MLB Player News

Snell (shoulder) is scheduled for his first bullpen session of the spring Thursday, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Snell will begin the season on the injured list, but the Dodgers hoped he'd be able to throw in bullpen sessions by the end of spring training. With Thursday's session slotted, the southpaw will clear the mark. Snell threw off a mound to a standing catcher earlier this week and will continue ramping up his throwing program as spring training winds down.

Laureano (fatigue) is starting in left field and batting second in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Royals.

The veteran outfielder was scratched from the lineup Sunday due to general body fatigue, but he's good to go after getting a few days to rest. Laureano posted an .855 OPS with 24 homers and seven steals in 132 regular-season games between the Orioles and Padres last year, and he's poised to start in the corner outfield for San Diego in 2026.

Volpe (shoulder) went through a high-intensity defensive workout at full speed Thursday and is expected to be about two weeks away from taking live batting practice, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.

The 24-year-old shortstop continues to progress in his rehab from surgery on the labrum in his left shoulder, which he underwent in October after playing through the injury for much of last season. Volpe will begin the campaign on the injured list but could be ready to make his 2026 debut before the end of April.

Velazquez clubbed a two-run home run in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.

Velazquez took Sean Manaea deep to the opposite field in the bottom of the first inning for his third home run of the spring. The three long balls tie him for the team lead, and he also boasts a 5:2 BB:K. The lack of a 40-man roster spot works against him, but Velazquez is making a real push for starts in left field for the Cardinals early in the season while Lars Nootbaar (heels) is sidelined.

Dominguez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Thursday's Grapefruit League win over Detroit.

Dominguez's long ball was a 431-foot shot off future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander in the first inning. The talented young outfielder is now slashing .333/.343/.667 with three home runs, nine RBI, eight runs and two stolen bases this spring, though he's also struck out 10 times across 33 at-bats. There's not an obvious path for Dominguez to have an everyday role to open the campaign with Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge slated to make up the Yankees' outfield from left to right, but Dominguez's performance during the exhibition slate certainly puts some pressure on manager Aaron Boone to figure out how to give him a chance for regular playing time. Ultimately, it may take an injury to one of the team's outfielders or DH Giancarlo Stanton for Dominguez to be fantasy relevant this year.

Manaea gave up three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and one walk over 2.2 innings during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals. According to Max Goodman of NJ.com, the left-hander averaged 89 mph with his fastball but said he isn't concerned by the lower velocity.

Manaea averaged 91.9 mph with his fastball last season, but he was limited to 15 appearances due to elbow issues and struggled to a 5.64 ERA. Pitchers will often experience a lower velocity during spring training while building up, so it's not necessarily a major concern. However, seeing Manaea's fastball regain some zip before Opening Day would go a long toward reassuring fantasy GMs thinking about using a late-round pick on the veteran southpaw.

The Yankees reassigned Lombard to minor-league camp Thursday.

Lombard trailed off the last few Grapefruit League games at the plate after a hot start, finishing with a .740 OPS, one home run and two stolen bases. He impressed the Yankees both offensively and defensively but still needs some seasoning in the minors before being considered a real option for the big club.

Kerkering (hamstring) will throw a live batting practice session Saturday, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The right-handed reliever has been slowed since the start of camp by a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, and this will be the second time he's faced hitters since the injury. If things go off without a hitch Saturday, Kerkering's Grapefruit League debut should be around the corner. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Thursday that Kerkering will "possibly" have enough time to be ready for Opening Day.

Wheeler (shoulder) will throw a live batting practice session Saturday, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

It will be the veteran right-hander's first time facing hitters since he had thoracic outlet surgery last September. The Phillies have declined to say whether Wheeler would pitch in any Grapefruit League games, but if he's facing hitters Saturday, there's a good chance he will get into games before camp breaks. Wheeler will begin the season on the 15-day injured list, but it could be a brief absence as long as his recovery continues to move along without interruption.

Manoah may not be a lock for the Angels' Opening Day rotation, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, after the veteran hurler allowed four runs on eights hits and two walks while striking out four over four innings in a Cactus League start against the White Sox on Wednesday.

Manoah signed with the Angels on a one-year, $1.95 million contract in early December, and he still has minor-league options remaining, so it's far from certain he'll break camp with the big club. Manager Kurt Suzuki said early in camp that Manoah would have to earn his spot in the rotation, and the hurler made a strong case early, beginning the spring slate with five scoreless frames despite an ominous 1:3 K:BB. Things haven't gone well for Manoah since, as he's yielded nine runs and posted a 7:7 K:BB across 6.1 frames over his past two outings. Suzuki said following Wednesday's game that Manoah is "still definitely in the mix" for the team's fifth rotation spot, but how he fares in his final starts this spring could go a long way to determining whether he makes the cut. Should Manoah begin the campaign in the minors or the bullpen, George Klassen and Jack Kochanowicz are candidates to step into the rotation.