MLB Player News

Ramirez was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Mike Wilner of BlueJaysTalk reports.

After being claimed off waivers by Toronto last Thursday, Ramirez was ousted from the roster before making an appearance for the Blue Jays. The move clears room on the roster for Tuesday's spot starter, Mike Bolsinger. He could draw interest on waivers given his 18 strikeouts across 10.1 innings this season, though he also holds a brutal 8.91 ERA and 1.84 WHIP across those innings.

Kluber (back) headed back to Cleveland on Monday to continue rehabbing as he isn't ready to begin his five-day schedule yet, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

While the Indians were hopeful Kluber would be able to rejoin the rotation once eligible, it appears he's slightly behind schedule. He's headed back to Cleveland to do some one-on-one work with a physical therapist, and manager Terry Francona said they will regroup when the team returns from its series in Toronto on Friday, so more should be known then. Mike Clevinger, who started in place of Kluber last Sunday, would likely fill in for Kluber Saturday against the Twins.

Berrios tossed 6.2 innings of one-run ball for Triple-A Rochester on Sunday, allowing six hits while striking out four batters. He did not issue a walk.

Through six starts with Rochester this season (39.2 innings), Berrios has a 1.13 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 39:8 K:BB. Berrios is being considered for the May 13 start against Cleveland, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, but Adalberto Mejia and Paul Clemens are said to be in the running as well. Manager Paul Molitor suggested the team is not yet sold on Berrios' fastball command, saying, "I think we're seeing slight improvement. Obviously it's potentially an issue up here more so than down there."

Smyly (elbow) hopes to start playing catch and begin light throwing in approximately two weeks, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

The veteran lefty's original timeframe for resuming any type of throwing was approximately six weeks from April 4, so Johns' reported estimate is within striking distance. Smyly is expected to need 3-4 weeks minimum in a throwing program before likely heading to the minors for some rehab appearances.

Nolasco allowed two runs on five hits (two home runs) while walking none and striking out 10 over seven innings for a no-decision in Monday's 3-2 extra-innings loss to the Athletics.

While the season-high 10 strikeouts were nice, Nolasco has now surrendered 11 home runs on the season in his seven starts. Fourteen of the 19 runs he has allowed have come off long balls, and he's prevented the opposition from going yard in just one of his outings. The 34-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 4.31 in the 103-pitch outing, and he should see better results in the future if he can keep the ball out of the air, at least to some degree.

Stroman (3-2) fired six scoreless innings in Monday's win over the Indians, allowing six hits and two walks with one strikeout.

Stroman didn't have his strikeout pitch working in this one, but he induced weak contact regularly and allowed just four men past first base. It was a nice bounce-back performance for Stroman as well as his fantasy owners after he was hit hard in his previous start, and his ERA has returned to a solid 3.38 after this latest display. Though the possibility of the occasional erratic outing still exists, the 26-year-old remains extremely effective when he's on. He'll look to build on this performance Saturday against the Mariners.

Gausman (2-3) allowed two runs on five hits and one walk across seven innings in Monday's win over the Nationals. He struck out eight.

Gausman delivered his best start of the season in this one, throwing 66 percent of his season-high 117 pitches for strikes while easily topping four punchouts for the first time. Even through he began to fade a bit toward the end of his outing, allowing runs in the fifth and sixth innings, the righty was able to escape with his second quality start of the season. Gausman still carries an unsightly 6.63 ERA after getting pummeled at times early on, but perhaps this strong outing will help get him on track ahead of a favorable matchup against the Royals on Saturday.

Snell (0-3) allowed four runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out just two batters over five innings during Monday's loss to Kansas City.

The 24-year-old lefty had posted a 2.92 ERA with an 8.0 K/9 over his previous five starts, so Monday's poor outing against the Royals was a little surprising. Snell has a swing-and-miss pitch arsenal, but he's also sporting a 5.01 FIP for the season, so he's still trying to figure it out at the highest level. While Monday's outings was a little discouraging because Kansas City isn't a daunting opponent, Snell's long-term outlook remains promising. A road date against Boston is up next, and fading Snell at Fenway Park isn't out of the question.

Nolasco (calf) will start Monday's game against the Athletics, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

Nolasco exited Wednesday's start against the Mariners in the fifth inning after experiencing calf cramps, but he was never in serious jeopardy of missing his next turn. The right-hander lines up for two starts this week, with his second outing set for Saturday against the Tigers.

Binford was promoted to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday, then dealt seven innings of one-run ball to pick up a win Sunday, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

As a 21-year-old in 2014, Binford was a highly touted prospect in the Royals system. He's since fallen from grace after a pair of rough campaigns with Double-A and Triple-A. However, the right-hander looks like a new man in 2017. Over 31.2 innings (five starts) with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Binford posted an impressive 1.99 ERA and 1.14 WHIP before cruising to victory Sunday with Triple-A Omaha. He's still just 24 years old, and a bullpen role at the MLB level has not yet passed him by.