MLB Player News
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Nabil Crismatt RP | TEX
Rangers' Nabil Crismatt: Requires elbow surgery
Crismatt needs right elbow surgery and will be sidelined indefinitely, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.
It's unclear what specific procedure Crismatt requires, but even a minor one will likely sidelined him for a least a few months. The right-hander is in Rangers camp as a non-roster invitee. If Crismatt is able to make it back later this season, he'll likely pitch at Triple-A Round Rock.
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Drew Thorpe P | CHW
White Sox's Drew Thorpe: Dealing with elbow tendinitis
Thorpe has been slowed by tendinitis in his surgically repaired right elbow, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
Thorpe missed all of the 2025 season after having Tommy John surgery last March, and he's hit a speed bump in his recovery. The right-hander is not currently shut down, as he's scheduled for three flat-ground throwing sessions this week and is hopeful he's cleared to throw off a mound within the next three weeks. Thorpe still have a chance to contribute for the White Sox during the first half, but he can't afford any more setbacks.
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Ben Lively SP | CLE
Guardians' Ben Lively: Back with Guardians on minors deal
The Guardians re-signed Lively (elbow) to a two-year minor-league contract Thursday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Lively will be in camp with Cleveland as he continues his rehab from a UCL reconstruction and flexor tendon repair that he had last May. He's currently throwing out to 75 feet, per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. The right-hander has a chance to make some appearances late in the 2026 season, but this is more of a depth addition for 2027 by the Guardians. Lively has posted a 3.68 ERA and 147:64 K:BB over 195.2 innings covering 38 starts during his two seasons in Cleveland.
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Sebastian Walcott SS | TEX
Rangers' Sebastian Walcott: Out for 2026 after elbow surgery
Walcott will undergo UCL surgery on his right elbow and will miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.
The hope is that Walcott needs internal brace surgery rather than a full Tommy John repair, but the Rangers won't know until he has the procedure in a few days. The former would give him a slight chance to return late in the season. Slated to turn 20 in March, Walcott is one of the game's elite prospects and could have pushed for a major-league debut this season. He slashed .255/.355/.386 with 13 home runs and 32 stolen bases over 124 games in 2025 at Double-A Frisco as a 19-year-old.
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Dylan Cease SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Tinkering with changeup
Cease has been working on changing the shape of his four-seam fastball and adding a changeup to his arsenal, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
The right-hander has always had premium raw stuff in his high-90s fastball, which averaged a career-high 98.1 mph in 2025, and plus slider, but his actual results have rarely matched the scouting reports. Adding a change or splitter could help improve his numbers against left-handed hitters -- last season with the Padres, Cease had a 4.00 K/BB and 31.4 percent strikeout rate against RHP, but just a 2.36 K/BB and 28.0 percent K rate against LHP. Until he begins using any new pitches in game action, however, there's no reason to expect something radically different than the pitch mix that saw him use his four-seamer and slider 83.1 percent of the time last year.
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Leonardo Jimenez SS | TOR
Blue Jays' Leo Jimenez: Clear path to Opening Day roster
Jimenez seems likely to have a spot on the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
Toronto's infield depth got a little thinner after it was announced that Anthony Santander (shoulder) would miss most of all of the 2026 season, which pushed Addison Barger out of the third-base mix and into right field. Ernie Clement was the team's main utility infielder last year, but with Bo Bichette now a Met, he's stepping into a starting role at second base. That leaves Jimenez as the next man up to handle backup duties at the middle-infield spots. The 24-year-old shown hasn't shown much at the plate, managing a .635 OPS in 242 career big-league plate appearances, and he could be joined on the bench, or even pushed aside, by glove-first prospect Josh Kasevich.
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Kazuma Okamoto 3B | TOR
Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Expected to report Saturday
Okamoto is expected to arrive in camp Saturday, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
The 29-year-old is dealing with visa issues that have delayed the start to his first MLB spring training, but the Blue Jays expect them to get cleared up some time this week. Okamoto's stay in Dunedin will be a brief one, however, as he's set to play for Team Japan in the WBC. He'll be given every chance to show that he can handle an everyday role at third base for Toronto, with Addison Barger needed in right field following the announcement that Anthony Santander (shoulder) could miss the entire season.
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Davis Schneider 2B | TOR
Blue Jays' Davis Schneider: Ticketed for short-side platoon
Schneider will handle the short side of a platoon with Nathan Lukes in left field to begin the season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
With Anthony Santander (shoulder) potentially set to miss the entire season, the Blue Jays will turn to their collection of role players to fill the gap in the lineup. Schneider hasn't shown a platoon split in the majors and actually hit better against right-handed pitching in 2025, posting a .915 OPS against same-handed hurlers in 99 plate appearances versus a .708 OPS in 129 PAs versus lefties. It's possible that if the 27-year-old doesn't improve those numbers, he could lose playing time to the defensively superior Myles Straw.
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Nathan Lukes RF | TOR
Blue Jays' Nathan Lukes: Set to platoon in left field
Lukes will likely be on the strong side of a platoon with Davis Schneider in left field to begin the season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
With Anthony Santander (shoulder) potentially set to miss the entire season, the Blue Jays will turn to their collection of role players to fill the gap in the lineup. Lukes has more than held his own against right-handed pitching in the majors, slashing .266/.330/.421 with all 13 of his career homers over 488 plate appearances since 2023.
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Addison Barger SS | TOR
Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Set to be primary right fielder
Barger will see most of his playing time in right field this season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
The 26-year-old might have bounced between right field and third base once again if the Blue Jays had headed into 2026 fully healthy, but with Anthony Santander (shoulder) set for another long absence, Barger will be needed more in the outfield. He could still wind up on the strong side of a platoon after slashing just .217/.270/.337 against left-handed pitching in 2025, but Toronto doesn't have an obvious candidate to pair him with in right field aside from the light-hitting Myles Straw. Maintaining his stamina in a full-time role will be Barger's biggest task, however -- he held a .264/.318/.512 slash line at the end of July last year, but managed just a .205/.270/.360 line the rest of the way in the regular season.