MLB Player News

Keller has bounced around organizations, but spent last year with Boston and was an up-and-down arm for the Red Sox for most of 2024. He’ll compete for a bullpen spot with Chicago, but more than likely opens the season in Triple-A Iowa without a fantasy-relevant role.

Kameron Misner was sent down to open up a spot, so the Rays are picking offensive over defense for once. Simpson was hitting .366/.416/.465 with 11 steals in 16 games since being demoted. He figures to start against right-handers, probably mostly in left field but maybe occasionally in center, and he’ll be worth using in mixed leagues.

After being away from the team over the weekend, Verlander will start on normal rest Tuesday against the Marlins.

Fitzgerald, who was batting .230/.289/.320 in 200 plate appearances, finally began losing some time at second base last week, though he started the last two games against the Red Sox and helped the Giants win yesterday with a successful squeeze bunt. It’s a little surprising to see him get sent down now, but it did figure that the Giants would turn to Casey Schmitt at second base following Matt Chapman’s return. Brett Wisely and Christian Koss could platoon until then.

Wow. It definitely seems like the right move, but we’re shocked the Reds did it. After all, Candelario’s three-year, $45 million contract is only just reaching the midway point. Candelario was bad in hitting .225/.279/.429 last season and far worse in opening this year at .113/.198/.213 in 91 plate appearances before going on the IL with a lumbar strain. He’d since played 17 games on a rehab assignment and hit .211/.318/.333 in the 15 of those that took place in Triple-A. The Reds could have brought him back and plugged him into the lineup with neither Spencer Steer nor Christian Encarnacion-Strand playing very well at the moment, but there wasn’t any reason to believe he’d be an upgrade. He’ll go unclaimed on waivers and become a free agent, at which point maybe the Red Sox or Mariners would be interested in giving him a look. A return to the Nationals might also be an option; he excelled there in 2023, and both Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell will be very much available in trade.

We jumped the gun earlier in reporting this as a minor league deal; it turns out Lovelady is going right on to the major league roster. But far more importantly.... Dicky? Dicky Lovelady? Maybe it’s honor of pitching for R.A.'s old team. Lovelady, 29, has a 5.26 ERA in 110 career major league relief appearances.

This could be a short stay for Jankowski, unless the team chooses to send down Ronny Mauricio or Jared Young to make room for Mark Vientos later this week. Jankowski, signed to a minor league contract two weeks ago, hit .244/.286/.289 in 49 plate appearances for the Rays earlier this year. He’ll likely mostly pinch-run and come in for defensive purposes late in games.

Acuña, the NL Rookie of the Month for April, was 10-for-65 with no extra-base hits and two walks in his last 36 games. That’s a .345 OPS. Just 23, he’ll benefit from playing regularly in Triple-A for a spell.

Zuber, who was active for two days, allowed two runs over two innings while mopping up against the Phillies on Sunday.

Siri has already missed 60 days, so this changes nothing for him. Originally expected to miss 8-10 weeks with a fractured tibia suffered Apr. 12, Siri experienced a setback earlier this month, leaving him with no current timetable for his return.

Gillispie, who is 0-3 with an 8.65 ERA in six major league starts this season, was DFA’d by the Marlins last week. His lack of velocity leaves him with a low ceiling, but he can eat some innings as a swingman if needed.