MLB Player News

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Choi (elbow) took swings in the batting cage Saturday prior to being placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday, Steve Carney of MLB.com reports.

Though Choi was deactivated Sunday, the move is retroactive to Thursday, making him eligible to return from the IL in as little as a week. The Rays aren't ruling out the possibility of that happening, as Choi is already said to be showing improvement following Saturday's hitting session. According to Joey Johnston of the Tampa Bay Times, Cash added that he expects Choi to join the team for its upcoming West Coast road trip, which runs from Monday through May 11 and includes stops in Oakland, Seattle and Anaheim.

Cabrera went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's loss to the Dodgers.

Cabrera entered the eighth inning with strikeouts in his first three at-bats of the contest, but he salvaged his afternoon with his first home run of the season. The veteran isn't driving the ball like he once did, though he did pop 15 long balls in 2021, which were the most he hit in a season since recording 16 home runs in 2017. Cabrera could approach that range this season if he stays healthy.

Ohtani (groin) said after Sunday's game against the White Sox that he plans to play in Monday's series finale, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Ohtani exited Sunday's win in the top of the ninth inning due to right groin tightness. Although he'll presumably be monitored to make sure he isn't dealing with a significant issue, the 27-year-old didn't sound too concerned about the injury, and he's optimistic that he'll be able to serve as the designated hitter Monday. However, Ohtani is also scheduled to start as a pitcher Wednesday in Boston, so the Angels could choose to exercise some caution early this week so he doesn't aggravate the issue.

Buxton went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored during Sunday's 9-3 win at Tampa Bay.

The 28-year-old was scratched from Saturday's lineup due to a right hand contusion but returned to the starting nine Sunday and busted out of an 0-for-11 slump. Buxton has a .283/.345/.755 slash line with seven home runs, four doubles, 12 RBI and 13 runs in 58 plate appearances in 2022.

Ohtani was removed from Sunday's game against the White Sox with right groin tightness.

He went 0-for-3 with a walk and RBI before Jack Mayfield came on to pinch hit for him in the top of the ninth inning. Since Ohtani was serving as the Angels' designated hitter, he most likely picked up the injury while he was running the bases at some point over his four plate appearances on the afternoon. The injury suddenly puts Ohtani's status in jeopardy for the Angels' upcoming seven-game week. The two-way player is tentatively in line to make his next start as a pitcher Wednesday in Boston.

Miller is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta.

With Atlanta bringing southpaw Kyle Muller to the hill for the series finale, Miller will take a seat for the second day in a row. Nick Solak will fill in for Miller in left field.

Torrens is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.

Torrens will head to the bench after drawing three consecutive starts, two of which came behind the plate. He went 2-for-10 with a double and four RBI over that stretch and may have the early edge on the No. 1 catcher's job over Tom Murphy, who will be behind the plate for the series finale in Miami.

The Rays placed Choi on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to loose bodies in his right elbow.

Injuries of these kind can often require an arthroscopic procedure, but the Rays have yet to decide if Choi will need any sort of procedure to address the elbow issue. Regardless, his placement on the IL means he won't be eligible for reinstatement until May 8, which likely leaves Yandy Diaz and Harold Ramirez in line to serve as the Rays' primary first basemen for at least the next week.

Brantley (illness) will serve as Houston's designated hitter and No. 2 batter in Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.

Brantley will make his way back to the starting nine after a two-game absence while he dealt with a non-COVID-19-related illness. With the veteran having since cleared all protocols related to the virus, he'll be eased back into the lineup in a non-defensive role. With two home runs, eight runs, seven RBI and no stolen bases through 17 games this season, Brantley has been a modest producer in the counting categories, but his .290 average has been a boon for fantasy managers in a year where batting averages have cratered league-wide.

Martinez (groin) will serve as the Red Sox's designated hitter and cleanup batter in Sunday's game against the Orioles, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Adductor discomfort has relegated Martinez to the bench for each of Boston's last three games, but he'll make his way back into the starting nine for the series finale in Baltimore after showing improvement while he was idle. Christian Arroyo -- who had served as Boston's DH for both of the previous two contests -- will head back to the bench to make room in the lineup for Martinez.