MLB Player News

The Astros placed Imai on the 15-day injured list Monday with right arm fatigue.

Imai recorded just one out in his last start and looks to be going through a "dead arm" phase. The right-hander will be eligible for activation before the end of April, but it's unclear at this juncture whether he will be ready to go by that time. Houston's rotation depth is really being tested, as Imai joins Hunter Brown (shoulder) and Cristian Javier (shoulder) on the 15-day IL. The club also has Ronel Blanco (elbow), Hayden Wesneski (elbow) and Brandon Walter (elbow) on the 60-day IL.

The Astros recalled France from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday.

Houston had optioned France to Triple-A on Saturday, but because the Astros placed Tatsuya Imai (arm) on the injured list in a corresponding move, France won't have to wait the required 15 days to rejoin the big club. With Imai becoming the third Astros starter in six days to land on the IL and with Cody Bolton (back) also at risk of hitting the shelf, France could be a candidate to move into the rotation if he's not needed in relief in the next few days. France is already on the same schedule as Imai, having covered 2.2 innings in long relief in Friday's loss to the Mariners after Imai recorded just one out before departing.

The Blue Jays transferred Bieber (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.

Bieber's timeline for a 2026 debut remains murky, as the Blue Jays have been bringing him along slowly, but a move to the 60-day IL ensures that he'll remain on the shelf through at least late May. The veteran right-hander wasn't cleared to throw off a mound in spring training after experiencing inflammation in his surgically repaired elbow, but this past weekend, he completed his third bullpen session since the start of the season, per MLB.com. He could soon graduate to facing hitters, but Bieber still looks to be at least a couple weeks away from beginning a minor-league rehab assignment.

Kremer was present at Camden Yards on Sunday and could be formally recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to start Monday's game against the Diamondbacks, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The right-hander was unable to win a rotation spot with the Orioles coming out of spring training, but he looks like he won't have to wait long for a promotion to the big leagues. Zach Eflin (elbow) underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery last week, but Kremer -- who accrued a 4.19 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 142:45 K:BB across 171.2 innings with the big club in 2025 -- may only be getting a spot start as Baltimore navigates a stretch of 13 games in 13 days, given that Cade Povich looked very good in his first start of the year Sunday. Kremer has performed well himself in his first two outings with Norfolk, however, covering 9.1 innings and striking out 12 while allowing three earned runs on eight hits and two walks.

Triple-A Memphis placed Fitts on its 7-day injured list Monday due to a right lat strain.

Fitts had gotten off to a nice start with Memphis this season, collecting a 1.76 ERA and 11:6 K:BB over 15.1 innings covering his first three outings. He likely would have been the first pitcher to get the call when the Cardinals needed help in the big-league rotation, but now that opportunity could fall to Hunter Dobbins (knee). Fitts is likely to be sidelined several weeks and perhaps longer, depending on the severity of the strain.

Hernandez has a 1.29 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and 15:1 K:BB in seven innings through his first two starts for Single-A Bradenton.

He has a comical 56.0 K-BB% and shouldn't be at Single-A much longer. Hernandez looks the part of a future ace, he just needs to stay healthy on what could be a relatively quick path to the majors, relative to other prep pitchers. Already 19 and turning 20 in June, Hernandez is on track to reach High-A and Double-A before the end of his first pro season.

Williams (elbow) began pitching off a mound at the Nationals' spring training complex this weekend, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

The veteran right-hander continues to rehab from elbow surgery with an internal brace procedure performed last July. Williams is on the 60-day IL and won't be eligible to make his 2026 debut until late May, but it's not yet clear if that's a realistic timeline. Over 82.2 innings and 17 starts in 2025, Williams stumbled to a 6.21 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 65:21 K:BB.

Gray (elbow) continues to do strengthening and stability work and has yet to resume a throwing program as the Nationals exercise a great degree of caution with the right-hander, MLB.com reports.

Gray hasn't pitched in a big-league game since April 2024, missing most of the last two seasons due to Tommy John surgery, and a flexor strain at the end of spring training derailed any chance he had of being in the Opening Day rotation. The 28-year-old won't be eligible to come off the 60-day IL until late May, but given how slowly the organization is proceeding with him following his latest setback, it's not clear if that's even a realistic timeline for Gray.

Varland struck out the side in a perfect seventh inning during Sunday's loss to the Twins.

It wasn't a particularly high-leverage situation as the Blue Jays were down 8-1 when he took the mound, but Varland still fired 11 of 16 pitches for strikes in another impressive outing. Through eight appearances and nine innings to begin the year, the right-hander has a 0.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 13:3 K:BB with two holds.

Suarez has made his last two appearances out of the Atlanta bullpen, yielding three earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four batters across 2.2 innings.

After the Atlanta rotation was hit hard by injuries in spring training, Suarez was called upon to start the club's fifth game of the season back on March 31. However, after getting roughed up for four earned runs in 3.2 innings in a loss to the Athletics, Suarez ended up moved to the bullpen while Atlanta turned to Martin Perez as its new fifth starter. Though Perez has since been designated for assignment, Suarez may not be next in line to fill the open rotation spot. Instead, Atlanta may be inclined to turn to either Didier Fuentes or JR Ritchie -- both of whom have gotten off to excellent starts at Triple-A Gwinnett -- to step into the fifth starter's role.