MLB Player News

Lambert (forearm) was activated from the injured list Thursday and was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Lambert made three rehab appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque, building up to three innings in his final outing. He'll likely continue to stretch out in the minors and could be an option for the Rockies rotation at some point later in the season. Lambert is in line for his first significant game action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019.

Soto (2-2) pitched a scoreless ninth inning and earned the win Thursday against the Guardians. He allowed a hit and struck out one.

Soto needed 21 pitches to get through the top of the ninth inning but he kept Cleveland off the board in a 3-3 game, and the Tigers walked it off in the bottom half of the frame. The lefty doesn't always make things pretty, though he does have a solid 2.45 ERA and has recorded seven saves in eight chances. He's the top Detroit reliever at the moment for fantasy purposes, and that likely won't change anytime soon unless Soto truly implodes.

Pearson (illness) threw 30 pitches in a rehab appearance with Single-A Dunedin on Thursday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Pearson completed 1.2 innings and allowed one earned run on one hit and a walk while striking out one. He sat at 95 mph with his fastball and hit 97, which is down from the last two seasons. That's not a major reason for concern yet, as Pearson is ramping up after being sidelined for the entire season by mononucleosis. It's unclear how many more rehab appearances he may need, as he is projected to fill a long-relief role once activated.

Vest (illness) cleared the league's health and safety protocols and rejoined the team Thursday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Although Vest is no longer isolating from the team, he remains on the COVID-19 injured list ahead of the Tigers' four-game series against Cleveland. The right-hander is expected to ramp up his workload and pitch in a rehab game prior to rejoining Detroit's bullpen, but it seems likely he'll be activated at some point next week.

Alcala (elbow) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

Alcala hasn't thrown since April 10, and he was transferred to the 60-day injured list April 23. While the right-hander isn't eligible to be activated until at least June 10, he'll take a significant step in his recovery Saturday, when he's scheduled to throw live batting practice. Whether Alcala is able to return when he's first eligible isn't yet clear, but he's certainly trending in the right direction.

Alexander (elbow) is expected to make a rehab start at Triple-A Toledo on Monday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Alexander had been limited to throwing off flat ground recently, but he's made good progress over the last week and threw two innings against live hitters Tuesday. The southpaw has been on the injured list since May 2, and it's not yet clear how many rehab starts he'll require prior to rejoining the Tigers.

Mayers was designated for assignment by the Angels on Thursday.

Mayers made the Angels' Opening Day roster this season, and he earned a win and a hold while posting a 5.40 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 16.2 innings over 15 relief appearances to begin the year. However, he'll lose his spot on the 40-man roster after Juan Lagares' contract was selected by the Angels on Thursday.

Thompson is scheduled to start Saturday's game against the White Sox, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Thompson is poised to make his third start of the season Saturday as Chicago enters a week with a pair of doubleheaders. As a result of the twin bills, the right-hander may receive an additional turn through the rotation. He's been a force on the mound for the Cubs this season with a 1.54 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 31:10 K:BB over 35 innings.

Coleman was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Thursday.

The 25-year-old was sent to the minors on Sunday but will quickly rejoin the big-league club with Amir Garrett (undisclosed) headed to the injured list. Coleman has appeared in 17 games for Kansas City this season and has a 4.02 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 21:15 K:BB across 15.2 innings.

Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a right forearm flexor injury.

Hicks apparently suffered the injury during Tuesday's start against Toronto, when he was charged with the loss after he surrendered four runs on five walks over three innings. According to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, the 25-year-old doesn't believe it's a serious injury, though the medical imaging he recently underwent has yet to be analyzed. The Cardinals are also considering shifting Hicks back to the bullpen once healthy, per Katie Woo of The Athletic.