MLB Player News

Wheeler (shoulder) will pitch in a minor-league game Monday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Wheeler will be limited to 40 pitches, but it will mark his first game action of the spring. The veteran right-hander is set to open the regular season on the injured list, but a return at some point in April appears to still be on the table. Wheeler has been throwing bullpens and live batting practice sessions for the past few weeks. Top pitching prospect Andrew Painter figures to open the season in the Phillies' rotation while Wheeler works his way into game shape.

Gonzalez will be sidelined for multiple weeks due to a hamstring injury, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Considered one of the best prospects in the Giants' farm system, Gonzalez is now slated to miss the start of the regular season while he recovers from the injury. The 18-year-old infielder slashed .288/.404/.455 across 228 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League last year and could be bumped up to Single-A once he's healthy.

Hamilton cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett.

Hamilton doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so the demotion to Triple-A will cost him his place on Atlanta's 40-man roster. The 30-year-old righty made just two appearances in the Grapefruit League this spring, giving up one run on three hits and two walks while striking out one batter in 1.2 innings.

The Mets optioned Gerber to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday.

Gerber pitched well during his brief stint in the majors last season, giving up just one earned run while striking out four batters over 4.1 innings. However, he will need to show consistent success before the Mets welcome him into their bullpen, especially after posting a 6.23 ERA and 1.46 across 43.1 frames in Triple-A last year.

Freeman went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional run scored Wednesday in a Cactus League win over San Francisco.

Freeman left the yard for the first time this spring with a solo shot in the third inning. The steady first baseman has hit well this spring, posting a .429/.500/.643 slash line with three doubles, 10 RBI and six runs scored. Freeman should be an everyday fixture in the Dodgers' lineup this season and could see a few more RBI opportunities with his anticipated move to the cleanup spot.

The Mets optioned Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday.

Although he slashed .313/.389/.531 with five RBI, three runs scored and two steals through 13 spring games, Mauricio will not be included on the Mets' Opening Day roster. He may be called up during the season to serve as bench depth, but with Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette and Francisco Lindor (hand) projected to start regularly in the Mets' infield, it would still be difficult for Mauricio to crack the starting nine if the infield group stays healthy.

Ohtani tossed 4.1 scoreless innings in a Cactus League start against the Giants on Wednesday, allowing one hit and issuing two walks while striking out four batters.

This was Ohtani's first outing of the Cactus League slate, as he spent much of spring with Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. The two-way star didn't pitch during the tournament, but he continued to work on his throwing progression with bullpen and live batting-practice sessions. Ohtani certainly didn't seem to be very far behind in his ramp-up Wednesday -- he threw 61 pitches (34 strikes) and topped out at 99.9 mph on his fastball, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. While Ohtani will likely have some slight innings limitations early in the campaign, he's slated to be part of the Dodgers' rotation from the get-go and may need only a few starts to ramp up to a full workload.

Skenes will start Opening Day against the Mets on March 26.

It wasn't hard to see this decision coming, as Skenes took home the National League Cy Young Award last season after posting a 1.97 ERA and 0.95 WHIP alongside a 216:42 K:BB over 187.2 innings. The 23-year-old ace struggled to collect wins last season -- a problem that could continue into 2026 -- but he should still be viewed as one of the top fantasy pitchers in virtually all formats.

The Phillies reassigned Wilson to minor-league camp Thursday.

The veteran right-hander signed with the Phillies as a non-roster invitee in December, but he was inconsistent across four Grapefruit League appearances with a 7:7 K:BB. Wilson could still receive a look as a multi-inning reliever for the Phillies at some point this season.

The Pirates optioned Rodriguez to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.

Rodriguez made a strong case to make the Pirates' Opening Day roster while posting a .977 OPS across 30 plate appearances this spring, but he will instead return to Triple-A to begin the regular season. The 25-year-old would likely be recalled to Pittsburgh if the big club needs extra depth behind the plate or at first base.