roster rumination

Despite his fine spring numbers, former Southern Miss standout Cody Carroll was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk by Baltimore over the weekend. Carroll, who made his big league debut for the Orioles last summer, has a 2.57 ERA and three saves in seven Grapefruit League games. The right-hander likely will get another shot with the O’s sometime this season. Other Mississippi-connected 40-man roster players already optioned out include: Bobby Bradley (Cleveland), Jacob Waguespack (Philadelphia) and Justin Steele (Chicago Cubs). … Anthony Alford is expected to be sent out by Toronto, but the outfielder, having a productive spring, is poised for a recall. Pitchers Dakota Hudson (St. Louis), Cody Reed (Cincinnati), Chris Stratton (San Francisco) and Spencer Turnbull (Detroit) are still battling for roster spots and/or roles, and veteran right-hander Louis Coleman remains in Detroit’s camp as a non-roster invitee. Lefty Reed, a starter at the end of last season, was shifted to the bullpen by Cincinnati midway through camp. Hudson, slated to start today against Philadelphia, is vying for the final role in the Cardinals’ rotation after Carlos Martinez was shut down. Stratton, up and down with the Giants last year, is again a rotation candidate, and Turnbull, a rookie in 2018, has made a strong bid to crack the Tigers’ rotation. … Brandon Woodruff, yet to allow a run in three spring starts on the heels of his strong postseason, appears to have won a job in Milwaukee’s rotation. … Jarrod Dyson, sidelined early in camp by an oblique injury, made his first appearance for Arizona on Sunday; the veteran’s status for the Opening Day roster was clouded a bit when the Diamondbacks signed Adam Jones. … Bobby Wahl will start the season on the injured list for Milwaukee. Wahl tore an ACL while throwing a pitch in early March and likely will be out until September if not the entire season. The Ole Miss alum was acquired in an off-season trade with the New York Mets. … Kendall Graveman, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, will be on the IL for the Cubs for most of the season.