MLB Player News

Puk (elbow) played catch from 60 feet Tuesday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

Puk landed on the 15-day injured list Sunday with irritation in his left elbow but is already back to throwing without any issues. He still has another two weeks or so before he can return from the IL, but it's a positive sign for the Marlins' closer.

The Brewers recalled Bukauskas from Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Bukauskas will fill the place of Gus Varland, who was DFA'd by the Crew on Tuesday. Bukauskas pitched just one major-league inning this season before being waived by Seattle and claimed by Milwaukee in April. Since then, he's been rather unimpressive in Nashville to the tune of a 6.35 ERA and 1.54 WHIP through 5.2 frames. Given his shaky history, the 26-year-old reliever likely won't see many high-leverage situations.

Varland was designated for assignment by the Brewers on Tuesday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Varland has lost his 40-man roster spot after getting torched in a mop-up situation Monday night against the Cardinals. The 26-year-old righty heads into DFA limbo with a career 11.42 ERA in 8.2 major-league frames.

Chargois (oblique) was activated from the 15-day injured list Tuesday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Chargois will return to the Marlins' bullpen Tuesday night against the Nationals after missing five weeks with a strained oblique. He had thrown 4.1 scoreless innings of relief prior to the injury.

Varland retired just two batters and was charged with nine earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out one in Monday's 18-1 loss to the Cardinals.

The rookie right-hander maintained a tidy 2.25 ERA through his first seven big-league relief appearances, but a 0.0 K-BB% and a 5.93 FIP suggested that Varland's run prevention was due for a correction. Regression hit Varland in a major way Monday, as he allowed nine of the 11 batters he faced to reach base and surrendered a pair of home runs while placing only 18 of his 33 pitches for strikes. Though this sort of outing would normally put an unestablished player like Varland at risk of a demotion to the minors, his status as a Rule 5 pick means he'll have to remain on the Brewers' active roster all season when healthy.

The Nationals optioned Abbott to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Abbott will return to the minors after he served as the Nationals' 27th man for Sunday's doubleheader with the Mets. He appeared out of the bullpen in the Nationals' 8-2 loss in the second game, striking out a batter over two scoreless innings while allowing one hit and one walk.

The Mets optioned Muckenhirn to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday.

Muckenhirn was up with the Mets for just one day, as he served as the team's 27th man for Sunday's doubleheader with the Nationals. The left-hander appeared out of the bullpen in the Mets' 8-2 win in Game 2, working two innings while giving up one run on four hits and one walk.

Triple-A Gwinnett activated Hernandez (elbow) from its 7-day injured list May 9 and assigned him to Double-A Mississippi.

Hernandez opened the season on the shelf while he finished up his recovery from February 2022 Tommy John surgery, but he was cleared to begin a rehab assignment with High-A Rome in mid-April. Though Hernandez allowed six runs (five earned) while striking out six and walking five over 5.1 innings across his six relief appearances with Rome, Atlanta saw enough from him to conclude he was ready to join the Mississippi bullpen. He turned in a scoreless inning in his first appearance for Mississippi last Wednesday.

Luetge (biceps) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Mississippi on Tuesday.

Luetge has been sidelined for the last month with left biceps inflammation but has been cleared to test things out in game action. He figures to need at least a couple rehab appearances before rejoining Atlanta's bullpen.

Alexander (3-0) was awarded the win Monday over the Phillies. He pitched 1.1 perfect innings without striking out a batter.

Jakob Junis allowed a run while completing the fifth inning after Alex Wood came up an out short of qualifying for the win. However, the official scorer deemed Alexander worthy of getting the decision. The southpaw has settled down a bit with one runs allowed over 4.2 innings across his last five outings. He has a 5.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 8:3 K:BB with three holds and two blown saves through 14.2 innings this season, though a pair of three-run meltdowns in late April have skewed his numbers.