MLB Player News
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Alek Manoah SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Placed on 60-day IL
The Blue Jays placed Manoah (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Monday, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Richard Lovelady, whose contract was selected Monday. Manoah has begun to throw off a mound but is not expected back from his hybrid internal brace procedure until August.
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Drew Thorpe SP | CHW
White Sox's Drew Thorpe: Pitching in minor-league game
Thorpe (elbow) will make an appearance in a minor-league game Thursday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
White Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz said Monday that Thorpe is "responding well" as the team continues the pitcher's slow ramp-up following surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow last September. He will begin the season on the injured list, and it's not yet clear how long he might be sidelined.
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Noah Murdock SP | ATH
Athletics' Noah Murdock: Secures roster spot
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay informed Murdock on Monday that he's made the Opening Day roster, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
A Rule 5 selection from the Royals over the winter, Murdock earned a spot on the 26-man roster by allowing just three runs with a 7:5 K:BB over 7.2 Cactus League innings. The tall right-hander should operate in low-leverage relief situations for the Athletics initially.
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Luis Severino SP | ATH
Athletics' Luis Severino: Draws Opening Day start
The Athletics announced Monday that Severino will start their March 27 season opener versus the Mariners in Seattle, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Severino became the obvious choice to take the hill for the Athletics on Opening Day the moment he signed a three-year, $67 million contract in December, the largest guaranteed deal in franchise history. After injuries limited him to fewer than 20 starts in each of his final five seasons with the Yankees from 2019 through 2023, Severino proved to be durable in his lone campaign with the Mets in 2024, turning in a 3.91 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 31 starts. The Athletics are banking on the 31-year-old Severino avoiding the pitfalls on the health front that plagued him throughout his twenties and emerging as a capable innings eater at the front of the rotation in 2025.
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Max Scherzer SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Still bothered by thumb
Scherzer said after starting in a minor-league game Monday that his right thumb still "hurts," Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. "It hurts to grip the ball," Scherzer said, adding that the thumb has been giving him problems once he gets to around 50 pitches in spring outings.
The pitcher also noted that the thumb is "absolutely critical to your arm health" and implied that he's had problems with it "since 2023." What this all means for Scherzer's outlook is not yet clear. He is working with a hand specialist, doctors and trainers and expects to know more about his status within the next couple days. If Scherzer needs time on the injured list to begin the season, Yariel Rodriguez could step into the Blue Jays' rotation.
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Grayson Rodriguez SP | BAL
Orioles' Grayson Rodriguez: Throwing progression starts Tuesday
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that Rodriguez (elbow) will play catch Tuesday, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
The right-hander will begin his throwing progression as he works his way back from elbow inflammation. Rodriguez is essentially going to be rebuilding his arm strength from scratch, so the plan is for his throwing progression to be slow and steady. A timetable for his season debut could be available in the coming weeks.
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J.T. Ginn SP | ATH
Athletics' J.T. Ginn: Sent to Triple-A
The Athletics optioned Ginn to Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday.
Ginn was in contention for a spot in the Athletics' Opening Day rotation heading into camp, but he'll open the season in the minors after struggling over his five Cactus League outings (7.62 ERA, 1.85 WHIP and 16:8 K:BB in 13 innings). If the right-hander can iron out his control issues at Triple-A, he should be one of the top candidates to enter the rotation if the Athletics are in need of another starter at any point this season.
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Carlos Carrasco SP | NYY
Yankees' Carlos Carrasco: Likely to secure rotation spot
Carrasco is likely to open the season in the Yankees' rotation, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.
In camp as a non-roster invitee, Carrasco has pitched well during Grapefruit League action, holding a 2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 12:6 K:BB over 11 innings. Injuries to Gerrit Cole (elbow) and Luis Gil (lat) have opened up two spots in the Yankees' rotation. Marcus Stroman is expected to fill one of the spots, and it sounds like Carrasco might be favored over Will Warren to occupy the other.
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Jose Berrios SP | TOR
Blue Jays' Jose Berrios: Receives Opening Day nod
Manager John Schneider announced Monday that Berrios will start the Blue Jays' March 27 season opener versus the Orioles in Toronto, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Though Max Scherzer (thumb) and Kevin Gausman also represented worthy candidates for the Opening Day nod, both have been eased along more slowly in spring training, which may have factored into Schneider's decision to go with Berrios in the first game of the season. Berrios has already made four Grapefruit League starts and struck out seven over six scoreless innings in his most recent outing Sunday versus Atlanta, so he should be able to give the Blue Jays plenty of length right away to begin the season. Berrios is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he submitted a 3.60 ERA and 1.15 WHIP -- his best marks since 2021 -- but his strikeout rate dropped to 19.5 percent, his lowest of any season in which he made at least 15 starts.
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Clarke Schmidt SP | NYY
Yankees' Clarke Schmidt: Expects to be ready for first start
Schmidt (shoulder) said he felt "great" during a 24-pitch bullpen session Monday and expects to be ready to make his season debut April 3 against the Diamondbacks, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.
Schmidt threw a bullpen session instead of a scheduled Grapefruit League start because he's had some trouble bouncing back in between outings. However, Schmidt doesn't look to be in danger of missing his first turn through the rotation once the regular season begins.