MLB Player News

He’ll replace the injured Robert Coello (shoulder) in the Angels’ bullpen. The 30-year-old has a 4.05 ERA and 23 strikeouts over 26 innings with the big club this season.

It’s just a routine day off for both, but it does come against a left-handed pitcher, so it makes sense for Aaron Boone to choose today as a rest. It’s a little shocking that Jazz has a day off, but struggling Ryan McMahon will be in the lineup against a lefty. Amed Rosario will play second base, and Randal Grichuk will play left field with Cody Bellinger in center.

With left-hander Jeffrey Springs on the mound, the Yankees will give Jazz Chisholm the day off and let Rosario play second base and lead off. Rosario has been playing well to start the season and could push Ryan McMahon for playing time at third base if he keeps hitting well.

Hunter Brown (shoulder) is out for at least a month, and Cristian Javier left his start yesterday with an injury, so the Astros need to fill innings in their rotation. France has been pitching in a multi-inning role in Triple-A, so it’s unclear if he would move into the rotation or perhaps keep his bullpen role, which would allow Ryan Weiss to enter the rotation. Weiss looked good in spring training and could be an interesting name in fantasy leagues if he gets a chance to start.

The left-hander was pulled early from his rehab start on April 2nd because of continued blister issues. Reds manager Terry Francona said that how aggressive Lodolo gets in this bullpen will be determined by how he’s feeling. If the bullpen goes well, he may start his rehab assignment again.

Despite a 50% hard-hit rate, Buxton was 6-for-38 this season coming into the game. He didn’t crush the ball tonight, with just one of his four balls in play topping 80 mph, but he picked good spots to improve to .214/.292/.333 on the young season. Somewhat disappointing is that he’s yet to attempt a steal after going 24-for-24 last year.

Ober got six runs of support in the first and didn’t face many threats afterwards. His velocity was particularly bad tonight, as he averaged 88.1 mph on his 35 fastballs on a chilly night in Minneapolis. The Tigers just didn’t capitalize, and when he did get into trouble in the sixth, Justin Topa came on and stranded two inherited runners. Ober has a two-start week next week at home against the Red Sox and Reds, but he still seems too risky in mixed leagues at this point.

After a scoreless eighth, Cody Laweryson got Jahmai Jones to fly out to open the ninth. The Twins preferred a lefty at that point, so in came Funderburk. He walked Riley Greene and plunked Dillon Dingler, but he then retired Parker Meadows for the second out. That brought up Zach McKinstry, who delivered a liner into what would have been the gap between first and second, except Luke Keaschall was pulled way over towards the line and managed to snare it to end the game. It’s Funderburk’s first save. He could get more opportunities when the situation calls for a left-hander, but he probably won’t ever be the Twins’ primary closer.

The first inning included four hits, a HBP, a walk and little defensive help. Still, Valdez ended up pitching into a sixth, when he gave up a soft double and a softer single to open the frame, at which point he was replaced by Enmanuel De Jesus. In all, he gave up 10 hits but only seven hard-hit balls. It’s the third time in his career he’s surrendered eight runs; he previously did so against the Angels in 2020 and ’24. Expect a rebound against the Royals next week.

McKinstry was a surprising AL All-Star last year, but he’s back searching for a role this season because of Kevin McGonigle’s arrival. He was on the bench for four of the Tigers’ first nine games, even though all of those came against righties. He has, however, started the last three in a row, playing right field twice and second base once. Since he’s hitting just .222/.276/.370 in 29 at-bats, he could continue to sit semi-frequently against righties, and he definitely won’t be playing versus lefties.

Holliday remains without a definitive timetable to return to Baltimore as he continues to work his way back from a hamate fracture in his wrist. He told David Hall of The Virginian-Pilot that he’s still not feeling 100 percent, which might explain why he hasn’t been summoned back to the big leagues yet.