The New York Mets have placed Justin Verlander on the injured list with a low-grade muscle strain near his pitching shoulder.

The injury is to Verlander's teres major and he will continue to throw at "moderate intensity" with a reevaluation scheduled for next week.

The injury popped up following a bullpen session Wednesday after Verlander's velocity fell in his final spring training start. 

"This isn't best-case scenario," Verlander said. "But I would think this is probably second-best case. Very minimal."

The Cleveland Guardians will shut down Triston McKenzie for at least two weeks.

An MRI revealed a strain in his right teres major muscle.

McKenzie won't throw for two weeks, and may require up to eight weeks to return to play. He was scheduled to be the No. 2 starter for the Guardians.

The 25-year-old posted a 2.96 ERA and 190 strikeouts over 191 1/3 innings in 2022.

An MRI on Tampa Bay shortstop Wander Franco's right quad Sunday returned "favorable" results, Rays manager Kevin Cash told the Tampa Bay Times.

Tampa Bay remains optimistic that Franco will play Thursday, when the Rays open the regular season against the Detroit Tigers.

Franco, 22, hit .277 with six home runs and 33 RBIs last season as Tampa By returned to the postseason, one of three teams in the American League East to do so.

Atlanta Braves right-hander Kyle Wright will start the season on the injured list, a move that will open starting-rotation spots for rookies Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd.

The Braves said Sunday that Wright will be placed on the 15-day IL in order to give him time to strengthen his ailing shoulder, which required a cortisone shot in January.

New York Yankees right-hander Luis Severino again is dealing with what is being described as a low-grade right lat strain and will likely start the season on the injured list, manager Aaron Boone told reporters Saturday.

Severino was scratched from his final spring training start and will miss at least his first scheduled regular-season start, Boone said.

"Obviously it's going to put him in jeopardy to start the year," Boone said.

Raisel Iglesias will start the season on the injured list because of inflammation in his pitching shoulder, leaving the Atlanta Braves without their closer.

Brian Snitker said that Iglesias has "low-grade" inflammation and won't resume throwing for seven days. Atlanta opens its season March 30.

Snitker told reporters that an MRI on Iglesias' shoulder revealed that "everything structurally is good" and said the Braves hope he will return "sooner than later."

Adam Wainwright will likely miss "several weeks" after suffering a groin strain during the World Baseball Classic, Oliver Marmol said Thursday.

Wainwright, 41, was scheduled to be the St. Louis Cardinals' starter on Opening Day for the seventh time.

The injury happened during a weight room workout Tuesday with Team USA.

"We'll continue to evaluate over the next few days but no timetable at the moment," Marmol said. "There is a spot in the rotation now open, and we're going to have to sit down and make sure that we're not missing anything that goes into that."

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve had surgery to repair a fractured right thumb and will not resume baseball activities for at least two months, GM Dana Brown said Wednesday.

Altuve, playing for Venezuela in the WBC, suffered the injury Saturday when he was drilled by a 96 mph fastball by Team USA pitcher Daniel Bard of the Rockies.

The Astros said in a statement that Altuve had the surgery in Houston and he will remain there while the team finishes its final week of spring training in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The Philadelphia Phillies are leaving open the possibility that Bryce Harper will return to the field much sooner than expected.

Harper will begin the season on the injured list after undergoing reconstructive right elbow surgery, but won't be placed on the 60-day IL.

"I'm not setting any dates, but I'm just keeping that option open rather than closing an option," Dave Dombrowski said.

After Harper had Tommy John surgery in November, the Phillies said they expected him back in the lineup as their designated hitter by the All-Star break in July.

Going on the 60-day IL would put Harper out through the end of May.

"All I've said, and all I'll continue to say, it'll be before the All-Star break is our hope," Dombrowski said. "But I'm also going to keep the option open that we'll see what happens."