MLB Player News
-
Bubba Chandler P | PIT
Pirates' Bubba Chandler: Dominates in spring start
Chandler struck out eight batters over five innings of one-run ball Thursday against Atlanta. He allowed one hit and one walk.
Chandler struggled mightily at the beginning of spring training, but he rounded into form and then some in Thursday's exhibition. He threw his four-seam fastball 74 percent of the time, averaging 98.2 mph and generating whiffs at a 34 percent clip with the pitch. Chandler also got plenty of whiffs on his changeup (three on four pitches) and slider (two of five), but he was clearly focused on dominating with his fastball in this one. He still has a 22.4 percent walk rate and 1.45 WHIP in 11 innings this spring, however.
-
Jordan Lawlar SS | ARI
Diamondbacks' Jordan Lawlar: Will play corner OF this spring
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Thursday that Lawlar will get some looks in the corner outfield before spring training is over, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.
Lawlar has seen time in center field during Cactus League action, but with Alek Thomas set to return from the World Baseball Classic after Team Mexico was eliminated, that path to playing time will dwindle. Lourdes Gurriel (knee) will be out until at least mid-April, so Lawlar could get opportunities in both center and left field when the regular season opens. He's hit well this spring, posting a .323/.432/.742 slash line with four home runs and six walks over 10 games, and he could add a speed-power dynamic to the bottom third of the order.
-
Lourdes Gurriel LF | ARI
Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel: Possible mid-April return
Gurriel (knee) could return to game action by mid-April, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.
Gurriel is pushing to be ready by Opening Day, and an appearance in a Cactus League game as a designated hitter is still on the table, per Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. While Gurriel may be hoping to play Opening Day, comments made earlier this spring by manager Torey Lovullo suggest the team will take a more cautious approach with his recovery from September knee surgery.
-
Nick Lodolo SP | CIN
Reds' Nick Lodolo: Stung by Dodgers
Lodolo allowed six runs on six hits while striking out three over four innings in Thursday's spring start against the Dodgers. He also hit a batter.
The Dodgers jumped on Lodolo early with four runs on four hits and a hit batsman in the first inning, as he wasn't locating his fastball well, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. The left-hander then hung a curveball that Max Muncy drove out of the park for a two-run home run in the third. The good news is that Lodolo got through four innings on 61 pitches in his third Cactus League start. Earlier in the day, Reds manager Terry Francona said Lodolo will open the season as the team's No. 2 starter and will pitch the second game of the regular season against Boston on March 28.
-
Yoshinobu Yamamoto SP | LAD
Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Will remain with Japan through WBC
Yamamoto will stay with Team Japan for as long as the team remains alive in the World Baseball Classic, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Yamamoto is scheduled to make his final start of the tournament Saturday versus Venezuela. Initial reports indicated that the reigning World Series MVP would then join the Dodgers in Arizona for spring training, but it's since been clarified that Yamamoto will remain with Team Japan for the duration of its time in the WBC. Yamamoto is fully expected to be ready for a near-regular workload once the MLB regular season kicks off.
-
Will Wagner 2B | SD
Padres' Will Wagner: Out with strained oblique
Wagner is dealing with an oblique strain and hasn't done any baseball activity since the beginning of March, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Per Acee, Wagner will "almost certainly" start the season on the injured list. The infielder had been slated to battle for a reserve role during spring training, but he got into only five games before getting hurt, going 0-for-9 with two walks and two strikeouts. Even if Wagner was healthy, his likelihood of making the Opening Day roster had been considered slim.
-
Matt Waldron SP | SD
Padres' Matt Waldron: Faces hitters Thursday
Waldron (lower body) threw "about 25 pitches" in a live batting-practice session Thursday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The session marked Waldron's first time throwing to live hitters since he underwent hemorrhoid surgery in late February. The knuckleballer said Thursday that he expects to throw a bullpen and then get into a Cactus League game in the next 5-to-6 days, but he also stated that he isn't going to be ready for Opening Day. That means Waldron will likely begin the campaign on the IL, though he could be ready to be activated around mid-April.
-
Shohei Ohtani DH | LAD
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani: Throws 59 pitches in live BP
Ohtani threw a four-inning, 59-pitch live batting-practice session against Team Japan during the team's workout Thursday, David Adler of MLB.com reports.
Ohtani isn't expected to pitch during the World Baseball Classic, but he continues to get in work on the mound while with Japan for the tournament. Per Adler, Ohtani faced 18 hitters Thursday and struck out seven of them over his four simulated innings. Though Ohtani's time away from the Dodgers -- and concurrent break from pitching in games -- may impact his pitch counts to a small degree in the early stages of the regular season, the two-way star is fully expected to open the campaign in the Dodgers' rotation.
-
Dalton Rushing C | LAD
Dodgers' Dalton Rushing: Will not play outfield in 2026
Manager Dave Roberts recently said that Rushing will not see playing time in the outfield this season, Aaron Coloma of Dodgers Nation reports.
After GM Brandon Gomes indicated over the winter that Rushing could get outfield reps again this season, Roberts has shut that down. "Outfield is not on the table," Roberts said. Rushing will serve as Will Smith's backup and could get some time at first base if Freddie Freeman needs a day off. It would seem Rushing may only get into a couple games a week to begin the season as a part-time player.
-
Trea Turner SS | PHI
Phillies' Trea Turner: Searching for rhythm this spring
Turner went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against Toronto.
Turner finally broke out of his spring slump a bit, but he's still gone just 4-for-24 (.167) with a trio of doubles and RBI over nine Grapefruit League contests thus far. It's not yet settled if Turner will open the season batting first or second in Philadelphia's lineup, but he's all set to reprise his role as the Phillies' everyday shortstop in 2026 either way. Last year, the All-Star recorded 36 stolen bases, his most since 2018, while hitting .304 with 15 homers, 69 RBI and 94 runs scored and over 589 regular-season at-bats.