MLB Player News

Márquez allowed just two hits — doubles by Mike Trout and Zack Neto — and he struck out five with two walks. That’s the second time in three starts that the right-hander hasn’t allowed a run, and his ERA over his first month in his first season with the Padres is now 3.86. Considering how awful Márquez was over the past two season, it’s understandable to have skepticism. It’s probably the right call. That being said, Márquez once was one of the rare successful Rockies’ starters, and maybe the grass was greener on the other side. He gets the Diamondbacks next Saturday.

This explains why Lowe was absent from the lineup for the second straight contest despite righty Kumar Rocker taking the ball for the Rangers on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field. The 31-year-old slugging second baseman will likely receive some extra time off this week, but it doesn’t sound like a potential injured list situation based on comments from Pirates skipper Don Kelly. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. Nick Gonzales is at second base in his place on Tuesday evening.

Boyd returns to Chicago’s rotation mix after missing just over two weeks with a left biceps strain. The 35-year-old lefty might have some limitations from a pitch count standpoint after throwing 64 pitches in a rehab start last Thursday for Triple-A Iowa. It’s a strong matchup right out of the chute with the Phillies struggling offensively to open the year.

Haase returns to the majors with rookie backstop Daniel Susac hitting the shelf with an elbow issue. The well-traveled 33-year-old will handle the backup catching duties behind starter Patrick Bailey.

No word on how much time Susac figures to miss, but it shouldn’t be a lengthy absence. The 24-year-old rookie backstop has been outstanding in limited action this season, batting .478 (11-for-23) with three extra-base hits and five RBI in 11 games. It’ll be Eric Haase coming up to handle the backup catching duties in his absence behind starter Patrick Bailey.

It’s merely a procedural move to free up a spot on San Francisco’s 40-man roster. Buttó is facing a 5-6 month absence after undergoing surgery last weekend to remove a blood clot from his right armpit. There’s a small possibility he’s able to return later this season, but that feels optimistic.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson told reporters Duran is feeling much better and was able to resume throwing for the first time since hitting the injured list with an oblique strain over the weekend. The 28-year-old closer is likely facing a multi-week recovery timeline, but it doesn’t sound like he’s dealing with a high-grade strain that would’ve led to a much longer absence. It’ll likely be Brad Keller handling the closing duties while he’s on the shelf.

It doesn’t sound like there are any plans to put Garcia on the injured list, but that could change if he’s not ready to pitch in a couple days. The 29-year-old has been unavailable since last Friday. Jakob Junis appears to be the favorite to continue closing games for the Rangers.

Freeman returns to Los Angeles’ lineup for Tuesday’s contest against the Giants after being away from the club on paternity leave for the last two games. The 36-year-old veteran fantasy stalwart has been his usual productive self, slashing .296/.360/.519 with three homers and 14 RBI through 20 games this season.

Ward’s first opportunity with the Dodgers lasted only a couple days while Freddie Freeman was away from the club on paternity leave. He went 2-for-6 with an RBI in a pair of contests. The 28-year-old has nothing left to prove at the Triple-A level, but his path to at-bats in the majors remains blocked at the moment. He would likely be the first call for Los Angeles if they needed to bring someone up this summer.

Wheeler makes his return to Philadelphia’s rotation after undergoing surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome last August. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace’s velocity has been down consistently during a handful of recent minor league rehab outings, which makes it challenging to forecast how he’ll fare from a fantasy perspective. It’s impossible to dismiss Wheeler entirely based on his lengthy track record of success, but a wait-and-see approach seems like the best idea given his extended layoff and how he’s looked in minor league games recently.