MLB Player News
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Pablo Lopez SP | MIN
Twins' Pablo Lopez: Diagnosed with torn UCL
Lopez has been diagnosed with a UCL tear in his right elbow and could require Tommy John surgery, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Lopez will seek out a second opinion before a decision is made, but season-ending surgery is highly probable. The right-hander was limited to just 75.2 innings in 2025 due to shoulder and forearm issues and now faces the prospect of a year-plus long absence. Lopez is owed $21.75 million this season and will make the same amount in 2027 in his final year under contract.
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Cameron Schlittler SP | NYY
Yankees' Cam Schlittler: Returns to mound work Tuesday
Schlittler (back) threw a bullpen session Tuesday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Schlittler dealt with some inflammation in his back last week when he reported to camp, but the 25-year-old right-hander is past the issue and has resumed normal mound work. Schlittler made his MLB debut last season, making 14 regular-season starts for the Yankees, and posted a 2.96 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 84:31 K:BB across 73 innings. He should man a spot in New York's Opening Day rotation.
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Andrew Benintendi LF | CHW
White Sox's Andrew Benintendi: Hopes to be over Achilles issues
Benintendi did not deal with Achilles issues during the offseason after going through a regimen of calf exercises given to him by the White Sox training staff, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
Benintendi has had to manage left Achilles tendinitis off and on over the last two seasons, which led to him being used often at designated hitter and hampered his defense when he played left field. In addition to the calf exercises, Benintendi also lost 12 pounds over the winter in order to reduce the stress on his Achilles. The 31-year-old is prepared to be the team's everyday left fielder in 2026, though he could still spend ample time at DH. At the plate, Benintendi plans to focus more on a contact-oriented, on-base approach rather than power. "I don't know where I'm going to hit in the lineup, but it's just about getting on base and scoring runs," he said. "I feel good now where I can score from first on a gapper."
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Seiya Suzuki RF | CHC
Cubs' Seiya Suzuki: Could DH often against lefties
Suzuki figures to see regular playing time in right field but will also be a top DH option, particularly against lefties, while Matt Shaw may frequently cover right field, Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Shaw played third base almost exclusively as a rookie in 2025, but the addition of Alex Bregman will push the former into more of a utility role. The Cubs are expected to use Shaw some in the outfield, particularly against lefties, who he performed much better against last year. Shaw's ability to play right field will allow Suzuki to get plenty of days off from playing the field, even with the offseason departure of Kyle Tucker creating a sizeable hole in right. Suzuki made 102 of his 149 regular-season starts at DH in 2025, and he enjoyed a career year from a power standpoint, blasting 32 home runs to go along with 103 RBI and an .804 OPS. Moises Ballesteros (personal) figures to be Chicago's other primary DH option on days when Suzuki plays the field.
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Gerrit Cole SP | NYY
Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Throws bullpen session Tuesday
Cole (elbow) threw a bullpen at spring training Tuesday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
Cole, of course, is recovering from a Tommy John procedure that involved internal bracing last March, and he's been throwing since August. However, he recently progressed to mound work, and Cole's rehab appears to be on track. Manager Aaron Boone said last week that Cole could pitch in some Grapefruit League games before the end of camp, though Cole isn't expected to make his regular-season debut until sometime in late May or early June.
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Kris Bryant RF | COL
Rockies' Kris Bryant: No baseball activities
Bryant said Tuesday that the ongoing pain in his back continues to prevent him from participating in baseball activities, though he's still consulting with doctors and trainers for potential rehab options, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
The 34-year-old is dealing with a lumbar degenerative disc disease and has played a combined 170 games across four seasons since inking a seven-year, $182 million contract with Colorado. Bryant was placed on the 60-day injured list last week, and though he's not planning to retire while he remains engaged in the rehab process, it's not clear if or when he'll be able to return to the field.
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Luisangel Acuna 2B | CHW
White Sox's Luisangel Acuna: Swing tweak leads to more power
Acuna has tweaked his swing in order to stay loaded in his back leg to create more consistent power, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
The swing tweak bore fruit in the Venezuelan Winter League, where Acuna slashed .282/.397/.542 with eight home runs in 39 games for Cardenales de Lara. The power display Acuna showed in winter ball came after he didn't hit a single homer in 193 plate appearances for the Mets in 2025, though he did steal 16 bases in 17 attempts. After being acquired by the White Sox last month in the Luis Robert trade, Acuna is the odds-on favorite to emerge as Chicago's everyday center fielder in 2026.
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Matt Vierling RF | DET
Tigers' Matt Vierling: Feels fully healthy
Vierling (oblique) has been working out at full strength and should be fully ready to go for the start of the regular season, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
Recurring shoulder problems and a late-season oblique strain limited Vierling to just 31 regular-season games and 100 plate appearances in 2025, and he missed Detroit's postseason run entirely. However, the versatile 29-year-old has had ample time to recover in the offseason, and he seems to be fully healthy for the start of the 2026 campaign. Vierling projects as the Tigers' top backup in the corner-outfield spots, and he can play in center and at third base as well. He's likely a more valuable asset in real baseball than he is in fantasy, but he could have some utility if he's able to log regular at-bats and get back near his production from 2024, when he recorded 16 home runs, 57 RBI and a .735 OPS across 144 regular-season contests.
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Hurston Waldrep SP | ATL
Braves' Hurston Waldrep: Out three months if surgery needed
Waldrep would be sidelined for approximately three months if Dr. Keith Meister recommends surgery to remove loose bodies in the pitcher's right elbow, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
If Meister determines surgery isn't required, Waldrep could require just three weeks of rest. A decision has not yet been made but is expected this week. Even if Waldrep does not undergo surgery, it's likely he will need a stint on the injured list to begin the season. The elbow injury also effectively removes him from the competition for the final spot in Atlanta's rotation, at least in the near term.
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Ivan Herrera C | STL
Cardinals' Ivan Herrera: Works with outfielders Tuesday
Herrera (elbow) did outfield drills in Cardinals camp Tuesday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The catchers were working on pop time drills and throws to second base, something Herrera is not yet cleared for as he returns from surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow. The plan is for Herrera to return to catcher in 2026 after the elbow issue limited him to designated hitter for the final few months of last season. He did play four games in left field in 2025, and if catching doesn't work out, Herrera could give the outfield a try again or possibly first base.