CARDINALS
Reyes' start delayed
JUPITER, Fla. -- One of the leading candidates for National League Rookie of the Year had the start of his spring training delayed -- and perhaps interrupted entirely -- by soreness in his elbow that has alarmed the team.
Alex Reyes, a right-hander for the St. Louis Cardinals, was sent for a magnetic resonance imaging scan of his right elbow Tuesday afternoon.
The results of the scan are not yet known.
"There's reason for concern," General Manager John Mozeliak said. "If you're going to boil it down any time you're taking someone to go get an MRI, it's not great news. We'll just wait and see and react accordingly."
The Cardinals opened spring training Tuesday morning with the first official workout for pitchers and catchers. Reyes, who is competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, was scheduled to throw in the first group, alongside rotation leader Adam Wainwright.
Reyes did not take the mound, and when the media asked about his absence, the team said that he was not yet medically cleared to participate.
Reyes had a strain in his right elbow in 2013, and he received a platelet-rich injection to aid healing. In 2015, he was also shut down and missed the Futures Game because of inflammation in his right shoulder.
The Cardinals had positioned Reyes as a contender for the fifth spot in the rotation. Michael Wacha is the challenger, and Mozeliak stressed that Luke Weaver, who had cameos in the majors last season, should not be discounted. Regardless of where Reyes started the season -- what level or what role -- the Cardinals entered the year expecting the flame-throwing right-hander to make an impact on the 2017 season.
CUBS
Financially flexible
MESA, Ariz. -- After adding Brett Anderson, Eddie Butler and Alec Mills over the last three weeks, General Manager Jed Hoyer said the Chicago Cubs currently don't have any deals looming.
But the Cubs are mindful about the length of the season, so they have some built-in financial flexibility as they did last July when they acquired formidable closer Aroldis Chapman.
"We have a nice cushion to do some things," President Theo Epstein said.
Three prominent members of the bullpen -- closer Wade Davis, Koji Uehara and Pedro Strop -- can become free agents after this season. The Cubs hope Carl Edwards Jr. can continue to improve and play a bigger role and that other young relievers, such as Rule 5 pick Caleb Smith and Felix Pena, can make the most of their opportunities.
ORIOLES
Tillman out 'til April
SARASOTA, Fla. -- Chris Tillman won't extend his streak of opening-day starts for Baltimore to four.
As spring training opened, Orioles Manager Buck Showalter said Tuesday the right-hander had a platelet-rich plasma injection on his right shoulder and will not pitch in a spring training game before March 17, As a result, Tillman won't start the season until April 7 at the earliest.
"We're going to make sure we get it right. This is as fast as we feel comfortable going safely," Showalter said.
Tillman went 16-6 with a 3.77 ERA last year, spending about three weeks on the disabled list with soreness in the right shoulder late in the season. He recovered to start the wild-card game against Toronto.
Showalter said Tillman could avoid starting the season on the disabled list but wouldn't be ready until the season's fourth game. If Tillman has any setback, that timetable would be pushed back.
With Tillman out, right-hander Kevin Gausman is the most likely starter for the April 3 opener against Toronto. Showalter thinks Tillman's injury will not have long-lasting effects.
"I've got high hopes that we get this resolved and he pitches all year for us," Showalter said.
DIAMONDBACKS
Gardenhire has cancer
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- New Arizona Diamondbacks bench coach and former longtime Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has prostate cancer.
Gardenhire, 59, revealed the diagnosis in a meeting with reporters Tuesday, saying it was the only time he would talk publicly about the subject this spring.
Gardenhire said he received the diagnosis about a week ago after tests in Minnesota and would undergo surgery to remove the prostate gland, probably the second week in April.
He said doctors believe they caught the cancer early and there was no sign of the disease when he took his annual physical exam in January of last year.
Gardenhire is approaching the challenge with good humor.
"Now it's about getting the thing taken out," he said. "As I told the players and everybody, I'm trying to lose weight. I'm going to lose a five-pound prostate and that's good."
Sports on 02/15/2017