MLB Player News

Texas manager Bruce Bochy said Ragans was hitting 95-96 mph during his first Cactus League start last Sunday, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.

Ragans' fastball velocity was 92.1 mph in 2022, putting him in the 19th percentile among pitchers. The velocity increase is startling. "I went back and looked at (last year's) games when I came over, and watched him," Bochy said. "It was impressive, wasn't it? He was bumping 96 (mph). I didn't see that in (last year's) games." The left-hander said he was on a program at a place called Tread Athletics, which he credits with the added 3-4 mph velocity. He's not a projected member of the five-man rotation, but he could move up among the depth options if the uptick in velocity is sustainable.

Houck allowed four walks and struck out two over 1.2 scoreless innings in Thursday's spring game against the Phillies.

Houck, working as a starter, made his spring debut and looked rusty. It was the first game appearance in seven months for the right-hander, who missed the final seven weeks of 2022 with a back issue that eventually required surgery. Houck told Ian Browne of MLB.com that he was "leaving the arm hanging behind" and knows the adjustment he needs to make. Houck is projected to serve in a multi-inning relief role, but the club is stretching him out during the Grapefruit League. He could emerge as a rotation member early on if Garrett Whitlock (hip) or Brayan Bello (forearm) aren't ready for Opening Day.

Dunning allowed one run on three hits while striking out five over three innings in Thursday's spring game against the Brewers.

This was Dunning's first Cactus League start and second appearance. The right-hander was part of Texas' rotation in 2022 but is on the outside of the top five starters as the 2023 regular season approaches. Barring injury to members of the projected rotation, the 28-year-old will likely occupy a multi-inning relief role during the regular season. Dunning was rocked in his one relief effort this spring, ceding five runs on three hits and two walks over 1.1 innings following starter Nathan Eovaldi.

Heaney allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two over 1.2 innings in Wednesday's spring game against the Dodgers.

Heaney, making his spring and team debut after signing with the Rangers in the offseason, found himself in 2-0 hole against leadoff batter Mookie Betts, who drilled a middle-middle fastball over the fence in left field. "I don't want to start my first game of spring training going 3-0 on a guy or nibbling," Heaney told Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. "So I was like, 'I'm just gonna kind of throw it at him down the middle.' And he hit it out." The other run against him was a solo home run by Jason Heyward. Both the left-hander and Rangers manager Bruce Bochy looked beyond the results and understood early spring outings are for getting work in and staying healthy. Bochy noted Heaney threw his off-speed pitches well.

Gallen threw a three-inning, 45-pitch simulated game Thursday, Michael Reynolds of MLB.com reports.

Gallen, the Diamondbacks' projected No. 1 starter, is expected to make his Cactus League debut next week. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said the right-hander could throw up to four innings when he makes his spring debut.

Nelson allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking one over 1.2 innings in Thursday's spring game against the Dodgers.

Nelson, who is in the mix for the final spot in the rotation, had a second consecutive rocky outing to begin the Cactus League, raising his spring ERA to 23.63 through 2.2 innings. It's wise for fantasy managers to recognize that pitchers are working on things during spring training, so results aren't primary. That's a point the right-hander made to Michael Reynolds of MLB.com when discussing the two-run, first-inning home run Freddie Freeman hit on a changeup, a pitch Nelson wouldn't normally throw to a hitter like Freeman. "Sometimes my plan doesn't line up with how to attack these hitters [in spring training]," Nelson said. "I probably shouldn't have thrown that changeup in the zone, but I'm just trying to fill up the zone with all my pitches right now." Arizona manager Torey Lovullo is confident Nelson will settle in with more reps and innings.

Kaprielian (shoulder) said he "likes the way things are coming along" after throwing a two-inning simulated game Thursday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The 29-year-old righty threw roughly 30 pitches and reportedly felt good afterwards. Coming off having surgery done on his throwing shoulder in November, Kaprielian says he's doing everything in his power to be ready to go for Oakland's Opening Day rotation.

Syndergaard topped out at 93 mph with his fastball during Thursday's spring game, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Offseason reports suggested that Syndergaard might be on the path back to the high-90s with his heater, and there's still time for his velocity readings to improve before Opening Day, but the 30-year-old right-hander acknowledged he thought he'd be further ahead with it at this point. He averaged around 98 mph during his best years with the Mets and came in just shy of 94 mph last season between the Angels and Phillies.

Flaherty had his Grapefruit League debut pushed back to Sunday due to lower half discomfort, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Flaherty was originally scheduled to debut Saturday. If this remains a one-day delay, it should hardly be a blip, but the 27-year-old right-hander carries a ton of injury risk in general after logging only 154.2 total major-league innings for the Cardinals between 2020-22. He tossed just 36 frames for St. Louis last year.

Boyd allowed one run on two hits and a walk across two innings of work in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles. He struck out four.

Boyd was making his spring debut for his first action with the Tigers since 2021, when he made 15 starts and recorded a 3.89 ERA. The lefty missed part of that season and most of 2022 due to a flexor tendon surgery, so Detroit will likely be cautious with him this season. Boyd has some strikeout upside, though he's certainly not without risk for fantasy managers due to his injury history.