the left-hander's leg is pain-free when pitching, he acknowledged that it isn't feeling 100 percent. "That's where I got into trouble last year. I was feeling it and tried to continue going for a month-and-a-half. It just gave out," he said. "We're trying to avoid that. We're being smarter with the build-up." Saturday's session, in which Lodolo threw 25 pitches, was his second since camp opened earlier this week; he tossed 20 pitches Wednesday. Reds manager David Bell said Lodolo could be ready by Opening Day if "everything goes well, goes perfect."

The Mariners claimed Stoudt off waivers from Cincinnati on Saturday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Stoudt had been part of the trade package that sent Luis Castillo from Cincinnati to Seattle in 2022, and Stoudt will now reunite with the organization that drafted him. The 26-year-old righty struggled to find his footing in 2023, allowing 11 earned runs in 10.1 major-league innings while also putting up a 6.23 ERA across 82.1 frames in Triple-A. He'll presumably start the season with Triple-A Tacoma and would need to show significant progress from last year before getting another run in the big leagues. Canaan Smith-Njigba was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Ashcraft (toe) will be ready for the start of Cactus League play, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Ashcraft had said Tuesday that his toe was still not quite at 100 percent following his surgery in September, but it appears the 26-year-old has made significant progress since then. Ashcraft will look to cement himself in Cincinnati's rotation during the spring after posting a 4.76 ERA and 1.37 WHIP across 145.2 innings last season.

The Royals placed Wright (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Saturday.

Wright is set to miss the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery in October, so it was only a matter of time before he landed on the IL. Wright's spot on the 40-man roster will be given to John Schreiber, who was acquired from the Red Sox on Saturday.

The Royals traded Sandlin to the Red Sox on Saturday in exchange for John Schreiber, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Sandlin spent time with the Royals' Single-A and High-A affiliates last season, logging a 3.51 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while striking out 88 batters across 66.2 total innings. The 22-year-old righty will likely return to High-A to begin the 2024 campaign with hopes of reaching Double-A Portland at some point in the summer.

Sanchez is out of minor-league options, but the right-hander isn't guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

He's thrown only one inning since 2020 due to a pair of shoulder surgeries, and the upside he displayed prior to that is a distant memory. The Marlins have a vacancy in their rotation this season with Sandy Alcantara (elbow) out, but Sanchez might be a long shot just to win a low-leverage relief job. He threw a bullpen session Thursday and at least appears to be healthy to begin camp, but the 25-year-old has a lot to prove. "That's the reality," manager Skip Schumaker said Thursday. "He's in big-league camp. He's got a chance just like anybody else, but he's gonna have to show something."

Anderson signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Saturday and received an invitation to big-league spring training, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

Anderson logged a 5.42 ERA and 1.42 WHIP across 86.1 innings between the Rays and Rockies last season. The 36-year-old right-hander hasn't turned in a season with an ERA below 5.00 since 2019 (4.21), making him an unreliable fantasy option even if he were to make the Pirates' roster out of spring training.

Meyer is fully recovered from his elbow injury, but the Marlins won't push him too hard to begin spring training, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

"It's probably more mental than the physical," manager Skip Schumaker said Thursday about a group of pitchers that also includes Trevor Rogers and Anthony Bender. "They are healthy physically and trying to get over that mental hurdle of what if they throw too hard or throw too much [or] it's just gonna happen again. It's more of a mental hurdle than anything." Meyer, the third overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2022 and didn't pitch at all last season after the Marlins elected not to send him to the Arizona Fall League. The 24-year-old right-hander displayed an ace-level arsenal prior to the surgery, and a strong showing in camp could land Meyer in the Opening Day rotation as the team looks to fill the hole left by Sandy Alcantara (elbow).

Rogers is healthy to begin spring training, but the Marlins intend to bring him along slowly during the early part of camp, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

"It's probably more mental than the physical," manager Skip Schumaker said Thursday about a group of pitchers that also includes Max Meyer and Anthony Bender. "They are healthy physically and trying to get over that mental hurdle of what if they throw too hard or throw too much [or] it's just gonna happen again. It's more of a mental hurdle than anything." Rogers made only four big-league starts last year, getting shut down in April with a bicep strain and then having his recovery derailed in June by a lat tear. With Sandy Alcantara (elbow) set to miss all of 2024, Miami's counting on Rogers to stay healthy and take a regular turn in the rotation, so getting the southpaw to Opening Day in one piece will be the priority.