MLB Player News

Astros manager Joe Espada announced Wednesday that Brown will be the team's Opening Day starter, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Most teams don't reveal their Opening Day starters this early in spring training, but Brown was the obvious choice after finishing third in American League Cy Young voting in 2025. The 27-year-old right-hander will go up against the Angels at home on Opening Day.

Meyer (hip) will be available to pitch this week as spring training gets underway, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The Marlins announced Wednesday that aside from Calvin Faucher -- who has yet to report to camp --and the rehabbing Ronny Henriquez (elbow), all pitchers on the 40-man roster are operating with no restrictions to begin camp. A healthy Meyer should have the inside track on a spot in the Opening Day rotation. The 26-year-old turned in a 4.73 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 68:20 K:BB across 64.2 innings over 12 starts in 2025 before he was shut down with a left hip labral injury that required season-ending surgery in late June.

Manager A.J. Hinch announced Wednesday that Skubal will draw the starting nod for the Tigers' Opening Day game March 26 versus the Padres in San Diego, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

While his long-term future in Detroit remains murky, Skubal will once again head into the 2026 campaign as the staff ace coming off back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards. The Tigers may look to manage Skubal's innings during the Grapefruit League after he logged a combined 216 frames between the regular season and playoffs in 2025, but he should be fully ramped up and ready to handle a standard workload by the time Opening Day arrives.

Gipson-Long is recovering from a left oblique strain, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

It's unclear at this point when Gipson-Long suffered the injury or how long he might be shelved. The right-hander already looked to be on the outside looking in for a spot in the Tigers' rotation, even with Reese Olson (shoulder) and Jackson Jobe (elbow) potentially set to miss the entire season, and this development won't help his case. Gipson-Long has missed much of the last two seasons due to Tommy John and hip surgeries.

The Rangers signed Montgomery (elbow) to a one-year, $1.25 million contract Wednesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Montgomery had a hybrid UCL reconstruction last March but hopes to be major-league ready around the All-Star break. The 33-year-old had a disastrous 2024 season with the Diamondbacks after signing late in spring training, posting a 6.23 ERA over 25 appearances. He was terrific in 2023, however, which included starring for the Rangers down the stretch of the regular season and their run to the World Series. The two sides are hoping to recapture some of that magic in 2026.

Quintana signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Rockies on Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Quintana will join Colorado following a one-year stint in Milwaukee, with whom he produced a 3.96 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 131.2 innings in 2025. The 37-year-old veteran doesn't make many bats miss, so his ability to keep the ball in the yard will be crucial to his success -- a task that will only be made more challenging by making his home starts at Coors Field.

Detmers will make $2.625 million in 2026 after losing his arbitration hearing with the Angels on Tuesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Detmers had filed for $2.925 million, but he will receive the lower of the two figures after finishing the 2025 campaign with a 3.96 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 63.2 innings. The 26-year-old southpaw worked exclusively out of the bullpen last year, but manager Kurt Suzuki confirmed Tuesday that Detmers will begin 2026 in the Angels' rotation regardless of how he performs during spring training.

The Athletics designated Spence for assignment Tuesday.

With Scott Barlow and Aaron Civale officially signing one-year deals with the A's on Tuesday, Spence and Grant Holman (finger) will both lose their place on the 40-man roster. Spence made 32 appearances (eight starts) with the Athletics in 2025, turning in a 5.10 ERA and 1.44 WHIP to go with a 66:26 K:BB through 84.2 innings. Assuming he clears waivers, the 27-year-old righty will open the season at Triple-A Las Vegas.

The Tigers placed Olson on the 60-day injured list Tuesday after he underwent a right shoulder labral repair Feb. 2 that will result in him missing the 2026 season.

It was feared that Olson would not be ready for Opening Day, but it turned out to be worse than that. Near the end of the 2025 season, there was a hope that he could return for the postseason after hitting the injured list in July, but that did not come to fruition either. Prior to the Tigers announcing Olson's surgery, they signed Framber Valdez on Feb. 4 and Justin Verlander earlier Tuesday. Troy Melton is also an option to find time in the rotation with both Olson and Jackson Jobe (elbow) out.

Wright signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Tuesday and received an invitation to spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Wright made eight appearances in the Royals' farm system last year while working his way back from an oblique injury, finishing with a 5.48 ERA and 1.57 WHIP across 23 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. The 30-year-old will now get to show the Cubs what he can do when fully healthy this spring, but he's likely destined to begin the year at Triple-A Iowa.