MLB Player News

The good news is that the 33-year-old southpaw experienced no issues with the session and will continue his throwing progression from there. He’s going to begin the season on the injured list though, with a goal of returning before the end of April. Fantasy managers who want to gamble on him on draft day should plan to be without the left-hander for the first five or six weeks of the season at a minimum.

Boyd was in the midst of an outstanding start to the season with his first double-digit strikeout performance since 2019 before hitting the injured list with a biceps strain. Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters the 35-year-old southpaw will make a minor league rehab start for Triple-A Iowa later this week before rejoining Chicago’s rotation.

Rooker remains without a definitive return timetable after hitting the injured list with an oblique strain last Friday. There should be a definitive timetable from the Athletics once he’s cleared to resume baseball activities.

Pham represents a temporary emergency stopgap solution for the Mets while Juan Soto is on the injured list for the next couple weeks. The 38-year-old signed a minor league contract earlier this month and went 2-for-12 across five games in five games at Low-A St. Lucie as his ramp-up. He hit .245/.330/.370 with 10 homers and five steals in 120 games for the Pirates last year. It’s a fascinating development for New York, but Pham can be safely ignored in all fantasy formats.

Mauricio winds up drawing the short straw from a roster standpoint as the Mets add veteran Tommy Pham to their outfield mix. The 25-year-old infielder got into a pair of contests for New York during his latest stint with the club.

Encarnacion-Strand represents a worthwhile zero-risk gamble for the injury-ravaged Orioles since he can play both corner infield spots and possesses top-of-the-charts raw power potential. The 26-year-old former top prospect fell out of favor with Cincinnati, mostly due to injuries and the emergence of other top prospects like Sal Stewart. It’s not out of the question that a change of scenery could breathe new life into his once-promising career. He’ll head to Triple-A Norfolk for now but figures to arrive in Baltimore at some point shortly.

Wilson gets the call to replace an injured Ryan Mountcastle on Baltimore’s bench. The 31-year-old utility specialist was in camp as a non-roster invitee this spring after getting into 100 games for the Phillies over the past three years.

Mountcastle will be sidelined for at least the next two months after suffering a foot fracture over the weekend. The 29-year-old was mostly limited to a bench role with season with Pete Alonso taking over at first base in Baltimore and top prospect Samuel Basallo at DH.

The procedural move frees up a spot for newly added slugger Christian Encarnacion-Strand. The 30-year-old reliever has been out with shoulder inflammation since early April.

Valera spent the first couple weeks of the season on a minor league rehab assignment where he hit .294 (10-for-34) with two homers and 12 RBI in eight games. The 25-year-old former top prospect will occupy a bench role with Cleveland with CJ Kayfus heading back to the minors.

Gaddis rejoins Cleveland’s relief corps prior to Monday’s series opener against the Cardinals after missing the first two weeks of the season recovering from a forearm strain. The 28-year-old righty has been a key component of the Guardians’ high-leverage mix the past two season, posting 151 appearances during that span.