MLB Baseball 3h Briefing
×Last updated: March 20, 2026, 6:30 PM ET
MLB Roster Finalizations & Personnel Moves
Major League Baseball clubs finalized several rotation spots and cleared roster space Friday as spring training nears its conclusion. The Phillies officially awarded espn.com the fifth starter role to rookie right-hander Andrew Painter espn.com, manager Rob Thomson espn.com confirming the decision ahead of opening day. Conversely, the Marlins made a corresponding move espn.com, optioning lefty Braxton Garrett espn.com to Triple-A Jacksonville while settling on right-hander Janson Junk espn.com for their final rotation slot. Elsewhere in personnel adjustments, the Minnesota Twins released espn.com three veterans on minor league deals, cutting ties with righty Liam Hendriks espn.com, lefty Andrew Chafin espn.com, and infielder Gio Urshela espn.com from their extended roster pool.
Legal Proceedings Surface
In off-field developments, the family of Brett Gardner espn.com initiated legal action following the tragic death of his 14-year-old son, Miller Gardner espn.com. The wrongful death lawsuit names the Costa Rican resort where the teen was found deceased due to carbon monoxide poisoning, marking a somber turn for the former Yankees outfielder espn.com.