MLB Player News

The Angels selected Joyce's contract from Double-A Rocket City on Sunday.

Joyce will head to the big leagues less than a year after the organization selected the right-hander in the third round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft. The right-hander boasts a fastball that can reach the triple digits with regularity, and he's registered a 3.27 ERA and 17:6 K:BB over his last 11 innings at Double-A. The 22-year-old has dealt with command issues at times, but he has the stuff to provide immediate help to the Los Angeles bullpen. He could get a chance to work in a high-leverage role for the Angels, though he may first have to prove himself in middle-relief situations.

Barria (1-2) took the loss against Miami on Saturday, allowing four unearned runs on one hit and two walks while striking out one batter in one inning.

Barria tossed five scoreless innings as a starter May 22, but he came on in relief in the 10th inning Saturday. The right-hander's two walks were both intentional and he threw 13 of 15 pitches for a strike overall, but a pair of Angels errors were too much for him to overcome. Per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, Barria's relief outing will serve as his "bullpen session" ahead of his next start, which won't be impacted. He's scheduled to take the mound Wednesday against the White Sox.

Kansas City placed Taylor on the 15-day injured list Sunday with left shoulder impingement syndrome, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Taylor threw 18 pitches against the Nationals on Saturday, and he allowed two earned runs while giving up three hits and a walk without recording an out. He'll miss at least two weeks with the injury, but shoulder injuries often require a lengthier stay on the injured list for hurlers. Daniel Lynch (shoulder) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move and will start Sunday's series finale with Washington.

Harris didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Astros, allowing one hit and one walk over five scoreless innings of relief. He struck out five.

The rookie lefty was brilliant in a bulk relief role, tossing 54 of 77 pitches for strikes, but unfortunately for the A's, opener Austin Pruitt dug a quick 2-0 hole and the team's offense never closed the gap. Harris had just been called up from Triple-A Las Vegas earlier in the day, and while this was an impressive performance, he was just as impressively bad in his big-league debut back on April 14 against the Mets (six runs in one-third of an inning.) It's not clear what Oakland's plan is for Harris, but he's likely to get shuffled back to Vegas for a fresh arm with Paul Blackburn (finger) expected to rejoin the rotation Monday.

The Rays optioned Kelley to Triple-A Durham on Sunday.

Tampa Bay was in need of a fresh relief arm heading into Sunday's series finale with the Dodgers, and Kelley found himself as the odd man out of the bullpen after he was needed to cover two innings in Saturday's 6-5 loss. The Rays selected lefty Joe LaSorsa's contract from Durham in a corresponding move.

Double-A Somerset reinstated Gomez (shoulder) from the 7-day injured list Sunday.

Gomez will make his season debut Sunday after missing six-plus weeks with a shoulder injury. The 23-year-old has shown the ability to miss bats in the minors and registered a 2.49 ERA over 47 innings in the 2022 campaign, but he carries durability and command concerns that might make him better suited for a relief role at the highest level.

Pressly struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to record his 10th save of the season in a 6-3 win over the A's.

The 34-year-old righty continued a stellar run that has seen him hold the opposition scoreless in 15 of his last 16 appearances, a stretch in which Pressly has a 1.13 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 16:1 K:BB through 16 innings. His ability to stay healthy for a full campaign remains a bit of a question mark, but he has yet to blow a save chance in 2023 and remains locked into the top spot in the Astros bullpen.

The Rays selected LaSorsa's contract from Triple-A Durham on Sunday.

In order to clear room for LaSorsa on the 40-man roster and the 26-man active roster, the Rays designated right-hander Chris Muller for assignment and optioned right-hander Trevor Kelley to Triple-A. Over his nine outings (three starts) with Durham this season spanning 21 innings, LaSorsa pitched to a 3.86 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 13:8 K:BB. He should work as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen while he's up with the Rays.

Angels manager Phil Nevin said after Saturday's 8-5 loss to Miami in 10 innings that Moore is set to be placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to an oblique strain, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

According to Nevin, Moore suffered the injury in question while throwing on the field prior to Friday's 6-2 win. After an MRI on Saturday confirmed that he had suffered a strain, Moore will now be shelved for at least the next two and a half weeks, though the Angels haven't offered up a precise timeline for his return. The Angels will promote top relief prospect Ben Joyce from Double-A Rocket City to take Moore's spot in the bullpen.

Angels manager Phil Nevin said Joyce will be promoted from Double-A Rocket City ahead of Sunday's game against the Marlins, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

The 22-year-old right-hander will be joining the Anaheim bullpen as a replacement for Matt Moore, who is headed for the 15-day injured list due to an oblique strain. The 2022 third-round pick is a pure relief prospect, but thanks to a big fastball that routinely reaches the triple digits, he has a chance to become one of the top bullpen arms in baseball once he reaches his peak. After a rough start to the season at Double-A, Joyce has been much sharper over the past month, logging a 3.27 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 17:6 K:BB in 11 innings over his last nine appearances. He could immediately step into a key setup role in front of closer Carlos Estevez as he matriculates to the big leagues.