MLB Player News

Hicks said Wednesday that he added 14 pounds this offseason and is ready to "take the training wheels off" in 2025, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Hicks got off to a nice start last season in his move from the bullpen to the rotation, but he hit a wall and finished with a 4.10 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 96:47 K:BB over 109.2 frames covering 20 starts and nine relief appearances. The 28-year-old should be better prepared to handle a starter's workload in 2025, but Hicks is a bit of a wild card in terms of his expected performance.

Manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday during his appearance on MLB Network that he anticipates Sasaki pitching in the Dodgers' second game of the season March 19 against the Cubs in Tokyo.

The Dodgers will be taking a cautious approach to Sasaki's workload this season, but they also recognize the importance of giving him a start in his native country. Fellow Japanese hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to take the hill for the Dodgers' first game of the series March 18, and Japanese lefty Shota Imanaga is expected to start one of the two games for the Cubs.

Manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday on MLB Network that he expects Yamamoto to pitch during the Dodgers' March 18-19 series versus the Cubs in Tokyo.

Roberts anticipates Yamamoto's countryman, Roki Sasaki, pitching during the two-game series, as well. Cubs manager Craig Counsell has said previously that Shota Imanaga will get the ball for one of the two contests, and it seems likely that he and Yamamoto will match up in the first game.

Manager Bob Melvin said Wednesday that Walker will open the season as the Giants' closer, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

After Camilo Doval endured a string of poor performances following the All-Star break and was removed from the closer's role in early August, Walker took over as the Giants' primary closer to finish out the 2024 campaign. In addition to providing sterling ratios (1.91 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 99:18 K:BB over 80 innings) in his high-leverage relief role, Walker collected 10 wins, 10 saves and 21 holds. With the Giants opting not to make any major additions to the bullpen over the offseason, Walker looks like he'll get the chance to close on a full-time basis for the first time in his career. He'll be in position for fewer wins in the ninth-inning role, but if health prevails and he continues to perform at the level he did in 2024, Walker could finish among the league leaders in saves.

Giants manager Bob Melvin confirmed Wednesday that Lee (shoulder) will be a full participant to begin spring training, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Melvin previously said in December that he didn't expect Lee to face any restrictions during camp, and that prediction has come to pass with the outfielder experiencing no complications over the winter while completing his recovery from the labrum surgery he underwent in June. Before getting hurt last season, Lee led off in his 31 of his 36 starts, and he projects to serve as the Giants' primary table setter to begin the 2025 campaign if he makes it through the spring unscathed.

Harrison and Hayden Birdsong will be among the candidates competing for the fifth spot in the Giants' rotation, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Logan Webb, Justin Verlander, Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks are locked into the first four rotation spots. Harrison is likely the favorite to fill the fifth slot after making 24 starts for San Francisco last season, but the gig won't be handed to him. The left-hander posted a 4.56 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 118:42 K:BB over 124.1 frames in 2024 before his season ended prematurely due to shoulder inflammation. He has no restrictions at the start of spring training.

Giants manager Bob Melvin said Wednesday that Murphy (knee) has received full clearance to begin spring training, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Signed to a two-year, $8 million contract last winter, Murphy had most of his first season in San Francisco wiped out after he sprained the MCL in his left knee in early May. He was able to avoid knee surgery, but Murphy didn't make enough progress in his recovery to head out on a rehab assignment at any point after landing on the injured list. With a full offseason to recover, Murphy finally looks to have healed up from the knee injury, and he should be in position to open the season as the Giants' No. 2 catcher. The right-handed-hitting Murphy could end up filling the short side of a platoon behind the plate with the switch-hitting Patrick Bailey, who was far more effective against righties than lefties in 2024.

Woodruff (shoulder) will face hitters Friday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

It will mark Woodruff's first time facing hitters since he underwent surgery in October of 2023 to repair the anterior capsule in his right shoulder. While Woodruff is considered a full participant at the beginning of spring training, he acknowledged that his buildup will be slower than other pitchers'. The expectation is that he will need a stint on the injured list to begin the season, but more clarity on the righty's timetable should be available later in spring training.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington mentioned Wednesday that Triolo is a candidate to play first base while Spencer Horwitz (thumb) is out, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Horwitz will miss the next 6-to-8 weeks following surgery last week on his right wrist/thumb. Pittsburgh plans to look internally for Horwitz's replacement and Triolo appears to be next in line on the depth chart at first base. The 27-year-old slashed only .216/.296/.315 with nine homers and eight steals over 125 games last season, but he was the National League's Gold Glove winner as a utility player.

Riley (hand) took live batting practice at spring training Wednesday, Grant McAuley of 92.9 The Game Atlanta reports.

Riley appears to be operating under no restrictions to begin the spring after he finished the 2024 season on the injured list while recovering from the fractured right hand he suffered Aug. 18. With no reports indicating that he needed surgery to address the hand injury, Riley should have a good chance at re-emerging as the 30-plus-home-run hitter that he was in three straight seasons from 2021 through 2023 before he was limited to 19 long balls over 110 games in 2024.