MLB Player News

Hernandez was bumped off the 40-man roster by the Red Sox after being outrighted to Triple-A Pawtucket late last week, but he opted to test free agency instead. The 32-year-old batted .143/.218/.245 with a 14/5 K/BB ratio in 57 plate appearances for Boston this season. He’s going to have to accept a minor league deal somewhere this offseason.

Encarnacion-Strand has been out since April 17th with inflammation in his lower back. The 25-year-old was hitting just .158/.183/.298 in 60 plate appearances this season, so the Reds aren’t likely to rush him back. He’ll take a few weeks to work his way back up to Triple-A and then hopefully the big leagues by something in the middle of June.

This is now the second game in a row in which Togia is on the bench, and his third in the last six games for Colorado. The 26-year-old has plenty of raw power, but he’s hitting just .205/.272/.367 with a nearly 39 percent strikeout rate this season. He’s hard to roster in most fantasy leagues with that profile and only six home runs. Kyle Farmer will play first base against left-hander Ranger Suarez while Tyler Freeman is in right field and Aaron Schunk starts at second base.

It’s a routine day off for the veteran with Jose Iglesias playing shortstop and batting eighth. Bogaerts has gotten off to a slow start this season and is hitting .241/.329/.362 in 17 games in May with two home runs and 12 RBI. He has stolen four bases over that stretch and has a solid 12/9 K/BB ratio, so the plate discipline and speed remain there.

With Trent Grisham continuing to operate as the everyday center fielder in New York, Rice’s playing time has started to become less consistent. Rice is also hitting just .226 in 16 games in May despite continuing to show strong plate discipline and good quality of contact. Aaron Judge will slide to DH on Thursday with Cody Bellinger in right field and Jasson Dominguez in left field.

With Fernando Cruz (shoulder) headed to the injured list, the Yankees needed a fresh arm in the bullpen. Headrick should be up with the team for two weeks until Cruz comes back.

Cruz hasn’t pitched since Sunday, but he received a cortisone shot today and is expected to begin throwing today as well. The Yankees don’t seem overly concerned about him being out for an extended period of time, but Cruz will need to ramp back up after the cortisone shot and hope that there is no residual discomfort.

Hall took over for Brandon Woodruff and closed the game with three innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six. The left-hander threw 39 of his 57 pitches for strikes and has now thrown 10 2/3 shutout innings during his rehab assignment with 15 strikeouts and six walks. If the Brewers are planning to keep him in the bullpen for the time being, then it would seem that he’s ready to rejoin the big league team.

The veteran allowed three hits while walking two and striking out two. He only needed 59 pitches to get through four innings in his first start since dealing with right ankle tendinitis last week. There’s no word yet on if Woodruff’s next start will be with the Brewers or in the minors, but he’s worth a stash in fantasy leagues right now. Just don’t expect him to reach the highs he showcased before his shoulder capsule surgery.

Ullola struck out six but also walked four on the day. That command has been a bit of an Achilles heel for the 22-year-old during his minor league career. He had seemed to turn a corner earlier in the month, walking just three total batters in two starts, but he’s now up to seven walks in 14 innings this month. However, he has also struck out 21 and not allowed a single run over that stretch. The Astros’ rotation is banged up right now, and Ullola is the highest upside pitcher for them at Triple-A. He just needs to show that he can get his command in check consistently.

Santander left the game on Wednesday with left hip inflammation, and with a day game after a night game, the Blue Jays won’t risk him aggravating the injury. There is no word yet on how long Santander might be out, but Daulton Varsho will slide to the DH spot on Thursday with Myles Straw in centerfield and Jonatan Clase in left field. George Springer will also get the day off.