MLB Player News

Hankins (elbow) tossed 1.1 innings Saturday and was charged with three earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two after High-A Lake County activated him Tuesday.

Hankins was making his first appearance at a full-season affiliate since Aug. 29, 2019, with his lone other outing since that time coming in a rehab appearance at the rookie-ball level last August. The 22-year-old has endured a long road back from May 2021 Tommy John surgery and will likely have his workload managed carefully this season.

Carrasco (elbow/illness) will make a rehab start with Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.

Carrasco had been slated for his first rehab outing over the weekend, but that had to be scratched because he was under the weather. Evidently, he's feeling better now and will take the ball Tuesday with Binghamton. The Mets had anticipated Carrasco needing just one rehab start before returning, although it's unclear whether that's still the case after he was delayed a bit. He's been out since mid-April with a bone chip in his pitching elbow.

Wood (hamstring) covered 3.2 innings and was charged with two runs (one earned) on six hits and no walks while striking out one in his rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Sacramento.

Making his first appearance at any level since April 18, Wood tossed 46 pitches (31 strikes) in the outing. The Giants presumably want to have Wood get stretched out to the 70-to-80-pitch range before bringing him back from the 15-day injured list, so he'll presumably need at least one or two more rehab starts prior to being activated.

Lynch (shoulder) made a rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Omaha, covering 3.1 scoreless innings while allowing three hits and two walks and striking out three.

After tossing 2.1 innings and 59 pitches in his first rehab outing last Tuesday for Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Lynch built up to 72 pitches (42 strikes) in his second start while moving up to the Royals' top affiliate. The southpaw looks like he could be ready to return from the 15-day injured list to rejoin the big-league rotation as soon as this Friday in Milwaukee. Ryan Yarbrough is tentatively lined up to start that day, but he exited his start Sunday after being struck in the face by a line drive and could be headed to the IL.

Battenfield is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Tigers at Progressive Field.

After a brief stint in the bullpen, Battenfield took Zach Plesac's spot in the rotation last Friday against the Twins and turned in an impressive seven-inning outing in which he struck out seven and permitted just two hits and zero walks. As expected, Battenfield will be rewarded with another turn through the rotation, and he should have some security in a starting role while both Triston McKenzie (shoulder) and Aaron Civale (oblique) are likely sidelined until late May and while Plesac works to get back on track at Triple-A Columbus.

Pfaadt is scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Marlins at Chase Field.

Even though Pfaadt was tagged for seven earned runs on nine hits -- including four home runs -- in his MLB debut last Wednesday at Texas, the Diamondbacks will give one of their top pitching prospects at least one more chance to prove he's worthy of a longer stay in the big-league rotation. Assuming Pfaadt can escape Tuesday's outing with a more credible line than he submitted in his debut, he'll likely receive his second start of the week this upcoming Sunday against the Giants, also at Chase Field. Pfaadt led all minor leaguers with 218 strikeouts in 2022 and never posted a walk rate above 6.5 percent across any of his stops as a professional, so if he can do a better job of limiting damage on flyballs in his future starts, the right-hander's fantasy upside could be immense.

Varland is scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Padres at Target Field.

In his second start of the season with the big club last Wednesday and his first since April 14, Varland took a no-decision after surrendering four earned runs on seven hits and two walks over 4.2 innings against the White Sox. Though Varland couldn't come through with a quality start, he managed to induce 15 swinging strikes among his 87 pitches, which bodes well for his outlook moving forward. Varland carries some risk as a relatively unestablished MLB arm, but with two starts likely on tap this week -- his second is expected to come Sunday at home versus the Cubs -- he could make for an appealing lineup option for managers who are chasing strikeout upside.

Seabold is listed as the Rockies' probable starting pitcher for Tuesday's game in Pittsburgh.

Seabold fell below the baseline for a quality start his last time out Thursday against the Brewers (three earned runs allowed over five innings), but it's enough for the 26-year-old right-hander to receive another turn through the depleted Colorado rotation. Even though he'll move from the hitter-friendly Coors Field to the more forgiving confines of PNC Park for his second start of the season, Seabold still won't make for a reliable streaming option.

Flaherty (hand) is listed as the Cardinals' probable starting pitcher for Tuesday's game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Though Flaherty was struck on his left hand by a comebacker in his most recent start last Thursday against the Angels, he didn't suffer any sort of significant injury and was pulled from the contest mostly for performance-related reasons, as he surrendered 10 earned runs over just 2.1 innings. Flaherty will thus be good to go on his normal four days' rest to take the hill Tuesday, but a road matchup against the Cubs along with his dreadful numbers this season (6.29 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and 36:22 K:BB in 34.1 innings) no longer make him the must-start fantasy option he has been for most of his career.

Freeland (neck) is listed as the Rockies' probable starting pitcher for Monday's game in Pittsburgh.

Freeland was bothered by a neck problem in his most recent outing last Wednesday against the Brewers, but he apparently came through his between-starts bullpen session no worse for the wear and will take the hill Monday on normal rest. The veteran southpaw tentatively lines up for a two-start week, with his second outing set to come over the weekend against the Phillies at Coors Field.