MLB Player News

Kerkering will get in one more rehab appearance and then jet to San Francisco to join the Phillies for their next series by the bay. The right-hander is no threat to Jhoan Duran’s closer role, but should be capable of value in leagues with holds eventually.

Soto was 3-for-15 with no home runs since coming off the injured list last week. He homered off Zack Littell in the fourth inning, which was just his second home run of the year. Limited to just DH at-bats due to a forearm issue, Soto’s home run is hopefully a sign of things to come for the 27-year-old.

Littell gave up five hits, walked three and struck out one. He fell to 0-4 with the loss. The 30-year-old right-hander allowed two more home runs, one to Bo Bichette and one to Juan Soto. He’s now leading the league in home runs allowed with 14. Littell’s grip on a rotation spot would seem to be tenuous at best given his 7.85 ERA, but he’s lined up to face the Brewers at home on Sunday.

Making his season debut after missing time with a shoulder impingement, Yesavage allowed all four hits before Mason Fluharty, Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers and Louis Varland combined to retire 11 of the 12 batters they faced. Yesavage struck out three and walked none while focusing mostly on his fastball and splitter. He used his slider just six times tonight. Last year, he threw that pitch 29 percent of the time. Tonight, it was eight percent. He ended up with just five whiffs, but he also allowed only three hard-hit balls. It’s just one start, of course, but it suggests that Yesavage will prove to be worth the wait for those who got him at a discount at the end of the spring. He’ll face the Twins next time out.

Hoffman has pitched two hitless innings since losing his closer’s role last week, and he was particularly sharp in the 10-pitch outing tonight. He’s now struck out 27 of the 64 hitters he’s faced this year. That 42.2 percent K rate that would obliterate his previous high of 33.6 percent.

Jeff Hoffman had another successful outing, too, so Varland shouldn’t get too comfortable in the closer’s role just yet. Still, if the Blue Jays go back to Hoffman, it probably won’t be because anything Varland does wrong. Varland has allowed just one earned run while amassing a 26/4 K/BB in 16 innings.