Skip to Main Content

MLB Player News

  • Rockies' Chase Dollander: Fixes mechanics over offseason

    Dollander believes he fixed a mechanical flaw with his delivery this offseason, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

    Dollander said he got "too coil-y in my legs, in my leg kick," which led to him throwing across his body and affected his command. After working with with T.J. Galenti, a Florida-based data scientist and baseball performance coach, Dollander said his mechanical problem was fixed "pretty fast." Dollander added that he's now able to better find the strike zone with his fastball and slider, and he's also "getting the 'vert' (induced vertical break) back" on his heater. The 24-year-old entered Rockies camp healthy following a late-season knee injury last year, and he's cemented into the Opening Day rotation. Dollander posted a 6.52 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 82:49 K:BB through 98 innings across 21 starts in his rookie season, with most of the damage done at home (9.98 ERA).

  • Kodai Senga SP | NYM

    Mets' Kodai Senga: Reaches 97 mph in live BP

    Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday that Senga hit 97 mph in a live batting practice session Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

    Senga averaged 95.7 mph with his four-seamer in his rookie season and 94.7 mph with the pitch in 2025, so topping out at 97 mph already in camp seems like a good sign. The 33-year-old posted a 3.02 ERA in 22 outings for the Mets last season, but his strikeout rate dipped to 22.6 percent and he finished the year in the minors after a rough stretch. If healthy, Senga should open 2026 in the Mets' rotation.

  • Reds' Julian Aguiar: Competing for rotation spot

    Aguiar (elbow) is without restrictions in Reds camp and competing for the final spot in the rotation, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

    Aguiar missed the entire 2025 season after having Tommy John surgery in October 2024, but he's now 16 months removed from the operation and participating fully in camp. The 24-year-old is in the rotation mix for Cincinnati but is almost surely ticketed for Triple-A Louisville following a lost season. Aguiar made seven starts for the Reds in 2024, holding a 6.25 ERA and 19:12 K:BB over 31.2 innings.

  • Reynaldo Lopez RP | ATL

    Braves' Reynaldo Lopez: Sitting 93 mph in live BP

    Lopez sat at 93 mph and touched 94 in the second inning of his live batting practice session Thursday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

    It's an encouraging spot to be at this stage of spring training for Lopez, who averaged 95.5 mph with his four-seamer during his All-Star 2024 season. The right-hander made just one start in 2025 before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder, but he is without restrictions this spring and has a spot in Atlanta's rotation locked up.

  • Reds' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Could get into games next week

    Reds manager Terry Francona said Thursday that Encarnacion-Strand (hamstring) could play in Cactus League games next week, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.

    Encarnacion-Strand has been slowed early on in camp by a hamstring injury he suffered in January, but he's been working out and it seems he'll miss only the first few spring training games. Given the number of bodies ahead of him at the infield corners and designated hitter, the 26-year-old is facing long odds to make the Opening Day roster.

  • Dodgers' Yency Almonte: Back with Dodgers on NRI deal

    The Dodgers signed Almonte to a minor-league contract Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

    Almonte missed the first half of the 2025 season after having surgery to repair the labrum in his right shoulder but returned to make 15 appearances in the minors in the Cubs organization. The 31-year-old reliever has collected a 4.44 ERA, 22.5 percent strikeout rate and 9.9 percent walk rate over parts of seven major-league seasons, which includes a stint with the Dodgers from 2022-2023.

  • Padres' Randy Vasquez: Has 'inside track' for rotation

    Padres manager Craig Stammen said recently that Vasquez has an "inside track" to one of the spots in the rotation, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

    Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Joe Musgrove are locked into the rotation, and Vasquez is likely to join them after making 28 appearances (26 starts) in 2025. While Vasquez finished with a 3.84 ERA over 133.2 regular-season innings, his 78:52 K:BB wasn't pretty. Some ERA regression is likely coming, but he did enough last season that he's expected to open in San Diego's rotation.

  • Jacob Reimer 3B | NYM

    Mets' Jacob Reimer: Focused on sticking at hot corner

    Reimer worked hard on improving his defense at third base in the offseason, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

    The 21-year-old is coming off a breakout campaign with his bat, as he slashed .282/.381/.490 over 123 games between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton with 17 homers and 15 steals, but scouts have long believed Reimer will need to move across the diamond to first base at some point. He's not shifting down the defensive spectrum without a fight, however. "I understand it, obviously," Reimer said of that speculation. "It's fair. But I want to show that I can definitely go out there and be an elite-level defensive player." He'll get his first look at Triple-A at some point this season, but even if he performs well, it could take some injuries ahead of him on the depth chart to get Reimer a 2026 big-league debut.

  • Janson Junk RP | MIA

    Marlins' Janson Junk: Has mild ankle sprain

    Junk has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 mild right ankle sprain, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

    Junk suffered the injury during a drill Tuesday. It's unclear when the righty might be ready to pitch in games, but he said Thursday that he's "not concerned that this is gonna be a multi-week thing." While the injury is minor, it will not help Junk's bid for a spot in the Marlins' rotation.

  • Ryan Clifford LF | NYM

    Mets' Ryan Clifford: Improving with glove in outfield

    Clifford is looking to build on the progress he made last season with his outfield defense, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

    Specifically, the 22-year-old worked on improving his reads, jumps and first step. "We put a lot of thought into the prep step stuff, and the numbers backed up that I got better out there," Clifford said in camp this week. "I'm hoping to build on it this year as well... Just continue to try to become more explosive. I don't have the highest top speed, obviously, so the first couple steps are really important to me." Twenty of his 34 starts with Triple-A Syracuse last season came in an outfield corner, and with the Mets not yet settled on the identity of their starting right fielder, a strong showing by Clifford in spring training on both sides of the ball could give him another route to a big-league debut in 2026. His most likely future position for New York remains first base, however, and his bat could play in either spot after slashing .237/.356/.470 with 29 homers in 139 games last year between Syracuse and Double-A Binghamton.

Around the Web Promoted by Taboola