MLB Player News

Priester was reassigned Thursday to the minor-league side of Pirates camp, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Priester finished the 2022 season at Triple-A Indianapolis and is headed back there to begin the 2023 campaign. The 22-year-old right-hander could push to make his MLB debut at some point this summer, though 2024 is probably more of the focus.

Reds manager David Bell said Thursday that Lodolo will start the second game of the 2023 regular season, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

No surprise here after Hunter Greene was named the team's Opening Day starter on Thursday afternoon. Lodolo and Greene will aim to form an exciting one-two punch for the up-and-coming rotation in Cincinnati, with Graham Ashcraft possibly adding a third jab to the equation. Lodolo, 25, recorded a 3.66 ERA with a 131 strikeouts across his first 103.1 big-league innings in 2022.

Reds manager David Bell announced Thursday that Ashcraft will begin the season as the team's No. 3 starter, Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Hunter Greene was named the Opening Day starter for the Reds on Thursday afternoon, and now Bell adds that Nick Lodolo will pitch the second game of the regular season with Ashcraft following in the third. Ashcraft, 25, worked to a 4.89 ERA and 71:30 K:BB over his first 105 major-league innings (19 starts) in 2022. He's trying to add more swing-and-miss this spring.

Greene will start Cincinnati's Opening Day game versus the Pirates on March 30, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Greene will lead Cincinnati's trio of promising young starts -- himself, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft -- into what will likely be another tough season for the Reds. The right-hander threw four scoreless innings in Thursday's spring training action and has a 5.40 ERA through three spring appearances. He figures to start at least a couple more games between now and Opening Day.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson again had no update Thursday on Painter's ailing right elbow, Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

"Still nothing on Andrew," said Thomson. "Still trying to get all of the results together. Once we have it we'll get it to you." Painter experienced elbow discomfort following his Grapefruit League debut last Wednesday, and it's fairly concerning that the Phillies aren't offering even a rudimentary diagnosis more than one week later. The 19-year-old right-hander is considered by most to be the No. 1 pitching prospect in all of baseball.

Webb (back) is scheduled to throw three-plus innings in a minor-league game Thursday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.

Webb battled a back injury down the stretch in 2022, but he's already logged two Cactus League starts this spring and will get a little more stretched out with a back-field outing Thursday afternoon in Giants camp. The 26-year-old right-hander seems likely to get the call for San Francisco on Opening Day of the 2023 regular season.

German is expected to be part of the Yankees' Opening Day rotation following the injury to Carlos Rodon (forearm), Erik Boland of Newsdayreports.

German was almost surely ticketed for the rotation anyway once Frankie Montas (shoulder) went down, but the Rodon injury cinches it. German will likely be joined by Clarke Schmidt. German held a 3.61 ERA over 15 appearances -- 14 starts -- for the Yankees last season, although that came with just 58 strikeouts over 72.1 innings. He's more of a streaming option for standard-sized fantasy leagues.

Schmidt is likely to open the season in the Yankees' rotation following the injury to Carlos Rodon (forearm), Erik Boland of Newsday reports.

The Yanks had already lost Frankie Montas to shoulder surgery and now will be without Rodon for at least most of April due to a forearm strain. It means an elevated role for Schmidt and also cements Domingo German as a member of the rotation, if he hadn't already been. Deivi Garcia is also a candidate to potentially see some starts. Schmidt was excellent last season while being used almost exclusively as a reliever, holding a 3.12 ERA and 56:23 K:BB over 57.2 innings. He has plenty of starting experience in the minors, of course, and has been stretched out this spring. The Yankees might also seek pitching help from outside the organization as their depth is tested.

Ortiz was added Thursday to the Dominican Republic's roster for the World Baseball Classic.

He's replacing Pirates teammate Jarlin Garcia, who is out indefinitely with a left arm injury. Ortiz is probably going to be ticketed for Triple-A Indianapolis once the WBC is over and camp breaks, but the 24-year-old right-hander seems certain to take on a sizable role in Pittsburgh at some point in 2023.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman announced Thursday that Rodon has been diagnosed with a left forearm strain and will open the season on the injured list, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.

Rodon will be in no-throw mode for at least the next 7-10 days and is seemingly in danger of being sidelined through all of April. The strain is being called mild, per Cashman, but this qualifies as another tough blow to a Yankees rotation which already lost Frankie Montas to shoulder surgery in February. Rodon joined New York on a blockbuster six-year, $162 million contract back in December. Clarke Schmidt seems likely to take Rodon's spot in the season-opening starting mix.