MLB Player News

German will return from the Yankees' alternate training site to start against Cleveland on Thursday, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

German made two starts early in the campaign and allowed seven runs across seven innings before being sent to the team's alternate site. Manager Aaron Boone suggested at the time that the move was made in response to a light schedule that saw New York play only six games in eight days, so German could be returning to the rotation for more than just a spot start. The Yankees will certainly need a fifth starter, as their next off day won't take place until May 3.

McCullers (illness) is scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Angels in Houston, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

McCullers was nearly cleared to start Tuesday's game in Colorado, but the Astros elected to have him skip his turn in the rotation to afford him more recovery time from the side effects he experienced from the second dose of his COVID-19 vaccine. Luis Garcia made a spot start Tuesday in McCullers' stead, but he'll be bound for the bullpen or the Astros' alternate training site now that McCullers will be ready to go for the weekend series.

The Astros will recall Javier from their alternate site to start Thursday's series opener versus the Angels in Houston, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Houston sent Javier back to the alternate site April 10, but that was a byproduct of the team's light schedule over the past two weeks rather than the result of any dissatisfaction with the right-hander's performance through his first two starts of the season. With Houston's next off day not coming until May 3, the club will transition back to a five-man rotation featuring Javier, Zack Greinke, Jake Odorizzi, Lance McCullers and Jose Urquidy.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Skubal will serve as a piggyback starter behind Michael Fulmer in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader with the Pirates, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Hinch initially planned for Skubal to piggyback Spencer Turnbull (COVID-19 injured list) in the latter's season debut, but the team elected to alter its pitching schedule following Tuesday's postponement. The skipper noted that Fulmer will work about 2-to-3 innings before turning the game over to Skubal, who will likely face a similar limitation with his workload.

Civale and Cleveland won't face the White Sox on Wednesday after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Northeast Ohio, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

The two teams will make up Wednesday's game during a traditional doubleheader on Memorial Day. As a result of the postponement, Cleveland will push each of its five starters back a day in the pitching schedule with the exception of Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie, who will flip spots in the order. That puts Civale on track to start Thursday's series opener with the Yankees in Cleveland, according to Mandy Bell of MLB.com.

Lyles (1-1) allowed three earned runs on five hits while striking out five across six innings Tuesday, taking the loss to the Angels.

Lyles made his longest and first quality start of the season, but it resulted in his first loss. He has allowed at least one home run in each of his four starts, with Tuesday's coming from the bat of Mike Trout in the sixth inning. The 30-year-old has consistently produced decent starts without any splashy numbers and by consistently limiting damage, producing a 4.64 ERA in 21.1 innings.

Canning (1-1) allowed two earned runs on two hits while striking out two across 2.1 innings, earning the win over the Rangers on Tuesday.

Canning was moved to the bullpen after Shohei Ohtani reentered the starting rotation. In the 24-year-old's first relief appearance, he surrendered a solo home run to Nick Solak but did enough to maintain the lead. The Angels have some form of a six-man rotation going on and Canning's role will likely bounce between starting and relief through the season. He has a 5.68 ERA in 12.2 innings.

Garcia (0-1) was charged with the loss against Colorado on Tuesday despite giving up two earned runs across 5.2 innings. He allowed three hits and three walks while striking out six.

The right-hander averaged 65 pitches over his first two outings this season, so he had no issue absorbing 5.2 frames on 84 pitches against the Rockies. Garcia held Colorado scoreless until a two-out double off the bat of C.J. Cron in the sixth inning chased him from the game. He was impressive overall, however, inducing 14 swinging strikes and allowing only three hits. Garcia will likely return to a long-relief role moving forward, but he showed well enough Tuesday to remain a rotation candidate for Houston if the need arises.

Keller (1-2) was charged with the loss against Tampa Bay on Tuesday, pitching 1.2 innings and allowing five runs on three hits and three walks while striking out one.

Keller made it through the first inning with one run charged to his tally, but he fell apart in the second. The Rays notched only one hit in the frame but worked three walks off the right-hander to chase him from the game. Keller was largely responsible for his own demise, as he threw only 29 of 54 pitches for strikes and uncorked a wild pitch to boot. This was the 25-year-old's second major implosion of the campaign, leading to an ugly 12.00 ERA. He'll try to turn things around Monday when he takes on the Tigers in Detroit.

Hill allowed four runs on four hits and a walk over two innings in a no-decision against Kansas City on Tuesday. He struck out one.

The veteran southpaw made it through his first two frames unscathed, but he exited in the third after the first five Royals reached base, resulting in four runs crossing the plate. Hill has given up exactly four runs in each of his four starts this season, and he's pitched past the fifth inning only once, with Tuesday's outing his shortest of the campaign thus far. His ERA now stands at an inflated 8.82, though he has yet to be tagged with a loss. Hill will strive for a better outcome when he takes on Oakland at home Monday.