MLB Player News

Higashioka was activated off the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday.

Higashioka was out for the last two games due to flu-like symptoms but reportedly tested negative for the virus. He's good to go now, but it will be Jose Trevino who starts behind the plate Tuesday against Baltimore.

Soderstrom has generated a .278 average and .889 OPS across 36 plate appearances over his last eight games with High-A Lansing.

The 20-year-old's numbers were in dire straits as recently as May 13, when he carried a .173/.263/.346 slash line over his first 29 games. However, Soderstrom's current surge has seen him lace five of 10 hits for extra bases, a sample that includes another three home runs to push his season total to seven. The promising prospect's 26.0 percent strikeout rate is currently a tick higher than last season's 24.0 percent figure at Low-A Stockton, but he's also been partly victimized by a .223 BABIP.

Raleigh went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in a win over the Athletics on Monday.

Raleigh drew the start at catcher while Luis Torrens shifted to designated hitter, and the former enjoyed some rare offensive success out of the bottom of the order. The 25-year-old backstop continues to find big-league arms hard to master despite consistent production at Triple-A Tacoma, but four of his six hits with the Mariners across 57 plate appearances have left the yard.

Bethancourt went 2-for-3 with two runs in a loss to the Mariners on Monday.

Bethancourt was effective in setting up some run-scoring opportunities while generating his fourth multi-hit effort of the season. The reserve backstop continues to see semi-regular playing time while Stephen Vogt (knee) remains on the injured list and now carries a .231/.286/.308 slash line across 85 plate appearances.

Maile went 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored in Monday's 6-1 win over the Astros.

Maile's first multi-hit game this season was a big one in his first game action since May 17. The catcher had previously recorded four double in his first seven games, but all three of his hits Monday were singles. He's still not seeing much playing time, as Austin Hedges has received the vast majority of the starts behind the dish.

Wallach was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday.

The 30-year-old joined the Angels while Max Stassi and Kurt Suzuki were on the COVID-19 injured list, but Wallach will head back to the minors now that Stassi and Suzuki are back to full health. Over 10 games in the majors, Wallach hit .156 with a homer, a double, four RBI and three runs.

Stassi (illness) was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list Monday.

Stassi spent just under two weeks on the IL, and he'll rejoin the Angels after going 3-for-8 with a homer, a double, two runs, two RBI and two strikeouts over two rehab games at Single-A Inland Empire. The 31-year-old should serve as the Angels' primary catcher now that he's back to full health.

Jansen is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cardinals.

He'll retreat to the bench after he caught in three of the Blue Jays' last four games while going 1-for-10 with two strikeouts during that stretch. Jansen will give way to Alejandro Kirk behind the dish in the series opener.

Hedges isn't starting Monday against the Astros.

Hedges will get a breather after he went 2-for-11 with a double, a run and three strikeouts over the last four games. Luke Maile will start behind the dish and bat ninth.

Murphy will refrain from participation in baseball activities for 10 days due to a lack of responsiveness from his injured left shoulder, Craig Forde of MLB.com reports. "He's not ready to go," manager Scott Servais said. "As much as he's tried to push it and as hard as he's worked, it just hasn't picked up the momentum it's needed to."

The veteran backstop therefore looks likely to be sidelined until early-to-mid-June at the earliest. Murphy had been enjoying a fruitful start to the season that included a .303 average, .894 OPS and a 19.5 percent walk rate, but he'll be out for at least a couple more weeks and is now likely to need a multi-game rehab assignment before he's deemed ready for activation.