BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates are shutting down left-handed starter Steven Brault for at least a month to address discomfort in his throwing shoulder. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said it's likely Brault will be out for a minimum of 10 weeks. The team had expected Brault to be a part of a totally revamped starting rotation in 2021. Brault complained of tightness in his left arm after two innings of work last Friday in an exhibition game against Baltimore. Tomczyk says at the moment the team does not believe the 28-year-old Brault requires surgery, just rest. Brault went 1-1 with a 5.43 ERA in eight innings of work this spring. Brault won the Steve Blass Award given annually to the team's best pitcher last fall after going 1-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts). Who replaces Brault is unclear, though J.T. Brubaker is scheduled to start in Brault's spot this week. The Pirates also announced that hard-throwing right-handed reliever Blake Cederlind is out 14-16 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Pittsburgh also made a series of roster moves on Wednesday with opening day approaching. Shortstop Cole Tucker and pitchers Sean Poppen and Miguel Yajure were optioned while infielder Will Craig, catchers Joe Hudson and Andrew Susac and outfielder Troy Stokes Jr. were reassigned. ___ More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees left-hander Zack Britton had surgery Monday to remove a bone chip from his pitching elbow. The reliever is likely to be out until at least May and perhaps until summer. The team has not specified a timeframe. Yankees head team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad operated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. “Want to thank Dr. Ahmad and his staff for their excellent work today," Britton wrote on Twitter. “Excited to start the process of getting myself ready to rejoin the boys.” Left-hander Aroldis Chapman is the Yankees’ closer, and manager Aaron Boone said he will mix and match during the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Boone has said right-hander Chad Green, side-arming right-hander Darren O’Day, right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga and left-hander Justin Wilson are options. “I think it comes down to the incision being healed," manager Aaron Boone said “That’ll tell him when he can start playing catch and start the ramp-up process. So don't want to really put... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees left-hander Zack Britton had surgery Monday to remove a bone chip from his pitching elbow. The reliever is likely to be out until at least May and perhaps until summer. The team has not specified a timeframe. Yankees head team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad operated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. “Want to thank Dr. Ahmad and his staff for their excellent work today," Britton wrote on Twitter. “Excited to start the process of getting myself ready to rejoin the boys.” Left-hander Aroldis Chapman is the Yankees’ closer, and manager Aaron Boone said he will mix and match during the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Boone has said right-hander Chad Green, side-arming right-hander Darren O’Day, right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga and left-hander Justin Wilson are options. “I think it comes down to the incision being healed," manager Aaron Boone said “That’ll tell him when he can start playing catch and start the ramp-up process. So don't want to really put... [More]

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Right-hander Trevor Cahill and the Pittsburgh Pirates have finalized a $1.5 million, one-year contract, a deal that allows him to earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses for innings. The team announced the signing on Friday, giving a very young pitching staff an experienced voice. The 33-year-old Cahill went 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA last season while pitching for the San Francisco Giants. Cahill began the season in the starting rotation but moved to the bullpen in mid-September. Cahill struck out 31 and walked 14 in 24 innings, holding opponents to a career-low .184 batting average. After moving to the bullpen, he pitched five shutout innings in five games. Cahill is 85-94 with a 4.20 ERA in 352 career appearances (225 starts) with with Oakland (2009-11, ’18), Arizona (2012, ’14), Atlanta (2015), the Chicago Cubs (2015-16), San Diego (2017), Kansas City (2017), the Los Angeles Angels (2019) and San Francisco (2020). He was an All-Star in 2010 with Oakland,... [More]

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Right-hander Trevor Cahill and the Pittsburgh Pirates finalized a $1.5 million, one-year contract on Friday, a deal that allows him to earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses for innings. Cahill could earn $100,000 for 75 innings, $150,000 for 100, $200,000 for 125, $250,000 for 150 and $300,000 for 175. The 33-year-old was 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA in six starts and five relief appearances for San Francisco last season. He struck out 31 and walked 14 in 24 innings, holding opponents to a career-low .184 batting average. After moving to the bullpen, he pitched five shutout innings in five games. He earned $519,624 in prorated pay from a $2 million salary. Cahill is 85-94 with a 4.20 ERA and one save with Oakland (2009-11, ’18), Arizona (2012, '14), Atlanta (2015), the Chicago Cubs (2015-16), San Diego (2017), Kansas City (2017), the Los Angeles Angels (2019) and San Francisco (2020). Pittsburgh placed right-hander Blake Cederlind on the 60-day injured list to open a roster spot. Cederlind injured his ulnar collateral ligament during Wednesday night’s exhibition against the Yankees in Tampa and is discussing treatment, according to the Pirates. During that game, Cederlind hit Robinson Chirinos with a pitch, breaking Chirinos’ right wrist. ___ More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees pitcher Luis Severino has thrown off a mound for the first time since Tommy John surgery on Feb. 27 last year. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the 27-year-old right-hander threw 20 pitches, all fastballs, during a bullpen session Tuesday. “It was a lot of fun for me to get over there on Tuesday morning to be there to see that first one and just to see how he’s moving around,” Boone said before Thursday's exhibition against Philadelphia in Clearwater. “There’s just a confidence in that he’s kind of exuding in his health, just watching him play catch, the way his body is, the kind of shape he’s in and the free and easy way in which he’s throwing,” Boone said. “He was really efficient the other day — it really kind of throwing it exactly where he wanted. He was coming out hot. We almost said, ‘Hey, back off a little bit. It’s coming out a little too well.' And he wasn’t working for it necessarily. So really encouraged about where he’s at to this point.”... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees pitcher Luis Severino has thrown off a mound for the first time since Tommy John surgery on Feb. 27 last year. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the 27-year-old right-hander threw 20 pitches, all fastballs, during a bullpen session Tuesday. “It was a lot of fun for me to get over there on Tuesday morning to be there to see that first one and just to see how he’s moving around,” Boone said before Thursday's exhibition against Philadelphia in Clearwater. “There’s just a confidence in that he’s kind of exuding in his health, just watching him play catch, the way his body is, the kind of shape he’s in and the free and easy way in which he’s throwing,” Boone said. “He was really efficient the other day — it really kind of throwing it exactly where he wanted. He was coming out hot. We almost said, ‘Hey, back off a little bit. It’s coming out a little too well.' And he wasn’t working for it necessarily. So really encouraged about where he’s at to this point.”... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees pitcher Luis Severino has thrown off a mound for the first time since Tommy John surgery on Feb. 27 last year. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the 27-year-old right-hander threw 20 pitches, all fastballs, during a bullpen session Tuesday. “It was a lot of fun for me to get over there on Tuesday morning to be there to see that first one and just to see how he’s moving around,” Boone said before Thursday's exhibition against Philadelphia in Clearwater. “There’s just a confidence in that he’s kind of exuding in his health, just watching him play catch, the way his body is, the kind of shape he’s in and the free and easy way in which he’s throwing,” Boone said. “He was really efficient the other day — it really kind of throwing it exactly where he wanted. He was coming out hot. We almost said, ‘Hey, back off a little bit. It’s coming out a little too well.' And he wasn’t working for it necessarily. So really encouraged about where he’s at to this point.”... [More]