MLB Player News

Wicks may be slated to start the season with Triple-A Iowa following the offseason addition of Shota Imanaga, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Bastian notes that Wicks is likely competing with Javier Assad, Drew Smyly and Hayden Wesneski for the fifth rotation spot, with Imanaga, Kyle Hendricks, Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon already locked in. Assad, Smyly and Wesneski all spent time in the team's bullpen last year and could serve in swing roles as needed. For the 24-year-old Wicks to continue developing as a starter, the team may put him in the Triple-A rotation to begin the year, though he should be an option for the majors at some point after showing promise during his MLB debut in 2023.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said Saturday that the team is staying in touch with Kershaw (shoulder) and that it's possible the hurler could pitch for Los Angeles this season, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Kershaw is a free agent and has yet to find a team, though Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suggested that the hurler is in no rush to sign and may be opting to "get something done when it makes sense," per JP Hoornstra of Dodgers Nation. Kershaw is currently rehabbing from November surgery to repair the gleno-humeral ligaments and capsule in his left shoulder, and Roberts indicated that the future Hall of Famer's recovery is going well, which Kershaw also suggested while saying in December that he hoped to play at some point this summer. The left-hander pitched well during the regular season last year, posting a 2.46 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 137:40 K:BB while going 13-5 over 24 starts covering 131.2 innings , but his velocity was noticeably lower down the stretch, and he flamed out in his lone postseason appearance, giving up six runs over one-third of an inning against Arizona in the NLDS. It's not yet certain when Kershaw will be ready to pitch this season, and the Dodgers aren't in desperate need of a starter after adding Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and James Paxton to the rotation in the offseason, but it appears that the door is still open for the soon-to-be 36-year-old to rejoin the only organization he's pitched for during his illustrious career.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Saturday that Buehler (elbow) will not be on the Opening Day roster, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

The Dodgers are trying to figure out the best way to manage Buehler's workload as he comes back from Tommy John surgery and will have him on a "slow program," per Roberts. Whether that means the right-hander will begin the year in extended spring training, on a rehab assignment or something else has not been revealed by the club yet. It's also unclear at this juncture when Buehler might join the Dodgers' rotation, but fantasy managers probably should count on him being unavailable at least for the first month or so. Buehler also figures to have a truncated workload when he does make it back. It's a tricky situation in fantasy, but there's not at least a bit more clarity ahead of spring training.

The White Sox traded Mena to the Diamondbacks in exchange for Dominic Fletcher on Saturday, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Since his promotion to Double-A in 2022, Mena has struggled to find his footing in the minor leagues. He managed a 4.66 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 23 starts in Double-A last season and surrendered 13 runs in 19.2 frames upon arriving in Triple-A. Arizona general manager Mike Hazen said Mena will likely begin 2024 at Triple-A Reno and could be a rotation option later in the year, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. The 21-year-old right-hander will need to show significant improvement before joining the Diamondbacks' rotation -- a task that may prove difficult in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Brown is adding a slider to his pitch mix this offseason, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Brown had an excellent start to his rookie season in 2023 but faded down the stretch while posting a 6.57 ERA across the second half of the year. He attributed some of those struggles to fatigue, though he also served up 1.9 HR/9 to right-handed hitters. While he threw a cut-slider and also experimented with a sweeper, Brown is working on a traditional slider that projects to have more of a velocity gap compared to his fastball. If he incorporates that into his pitch mix effectively, he should have more success neutralizing right-handed bats.

Waldichuk (elbow) likely won't be ready for the start of the season, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Waldichuk underwent surgery in October to repair the damage done to his left UCL and flexor during his final start of 2023. Athletics general manager David Forst didn't offer a timeline for Waldichuk's return during Friday's call with reporters, so it remains unclear when the 26-year-old southpaw will be able to return to Oakland's rotation. Last year, Waldichuk put up a 5.36 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 141 innings -- his highest workload in a season since he was drafted in 2019.

Suarez will make $925,000 in 2024 after losing his arbitration case to the Angels on Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Suarez had an 8.29 ERA across 33.2 innings last season and was in his first year of arbitration eligibility. The 26-year-old lefty posted a 3.86 ERA in 45 appearances (34 starts) during the 2021-22 campaigns, and he'll likely need to get back to that form to have a chance of working out of the rotation regularly in 2024.

The Athletics acquired Stripling and cash considerations from the Giants on Friday in exchange for Jonah Cox.

Stripling's one season in San Francisco was a disappointment, as he posted a 5.36 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 70:16 K:BB across 89 innings covering 11 starts and 11 relief appearances. The 34-year-old will slide into the Athletics' rotation and gets to pitch in a favorable home environment. However, Stripling doesn't pitch deep into games and that, along with a lack of support from the putrid Oakland offense, means wins figure to be hard to come by.

Atlanta announced Friday that Waldrep received an invitation to major-league spring training.

The No. 24 overall selection in the 2023 Draft, Waldrep cruised through four minor-league levels last season, posting a 1.53 ERA and 41:16 K:BB over 29.1 innings covering eight starts. Slated to turn 22 next month, Waldrep is likely headed back to Triple-A Gwinnett to start 2024, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he makes some starts for Atlanta this season.

Feltner (elbow) is healthy heading into spring training and will compete for a rotation spot, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Feltner had an injury-plagued 2023 campaign, first suffering a skull fracture after being struck by a line drive in mid-May. He ended the season on the injured list with elbow inflammation, but he has fully recovered and will be entering the spring at full strength. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll start the season in the majors or the rotation, as he posted a 5.82 ERA and 1.68 WHIP across 43.1 innings with the club in 2023. Peter Lambert and Noah Davis are the other primary candidates to be the team's fifth starter.