MLB Player News

This was the series finale between the two NL Central foes. The game has been made up as the first game of a double header on August 30. Nick Martinez, who was scheduled to start today, will get extended rest and not pitch in the weekend series against the White Sox. The Brewers will head down to Baltimore for their weekend series with the Orioles.

“It doesn’t look great,” Cora added ominously. It sounds like surgery is a potential outcome for Rodgers, who is evaluating his options after undergoing both an MRI and CT scan earlier this week. The 29-year-old suffered the shoulder injury earlier this week and is likely facing an extended absence, even if he avoids going under the knife. He’s undergone labrum surgery on both shoulders previously in his career. He was in Red Sox camp as a non-roster invitee battling for a bench role.

Holliday has already resumed throwing after having his stitches removed earlier this week. The 22-year-old former top prospect underwent surgery earlier this month to remove the hamate bone from his right wrist. He’s targeting a return to Baltimore’s lineup at some point in mid-to-late April. It’ll be some combination of Jeremiah Jackson and newly-acquired Blaze Alexander filling in at the keystone during his absence.

McGonigle hasn’t generated the stratospheric hype from fantasy managers as Pirates phenom Konnor Griffin since the start of spring training. Yet, he possesses one of the most advanced hit tools of any prospect in recent memory with the ability to consistently generate upper-echelon exit velocities. The 21-year-old top prospect recorded a pair of 108-mph exit velocities during Friday’s game against the Phillies and continues to make a strong impression. Simply put, his bat is too potent to remain in the minors for much longer, even if he doesn’t break camp on Detroit’s season-opening roster.

It appears to be a precautionary decision by the Marlins to have Stowers undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the issue with roughly one month left until Opening Day. The power-hitting 28-year-old put together a breakout campaign in his full-season Miami debut last year, slashing 288/.386/.544 with 25 homers in 117 games. There should be an additional update on his status at some point this weekend.

Simpson went 1-for-2 on Friday in his spring debut against the Blue Jays following a brief absence at the outset of Grapefruit League action due to left hamstring tightness. It’s an ongoing situation that fantasy managers should keep a close eye on, especially since hamstring issues can be recurring issues if not managed properly. The 25-year-old speedster stole 44 bases in 109 games last year as a rookie and will be one of the most coveted steals threats in fantasy drafts this spring.

Thomson’s updated ramp-up timeline puts Wheeler in line to potentially make his season debut on April 9, barring any setbacks. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace completed his first bullpen session since undergoing thoracic outlet surgery earlier this week and is scheduled to throw another one later this weekend. Fantasy managers should anticipate the Phillies approaching his build-up with an abundance of caution. However, it sounds like he’ll be ready to rejoin Philadelphia’s rotation from a pitch count and stamina standpoint at some point in early-to-mid April. The big question is how his stuff responds once he progresses to facing hitters in game situations coming off a major surgical procedure. He’s been going off the board 146th overall, on average, in early NFBC drafts since February 1.

After spending the offseason at the epicenter of trade discussions, Paredes remains with the Astros with Opening Day rapidly approaching. The 27-year-old infielder’s path to everyday at-bats remains challenging with Carlos Correa taking over at the hot corner and Christian Walker locked in at first base. He was on his way to the best season of his career during his Astros debut last season before suffering a hamstring tear that cost him most of the final two-plus months. His pull-centered offensive approach makes him a perfect fit for Daikin Park but he’ll need to expand his defensive versatility to have any shot at playing regularly this season.

It’s an extremely encouraging development after Anthony and Rafaela were involved in a scary on-field collision during Friday’s spring contest against Atlanta. Both players remained in the contest following the incident and appear to have avoided serious injury. The 21-year-old top-of-the-order catalyst is expected to play a prominent role for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Doyle underwent imaging on his wrist after he was scratched from Wednesday’s game due to inflammation. He’s going to be shut down to rest for a few days before being re-evaluated. The Rockies are obviously going to take every possible precaution here and not push him, so it’s possible that Doyle may not be ready for Opening Day.

James McCann and Ildemaro Vargas set the stage with singles off of Castillo to open the second inning. After Ryan Waldschmidt struck out, Vuckovich worked the count full against Castillo and clobbered a sinker (104.2 mph EV) for a three-run blast that proved to be the difference in the ballgame. That would be his only hit in three at-bats on the day. He’s not going to crack the Opening Day roster regardless of what happens in the spring, but with a strong showing he could position himself well for a promotion at some point during the season.