MLB Player News

Skubal (elbow) worked four innings in a simulated game Monday at Tropicana Field, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Unofficially, Skubal allowed two hits and one walk and struck out six batters while inducing 10 swings and misses on 64 pitches (45 strikes). The workload marked a substantial increase from Skubal's previous sim game last Tuesday, when he tossed 39 pitches over 2.2 innings. Though manager A.J. Hinch previously indicated that the Tigers were expecting Skubal complete a third sim game during the upcoming weekend, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News suggests that Detroit could nix that plan and instead have the two-time Cy Young Award winner head out on a minor-league rehab assignment. The Tigers will wait and see how Skubal bounces back from Monday's sim game before deciding his next step, but if the southpaw is cleared to join a minor-league affiliate, he may need just one start before returning from the 15-day injured list and slotting back into the Detroit rotation.

The Rangers selected Ahlstrom's contract from Triple-A Round Rock on Monday, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.

Ahlstrom earned the promotion by putting up a 2.76 ERA and 33:8 K:BB over 29.1 innings with Round Rock. The left-hander will turn 27 later this month and will be making his major-league debut when/if he gets into a game.

Hays has been pulled off his rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte due to a recurrence of left calf soreness, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Hays had played seven rehab contests with Charlotte, but the left calf strain that sent him to the 10-day injured list in early May is still giving him trouble. He'll meet with the White Sox's training staff and develop a plan of attack for his rehab moving forward. Hays has been limited to only 12 games for Chicago this season because of hamstring and calf issues.

The Rangers signed Kelenic to a minor-league contract Monday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Kelenic elected free agency this past weekend after being booted off the White Sox's 40-man roster, and he's managed to quickly latch on with a new organization. The outfielder slashed .226/.305/.321 with a 6:20 BB:K over 59 plate appearances during his time with the Pale Hose. Kelenic will report to Triple-A Round Rock.

The Astros optioned VanWey to Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday.

VanWey boasts a 5:0 K:BB over three scoreless innings during his time with the Astros this season, but he hasn't been able to nail down a secure spot in the bullpen. The club will announce a corresponding roster move prior to Tuesday's game against the Pirates, and it will likely be Josh Hader (biceps) coming off the injured list.

Bloss (elbow) struck out four and allowed four earned runs on seven hits and one walk across three innings during his rehab start Saturday with Single-A Dunedin.

After turning in a 1.04 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 12:0 K:BB in 8.2 innings over his first three rehab starts between Dunedin and the Blue Jays' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate, Bloss endured a bumpy outing for the first time during his minor-league assignment. On a positive note, Bloss built up to 58 pitches in Saturday's outing and continued to look good in terms of raw stuff, turning in a 42.9 percent whiff rate while averaging 95.5 mph with his four-seamer. The 25-year-old right-hander -- who is working his way back from May 2025 Tommy John surgery -- is likely to require another rehab start or two before being activated from Triple-A Buffalo's 60-day injured list. If he continues to maintain the success he's enjoyed thus far during his rehab assignment once he joins the Buffalo rotation, Bloss could get a look in Toronto as a back-end starter or multi-inning option out of the bullpen at some point later on this summer.

Bieber (elbow) struck out two batters and was charged with five earned runs on six hits and no walks across 2.1 innings in his rehab start Sunday with Single-A Dunedin.

After tossing two scoreless innings in his first rehab start last Monday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, Bieber jumped up a level for his second minor-league appearance. While Bieber ended up taking a step back from a results standpoint, he was at least able to push his pitch count up to 49 and while inducing nine swings and misses on his 35 strikes. The right-hander also averaged 92.1 mph with his fastball, a half-tick behind his average from the 2025 season. While he continues to work his way back from inflammation in his surgically repaired elbow, Bieber will likely need to build up to around 70-to-80 pitches in the minors before getting cleared to make his 2026 debut for Toronto. He looks to be trending toward a return from the 60-day injured list in the second half of June.

Scherzer (forearm/ankle) struck out four and allowed no hits and two walks over three scoreless innings in his first rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Buffalo.

Making his first start at any level since April 24 after landing on the shelf due to right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation, Scherzer delivered an encouraging performance. He tossed 41 pitches (24 strikes) in the outing and induced seven whiffs on the afternoon while averaging 93.3 mph with his fastball. Though Scherzer is lined up for the open spot in the Toronto rotation for next weekend's series versus the Orioles, the Blue Jays may want to see him build up his pitch count over one more minor-league start before bringing him back from the 15-day injured list.

Durbin went 1-for-5 with a triple and two RBI in Sunday's 9-4 win over the Guaridans.

Durbin, who started just three times in a 10-game stretch from May 17 to May 27, has made an impact in four consecutive starts. He's knocked in runs in all four games while going 6-for-17 (.353) with three doubles, a triple and six RBI during that stretch. He used the recent downtime to work on hitting in the cage, per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Durbin noted from his spray charts that he was cutting off half the field. "I think it's both a little bit of a mechanical adjustment as far as how I'm positioning my body to use the whole field and a little bit of approach, too," he said. His brutal season-opening slump is hard to forget with a small sample size of production, but Durbin may have turned a corner.

Yoshida went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 9-4 win over Cleveland.

Yoshida's two run-single during a six-run seventh inning gave Boston a lead it never relinquished. The go-ahead hit atoned for a fourth-inning miscue, when he lost sight of a fly ball in left field that led to the Guardians taking a lead. Yoshida is getting regular work with Roman Anthony's rehab from a finger injury taking longer than originally anticipated. The outfield/DH logjam that had limited Yoshida's playing time earlier in the season has cleared up for the time being.