MLB Player News

He fanned eight. Lackey left with a one-run lead, but Brendan Donnelly put two men on while getting just one out in the eighth, and after Francisco Rodriguez came in, a Jose Molina throwing error on a steal attempt allowing the tying run to score. K-Rod ended up doing a terrific job in a game the Angels won in 10 innings, but he was charged with his second blown save anyway.

Acuña was replaced in right field by Eli White during the sixth inning of Monday’s showdown after being hit by a pitch on two separate occasions earlier in the contest. He was drilled by Nationals starter Jake Irwin in the fourth inning before being thrown out attempting to steal second base. He was nailed again his next time up in the sixth inning, this time on the left hand, but managed to remain in the contest initially. His early departure appears to be precautionary in nature. There should be an update on his status soon.

Trammell appeared to tweak something while running the bases and was replaced by Cam Smith. He was 1-for-1 with a walk before departing. The Astros have seen their depth decimated by injuries recently so losing Trammell for an extended period would be some additional strain. He’ll presumably undergo further evaluation and testing to determine the severity of the issue.

The exact timeline for Betts to make it back to Los Angeles from an oblique strain that put him on the shelf earlier this month remains a bit murky. The fact that he’s swinging a bat again is an extremely encouraging development. The 33-year-old fantasy stalwart is probably going to need a minor league rehab assignment to get his timing back before he’s ready to return.

Varsho is back in center field and batting seventh following a two-game absence due to left knee discomfort. The 29-year-old is hitting .262/.333/.462 with three homers, seven RBI and one steal in 19 games this season.

Lacy, the fourth-overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, received a franchise-record $6.67 million signing bonus but ultimately threw just 80 innings over six injury-plagued seasons. The 26-year-old left-hander has undergone Tommy John surgery twice since 2023 and hasn’t appeared in a minor league game since 2022. His stalled career serves as another reminder of the volatility associated with pitching prospects.

Baker unsurprisingly passed through waivers unclaimed following his removal from Arizona’s active roster over the weekend with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. back from the injured list. The 29-year-old went 1-for-5 in three games with the Diamondbacks. He’s put up some big numbers at the Triple-A level over the years, but hasn’t been able to carve out a permanent role at the highest level.

Holliday was pulled off his previous rehab assignment last week due to some lingering wrist soreness, but it sounds like he’s ready to get back into game action. The emergence of unheralded Jeremiah Jackson as a viable everyday option for the Orioles at the highest level means that Holliday can take his time and make sure he’s feeling 100 percent ready before making his season debut.

Cotillo adds that Tyler Samaniego will be called up on Tuesday to take Gray’s roster spot and fortify Boston’s relief corps. The 36-year-old veteran is scheduled to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of hamstring issue that led to his early exit from Monday’s start against the Tigers after just 2 2/3 innings. It’s not official yet, but all signs point to top pitching prospect Payton Tolle coming up to fill his rotation spot against the Orioles this weekend. The hard-throwing 23-year-old southpaw needs to be rostered in all fantasy formats based on his strikeout upside.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson made the revelation to reporters on Monday, citing it as one of the reasons why Emerson wasn’t promoted to replace an injured Brendan Donovan (groin). “It just didn’t feel like this was the right time for that,” he added. The 20-year-old infielder, who holds an .813 OPS in 18 games at Triple-A Tacoma this season, signed an eight-year, $95 million contract extension last month and is on the precipice of arriving as Seattle’s shortstop of the future. He’s likely to break into the majors at third base initially with impending free agent J.P. Crawford staying at shortstop.

Jacob Wilson and Jeff McNeil each led off for the Athletics over their last four games. The surface-level stats remain underwhelming, but Kurtz has recorded an elite 98.7 mph average exit velocity and 17.9 percent barrel rate this season, per Statcast. It feels like only a matter of time before the reigning AL Rookie of the Year gets things going after hitting .225/.421/.352 with two homers, nine RBI and two steals through 21 games.