MLB Player News

Foley struck out the only two batters he faced Thursday against the White Sox to earn his first save of the season.

Lefty Andrew Chafin, after pitching a scoreless eighth inning, recorded the first out of the ninth before handing things over to Foley. The right-hander struck out Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert to preserve an Opening Day shutout while touching triple digits with his sinker. Alex Lange was the presumptive closer for the Tigers after leading the team in saves with 26 last season, but he did not appear in Thursday's game. There has been nothing yet to indicate Lange is injured, so perhaps Foley has simply leapfrogged Lange for the closer role in the eyes of manager A.J. Hinch.

Jackson left in the seventh inning of Thursday's game against the Padres with a back injury, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.

Jackson signalled for the trainer after throwing ball four to Jackson Merrill, and Ryan Walker came in to close out the seventh. Jackson noted after the game that he felt his back tighten after his second to last pitch to Merrill, and the right-hander will undergo an MRI on Thursday night, per Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Giants placed Hjelle (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

Hjelle has resumed throwing off the mound since being shut down earlier this month with a mild right elbow sprain, but he's still likely to face an uphill battle to make it back from the 15-day injured list April 9 when first eligible. At this stage, Alex Cobb (hip) seems to be ahead of Hjelle in his throwing progression, as Cobb threw 40 pitches in a minor-league spring training game last weekend. If Cobb beats Hjelle back from the IL, the latter would likely have to settle for a long-relief role or a rotation spot at Triple-A Sacramento upon being activated.

The Cubs placed Kilian (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.

Kilian was diagnosed in early March with a teres major strain in his right shoulder. The team noted at the time that it's an injury that can have a wide range of timelines, but the righty is likely to be out at least until around the All-Star break.

The Giants placed Small (oblique) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.

Small sustained a Grade 2 right oblique strain just under two weeks ago and will now spend the first two months of the regular season rehabbing and recovering from the injury after landing on the 60-day IL. The 27-year-old lefty had served as a starter for most of his professional career but made the full-time move to the bullpen last season while he was in the Milwaukee organization.

The Mets placed Reid-Foley on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a right shoulder impingement.

Reid-Foley missed much of spring training with what had been described as arm fatigue and ultimately landed on the IL with a shoulder issue. The Mets haven't provided a timetable for the right-handed reliever's return.

The Blue Jays placed Romano (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

General manager Ross Atkins indicated recently that he's hopeful Romano will require only a minimum stay on the IL, which would mean an activation April 9. Romano hasn't yet resumed throwing off a mound, however, so he still has some hurdles to clear before Atkins' hopes are realized. Chad Green, Yimi Garcia and Tim Mayza are candidates for saves while Romano is out, with Erik Swanson (forearm) also potentially entering the mix if he beats Romano back from the IL.

The Rockies placed Gilbreath (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

Gilbreath is still working his way back from March 2023 Tommy John surgery, although the plan had been for him to resume facing hitters this week. It's not clear when the left-hander might be ready for his season debut, but the Rockies' decision not to place him on the 60-day IL suggests that he has a chance to pitch from Colorado before the end of May.

The Astros placed Ortega (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Ortega is facing a recovery timeline of 3-to-4 months after he underwent surgery last week to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. The 27-year-old reliever could be a candidate to shift to the 60-day IL later in the season when the Astros need to make room on the 40-man roster for another player.

The Athletics placed Newcomb on the 60-day injured list Thursday with left knee inflammation.

Newcomb had knee surgery last September but made four appearances this spring, so he evidently must have suffered a setback if a 60-day IL stint was deemed appropriate. It's not clear whether the Athletics plan to bring the left-hander back as a starter or reliever once he's healthy.