MLB Player News

Houser has not been traded as of now, but he seems destined to be dealt either today or tomorrow, so the White Sox don’t want to risk him getting hurt before that happens. Tyler Alexander will replace him for what will likely be a bullpen game.

Fletcher exercised the opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the team back on July 2, but after exploring the free agent market, he decided to return. Fletcher has hit .276/.366/.493 with eight long balls, 29 RBI and a pair of stolen bases in 44 games at Triple-A Indianapolis this season. He’ll continue to function as extra outfield depth for the Bucs.

The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday where the conditions are expected to be much improved. Expect Friday’s scheduled starters — Gavin Williams and Jared Jones — to pitch at some point on Saturday.

The 25-year-old outfielder was in good spirits and noted that he’s trending in the right direction, but he has yet to be cleared to return to live game action. It’s possible he’s able to join the Mariners at some point before the weekend is through.

As expected, Locklear will join the Diamondbacks for their second half opener against the Cardinals on Friday evening in Arizona. The 25-year-old slugger was slashing a robust .313/.394/.502 with eight long balls and 36 RBI in 241 plate appearances at Triple-A Reno. He should get an opportunity to function in an everyday role for the D’Backs and if the hot bat carries over, he could wind up carving out some value in deeper mixed leagues.

No word yet from the Cardinals on how long they anticipate Romero being shelved for. Scott Blewett was promoted from Triple-A Memphis to take his spot in the Cardinals’ bullpen while Yohel Pozo was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

The 30-year-old right-hander had opted out of his minor league deal with the Cardinals earlier in the week but returned on a minor league pact and is now joining the big league bullpen in place of the injured JoJo Romero. Blewett posted a 5.18 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and a 63/19 K/BB ratio over 48 2/3 innings in 37 appearances at Triple-A Memphis. He’ll function in a middle relief role for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals needed to free up a spot on their 40-man roster for Scott Blewett on Friday and unfortunately, Pozo wound up being the odd man out. There’s a decent chance that the 29-year-old backstop will pass through waivers unclaimed and continue to function as extra catching depth for the Cardinals.

The 31-year-old backstop will be shut down completely for the next week before beginning to ramp back up as he continues to deal with a nagging neck injury. Dalton Rushing will continue to see the bulk of the action behind the plate for the foreseeable future.

Bride was released from his minor league deal on Monday, but after exploring the open market he made the decision that remaining with the Rangers made the most sense for both parties. The 30-year-old was hitting .271/.389/.418 with nine homers and eight stolen bases in 357 plate appearances at Triple-A Round Rock.

Roberts also noted that the two-way superstar received a lubricating shot for his ailing knee over the All-Star break, rather than a draining procedure. If Ohtani is able to slot back into the rotation on Wednesday, the Dodgers will be back to their regular six-man rotation.