MLB Player News

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Pressly's (knee) availability for Friday's game against the Phillies is yet to be determined, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Pressly had to have his right knee drained Tuesday. He played catch Thursday and will do so again Friday before the Cubs determine whether he's available to pitch in the series opener versus the Phillies. Porter Hodge is next in line to close for Chicago if Pressly cannot pitch, although an appearance Friday would be Hodge's third in four days, so it's possible the Cubs would prefer not to use him.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Assad has been shut down after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Assad re-injured his oblique during a rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Iowa. It's not clear how long the right-hander will remain shut down, but Counsell intimated that Assad will have to start building up from scratch once he's cleared to resume a throwing program. It's a significant setback for Assad, who will likely remain sidelined until at least June.

Henry walked one and struck out four over two scoreless, no-hit relief innings in Thursday's loss to the Orioles.

The 25-year-old right-hander has had an injury-marred pro career since being selected in the second round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, but Henry has looked good so far in a relief role with the Nationals. Through four appearances, he has yet to allow a run while posting a 0.64 WHIP and 8:1 K:BB. Washington's bullpen remains unsettled behind closer Kyle Finnegan, so Henry has a clear path to a high-leverage spot if he can keep stacking zeros -- he entered Thursday's contest in the eighth inning with the Nats down by a run.

Nelson allowed one run on three hits and struck out five over 2.1 innings in Thursday's 7-4 extra-inning loss to Tampa Bay.

Nelson entered the game in the seventh inning with Arizona nursing a 4-3 lead and cruised through his first two frames. With the back end of the bullpen shorthanded, the right-hander was asked to pitch the ninth as well, but Nelson faded and was tagged with the tying run, and his first blown save, as he handled his biggest workload of the season (54 pitches). The Diamondbacks are working without high-leverage options A.J. Puk (elbow) and Kevin Ginkel (shoulder), and a recent bout of fatigue led manager Torey Lovullo to not use Justin Martinez after he'd pitched Wednesday.

Beeks underwent X-rays on his forearm which came back negative, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Beeks was removed from Thursday's loss to the Rays after being struck by a comebacker but is not expected to miss any time. That's obviously good news for the Diamondbacks, who are already missing a couple key pieces in the bullpen. A recent report from Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic suggests A.J. Puk (elbow) is facing a lengthy absence, while Kevin Ginkel (shoulder) is hoping to be back by the end of April and Justin Martinez is experiencing fatigue. Beeks has not allowed a run over 10 appearances this month and sports a 0.60 ERA through 15 innings on the year.

Rogers (2-0) earned the win during Thursday's 6-5 victory over Milwaukee, allowing a hit and striking out three in a scoreless inning.

Rogers entered the game in the eighth frame, striking out the first two batters he faced before giving up a single to Garrett Mitchell. However, Rogers kept his composure and struck out the final batter before San Francisco's offense scored two runs. The veteran reliever was efficient in the win, throwing 13 of his 16 pitches for strikes. The right-hander has been impressive over 14 appearances, recording a 0.68 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and a 13:2 K:BB with seven holds across 13.1 innings.

Beeks was struck in the left arm by a comebacker and exited Thursday's game against the Rays, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Beeks managed to get the out on the play but was removed quickly thereafter. The severity of the injury is unclear, but it would be bad news for an already shorthanded Arizona bullpen if Beeks misses any additional time.

Puk (elbow) is unlikely to pitch for at least a couple of months, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

The Diamondbacks have not officially announced a timeline for Puk, who is awaiting word from two orthopedic doctors as to the severity of his elbow injury. However, team officials have spoken as if they are preparing for Puk to be sidelined for a lengthy period, and potentially the rest of the season. His absence will likely solidify Justin Martinez's role as the closer, though Kevin Ginkel (shoulder) is also nearing a return.

The Rockies returned Mejia to Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday.

Mejia received his first MLB call-up Thursday, serving as the Rockies' 27th man for the team's doubleheader against the Royals. He made his debut in the second contest, allowing one unearned run on one hit while striking out one.

Doval earned the save in Thursday's 6-5 win over the Brewers, allowing one hit and one walk in a scoreless ninth inning. He did not record a strikeout.

Doval entered the ninth inning tasked with preserving the Giants' one-run lead. He issued a walk to Caleb Durbin and a double to Christian Yelich, but Doval was able to get Rhys Hoskins to fly out to come away with the save. Doval is up to five saves on the season, three of which have come over his last three outings, and he's tied with Ryan Walker for most saves on the Giants. Doval has a 2.25 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 8:5 K:BB over 12 innings this season.