MLB Player News

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Monday that Scherzer will visit with a doctor again in the coming days due to nagging soreness in his injured right thumb after throwing recently, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Scherzer received a pair of cortisone injections in the thumb earlier this month but still can't seem to get over the hump with the injury. It's uncertain what the next course of action will be, but that should become clearer after Scherzer's visit with the doctor. There is no timetable for the 40-year-old's return.

Melendez is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees.

The Royals will move both of their struggling corner outfielders to the bench Monday, as Melendez (.285 OPS, 36.4 percent strikeout rate in 44 plate appearances) and Hunter Renfroe (.363 OPS, 27.9 percent strikeout rate in 43 plate appearances) give way to Drew Waters and Cavan Biggio in left and right field, respectively. Melendez's track record at the big-league level will likely buy him some time to work his way out of the extended slump, though his grasp on an everyday role has loosened since the beginning of the season. He's now started in just three of the Royals' last six games.

Renfroe is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees.

Renfroe cracked the starting nine in eight of the Royals' first 10 contests, but his hold on a near-everyday role could be slipping. He hasn't started consecutive games since April 6 and 7 while he's gotten off to a miserable start to the season, as he's slashing just .128/.209/.154 with a 27.9 percent strikeout rate over 43 plate appearances. Cavan Biggio will replace Renfroe in right field Monday.

India (quadricep) will serve as the Royals' designated hitter and leadoff batter in Monday's game against the Yankees.

He'll re-enter starting nine after he sat out his first game of the season in Sunday's 4-2 win over the Guardians while tending to right quad tightness. The Royals will ease India back into the lineup in a non-defensive role, but he should be ready to resume playing in left field or at third base within the next few days.

Jeffers is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Mets.

Jeffers returned to action Sunday following a two-game absence with a swollen thumb, but he's now back on the bench for Monday's series opener. He has not had any known setback, so this appears to be a routine day off for Jeffers. Christian Vazquez will do the catching and bat ninth for the Twins.

Wagner is out of the lineup for Monday's game versus Atlanta.

It's the first time this season that Wagner is not in the lineup against a right-handed pitcher. Ernie Clement will handle third base and bat fifth versus Atlanta hurler Grant Holmes.

Kirk is not in the lineup for Monday's contest versus Atlanta.

Kirk had started each of the previous two games but will being Monday's series opener on the bench. Tyler Heineman will do the catching and bat ninth for Toronto.

Springer (wrist) is not in the lineup for Monday's game against Atlanta.

Springer had to depart Sunday's contest versus the Orioles with a left wrist injury. X-rays came back negative and he is considered day-to-day for the time being, but he will miss at least one start. Toronto is going with an outfield of Alan Roden, Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes in Monday's series opener.

Bellinger is not in the lineup for Monday's contest against the Royals.

Bellinger had started each of the previous four games after recovering from food poisoning, but he'll take a seat Monday even as the Royals send righty Seth Lugo to the hill. Trent Grisham will play center field and bat eighth in the series opener.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sunday that Stanton (elbow) continues to hit against a high-velocity Trajekt machine and is "getting close" to facing live pitching, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Stanton didn't take part in baseball activities during spring training and opened the season on the injured list after requiring three rounds of platelet-rich plasma injections to address torn tendons in both of his elbows. He resumed swinging a bat shortly before Opening Day, and while he's still experiencing some lingering pain in his elbows, it's apparently more manageable than it had been previously, according to MLB.com. Stanton will take an important step forward in the recovery process when he's officially cleared to face live pitching, but a definitive timeline for his return from the IL likely won't be established until he reaches the point that he's able to take at-bats as a designated hitter in minor-league rehab games.