MLB Player News

The Phillies announced that Miller will undergo a radiofrequency ablation of the facet joints in his back Friday and is expected to be sidelined 6-to-8 weeks, Paul Casella of MLB.com reports.

Miller might have pushed for a promotion to the majors by now had he been healthy and performing well at Lehigh Valley. However, he's been sidelined all season with nagging back problems, and a decision was made to have the minimally invasive procedure after he visited with multiple spine specialists. The top prospect will rest for one week before beginning the rehab process, and he could be ready to play for Triple-A Lehigh Valley as soon as late July.

Jeffers had the cast and stitches removed from his surgically repaired left hand and has resumed throwing, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.

The hamate bone fracture Jeffers' suffered in mid-May was to his non-throwing hand, so it's not a major surprise he was able to quickly return to throwing. The first big hurdle in the 29-year-old's rehab program will be swinging a bat. Jeffers was given an initial recovery timeline of 6-to-8 weeks, and to this point there's been nothing to indicate that timetable has changed.

Sandoval (biceps/elbow) will begin a rehab assignment this weekend, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

The left-hander made a pair of rehab appearances in April while working his back from the internal brace procedure he underwent on his elbow in 2024, but a biceps issue forced him to shut down his throwing program for a bit. Sandoval has since ramped things back up and has now been cleared for game action. The 29-year-old will likely require a handful of starts in the minors before gaining full clearance.

The Mets optioned Tong to Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday.

Tong was knocked around for five runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks over 3.1 innings against the Mariners on Tuesday in a bulk-relief outing. The Mets recalled right-hander Joey Gerber from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that Stanton (calf) is scheduled to face live pitching Wednesday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

The veteran slugger has been on the shelf since late April due a right calf strain, and going up against live pitching is a significant step in his recovery program. Stanton also returned to running outside over the weekend, as he appears to be in the final stages of his rehab work. It remains to be seen if he'll require a rehab assignment before being activated, but a quick trip to the minors wouldn't be surprising given how long Stanton has been out.

Civale (shoulder) began a throwing progression Monday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Civale is throwing again just under a week after landing on the injured list due to right shoulder tendinitis. The Athletics aren't yet putting a timeline on his return, so Civale would appear to be unlikely to be activated when first eligible June 10. A clearer target for Civale's return should become available once he reaches the point in his throwing program that he's facing hitters.

The Athletics announced Tuesday that Severino has been diagnosed with a strain of his right shoulder capsule and subscapularis muscle and will be re-evaluated in 4-to-6 weeks, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Severino sustained the injury during his most recent start Friday against the Yankees and was placed on the 15-day injured list a day later. The right-hander underwent an MRI on Monday that confirmed the severity of the shoulder strain, which he'll treat with a platelet-rich plasma injection Thursday. Severino will wait for the shot to take effect before he begins the rehab process, and since he's not expected to start ramping up his throwing until he gets re-evaluated at the beginning of July, the 32-year-old would appear unlikely to return from the IL before the All-Star break.

Manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that Altuve (oblique) is expected to take live batting practice before the end of the week, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The veteran second baseman has been sidelined nearly three weeks due to an oblique strain but is progressing quickly through his rehab program. Espada previously indicated that Altuve may not require a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the Astros, so facing live pitching could be the final hurdle before he's cleared to come off the injured list.

Bender struck out one in a scoreless two-thirds of an inning Tuesday to record his fifth hold of the season in a win over the Nationals.

The right-hander picked up his first hold since April 28 as the Marlins continue to mix and match bullpen options behind closer Pete Fairbanks. Bender hasn't pitched poorly of late -- quite the opposite in fact, as he's posted a 1.46 ERA, 12:1 K:BB and microscopic 0.24 WHIP over 12.1 innings since the beginning of May. Without more consistent usage, however, Bender's fantasy appeal will remain very limited.

Gusto surrendered three runs on five hits over two innings of relief in Tuesday's win over the Nationals.

Called up from Triple-A Jacksonville earlier in the day, Gusto tossed 40 pitches (28 strikes) in what wound up being a bullpen day for the Marlins. The right-hander had been stretched out at Triple-A, lasting five-plus innings in five of his last seven outings for Jacksonville, but his usage Tuesday -- Gusto was the third pitcher into the game after Lake Bachar and John King -- suggests Miami may not view him as a viable rotation option, either working behind an opener or as a traditional starter. Until they're willing to promote top prospect Karson Milbrandt, however, the Marlins' staff will be awfully thin while Eury Perez (hamstring) and Janson Junk (shin) are on the shelf.