MLB Player News

McKenzie (shoulder) could being throwing in the bullpen as early as this weekend, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

McKenzie appears to have made significant progress over the past few weeks, as he was able to throw from 75 feet Friday and has worked his way up to now being on the precipice of bullpen sessions. The 25-year-old has missed the entirety of the 2023 campaign while recovering from his right teres major muscle sprain, and while there are some tasks to check off, it does appear that McKenzie is trending in the right direction to come off the 60-day injured list May 29 when he's first eligible.

The Guardians promoted Williams from Double-A Akron to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Williams will fill the rotation spot at Columbus vacated by Tanner Bibee, who was promoted from Triple-A to make his big-league debut Wednesday against the Rockies. Meanwhile, Williams is scheduled to make his first Triple-A start Thursday after a spectacular start to the 2023 campaign at Double-A. Over 14 innings with Akron, the 23-year-old pitched to a 0.63 ERA while striking out 20. Williams is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, and a strong showing in Triple-A could enable him to make starts for Cleveland by the end of the 2023 campaign.

The Rockies reinstated Marquez (forearm) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Guardians.

Marquez will make his return to the mound after spending the minimum 15 days on the IL after straining his right forearm. Considering the fact that he didn't make any rehab starts and instead is stepping right back into big-league competition, it's likely that he won't have a complete workload Wednesday. To make room for Marquez on the major-league roster, Jose Urena was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

The Guardians selected Bibee's contract from Triple-A Columbus and will have him start Wednesday's game against the Rockies at Progressive Field, Joe Noga of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Cleveland designated southpaw Konnor Pilkington for assignment to clear room on the 40-man roster and 26-man active roster for Bibee, who will be making his big-league debut Wednesday. After a stellar first season in professional ball in 2022, the 23-year-old right-hander continued to find success over his first three starts at Columbus, logging a 1.76 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 19:8 K:BB across 15.1 innings. Blessed with a four-pitch repertoire that he's used to generate high strikeout rates at every stop of the minors, Bibee makes for a strong speculative pickup, though fantasy managers should be aware of a potential demotion if he falters in his big-league debut. The Guardians already have five healthy members of the rotation and are adding Bibee to the mix after a recent doubleheader created a stretch of six games in five days, but he could still have a case for sticking around with the big club if he dazzles against the Rockies.

Oviedo didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 8-7 loss to the Dodgers, giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out four.

The right-hander saw his quality start streak end at three, but Oviedo still exited the game in line for his third win of the season, only to see Colin Holderman serve up a game-winning blast to Chris Taylor in the eighth inning. Oviedo will take a 3.03 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 29:10 K:BB through 29.2 innings into his next outing, likely to come this weekend on the road against the Nationals.

Syndergaard didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 8-7 win over the Pirates, coughing up seven runs on nine hits over four innings. He struck out two without walking a batter.

It was the worst performance of the season for the veteran right-hander, who managed to generate only seven swinging strikes in 80 pitches, but a late comeback by the Dodgers got Syndergaard off the hook for a potential fourth straight loss. He's now served up five homers in 26 innings, fueling a 6.58 ERA, and his 21:4 K:BB and career-low 92.2 mph average fastball are reminders that his pre-injury form almost certainly isn't coming back. Syndergaard will look to get back on track in his next start, likely to come at home this weekend against the Cardinals.

Bradish (1-1) took the loss Tuesday as Baltimore was downed 8-6 by Boston, surrendering seven runs on eight hits and four walks over 2.1 innings. He struck out one.

After beginning the season with 7.2 scoreless innings, Bradish's third start of 2023 was an absolute disaster, as he needed 81 pitches (48 strikes) to record only seven outs. The O's eventually made things close in the ninth inning, but the hole dug by the right-hander in the first few frames was too deep. Bradish now sports a 6.30 ERA, 2.00 WHIP and 9:6 K:BB through 10 innings, and he'll look to rebound in his next outing, likely to come this weekend in Detroit.

Kluber (1-4) picked up the win Tuesday, allowing one run on five hits over six innings in an 8-6 victory over the Orioles. He struck out three without walking a batter.

After a tough beginning to his tenure with the Red Sox, Kluber rebounded to record his first win and first quality start of 2023. The veteran right-hander's dominance is long gone -- he managed only five swinging strikes on 80 pitches -- but he was able to hit his spots Tuesday, and only a Jorge Mateo solo shot in the fifth inning marred his performance. Kluber will take a 6.75 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 20:8 K:BB through 24 innings into his next outing, likely to come early next week at home against the Blue Jays.

Battenfield (0-2) took the loss Tuesday, giving up four runs on six hits and four walks over 4.2 innings as the Guardians fell 5-1 to the Rockies. He struck out four.

The rookie right-hander couldn't find the plate consistently on a chilly day in Cleveland, tossing only 54 of 97 pitches for strikes before getting the hook. Battenfield has completed five innings only once in three MLB starts since his promotion, and while his 3.52 ERA and 1.30 WHIP through 15.1 innings are decent, his 12:7 K:BB is less encouraging. With Logan Allen looking good in his debut Sunday and Tanner Bibee knocking on the door, Battenfield's hold on a rotation spot is tenuous at best. If he does get another turn, it's likely to come early next week in Yankee Stadium.

Feltner (2-2) picked up the win in Tuesday's 5-1 victory over the Guardians. allowing one unearned run on five hits over six innings. He struck out six without walking a batter.

The right-hander didn't give up an earned run for the second straight outing while recording his first quality start of the season. Feltner also didn't issue a free pass for the first time in five starts as he fired 60 of 82 pitches for strikes. Despite the strong recent performances, he still carries a 4.68 ERA and 1.48 WHIP, and that's with four of his five starts so far coming on the road. Feltner's next turn in the rotation lines up for a Coors Field start next week against the Brewers.