MLB Player News

Bielak could be in consideration for a rotation spot to begin the regular season, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

The Astros were hit with injuries to both Justin Verlander (shoulder) and J.P. France (shoulder) to start spring training. Depending on their availability to begin the regular season, Houston could immediately be reliant upon depth in their pitching staff. Bielak would likely be at the top of the list, as he made 13 major-league starts last season and is also out of minor-league options.

The Giants placed Ray (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Ray's 40-man roster spot will be given to Austin Warren, who signed with the Giants on Wednesday. Ray underwent Tommy John surgery in May and has recently been cleared to throw three times per week, but he is not expected to join the Giants' rotation until the second half of the season.

Hancock (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Wednesday at Mariners camp.

After receiving his first big-league call-up in early August, Hancock made just three starts for the Mariners before suffering a Grade 1 shoulder strain, which ended his season. Fortunately for the 24-year-old, he avoided any structural damage and didn't require offseason surgery, so he looks like he'll begin spring training at full health. Hancock will be given a chance to compete for a spot in Seattle's Opening Day rotation, but with five other healthy, more established pitchers in front of him in Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller, it may take an injury in order for Hancock to avoid an assignment to Triple-A Tacoma once camp comes to a close.

Kopech (knee) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and doesn't appear to have any limitations on the White Sox's first day of spring training, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Kopech finished the 2023 season on the injured list while recovering from a minor surgery he underwent in September to remove a cyst from his right knee, but after an estimated 6-to-8-week recovery period, the right-hander had a more normal offseason than he's experienced in recent years, as general manager Chris Getz relayed to Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com earlier this week. Despite struggling to a 5.43 ERA and 1.59 WHIP while striking out 134 batters over a career-high 129.1 innings in 2023, Kopech looks secure in the White Sox rotation heading into Opening Day due mostly to the team's lack of attractive alternatives.

The Athletics placed Waldichuk (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.

Though Waldichuk has been cleared to play catch at the outset of spring training, he'll need at least two months to complete his throwing progression and get stretched out over a multi-start rehab assignment before he's ready to make his 2024 debut for Oakland. The southpaw was shut down for most of the offseason after he underwent surgery in October to address a UCL sprain as well as flexor tendon damage in his throwing arm.

President of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that Strasburg (shoulder) won't participate in spring training but could report to Nationals camp at some point to work with the younger pitchers on the staff, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

The 35-year-old right-hander is effectively retired from professional baseball while he's struggled to recover from his July 2021 thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. However, Strasburg remains on the Nationals' 40-man roster while he and Washington ownership have thus far been unable to finalize an agreement regarding the $105 million he's still owed over the next three seasons on the seven-year, $245 million contract he signed in December 2019. Strasburg will forfeit the remainder of the salary he's owed if he retires without coming to a formal agreement with Washington, while ownership is presumably keen on recouping at least a portion of their financial commitment. Even if retirement negotiations aren't completed anytime soon, the Nationals will at least be able to open up a spot on the 40-man roster by placing Strasburg on the 60-day injured list.

Whitlock is preparing to compete for a spot in the Red Sox's Opening Day rotation this spring, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

Fully healthy again after battling elbow issues at various points last season, Whitlock threw his first live batting practice of spring training Wednesday, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. Though Whitlock opened the 2023 campaign as a starter, he worked out of the bullpen over his final 12 appearances upon returning in August following his third stint on the injured list. In November, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe that the Red Sox planned to have Whitlock get stretched back out for a starting role heading into the spring training, and the right-hander looks like he's right where he needs to be in his buildup program at this stage of camp. Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta and Kutter Crawford project as the Red Sox's top four starters in some order to begin spring training, leaving Whitlock to battle with Tanner Houck and Josh Winckowski for the final spot, which became open after Chris Sale was traded to Atlanta in December.

The Pirates placed Oviedo (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.

Oviedo is set to miss the entire 2024 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery in December, so his move to the IL is merely a procedural one. The transaction opens up a spot on the 40-man roster for left-hander Josh Fleming, whom the Pirates signed to a one-year deal Wednesday.

Waldichuk (elbow) was cleared to play catch Wednesday and could be throwing bullpen sessions by the end of spring training, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The left-hander is not expected to be ready for the start of the season, but ramping up his throwing program during spring training would be encouraging after he underwent surgery to repair UCL damage in his left elbow in October. Assuming there are no further complications, Waldichuk could theoretically be ready for game action by late April or early May.

The Giants announced Wednesday that Teng will miss at least the first 2-to-3 weeks of spring training with a left oblique strain, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Teng was added to the Giants' 40-man roster over the winter, but even if he wasn't sidelined for the start of camp with the oblique injury, he wouldn't have been a serious candidate for a spot in the big club's Opening Day rotation. Once he moves past the oblique strain, Teng will likely head to Triple-A Sacramento, with whom he tallied a 4.22 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 96:48 K:BB in 79 innings last season.