MLB Player News

Senzatela (knee) threw a bullpen session Friday, Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette reports.

It's a big step for Senzatela as he continues to work his way back from last August's torn left ACL. The big right-hander is hoping to be ready to rejoin the Rockies' rotation at some point in May, although he still has plenty of hoops to jump through before a timetable for his return becomes clearer.

Sale (wrist) is tentatively scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut March 7 against Atlanta, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports.

Sale first needs to check a few more boxes by getting through a one-inning live batting practice session this Saturday and then a two-inning live BP round next Thursday. The 33-year-old left-hander logged only 5.2 major-league innings in 2022 due to a fractured wrist, a fractured finger and a stress reaction in his ribcage, but early reports from Red Sox camp have all been encouraging. He could wind up being a big-time value pick in fantasy drafts for 2023.

Senga displayed noticeably better command in his latest bullpen session Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

His fastball touched 98 mph during the session. Senga has had a bit of a tough time adjusting to the larger ball and steeper mound in MLB, but per DiComo, the Mets aren't worried. After signing a five-year, $75 million contract out of Japan over the offseason, Senga will be deployed as a mid-rotation starter in his debut big-league campaign.

Hendricks (shoulder) threw a light bullpen session Friday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

It only lasted 10 pitches and wasn't at full effort, but Hendricks felt good during and after the mound workout. It was his first time stepping on the bump since he suffered a capsular tear in his right shoulder last summer. The veteran starter is not expected to be ready for the beginning of the 2023 regular season, but the hope is that his initial IL stint will be a relatively short one.

Ashcraft (ankle) threw a successful round of live batting practice Friday, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Ashcraft made an early exit from his last round of live BP after taking a comebacker off his right ankle, but the 25-year-old hasn't skipped a beat with his spring training throwing progression. He'll soon begin appearing in Cactus League games as he readies himself for a prominent spot in Cincinnati's starting rotation.

Wright (shoulder) was encouraged by how Friday's bullpen session went, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Wright threw 23 fastballs and wound up unintentionally surpassing the 85 mph mark he was targeting for much of the session. It was his first regular bullpen session of the spring as he works his way back from right shoulder discomfort, and the right-hander said his "arm felt as fresh as it's been in a while." While Wright wasn't ready to definitively say he'll be ready for his first regular-season rotation turn, he appears to be on track.

Marquez (hamstring) will throw live batting practice Saturday, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

Marquez came into camp with a sore left hamstring, but he's been going through workouts the last several days with no issues and is now ready to test things out against hitters. The veteran right-hander will probably need another week or so before he's ready for game action.

Olson (elbow) will throw live batting practice March 1, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Olson has been eased into things during camp due to some soreness in his pitching elbow, but he appears to be making progress. The 23-year-old is likely set to begin the season at Triple-A Toledo.

Bello (forearm) said Thursday he "feels way better" and believes he's on track to be ready for the start of the regular season, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Bello, who was shut down for nearly a week after experiencing tightness in his forearm, resumed throwing Monday, although he isn't yet working off a mound. "I'm just trying to stretch my arm and trying to get it stretched enough so I can start the bullpens (again)," Bello said. He also talked about his offseason work on his curveball, of which he threw just five in 2022. The goal is to make it slower; that pitch averaged 80.2 mph last season, per Baseball Savant, but he'd like it sitting in the 75 to 79 mph range. The 23-year-old right-hander posted a 4.71 ERA (2.93 FIP) over 13 outings, including 11 starts. Bello was especially good in September, pitching to a 2.59 ERA in six starts.

Crawford will be stretched out as a starter during spring training but could earn a role in Boston's bullpen, Christoper Smith of MassLive.com reports. "We're going to stretch him as a starter and then we'll see," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Thursday.

Crawford, who was used as both a starter and reliever at the major-league level in 2022, threw two innings Thursday and is expected to make a start next week. The Red Sox have seven main rotation candidates, and Crawford is not among them. That means if he remains on a starter's path, the 26-year-old right-hander would open at Triple-A Worcester while serving as depth during the regular season.