MLB Player News
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David Peterson SP | NYM
Mets' David Peterson: Sharp in final exhibition outing
Peterson gave up one run on five hits and a walk over five innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins. He struck out four.
The left-hander tossed 50 of 76 pitches for strikes in his final spring start. Peterson wraps up camp with a 4.15 ERA and 9:3 K:BB over 13 innings, and after working a career-high 168.2 innings in 2025, he's in line to start the second game of the season for the Mets, March 28 at home against the Pirates.
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Luke Weaver SP | NYM
Mets' Luke Weaver: Can't find plate Sunday
Weaver gave up a run on three walks in one-third of an inning during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Marlins.
His one out was a strikeout, but Weaver threw only nine of 23 pitches for strikes in what could end up as his final spring appearance. The veteran right-hander has been having a strong camp prior to Sunday, and through 4.1 innings he sports a 2.08 ERA and 5:4 K:BB. Weaver will be one of the Mets' top setup men this season in front of new closer Devin Williams, and over the last two seasons for the Yankees he delivered a 3.21 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 with 11 wins, 12 saves and 44 holds in 126 appearances.
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Sandy Alcantara SP | MIA
Marlins' Sandy Alcantara: Fans six in final spring outing
Alcantara gave up three runs on five hits over 4.2 innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets. He struck out six without walking a batter.
The right-hander tossed 56 of 86 pitches for strikes in his final spring tuneup. Alcantara wraps up camp with a 5.68 ERA over 12.2 innings, but he gave up only one home run and sported a 16:2 K:BB, much more encouraging signs. The 30-year-old is set to take the mound Opening Day at home against the Rockies as he looks to rebound after a disappointing return from Tommy John surgery in 2025.
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Chris Bassitt SP | BAL
Orioles' Chris Bassitt: Slated for Orioles debut next week
Bassitt is scheduled to make his Orioles debut March 30 against the Rangers, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports.
The Orioles will roll out Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish and Shane Baz in their opening series versus the Twins before Bassitt and Zach Eflin round out the rotation. Bassitt's final spring training tuneup will come Monday against the Nationals when he follows Baz. The 37-year-old Bassitt holds a 2.51 ERA and 9:8 K:BB over 14.1 innings this spring.
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Dylan Cease SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Blanks Tampa in final tuneup
Cease struck out six over five scoreless innings Sunday, allowing three hits and two walks in a Grapefruit League game against the Rays.
The Blue Jays' big offseason signing fired 50 of 83 pitches for strikes in his final game of the spring. Cease has been impressive in camp, posting a 0.93 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB over 9.2 innings, and he'll head into 2026 looking for his sixth straight 200-strikeout campaign in his first season with Toronto.
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Zack Wheeler SP | PHI
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Still tracking toward April return
Wheeler (shoulder) threw 29 pitches over two simulated innings on the back fields of Phillies camp Monday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
The 35-year-old righty is still slated to open the season on the 10-day injured list while he builds back up from venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, which he underwent Sept. 23. While facing off Monday against some of the Phillies' lower-level farmhands, Wheeler reportedly looked sharp and ramped up his velocity in the second inning. Wheeler is expected to continue increasing the volume and intensity of his sim games over the next week or two before potentially kicking off a rehab assignment shortly after the minor-league season gets underway. Though he's currently without a firm target date for making his 2026 Phillies debut, Wheeler appears likely to return from the IL at some point in April.
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Louie Varland SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Louis Varland: Serves up homer Sunday
Varland struck out one and gave up a solo home run to Carson Williams in an inning of relief during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Rays.
Varland has a 5:2 K:BB through 5.1 innings this spring but has been tagged for two homers. Keeping the ball in the yard has been an issue for the right-hander in the past -- he served up 12 homers in only 49.2 innings for the Twins in 2024, leading to a bloated 7.61 ERA -- but he reined in those tendencies last season en route to a 2.97 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and a career-high 23 holds over 74 appearances between Minnesota and Toronto. Varland will begin 2026 as one of the top setup man in front of closer Jeff Hoffman.
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Luis Gil SP | NYY
Yankees' Luis Gil: Odd man out to begin season
Pitching coach Matt Blake said Sunday that Gil won't be in line for a starting role to begin the season while the Yankees plan to get by with a four-man rotation for the first 13 days of their schedule, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. "He'd like to be a starter with us, so it's frustrating," Blake said. "But at the same time, he understands the position we're in with the way the schedule lines up for the first two weeks."
The Yankees won't need a fifth starter until April 11, so Gil would appear to be tentatively in line to make his first start of the season that day against the Rays. According to Blake, the team hasn't decided whether Gil will be sent to the minors over the first two weeks, or if he'll be used in a piggyback/long-relief role until he's needed in the rotation. After missing the first four months of the 2025 season while recovering from a lat strain, Gil went on to go 4-1 with a 3.32 ERA and 41:33 K:BB in 57 innings over his 11 starts with the Yankees. He's looked sharper this spring, submitting a 19:4 K:BB in 14.1 innings during the Grapefruit League.
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Jose Suarez SP | ATL
Braves' Jose Suarez: Could step in as fifth starter
Atlanta is expected to turn to Suarez as its fifth starter to begin the season after manager Walt Weiss said Monday that Spencer Strider (oblique) will be placed on the injured list, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Non-roster invitee Martin Perez is also a candidate to fill the open spot in the rotation, but Suarez looks primed to get the first chance to replace Strider since he's already on the 40-man roster and was built up as a starter during spring training. Prospect Didier Fuentes, who also made the Opening Day roster, will remain in the bullpen for now. Before Strider suffered the oblique injury, Suarez had secured a long-relief spot in the Atlanta bullpen after logging a 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 14:8 K:BB in 16 innings over five Grapefruit League outings. Assuming he's indeed called upon to fill in for Strider when a fifth starter is first needed, Suarez would line up to make his Atlanta debut March 31 versus the Athletics at Truist Park.
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Spencer Strider SP | ATL
Braves' Spencer Strider: Headed to IL with oblique strain
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Monday that Strider will begin the season on the injured list with an oblique strain, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Strider had been slated for his final Grapefruit League tune-up outing Monday versus the Pirates, but that assignment will now go to Didier Fuentes. Jose Suarez is expected to slide into Strider's rotation slot once the regular season gets underway, with Fuentes still set to open in the bullpen. Atlanta is hoping Strider will be back in action in a couple weeks, but that's no safe bet given the fickle nature of oblique injuries. Strider has dealt with depressed velocity this spring, though the results have been there, as he allowed three runs with an 11:2 K:BB over 8.1 innings.