MLB Player News

Buehler is trending toward beginning the regular season as part of the Padres' starting rotation, Manny Randhawa of MLB.com reports.

Buehler signed with San Diego in February on a minor-league contract, so he'd need to be added to the 40-man roster in order to break camp with the club. That seems to be a probable scenario given the team's need to fill out the rotation, especially now that Joe Musgrove (elbow) has been deemed likely to begin the campaign on the IL. Buehler has been one of several hurlers competing for a rotation spot, and he may have clinched the role with a superb Cactus League start against San Francisco on Monday, as he tossed five scoreless frames with seven strikeouts. The right-hander was a valuable fantasy asset in his prime, but it remains to be seen how close he can get to his peak form given that he's lost several miles per hour off his fastball hasn't posted an ERA below 4.00 since 2021.

Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Monday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Rodriguez made three appearances (one start) with the Brewers while in big-league camp, surrendering three runs while fanning four over five innings. He pitched in four games out of the bullpen a season ago for Milwaukee and should once again serve as organizational pitching depth to kick off the 2026 campaign.

Dana (illness) was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday.

Dana's spring campaign with the big-league club never got off the ground after being diagnosed with mononucleosis. He failed to appear in a spring game and will now report to Salt Lake to prepare for the start of the 2026 season.

The Samsung Lions of the Korean Baseball Organization signed O'Loughlin on Monday, Australian baseball reporter Eric Balnar reports.

O'Loughlin pitched for Team Australia in the World Baseball Classic and didn't allow an earned run across 6.1 innings. The 26-year-old left-hander appeared in four games for the Athletics during the 2024 campaign and pitched the second half of last season in the Australian Baseball League.

The White Sox reassigned Smith to minor-league camp Monday.

The 22-year-old southpaw will open the 2026 season in the minors, likely with Double-A Birmingham. That's where he spent all of last year, posting a 3-3 record across 20 starts with a 3.57 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 108:56 K:BB across 75.2 innings. Per Kyle Williams of the Chicago Sun-Times, Smith will open the year in Triple-A and could make his major-league debut this season.

The Giants reassigned Margevicius to minor-league camp Monday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Margevicius inked a minor-league deal with the Giants in December that included an invitation to spring training. He appeared in five Cactus League games this spring, allowing seven earned runs on 18 hits and one walk across 12 innings while striking out six. Margevicius is likely to open the 2026 season with Triple-A Sacramento.

Sheehan tossed 3.2 innings in a Cactus League start against the Cubs on Sunday, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out four batters.

Sheehan tossed two scoreless frames before giving up a two-run homer to Nico Hoerner in the third. The right-hander was briefly set back by an illness early in camp, but he was able to throw 66 pitches (40 strikes) Sunday, so he appears to be on track to take his spot in the Dodgers' Opening Day rotation. Sheehan's first start will likely come at home against Cleveland in Los Angeles' second series of the season.

Ray picked up the win in Sunday's 7-1 Cactus League victory over the Brewers, striking out eight over five perfect innings.

Ray earned his first win in his fifth Cactus League start, tossing 39 of his 64 pitches for strikes while cruising through five perfect innings. The veteran southpaw has allowed two runs on four hits and eight walks while striking out 15 across 14.2 innings this spring as he gears up for his 13th big-league campaign. Ray logged 32 starts last season, finishing with a 3.65 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 9.2 K/9 across 182.1 innings, though he struggled with control, posting a 3.6 BB/9.

Manager Craig Stammen announced Monday that Musgrove (elbow) is expected to open the season on the 15-day injured list, Noah Camras of SI.com reports.

Musgrove is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and has experienced a setback in his recovery after he threw 60 pitches in an exhibition against Team Great Britain two weeks ago. After missing the entirety of the 2025 campaign, Musgrove's return to the mound will have to wait. With Musgrove set to open the season on the IL, Walker Buehler is expected to begin the season in San Diego's rotation.

Mikolas gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks over 4.2 innings during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals. He struck out one.

Facing the team he spent the last seven seasons with, Mikolas tossed only 46 of 83 pitches for strikes and served up a three-run, first-inning homer to Nelson Velazquez. The veteran right-hander hasn't shown much this spring, posting a 6.52 ERA and 6:7 K:BB through 9.2 innings, but the rebuilding Nationals are just counting on Mikolas to soak up some innings while they wait for prospects like Travis Sykora (elbow) and Jarlin Susana (lat) to get healthy and start making a case for spots in the big-league rotation. Mikolas has made more than 30 big-league starts in four straight seasons, but his 4.51 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 6.3 K/9 during that time don't offer much fantasy appeal.