MLB Player News

Carter is not in the Rangers' starting lineup against the Guardians on Friday.

Carter will take a seat for Friday's series opener after going 1-for-9 with two runs and five strikeouts in his three outings since returning from a two-game absence due to a left foot injury. Wyatt Langford, Michael Helman and Brandon Nimmo will start in the outfield from left to right.

Bassitt (back) is travelling to rejoin the Orioles in Toronto on Friday and could make his next start Monday against the Mariners, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Bassitt was pulled from his last start Thursday against the Red Sox due to lower-back tightness. He was initially held back in Baltimore to have his injury examined, but it looks like the veteran right-hander will not miss a start in the rotation, barring any setbacks. Over his last five starts, Bassitt has a 4.44 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 17:5 K:BB across 24.1 innings.

Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters Friday that the team is weighing its options on whether Brown (shoulder) will need one more rehab assignment before being reinstated from the 60-day injured list, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Brown made his third rehab start Thursday with Triple-A Sugar Land, when he tossed 57 pitches (38 strikes) and allowed one run on three hits and one walk while striking out four across 4.1 innings. Espada relayed that he felt good about Brown's latest rehab outing, and a decision about whether the 27-year-old right-hander will make his next start in the majors should be made within the next couple of days. Brown is nearly fully recovered from a Grade 2 right shoulder strain that was severe enough for him to be placed on the IL in early April.

Whitlock (knee) will embark on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Saturday, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.

Whitlock is ready to take the next step in his recovery from left knee inflammation that led to him being placed on the 15-day injured list in late May. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy relayed that how Whitlock's knee reacts following Saturday's Triple-A game will determine whether the right-hander will need just one rehab outing before being activated from the IL.

Manager John Schneider said Friday that Cease (hamstring) is "very likely" to rejoin the Blue Jays' rotation next week, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Cease threw 75 pitches across four innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday and came out of it feeling good. He appears likely to make the start for Toronto on Tuesday at home against the Phillies. The right-hander last pitched for the Blue Jays on May 24 and owns a 3.05 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 92:26 K:BB across 62 innings this season.

Martinez is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers.

With Martinez getting the night off from the starting nine, Daniel Schneemann is making the start in center field, and Kyle Manzardo is at designated hitter with Rhys Hoskins manning first base. Over his last 13 games, Martinez is hitting just .140 with a .360 OPS across 51 plate appearances.

Rooker (knee) is back in the starting lineup and batting fourth as the designated hitter for Friday's game against the Astros.

Rooker got the day off from the starting nine Thursday against the Cubs due to knee soreness, but he's back in there for Friday's series opener versus Houston. Rooker is just 5-for-37 with one homer, two RBI, four runs scored and a 2:13 BB:K over his last 10 games.

Walls (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Marlins, playing shortstop and batting ninth.

Walls was removed from Monday's game against the Tigers due to hamstring tightness and didn't start Tuesday or Wednesday ahead of the team's off day Thursday. Walls has an ugly .208/.313/.285 slash line with no homers and 14 RBI across 155 plate appearances this season.

The Athletics designated Kuhnel for assignment Friday.

The 31-year-old Kuhnel was on the mound for the Athletics' ninth-inning collapse Thursday against the Cubs. He allowed four runs on five hits across two-thirds of an inning, blowing a 6-3 lead. Kuhnel pitched to a 4.21 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB across 25.2 innings out of the bullpen this season.

The Athletics recalled Alvarado from Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday.

The team DFA'd Joel Kuhnel in a corresponding move. Alvarado pitched in 10 games out of the Athletics' bullpen earlier this season and posted an 8.38 ERA, 1.86 WHIP and 9:7 K:BB across 9.2 innings. He has a 2.25 ERA and 16:4 K:BB across 12 innings with Las Vegas.