MLB Player News

Bautista was summoned to protect a four-run lead in his first appearance for the Orioles since undergoing Tommy John surgery back in 2023. He worked around a double and a walk, striking out three batters to extinguish the threat. The 29-year-old right-hander touched 98 mph in the outing, which isn’t quite back to pre-surgery velocity levels, but it’s close. It was the type of performance that is an encouraging sign he’s ready to return to closing duties for the Orioles.

Andujar was pulled from Sunday’s game against the Blue Jays with right oblique discomfort. He’s undergoing additional exams on Monday, the results of which will inform the A’s final decision on the matter, but it sounds like he’s going to be shelved for at least a couple of weeks. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues who may be counting on Andujar for next week should be sure to have an alternative option ready to go.

Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday’s game that Betts felt good after his baseball activity on Sunday and was even able to do some light hitting in the batting cage. He won’t return on Monday, as Hyeseong Kim will draw another start in his place at shortstop, but it sounds like there’s growing optimism that he could potentially be ready on Tuesday. He’s still considered day-to-day for the time being.

Sheets crashed into the outfield wall while attempting to make a play on Adam Frazier’s home run ball in the fourth inning. Shildt noted that Sheets is currently dealing with a head contusion, sore hip and a jammed thumb/wrist and is still being evaluated. It seems likely that he’ll need to pass through the concussion protocol before returning to action, so that should be the injury that is monitored the closest. Fantasy managers who are relying on Sheets for the start of next week should be sure to have a contingency plan in place.

Weaver had been up as the Yankees had a 6-3 lead heading to the ninth, but ultimately Tim Hill came on once they scored a run in the top half of the inning to run their lead to four. Still, it was noticeable that Hill and Mark Leiter Jr. were warming in a save situation and now we get confirmation on the minor injury for Weaver. It’s something fantasy managers should certainly keep an eye on as lineups are set for the upcoming week.

Tucker left the game in the fifth inning after jamming his finger while stealing a base. Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters he was “optimistic this is going to be, at most, a day or two.” It looks as if Tucker has avoided a serious injury and should be considered day-to-day ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Nationals.

The 22-year-old slugger will join the Royals prior to Tuesday’s series opener against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Tuesday. He has been an absolute monster across two minor league levels this season, slashing .322/.389/.593 with 15 homers, 56 RBI, two stolen bases and a 46/24 K/BB ratio over 229 plate appearances. He’s worthy of an immediate add in any fantasy leagues where he may be available and should provide a major impact in the power department for the duration of the season.

Rice did his damage in the third inning, launching an 0-2 splitter from Yoshinobu Yamamoto for a go-ahead 425-foot (107.4 mph EV) two-run blast that gave the Yankees a lead they would never relinquish. The 26-year-old has been a strong source of production in the middle of the Yankees’ lineup this season, slashing .250/.340/.535 with 12 long balls, 25 RBI and a pair of stolen bases.

The 36-year-old infielder led off the second inning with a single off of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, advanced to second on a passed ball and to third on a ground out, but the Yankees couldn’t cash him in. He then delivered an RBI single in the fifth inning that extended the Bombers’ lead to 5-1. LeMahieu also singled to right off of Noah Davis in the seventh and delivered a run-scoring double in the ninth inning to cap off the Yankees’ scoring in the game. With the four-hit attack, he’s now hitting .239/.314/.326 with one homer, five RBI and a 12/5 K/BB ratio in 51 plate appearances since returning from the injured list.

Bellinger came in as a pinch-hitter for the injured Jasson Dominguez in the sixth inning and was promptly hit by a pitch. He then worked Chris Stratton for a walk to open the ninth inning, stole second base and raced around to score on an RBI double off the bat of DJ LeMahieu. On the season, the dynamic 29-year-old is now hitting .253/.330/.443 with eight homers, 32 RBI and five stolen bases.

The 33-year-old southpaw befuddled the Dodgers’ hitters throughout the night, racking up five strikeouts in the dominant performance. The only blemish on his night came on a solo homer off the bat of Tommy Edman in the second inning. Yarbrough racked up 17 whiffs on 93 pitches on the night — seven of those on his sweeper — while registering a CSW of 33 percent. Now 3-0 on the season, he’ll carry an impressive 2.83 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and a 40/11 K/BB ratio (41 1/3 innings) into Saturday’s divisional showdown against the Red Sox.