Luke Weaver Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Luke Weaver hasn’t pitched since Monday due to a sore forearm. His status for the start of the season should be considered a question mark at this juncture, with Reds manager David Bell telling reporters that "we’d have to push pretty hard to get him ready for Opening Day."

Despite the ominous nature of forearm-related injuries, Weaver’s issue seems to be run-of-the-mills spring soreness. He might throw a bullpen session in a few days’ time. Even if the health concern is essentially just a minor speed bumpb, though, the right-hander will have little time to fully build his arm strength in advance of Opening Day at March's end.

Weaver was projected to be Cincinnati’s fourth starter, with his injury creating another wrinkle in what was already a battle for the fifth starter’s job.  Connor Overton, Luis Cessa, Brandon Williamson, and non-roster invitee Chase Anderson were all in the running for the final rotation job.

Two of those pitchers might now earn jobs if Weaver needs to miss regular-season time.  Cessa is also a bit of a question mark for workload-related reasons, as he has been away from the team as part of Mexico's World Baseball Classic team and might need to build up his arm strength before he is ready for major league action.  Even if Cessa is unable to scratch the rotation, Bell like's the right-hander for relief work.

Elsewhere in the NL Central, manager David Ross provided media (including MLB.com) with an update on Seiya Suzuki, who continues to recover from an oblique strain.  Suzuki will likely need to begin the season on the injured list, but he has been steadily increasing his workouts, including some light baseball activities within the last week.

Hayden Wesneski has become the favorite for the fifth starter role on Ross' team, per 'The Athletic'’s Sahadev Sharma, which could mean that Adrian Sampson will begin the season as a depth starter at Triple-A.  Wesneski made his MLB debut last season, posting an impressive 2.18 ERA, 25% strikeout rate and 5.3% walk rate over the small sample size of 33 innings.  

Besides Sampson, Javier Assad is also still in the competition for a rotation job, though Assad has been amassing his innings with Mexico's WBC team, rather than in spring training. Sharma feels Assad might have a path to Chicago’s roster as a reliever rather than as a starter, especially if Keegan Thompson’s velocity continues to be inconsistent.

In a final note, this one with the Brewers, Milwaukee has been working Owen Miller out in center field, as the team attempts to give itself another outfield option to help fill for the injuries to Tyrone Taylor and top prospect Garrett Mitchell.  

Miller relished the positional adventure, saying, “It’s good to get game reps like that.  I’ll keep working every day to see as many balls out there as I can."  

Acquired in a trade from the Guardians over the offseason, Miller has seen action at all four infield positions  (primarily first and second base) during his two MLB seasons with Cleveland. He has all of one Triple-A game under his belt in the outfield. Becoming even more versatile can only help Miller’s chances of carving out a spot on Milwaukee’s roster.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Late goal sends Panthers to Eastern Conference Finals
Ex-teammate of Shohei Ohtani placed bets with same illegal bookmaker as interpreter 
Former Rams first-round pick retires from NFL after 11 seasons
Insider provides major injury update on Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis
Watch: Bruins strike first in Game 6 with incredible backhand goal
Dodgers make series of moves involving notable players
Giants rookie CF to undergo season-ending labrum surgery
Hurricanes not expected to re-sign defenseman, center
Paul Skenes makes incredible Wrigley Field history in second-career MLB start
Maple Leafs tab former Stanley Cup winner as new head coach
NFL insider expands on competition between Steelers QBs Russell Wilson, Justin Fields
NFL sets outrageous prices for Eagles-Packers Brazil game
Scottie Scheffler shoots improbable 66 after warming up for PGA Championship in a jail cell
Nuggets star has worrying comment about latest injury
Broncos 'very unlikely' to bring back former NFL interceptions leader
Greg Olsen offers broadcasting advice to Tom Brady
Yankees' Juan Soto reacts to Hal Steinbrenner contract talk
Mets star has theory about closer Edwin Diaz's recent struggles
Scottie Scheffler arrested, still makes PGA Championship tee time
Timberwolves chew up Nuggets to force Game 7

Want more MLB news?

Join the hundreds of thousands of fans who start their day with Yardbarker's Morning Bark, the best newsletter in sports.