MLB Player News

McCulloch has a 2.75 ERA in three starts this month. The 2006 first-rounder should be on the verge of a promotion to Double-A.

The exact severity remains a bit murky after King was scratched from Saturday’s start against Atlanta after sleeping awkwardly on his right shoulder. The 30-year-old fantasy ace, who holds a stellar 2.59 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 64/17 K/BB ratio across 55 2/3 innings (10 starts) this season, is likely to miss at least a few weeks, even in a best-case scenario. There should be an official update on his status at some point in the coming days.

No word on the exact reason at the moment. However, Rutschman took a foul tip to the mask during the third inning and wound up exiting the contest a couple frames later when he was lifted for pinch-hitter Maverick Handley in the fifth inning. He’ll presumably undergo further evaluation and testing for a concussion. There should be an update on his status shortly.

Nimmo will sit out his second straight game on Sunday night after making an early exit from Friday’s extra-inning showdown with neck stiffness. It’ll be veteran Jeff McNeil heading out to patrol left field in his absence. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.

Vientos is back at third base and batting second on Sunday night as the Mets face off against the powerhouse Dodgers at Citi Field in primetime. The 2-year-old returns following a two-game absence due to abdominal soreness. The other notable variable here is that red-hot Brett Baty is getting a turn at second base instead of heading to the bench.

Mathews scattered two hits and needed only 45 pitches (30 strikes to navigate three frames in his second rehab outing in the lower minors. The 24-year-old top pitching prospects stock took a hit earlier this season as he battled command issues at the Triple-A level before hitting the injured list with shoulder soreness. He’s looked extremely sharp in rehab outings and figures to arrive in St. Louis at some point in the second half. His elite strikeout potential makes him extremely intriguing from a fantasy standpoint.

It’s the final hurdle that Trout needs to clear before returning to Los Angeles’ lineup. The 33-year-old fantasy superstar, who is making his way back from a bone bruise in his surgically-repaired left knee, will need to do so multiple times before the Angels go ahead and officially activate him, but it’s possible he makes his return at some point later this week.

The big news here is that it happened after Friday’s 13-inning marathon pushed the session back to Sunday. It’s a significant step forward in Ohtani’s throwing progression as he gradually builds towards making his pitching debut in a Dodgers uniform. Los Angeles pitching coach Mark Prior told reporters afterwards that Ohtani touched 97 mph during the session, which is extremely encouraging. There’s no timeline for the 30-year-old superstar to make his first pitching appearance at this juncture, but it seems theoretically possible that he could be ready to get into game action at some point during the second half.

Alvarez remains in a bit of a holding pattern, which is frustrating for fantasy managers eagerly awaiting his return. The 27-year-old fantasy superstar would be back in Houston’s lineup if he were feeling 100 percent, but that’s clearly not the case. At this juncture, it’s unclear how close he is to making it back, especially after he told reporters earlier this week that he was still dealing with some right hand soreness while swinging a bat. Hopefully there is some additional clarity on his status at some point in the coming days.

Eder gives the Angels a fresh arm heading into Sunday’s series finale against the Athletics in Sacramento. The 26-year-old lefty has made three relief appearances this season for Los Angeles after being acquired from the White Sox back in late March.

Dana was a highly-regarded pitching prospect for Los Angeles in the recent past, so it’s surprising to see him pitching in what amounts to mop-up duty. The 21-year-old righty returns to the minors after a one-day stint with the big-league club.