MLB Player News

Buxton recently met with team trainers and coaches, who were pleased with his progress. Neal also reported that Buxton should return to baseball activities by the end of this year. Earlier this offseason, President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey told reporters that the team planned to have the 29-year-old return to center field in 2024, so this development is a step in the right direction.

Barco looks good this spring, but has had a rough go as a long reliever to open the season, allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits in seven innings with a 5/7 K/BB ratio. It makes sense for him to go back down to the minors and get stretched out to work as a starter again.

Peña’s injury was originally described as knee tightness, but now the Astros are saying it’s a grade one hamstring strain. That’s not ideal, but Peña still might make it back around the end of the month. Until then, the Astros will be able to play Isaac Paredes and the rest of their infielders regularly, with Carlos Correa starting at short. Joey Loperfido figures to get more time in left with Yordan Alvarez DHing most games.

The Astros might just need to check in on how Dallas Keuchel and Jordan Lyles are doing. Perhaps get the whole 2013 band back together. Imai complained of arm fatigue a day after getting just one out against the Mariners in his start Friday. Colton Gordon was recalled and figures to join the rotation in his place.

The 27-year-old Gordon is up for the first time in 2026 after going 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA in 14 starts and six relief appearances for the Astros last year. He’ll likely move into the Astros’ injury-plagued rotation and start Tuesday or Wednesday against the Rockies.

Whitcomb was mostly playing third base in Triple-A, but he has some outfield experience if the Astros want to him out there against lefties on occasion. The 27-year-old is a lifetime .262/.341/.493 hitter in 314 Triple-A games, but he’s come in at just .173/.235/.253 in 81 plate appearances in the majors.

France was sent down Saturday after giving up four runs over 2 2/3 innings in his one relief appearance for the Astros. He’ll be available in middle relief for now, but this might be another brief major league stint.

Murray is getting swapped out for a fresh arm after giving up two runs in two innings in his season debut Sunday.

Sosa, 26, was the White Sox’s leader with 22 homers and 75 RBI last season, but that came with a 127/18 K/BB ratio and a .293 OBP. Between the OBP issues and his lack of defensive value, he just hasn’t been a very valuable major leaguer to date (Baseball-Reference has him at -1.2 WAR through 1,155 plate appearances). Maybe the Jays will get more out of him. He can serve as another DH option while George Springer is out and maybe see some time at second base against lefties. The White Sox, who had started Sosa in eight of their 16 games, seemingly just wanted to move on here, as Rich is a 2025 17th-round pick who has yet to play in a professional game. Perhaps Sam Antonacci will fill the open roster spot.

This puts Bieber out until the end of May, but that’s already what he was tracking for anyway. He’s been throwing bullpen sessions and is expected to begin facing hitters soon. Bieber has been on the shelf since spring training due to elbow inflammation.

Condon now has four home runs and nine RBI on the season while slashing .325/.438/1.113 in 10 games. He does have an 11/7 K/BB ratio, so there are some swing-and-miss issues to work out, but it’s hard to deny what the 22-year-old is doing at this level right now. He has played both first base and right field this season, so that gives the Rockies two potential spots to play him if he keeps hitting like this into the month of May.