MLB Player News

Scott Cousins and Aaron Rowand looked like the favorites to serve as the Marlins’ reserve outfielders at the start of camp, but it’s going to be Coghlan and Austin Kearns making the cut instead. Coghlan, who missed time early on with back problems, is hitting .267 in 45 at-bats, though he’s still without an extra-base hit. He probably won’t have much fantasy value.

Gonzalez had surgery on his left shoulder at the beginning of March and was confident at the time that he would return by the end of May. We still don’t have any update on his timeline, but it’s nice to see him on the field and doing baseball activities. Coming back in the next two weeks feels unlikely, but perhaps Gonzalez could return in early June, which would be a boost to the Red Sox lineup, particularly against lefties, where he would likely start over Marcelo Mayer. Gonzalez hit .305/.343/.483 with nine home runs and six steals in 341 plate appearances last year.

Melton has been sidelined since spring training with a right elbow strain, but has already made two rehab starts and looked good. The right-hander was put on the 60-day IL back on March 25th, so he can’t be activated until the end of this month. If he looks good in Triple-A on Wednesday, then he would likely make one more rehab start and then could return to a Tigers’ rotation that currently only has four starting pitchers with Tarik Skubal (elbow), Casey Mize (groin), and Justin Verlander (hip) all sidelined.

Báez is on the injured list with a right ankle sprain, so while it’s nice to see him hitting, the bigger hurdle to overcome is his running progressions. As of now, there is still no timeline for his return.

Sands has been on the injured list since the beginning of May. He posted a 4.63 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 11/4 K/B ratio across 11 2/3 innings over 12 appearances this season, but has been one of the more reliable arms in the Twins’ bullpen. He’ll likely throw another bullpen this week and may not need a rehab stint since he hasn’t been sidelined long.

Haase got the start on Tuesday, with Jesus Rodriguez getting a breather. He came through with a solo homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the third inning. Haase did it again in the fifth, going back-to-back with Harrison Bader for his second of the game. He nearly hit a third one out in the seventh, sending a 399-foot fly ball just in front of the center field wall. The 33-year-old backstop has performed well in his limited time, going 6-for-18, but he’s unlikely to see regular playing time ahead of Rodriguez and eventually Daniel Susac.

Ohtani came into this one 4-for-36 in the month of May and hadn’t homered in 13 games since April 26. He knocked a base hit and scored a run in the first inning, then led off the third with an opposite-field blast off Adrian Houser. Ohtani later drew a walk in the fifth to reach for a third time. The 31-year-old two-way star is scheduled to take the mound for Wednesday’s contest. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Ohtani will likely be held out of the lineup either Wednesday or Thursday. He’s hasn’t started at designated hitter his last couple of games on the mound. If that’s the case again, look for him to take his normal leadoff spot in Thursday’s series finale.

Kilian was summoned with two outs and the bases loaded with a four-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. He extinguished the Dodgers’ threat with a flyout, then returned for a clean ninth inning, striking out one batter for his second save of the season. Kilian should be in line for regular save opportunities with Ryan Walker optioned to Triple-A, though don’t expect manager Tony Vitello to settle on one guy in the ninth, as he’ll tend to play the matchups.

Houser pitched well for the second straight outing, holding the Dodgers to two runs into the sixth inning. Los Angeles brought a run in on a sacrifice fly in the first inning, followed by a solo homer by Shohei Ohtani in the third. Houser would depart with a runner on and two outs in the sixth at 91 pitches. He struck out four. The 33-year-old right-hander earns his first win and will take a 5.79 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, and a 23/14 K/BB ratio into a start against the Athletics in Sacramento on Sunday.

Yamamoto retired the first eight batters before Eric Haase took him deep for a solo homer in the third inning. He then stranded a runner in the fourth and gave up a pair of solo homers in the fifth to Harrison Bader and again to Haase for his second of the game. After a clean sixth, Yamamoto returned for the seventh and allowed two hits and recorded one out, leaving at 93 pitches. Both inherited runners would come in to score. He generated 15 whiffs to strike out eight. The 27-year-old right-hander will take a 3.60 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 48/10 K/BB ratio across 50 innings into a start against the Padres in San Diego on Monday.

Wetherholt drew a walk and scored a run in the first inning, then later took Joel Kuhnel deep for a two-run blast in the sixth to extend the Cardinals’ lead. He added a base hit in the eighth to reach for a third time. The 23-year-old second baseman is hitting .242/.356/.427 with eight homers, 32 runs scored, 22 RBI, and five steals across 188 plate appearances.