MLB Player News

It sounded like Christopher Morel was going to be Miami’s primary first baseman to start the year if he hadn’t gotten hurt, but he’s started just one of three games since coming off the IL. Norby DH’d in that one and played first in the other two. He’s hit .226/.330/.376 while starting 28 of Miami’s 31 games this year, including the last six in a row. One would think he’ll need to do a little better than that going forward in order to remain a regular, but even if Morel can overtake him, he could still play third over Graham Pauley.

It’s unclear when exactly the injury occurred. Before exiting, he gave the Rays an early 1-0 advantage with an opposite-field home run in the second inning. The Rays are calling him day-to-day for the time being, though there should be an update on his status from skipper Kevin Cash after the game concludes.

This one didn’t look good. Misiorowski was working on a no-hitter with one out in the sixth inning against the Nationals and was visited by the training staff following a pitch to James Wood. A long discussion ensued and the decision was ultimately made to pull the prized 24-year-old right-hander. The Brewers should have an update on his status shortly. Stay tuned.

Nimmo had been 2-for-2 with a walk and a pair of runs scored in the contest, but he felt his hamstring pull at him again after singling in the fourth inning and was lifted for a pinch-runner. While he continues to say it’s a manageable injury, perhaps the Rangers would be better served with a short stint on the injured list to make sure that he gets right.

The 33-year-old hurler threw off a mound once again on Friday without issue and it sounds like he’s finally close to seeing some live game action. It’s unclear how many outings he’ll require in a minor league setting before he’s cleared to rejoin the Royals’ bullpen. Lucas Erceg will continue to see the bulk of the save chances while Estévez is shelved.

With Matt Brash (lat) hitting the injured list on Friday, the M’s needed to reinforce their bullpen so they called on Simpson. The 28-year-old southpaw was off to a tremendous start at the Triple-A level, posting a 0.96 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and a 12/6 K/BB ratio over 9 1/3 innings in his nine appearances.

The Mariners’ medical staff reviewed his MRI and decided it would be best to sit him down for another week or so to make sure the issue calms down rather than rushing him back and risk further aggravation. Josh Simpson was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move to take his place in the M’s bullpen.

The 36-year-old hurler has made quick work in his recovery from a right hamstring strain and it sounds like he could be ready to go as soon as he’s first eligible on Wednesday. Given the injury to Garrett Crochet and the instability in the Red Sox’ rotation, the Red Sox are anxiously awaiting Gray’s return.

Kikuchi was sent for imaging after being pulled from Wednesday’s start in the third inning due to soreness in his shoulder. They should know the results in the next day or so, after which they can make a determination on Kikuchi’s status. It looks increasingly likely that he’ll require a trip to the injured list.

If all goes well with that start, it’s possible the 31-year-old right-hander could be cleared to return to the Jays’ rotation. He has been shelved since the spring due to a stress fracture in his pitching elbow. It’s unclear if the Jays will then go to a six-man rotation or if someone will get bumped to the bullpen to accommodate the return of Berríos.

The 28-year-old right-hander is working his way back from a right middle finger contusion that he sustained during Cactus League play. He has already worked his way up to 90 pitches in simulated games, so it’ll be interesting to see how many rehab starts he’ll require before he’s an option to help out the Halos.