Players filling in for injured MLB stars

Though every MLB team may emerge from the offseason with carefully laid plans for their roster, it usually doesn��t take long for something to go wrong once Spring Training gets into full swing.

A fractured finger here, a strained shoulder there, and suddenly you��re left to sort out contingency options.

Here are 11 players who have taken on more prominent roles than expected to open 2023 and are being counted on to step up while filling in for injured teammates.

Jhony Brito, SP, Yankees
The Yankees lost three-fifths of their projected starting rotation to injuries during Spring Training, with Frankie Montas, Carlos Rodón and Luis Severino all beginning the year on the IL and Domingo Germán, Clarke Schmidt and Brito (Yankees No. 27 prospect) replacing them in New York��s starting five. While Rod��n and Severino are both due back sooner rather than later, Montas is expected to miss most or all of the season after undergoing right shoulder surgery, which means Germ��n, Schmidt and Brito could be vying for Montas' spot.

Brito has the least experience of the three, but he could make it a tough decision for the Bronx Bombers if he continues to pitch like he did in his MLB debut against the Giants on Sunday, allowing just two hits with one walk and striking out six over five scoreless innings. He was optioned to Triple-A after the game, but he's expected to be recalled the next time the Yanks need a fifth starter.

Hunter Brown, SP, Astros
Brown got a taste of the Majors last September and seemed up for the challenge, allowing two runs over 12 innings in two starts and turning in 8 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. His final line: 20 1/3 innings, a 0.89 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and 22 strikeouts.

The 24-year-old rookie (MLB Pipeline��s No. 43 overall prospect) will get another chance to show what he can do as a starter for the defending World Series champions after Lance McCullers Jr. suffered a forearm strain in February.

Josh Fleming, SP, Rays
Due to his previous success as a starter for the Rays, Yonny Chirinos appeared to be the favorite to claim the final spot in Tampa Bay��s rotation after Tyler Glasnow went down with a left oblique strain. But Chirinos, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 and was limited to 18 1/3 innings over the past three years, was optioned to Triple-A on March 27 along with Luis Patiño, making Fleming the club��s fifth starter.

Taj Bradley (MLB Pipeline��s No. 20 overall prospect) is waiting in the wings, but with Glasnow due back at some point in May, the Rays may try to get through April with Fleming rather than rushing their top prospect to the Majors. Entering his fourth season, Fleming owns a career 4.93 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP over 43 appearances (19 starts) for Tampa Bay.

Hunter Gaddis, SP, Guardians
Coming off a breakout 2022 season (2.96 ERA, 190 K��s), Triston McKenzie was lined up to take the ball in the second game of the 2023 campaign following Opening Day starter Shane Bieber. But the right-hander was pulled from his final spring outing with a right teres major muscle strain, which might keep him out up to eight weeks.

Cleveland has three pitching prospects on MLB Pipeline��s Top 100 list, but Daniel Espino (No. 16) is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, and neither Gavin Williams (No. 42) nor Tanner Bibee (No. 65) has pitched above Double-A yet. As a result, Gaddis will occupy McKenzie��s spot in the rotation for now, but if he doesn��t improve in a hurry -- the lefty has allowed 19 runs on 20 hits (including seven homers) over 11 innings in his first three MLB outings -- the team may need to reassess the situation.

Michael Grove, SP, Dodgers
Ryan Pepiot (MLB Pipeline��s No. 70 overall prospect) was slated to fill the No. 5 spot in the Dodgers�� rotation after Tony Gonsolin sprained his left ankle, but Pepiot suffered an injury of his own (left oblique strain) and was placed on the IL on March 30.

Rather than calling on one of its other Top 100 pitching prospects, Bobby Miller?(No. 24) or Gavin Stone?(No. 56), Los Angeles will give Grove (Dodgers No. 24 prospect) a try. The 26-year-old got some experience with the Dodgers last season, starting six games and posting a 4.60 ERA over 29 1/3 innings. He allowed 10 runs over 16 2/3 innings during Spring Training, though he did strike out 17 batters with only three walks.

