MLB Player News

McCullers (forearm) threw 25 times on flat ground from 60 feet Tuesday and is scheduled to throw again Friday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The 28-year-old has been shut down since suffering setbacks while rehabbing during the offseason, and his return to throwing is a significant development in his rehab program. McCullers will need to strengthen his arm before returning to mound work and eventually facing live hitter. His return from the injured list likely remains more than a month away.

Gray (finger) said Tuesday that he believes he's on track to return from the 10-day injured list when first eligible April 19, independent baseball journalist Jeff Wilson reports.

Though Gray has yet to throw a bullpen session since being placed on the IL, he's pleased with how his hand has healed after he developed a blister on one of his fingers coming out of his Rangers debut April 8 in Toronto. Due to off days Wednesday and next Monday, the Rangers will be able to get by with a four-man rotation if Gray is on fact on track to return for the start of next week's series in Seattle.

Montgomery was cleared to play catch after both an MRI and CT scan on his left knee administered earlier Tuesday returned negative, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Montgomery's first start of the season Sunday against the Red Sox was cut short due to left knee inflammation, but he responded well to having his knee drained following the outing. With the swelling having subsided, Montgomery was able to resume throwing Tuesday, and the expectation is that he'll make his normal pre-start bullpen session Wednesday, per Meredith Marakovits of YES Network. If all goes well in his return to the mound, Montgomery should get the green light to make his next turn through the rotation Friday in Baltimore.

Watkins is scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Brewers in Baltimore, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.

Since he wasn't needed out of the bullpen during Monday's 2-0 win in the series opener following his promotion from Triple-A Norfolk, Watkins will pick up a start in place of Dean Kremer (oblique), who was placed on the injured list a day ago. Kremer is projected to miss at least 3-to-4 weeks, potentially paving the way for Watkins to earn a longer-term stay in the rotation. Fantasy managers shouldn't get too excited about that prospect, however; in his 10 starts with Baltimore in 2021, Watkins turned in a 7.63 ERA.

Giolito, who was placed on the 10-day injured list earlier Tuesday with a left abdominal strain, said he feels significantly better than when he first suffered the injury Friday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Giolito appears to be optimistic that he'll require a minimum-length IL stint or close to it, as the White Sox won't shut him down from throwing while he recovers from the injury. He noted that he's been throwing a plyometric ball against a wall over the past few days to keep his arm active, and he intends to begin playing catch later Tuesday. While Giolito's continued activity is a good sign, how his injury responds to throwing bullpen sessions and live batting practice will likely be more telling with regard to when he might be ready to come off the IL.

Cueto has yet to face hitters at the White Sox's extended spring training facility in Arizona but could be ready to throw live batting practice within the next few days, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Since Cueto didn't sign his minor-league deal with the White Sox until April 4, he's only about one week into his own version of spring training. The White Sox envision Cueto serving as rotation depth, so he'll likely need at least a couple of weeks to get adequately stretched out for starting duty before the team determines whether there's room for him on the big-league roster. Lucas Giolito (abdomen) was added to the injured list Tuesday, but Cueto looks to be a more logical candidate to replace Lance Lynn (knee), who is sidelined with a longer-term injury than Giolito.

Velasquez is expected to handle four innings Tuesday against the Mariners, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

Velasquez looked like a depth option when he signed in mid-March but is already needed in the fourth game of the year after injuries to Lance Lynn (knee) and Lucas Giolito (abdomen). He won't pitch long enough to earn the win Tuesday, which further decreases the fantasy appeal of a pitcher with a career 4.95 ERA and a 6.10 mark over the last two seasons.

Giolito (abdomen) hit the injured list as expected Tuesday.

Giolito struck out six in four scoreless innings in his season debut Friday against the Tigers before exiting with an abdominal strain. The White Sox are optimistic that he'll miss no more than two starts, which puts his potential return date in late April. Jimmy Lambert was recalled to take Giolito's place on the roster and may also be tasked with stepping into his spot in the rotation.

Wacha didn't factor into the decision Monday against the Tigers after tossing 4.1 innings of one-run ball, allowing two hits and three walks while fanning four.

Wacha tossed 45 of his 72 pitches for strikes, and while he wasn't especially dominant, he also didn't have many stressful moments. He will try to earn his first win of the season when he pitches next, which lines up for Sunday against the Twins.

Taillon (0-1) took the loss Monday as the Yankees were blanked 3-0 by the Blue Jays, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out six without walking a batter.

It was a strong first outing of the season for Taillon, who tossed 53 of 72 pitches for strikes, but New York's bats couldn't get anything going against Alek Manoah and the Toronto bullpen. Taillon will look for a better result in his next start, scheduled for Saturday in Baltimore.