MLB Player News

The White Sox optioned Martin to Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

The right-hander has struggled with a 5.25 ERA in 12 innings of Grapefruit League action. That said, Martin did post a respectable, albeit unimpressive 4.83 ERA and provided rotation depth last season, so he's a likely bet to rejoin the White Sox at some point in 2023.

Brown (back) did not throw Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

It might have just been another rest day for Brown's lower-back tightness, which caused him to miss a scheduled Grapefruit League start Wednesday against the Mets. Astros manager Dusty Baker offered no update on the status of the 24-year-old right-hander, who had been cruising toward the final spot in Houston's Opening Day rotation before the injury surfaced.

Whitlock (hip) will begin the season on the 10-day injured list, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Whitlock made his first spring training start Monday, but Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the 26-year-old righty will need to make three more starts before he's ready to rejoin Boston's rotation. Those three outings (plus four rest days between each start) put him in line to return sometime in mid-April.

Bello (forearm) will begin the regular season on the 10-day injured list as he builds up for a starter's workload, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

As expected, Bello, who battled forearm tightness earlier in the spring, will spend at least a couple more weeks building up for the regular season. Once ready, the right-handed prospect figures to enter Boston's rotation and build upon his rookie campaign in 2022, when he posted a 4.71 ERA and 1.78 WHIP in 57.1 innings.

Crawford will break camp as a member of the Red Sox' rotation, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Crawford will start the fourth game of the season at home against the Pirates. It's possible it will be the only start he gets before Garrett Whitlock (hip) joins the rotation, with James Paxton (hamstring) and Brayan Bello (forearm) hopefully not far behind. Crawford earned the spot by posting a 2.03 ERA and 14:3 K:BB over 13.1 innings this spring. He was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday, but it appears that was just about lining him up for his regular-season outing.

Mikolas is the leading candidate to start on Opening Day for the Cardinals, John Denton of MLB.com reports.

The honor would have almost certainly gone to Adam Wainwright in what is expected to be his farewell MLB season, but it was announced Thursday that Wainwright will begin the year on the IL because of a groin strain. Mikolas was the most reliable starter for St. Louis throughout the 2022 campaign, working to a 3.29 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 202.1 regular-season innings. He'll make his final Grapefruit League start Friday night against the Nationals.

Garcia was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Astros on Thursday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Garcia has allowed just two runs over 12.1 innings this spring but still finds himself on the outside looking in for a roster spot. It's not clear whether the 27-year-old will be used as a starter or reliever -- or both -- at Triple-A Sugar Land.

Cueto (arm) threw a bullpen session Wednesday without issue, Barry Jackson and Craig Mish of the Miami Herald report.

Cueto was held out of some scheduled back-field work this past Monday due to general arm soreness, but he passed the test Wednesday and will throw again Friday. If all goes well from this point forward, the veteran right-hander should be able to take the ball for the Marlins somewhere within the first week of the 2023 regular season.

Snell appears lined up to serve as the Opening Day starter for the Padres, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Joe Musgrove (toe) will miss at least the first week of the season and Yu Darvish is still in buildup mode following his run with Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, so the Opening Day call figures to go to Snell. An official decision is expected Friday. Snell, 30, registered a 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 171:51 K:BB across 128 regular-season innings (24 starts) for San Diego in 2022.

Darvish likely won't make his 2023 debut until the Padres' fifth or sixth game of the regular season, which would come April 3 or 4 against the Diamondbacks, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Darvish probably would have been the Opening Day starter for the Padres, but he got limited use while representing Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic and still has some buildup to do here in late March. He's aiming to throw four innings in one of the team's final remaining Cactus League games and could then jump into the San Diego rotation during the second series of the season. Blake Snell looks to be lined up for the Opening Day nod.