MLB Player News
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Tarik Skubal SP | DET
Tigers' Tarik Skubal: Strikes out seven in return to camp
Skubal allowed one run on three hits across 4.2 innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays. He struck out seven.
After making just one appearance for the United States in the World Baseball Classic, Skubal returned to the Grapefruit League and looked sharp in his latest tune-up. The lefty now has a 2.79 ERA and 12 strikeouts across 9.2 innings this spring, and he also allowed one run over three innings with five strikeouts for Team USA. Skubal has been named Detroit's starter for Opening Day on March 26 against the Padres.
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Max Scherzer SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Rises to occasion Saturday
Scherzer gave up two hits and two walks over 4.2 scoreless innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers. He struck out five.
With Tarik Skubal on the mound for Detroit, Scherzer's competitive fire kicked in even in a low-stakes exhibition game, and he tossed 42 of 65 pitches for strikes before exiting the mound with the Jays ahead 1-0. Scherzer has yet to give up a run in two spring starts since re-signing with Toronto in late February, posting a 6:3 K:BB in 8.2 innings, and with Jose Berrios (elbow) looking uncertain for Opening Day, the 41-year-old appears ticketed for a spot in the rotation to begin 2026.
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Ben Brown SP | CHC
Cubs' Ben Brown: Keeps racking up strikeouts
Brown allowed one run on two hits across four innings in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Rockies. He struck out six.
Brown has been racking up strikeouts so far this spring, and he now has 15 of them across 10.2 Cactus League frames. This is in line with the tall righty's career 10.3 K/9 during the regular season. The problem for Brown to this point has been consistency, particularly with his secondary pitches. He's been experimenting with a sinker in camp and may use it frequently in 2026 if he finds success with it in the early going.
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Bryce Elder SP | ATL
Braves' Bryce Elder: Fans six in Saturday's outing
Elder gave up one run on one hit and two walks over five innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox. He struck out six.
The right-hander tossed 49 of 78 pitches for strikes against a Boston lineup that featured Ceddanne Rafaela as its only big-league regular. Elder looks just about ready for the start of the regular season, having posted a 12:5 K:BB and 4.72 ERA this spring over 13.1 innings, and he's locked into a rotation spot with Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), Hurston Waldrep (elbow) and Joey Wentz (knee) all on the shelf.
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Corbin Burnes SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Corbin Burnes: Throws BP session Friday
Burnes (elbow) tossed 15 pitches during Friday's bullpen session, Nick Piecoro and Jose Romero of The Arizona Republic report.
It'san encouraging development for Burnes, with Friday's bullpen session being his first since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June. All 15 of his pitches were fastballs or sinkers, and he reached a top velocity of 91 mph. Burnes' current plan is to toss two bullpen sessions a week, and the 31-year-old right-hander is aiming to make his 2026 debut around the All-Star break in July.
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Zack Wheeler SP | PHI
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Makes progress in live BP session
Wheeler (shoulder) told reporters that he felt "more in sync" during his live batting practice session Saturday, Lochlahn March of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Saturday was Wheeler's first time facing batters since undergoing thoracic outlet surgery in September to remove a blood clot in his right shoulder. He threw 20 pitches during Saturday's session and noted that his fastball reached 93 mph, which was higher than it had been during his bullpen sessions but still lower than his 95.9 mph average last season. Wheeler will continue to build up his velocity and will likely have another bullpen session in the coming days, but it's not clear as to whether he will pitch in any Grapefruit League games before the conclusion of spring training.
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Joe Ryan SP | MIN
Twins' Joe Ryan: Won't pitch for Team USA
Ryan will no longer pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Ryan was in the pitcher pool for the WBC, but Team USA elected to add Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman to the roster instead. Ryan made his spring debut Tuesday after recovering from a back injury that flared up in mid-February. The 29-year-old right-hander is projected to serve as the Twins' starter for Opening Day against the Orioles on March 26. He tossed a career-high 171 innings across 31 regular-season games in 2025 and finished with a 3.42 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 194:39 K:BB.
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Justin Hagenman SP | NYM
Mets' Justin Hagenman: Lands on 60-day IL
The Mets placed Hagenman on the 60-day injured list Saturday due to a rib fracture.
Per Max Goodman of NJ.com, Hagenman started feeling soreness in his ribs after his last outing against the Nationals on March 5 and underwent imaging after the injury got worse. Hagenman's placement on the 60-day IL means he won't be available to make his 2026 regular-season until late May, but manager Carlos Mendoza relayed Saturday that the 28-year-old right-hander doesn't have an exact timeline for a return. In a corresponding move to bolster the bullpen, the Mets claimed southpaw Richard Lovelady off waivers from the Nationals.
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Zack Littell SP | WAS
Nationals' Zack Littell: Works three frames in spring debut
Littell allowed one run on three hits over three innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets. He struck out two without walking a batter.
Facing a split-squad lineup headlined by younger players like Brett Baty and top prospect Carson Benge, Littell tossed 28 of 39 pitches for strikes in his first spring start since signing a one-year deal with the Nationals on March 8. The veteran right-hander should be able to make two more starts prior to Opening Day, which likely won't be enough time to get fully built up, but Littell would likely be stretched out enough to factor into Washington's first turn through the rotation. If he needs to be held back, Brad Lord appears to be the most likely candidate to make a spot start in Littell's place. Over a career-high 186.1 regular-season innings in 2025 between the Rays and Reds, Littell posted a 3.81 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 130:32 K:BB.
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Kodai Senga SP | NYM
Mets' Kodai Senga: Perfect in Friday's start
Senga struck out five over three perfect innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins.
The right-hander made short work of a mix of Miami Opening Day starters and minor leaguers, with Senga sitting 96-97 mph with his four-seam fastball and popping 98.6 mph in the second inning to top prospect Joe Mack. Senga was so efficient, firing 28 of 38 pitches for strikes, that he needed to toss an additional 30 pitches in the bullpen after his start, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, in order to stay on track with his buildup. Through 5.2 spring frames, Senga sports a 3.18 ERA and 7:0 K:BB, and he seems locked into a rotation spot as long as he can stay healthy.