MLB Player News
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Carlos Rodon SP | NYY
Yankees' Carlos Rodon: On track to debut Sunday
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Rodon (elbow) is likely on track to return from the 15-day injured list to make his season debut Sunday in Milwaukee, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports.
Boone wouldn't 100 percent confirm that Rodon will take the hill Sunday, but the left-hander looks like he'll receive clearance to pitch that day if he makes it through his next bullpen session no worse for the wear. After undergoing surgery in October to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur in his left elbow, Rodon was brought along slowly in spring training and opened the season on the shelf before he was cleared to begin a rehab assignment April 24. Rodon looked sharp in appearances for High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset before struggling a bit in his final rehab outing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, when he was charged with six runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks. More importantly, however, Rodon built up to 6.1 innings and 83 pitches in the outing, which bodes well for his ability to handle a full workload in his 2026 MLB debut.
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Framber Valdez SP | DET
Tigers' Framber Valdez: Issued six-game ban
Major League Baseball issued Valdez a six-game suspension and fined him an undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing at Boston's Trevor Story in the fourth inning of Tuesday's 10-3 loss, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
Valdez recorded just nine outs and surrendered a career-high 10 runs (seven earned) on nine hits and one walk before he was ejected from the game in the top of the fourth when he plunked Story. Unless Valdez elects to appeal the ban, his suspension will go into effect beginning with Wednesday's series finale versus Boston. Valdez will be eligible to return to action May 14 against the Mets in New York.
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Austin Martin RF | MIN
Twins' Austin Martin: Hitting bench Wednesday
Martin is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals.
He'll hit the bench Wednesday, but after opening the season in a short-side platoon role in the outfield, Martin is beginning to encroach on the left-handed-hitting Matt Wallner's playing time against right-handed pitching. Martin picked up starts in three of the Twins' previous four matchups with righties and is sporting a team-best .886 OPS over 100 plate appearances on the season.
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Stephen Kolek SP | KC
Royals' Stephen Kolek: Moving to Triple-A
The Royals optioned Kolek to Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.
Kolek picked up the win in a spot start Tuesday versus the Guardians, yielding three runs on four hits and no walks with three strikeouts across six innings. With Kolek back in the minors, Noah Cameron (back) seems destined to rejoin the rotation after missing just one start.
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Royce Lewis 3B | MIN
Twins' Royce Lewis: Sitting amid tepid start to season
Lewis is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals.
He had just received a day off Saturday, but after making two straight starts, Lewis will get another breather Wednesday and give way to Tristan Gray at third base. Aside from a minimum-length stint on the injured list in April due to a knee sprain, Lewis has been able to stay healthy this season, but his production has fallen off. Over 89 plate appearances, Lewis has produced a .582 OPS and has struck out at a 30.3 percent clip, with both representing career-worst marks for the 26-year-old.
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Joc Pederson DH | TEX
Rangers' Joc Pederson: Absent from lineup
Pederson is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees.
Brandon Nimmo has been limited to designated hitter duty as he comes back from a hamstring issue, which leaves Pederson without a spot to play. It's just the second time this season that the left-handed-hitting Pederson has been absent from the lineup when the opposition was starting a right-handed hurler.
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Ryan Jeffers C | MIN
Twins' Ryan Jeffers: Taking seat Wednesday
Jeffers is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals.
He'll receive the night off while Minnesota goes with Victor Caratini behind the dish. Jeffers has been an offensive tear of late, slashing .324/.400/.529 with two home runs, one stolen base, nine RBI and seven runs over his last nine starts.
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Brandon Nimmo RF | TEX
Rangers' Brandon Nimmo: Back in lineup at designated hitter
Nimmo (hamstring) will start at designated hitter and bat leadoff in Wednesday's game versus the Yankees.
Nimmo tweaked his hamstring this past Friday and has not started a game in the outfield since then, occupying the DH spot twice and sitting out the other two contests. The Rangers could continue to ease Nimmo back into things in a non-defensive role until he feels back to 100 percent.