Darick Hall, 1B, Phillies
Hall was expected to function as a left-handed power bat off the bench for the Phillies, but he was thrust into a starting role at first base after Rhys Hoskins suffered an ACL tear in his left knee in late March.

The 27-year-old showed impressive raw power in limited playing time as a rookie, hitting nine homers and recording an elite 17.4% barrel rate, but he also struck out in 31% of his PAs and walked only 3.5% of the time. He looked more comfortable at the plate during Spring Training, striking out just 10 times with nine walks and socking five dingers over 66 PAs.

David Hensley, 2B, Astros
A former 26th-round Draft pick, Hensley made his MLB debut last season and put up an eye-popping .345/.441/.586 slash in 34 plate appearances, which earned him a spot on Houston��s bench during the postseason. Hensley was set to serve as a utility infielder in 2023, but his role has been expanded after second baseman Jose Altuve fractured his right thumb in the World Baseball Classic.

Hensley and Mauricio Dubón?have been splitting starts evenly at second base to begin the season, but the door is open for Hensley to earn a larger share of the playing time, given Dub��n��s offensive shortcomings (lifetime 79 OPS+ entering 2023).

David Peterson, SP, Mets
Although he showed promise by posting a career-best 27.8% strikeout rate and 3.64 FIP last season, Peterson was left without a rotation spot after the Mets signed Justin Verlander, José Quintana and Kodai Senga in the offseason.

However, a spot opened up when Quintana needed to undergo surgery for a stress fracture in his rib cage, and Peterson edged out Tylor Megill?for the job during Spring Training (Megill ended up joining the rotation as well after Verlander went on the IL shortly before Opening Day with a muscle strain near his right armpit). Peterson started the second game of the season and held the Marlins to one run over five innings in a 2-1 loss.

David Robertson, RP, Mets
Edwin Díaz became a folk hero at Citi Field in 2022, trotting in to the majestic sounds of ��Narco�� by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet and dominating his overmatched opponents with a mix of 100 mph fastballs and electric sliders. But the trumpets were silenced when D��az suffered a torn patellar tendon during Puerto Rico��s celebration after defeating the Dominican Republic in pool play at the World Baseball Classic. The injury will likely keep D��az out for the entire season, leaving the Mets without their All-Star closer in the first year of his five-year, $102 million contract, a record for a relief pitcher.

D��az��s presence is impossible to replace, but Robertson could at least give the Mets a reliable ninth-inning option to close out games. The right-hander has extensive experience in the role, racking up 158 career saves -- including one in the Mets�� Opening Day win over the Marlins. He also knows what it��s like to replace a premier closer in New York, having succeeded the legendary Mariano Rivera as the Yankees�� ninth-inning man in 2014.

Miguel Rojas, SS, Dodgers
Shortstop became a position of uncertainty for the Dodgers after Trea Turner followed in Corey Seager��s footsteps and left the team as a free agent this offseason. Los Angeles was planning to give former top prospect Gavin Lux a chance to claim the starting job, but the 25-year-old sustained a torn ACL in his right knee in late February.

Rojas, who joined L.A. in a January trade, is now in position to be the Dodgers�� regular shortstop, but it remains to be seen if he��ll provide enough offense to prevent the club from seeking other options prior to the Trade Deadline this summer. Chris Taylor also has shortstop experience, but he��s never started there consistently for a full season and also needs to show he can bounce back at the plate after posting an 87 OPS+ in 2022.

Jake Woodford, SP, Cardinals
The Cardinals are trying to weather the absence of longtime ace Adam Wainwright?after the 41-year-old suffered a groin strain during the World Baseball Classic.

Woodford will get the first crack at replacing Wainwright, who is expected to miss at least a month. The 27-year-old Woodford has made 65 appearances (10 starts) for the Cards since his 2020 debut, posting a 3.61 ERA over 137 innings. If he falters, the Cards could turn to veteran Dakota Hudson or No. 6 prospect Matthew Liberatore, though neither did much to impress in 2022.