MLB Player News

The Diamondbacks optioned Bratt to Triple-A Reno on Sunday, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Bratt was added to the 40-man roster in November but has yet to pitch at the Triple-A level, so he was never a likely bet to begin the campaign in the majors. The 22-year-old lefty may not have to wait too long to make his MLB debut, however, especially if he can duplicate the 3.38 ERA and 10.9 K/9 he produced at the Double-A level last year.

Garcia (illness) struck out three batters over two perfect innings in his last two Cactus League appearances Wednesday and Saturday.

During his second appearance of the spring Feb. 28, Garcia was lifted early after falling ill, but he needed just a few days to move past the issue. The 25-year-old lefty has allowed just two total baserunners over three innings this spring, putting him in good shape to break camp as a member of the Diamondbacks' Opening Day bullpen.

Crisantes (shoulder) has appeared in three Cactus League games since making his spring debut Wednesday, going a collective 3-for-7 with one double.

Crisantes was eased into workouts this spring after he underwent left shoulder surgery in May, but the 21-year-old demonstrated enough progress in his recovery for the Diamondbacks to sign off on him playing in games. Crisantes is attending camp as a non-roster invitee and is likely to be assigned to High-A Hillsboro to open the 2026 season.

Kelly (back) threw a successful live batting practice session Sunday and will throw another one this week before potentially pitching in a Cactus League game, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

The veteran right-hander is working his way back from a bout of mid-back tightness, which prevented him from building up normally early in camp. Kelly is now ramping up his throwing sessions and could soon be cleared for game action. He won't be ready for the opening series of the season, but manager Torey Lovullo previously indicated that could still avoid a stint on the injured list to begin the campaign.

Wentz was removed from his Grapefruit League appearance Sunday against the Rays in the fifth inning due to an apparent right knee injury, Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Wentz recorded two outs and was charged with one earned run on two hits before departing from the game following a collision near first base with a Rays player. According to Bishop, Wentz was carted off the field, though on a more promising note, the southpaw was able to walk into the clubhouse without assistance. Wentz can be considered day-to-day before Atlanta provides an update on his diagnosis, but a potential absence of any length of time would represent yet another blow to a rotation that has already lost Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) and Hurston Waldrep (elbow) to long-term injuries this spring.

The Cubs sent Wiggins to minor-league camp Sunday.

Wiggins got a taste of MLB action during spring training, but he's not on the 40-man roster and has only three career games at the Triple-A level, so a return to the minors always seemed likely. The 24-year-old is Chicago's top pitching prospect, and a strong season for him at Triple-A Iowa could force the Cubs to open up a 40-man spot at some point later in the year. Wiggins could be a fantasy force as soon as he arrives in the majors, though he may experience the typical growing pains that many young pitchers endure.

The Cubs announced Sunday that Wicks has been diagnosed with radial nerve irritation in his left forearm and will begin the season on the injured list, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

Expect Chicago to officially place the 26-year-old southpaw on the IL shortly before Opening Day, when the club sets its 26-man roster. Wicks had yet to make any appearances during the Cactus League before the nerve issue was detected. Once he's cleared to resume activity, he'll need to complete a full throwing progression before beginning what will likely be an extended minor-league rehab assignment.

The Cubs announced Sunday that Hodge has been diagnosed with a right flexor tendon strain and will be shut down from throwing for two weeks before being re-evaluated, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

The timing of the injury will remove Hodge from contention for a spot in the Cubs' Opening Day bullpen, as he'll instead be ticketed for the injured list. Hodge posted a 6.27 ERA and 1.58 WHIP over his 36 appearances with the Cubs in 2025 and didn't help his chances of breaking camp with the big club by yielding seven earned runs and issuing seven walks over two innings in the Cactus League before being diagnosed with the injury.

The Cubs optioned Neely to Triple-A Iowa on Sunday.

Neely delivered three scoreless frames with six strikeouts in three spring appearances, but it wasn't enough to give him a chance of cracking the Opening Day roster. The right-hander struggled to a 6.23 ERA and 1.56 WHIP over 28 outings with Iowa last year.

The Cubs optioned Ramirez to Double-A Knoxville on Sunday.

The 21-year-old infielder was added to the Cubs' 40-man roster over the winter but will need more seasoning in the upper levels of the minors before receiving his first taste of the big leagues. Ramirez will return to Knoxville for a second straight season after slashing .280/.346/.386 with eight home runs and 28 stolen bases across 563 plate appearances in the Southern League in 2025.