MLB Player News

Cole’s sixth minor league rehab start saw him throw 86 pitches and walk one batter. He averaged 97.0 mph with his fastball, which is 1.1 mph better than when he was last seen in 2024. It sure seems like he would have been fine to rejoin the rotation this weekend had the Yankees wanted him to. As is, though, he’s slated to make a seventh rehab start next week before being activated.

An approach change has really turned things around for Crews lately, and he’s slashing .291/.333/.527 in May with two home runs, nine RBI, two steals, and a 13/4 K/BB ratio. Since the end of April, his hard-hit rate is over 50 percent, he’s chasing fewer pitches outside of the zone, and making much more contact in the zone. He’s still swinging and missing a decent amount, but he’s pulling the ball in the air often, so his whiff rate can be sustainable if he continues to hit the ball and look to get it into the air on the pull side. It might be time for the Nationals to give the 24-year-old another chance.

Anthony has been sidelined since May 4th, and the Red Sox have focused on building strength in his hand before allowing him to grip a bat. Now, he will start with hitting flips before hitting off a machine. If that goes well, he could face live pitching sometime later this week and perhaps only need a short rehab stint before he’s back in Boston before the end of May. The Red Sox offense could really use him.

Garcia, better known as “The Password,” came to the Pirates in a trade this offseason from the Red Sox. He’s hitting .205/.256/.356 with three home runs and seven RBI in 19 games at Triple-A. He’s also spent time on the minor league injured list with a lower back injury. While “The Password” is a well-known prospect, he has been far better against left-handed pitching in the minor leagues, and there are some contact concerns. We’d prefer to leave him on the waiver wire while we see what role the Pirates have planned for him.

As expected. Even if he’s feeling somewhat better, the Mariners might opt to give Crawford a night off and play Leo Rivas at shortstop against lefty Noah Schultz and the White Sox on Monday.

Sheets took George Kirby deep in the first and sixth innings in a performance that raised his OPS from .804 to .896. Sheets was also flying pretty high early in the 2025 season, and though he didn’t quite keep it up, he had easily his best year to date. This year, so far, his EV, bat speed and strikeout numbers are all quite similar to last season. It’s probably not going to lead to any lasting mixed-league value, but he’s turned into a nice contributor in San Diego after 3 1/3 years with the White Sox in which he was one of the AL’s worst players.

Giolito had just two batters reach on a hit and a HBP through five. The sixth, though, started with three straight walks, and all three runners came around to score after he departed a 7-0 game. Things might have turned out differently if the Padres had challenged the 3-1 pitch to Cole Emerson that started the rally. It would have been overturned and led to a full count offering. Before the sixth, Giolito was very successful despite averaging just 90.4 mph with his fastball in his 2026 debut. Prior to his elbow issue, he averaged 93.3 mph for the Red Sox last year. Until he picks up the velocity some, he shouldn’t be considered in mixed leagues. He’ll face the A’s next time out.

Kirby initially had really good velocity tonight, averaging 98.8 mph with his fastball in the first inning. However, he was down to 96.2 mph by the sixth, when he gave up four of the six hits and runs he allowed on the night. If he had maintained his stuff a little longer, this was probably a quality start. Since he clearly hadn’t, Dan Wilson obviously shouldn’t have left him in as long as he did. Kirby will take a 5-3 record and a 3.45 ERA into his next start in Kansas City.

The Padres gave Gavin Sheets just his fourth outfield start of the year to make room for France tonight. It was France’s first start in four games. At .280/.308/.520 in 78 plate appearances, he currently has the third-best OPS on the Padres. Still, they seem wholly unconvinced that he’ll be able to keep it up, probably for good reason.

Unfortunately, he was left on deck at the end of the game in the ninth. Emerson’s two balls in play were both flyouts to right hit just over 300 feet. His walk would have been overturned had the Padres challenged the 3-1 changeup Lucas Giolito threw him, but maybe he’d have gotten it on the next pitch anyway. Notably, the Mariners kept him at third base tonight after shortstop J.P. Crawford left the game following a HBP They clearly want him to settle in at the hot corner while Brendan Donovan is out.

Stott smacked a two-run double off of Isaac Mattson in the sixth inning that pushed the Phillies’ lead to 5-0. He then added to it with a 395-foot (108.7 mph EV) solo shot off of Dennis Santana in the eighth. With his two-hit day, the 28-year-old infielder is now slashing .224/.268/.385 with four homers, 21 RBI and nine swipes through his first 155 plate appearances on the season.