MLB Player News

Kerkering (hamstring) threw a bullpen session Saturday, Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic reports.

The right-hander completed his third side session since having his throwing program delayed by a Grade 1 hamstring strain at the start of camp, per MLB.com. Kerkering, who's expected to be one of Philadelphia's primary setup men for closer Jhoan Duran, still has plenty of time to build up in advance of Opening Day.

Manager Kevin Cash said Saturday that he expects Lux (upper body) to make his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday against the Twins, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

General upper-body soreness has kept Lux out of Grapefruit League games up to this point, but he's begun to feel much better over the past several days. After he makes his spring debut, the 28-year-old will have two weeks to prepare before likely beginning the regular season as Tampa Bay's primary second baseman.

Simpson has been held out of Grapefruit League games since Wednesday due to renewed tightness in his left hamstring, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Left hamstring tightness pushed Simpson's spring debut into late February, and it appears he still hasn't fully recovered from the injury. However, manager Kevin Cash said Saturday that the Rays are being "overly cautious," and he expects Simpson to return to the lineup relatively soon. The 25-year-old outfielder is 5-for-10 with a stolen base through four games this spring.

Matos went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an RBI double in Friday's 6-3 Cactus League win over the Reds.

Matos hit an RBI double to center in the second inning and later cracked a solo homer to left in the sixth. The 24-year-old outfielder has enjoyed a strong start to Cactus League play, slashing .450/.500/.850 with five runs scored, four RBI, two long balls and two doubles across 22 plate appearances in 10 outings. With Harrison Bader's (thumb) arrival sending Jung Hoo Lee (ankle) to right field, Matos is fighting for a roster spot ahead of Opening Day. He is out of minor-league options and may end up having to explore other opportunities.

Doyle (wrist) will start in center field and bat second in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Dodgers.

Doyle hasn't appeared in a spring training game since Feb. 23 due to a sprained left wrist, but after consecutive days of hitting in the batting cage, he will make his return to a competitive setting. The 27-year-old outfielder had gone 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored in two games before getting hurt.

The White Sox optioned McDougal to Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday.

McDougal was awarded with a spot on the White Sox's 40-man roster over the offseason after posting a 3.26 ERA and 1.33 WHIP over 113.1 total innings between High-A and Double-A in 2025. The 22-year-old will be elevated to Triple-A to begin the regular season and could make his MLB debut sometime this year if he continues to pitch well.

Herrera (undisclosed) was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Mets.

It's unknown why Herrera was taken out of the lineup, but the Cardinals should provide some clarity relatively soon. In the meantime, Chase Davis will pick up a few reps as St. Louis' designated hitter.

The Royals optioned Zobac to Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Saturday.

Zobac was awarded a spot on Kansas City's 40-man roster during the offseason, but he'll return to Double-A to begin the new year. The 25-year-old righty posted a 7.68 ERA and 1.91 WHIP over 36.1 innings at Northwest Arkansas last season but pitched 2.2 scoreless frames this spring.

The Royals optioned Kudrna to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday.

Kudrna gave up 18 earned runs in just 11.1 innings during his first taste of Triple-A action last season. He continued to struggle this spring, allowing eight earned runs in 3.1 frames, and he'll now return to Omaha to right the ship.

Sandlin (elbow) threw a live batting practice session Saturday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

It's the first time Sandlin has faced live batters this spring, as he continues to work his way back from an arthroscopic elbow procedure he underwent in the fall. It's still unclear how far away he is from making his debut in the Cactus League, but he's likely to grab a spot in the Angels' bullpen once he's fully healthy.