Julio Rodriguez Dropped To Sixth In Batting Order

Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez is starting in center field on Wednesday against the Texas Rangers, but he has been dropped to sixth in the batting order against right-hander Dane Dunning. Rodriguez has hit leadoff for the team in every other game he's played in this year, so this is a notable development as he […]

Saints, Foster Moreau Agree On Three-Year Deal

The New Orleans Saints and free-agent tight end Foster Moreau agreed to terms on a three-year, $12 million deal on Wednesday, according to his agent. The deal includes $8 million guaranteed and $3 million in incentives. Moreau has a positive diagnosis on his Hodgkin's lymphoma recovery and plans to play in 2023 for the Saints. […]

Vince Velasquez To Throw Live Batting Practice Next Week

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Vince Velasquez (elbow) will throw live batting practice early next week, and the team is optimistic he'll miss the minimum amount of time on the injured list, according to director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. Velasquez was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 5 with right-elbow inflammation, but he could […]

Yonny Chirinos To Serve In Bulk Role Against O's

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jalen Beeks will serve as the opener on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles, while right-hander Yonny Chirinos will serve in the bulk role. Chirinos made his first start of the season last weekend and allowed three runs on three hits while walking four in 5 1/3 innings against the New York […]

Rob Zastryzny Throws Bullpen Session

Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Rob Zastryzny (elbow) threw a live bullpen session on Tuesday and will throw another later this week. He could go on a minor-league rehab assignment next week if he comes out of his next bullpen fine. Meanwhile, reliever Wil Crowe (shoulder) received a platelet-rich plasma injection and is two weeks into four […]

Phillies Place Jose Alvarado On 15-Day Injured List

The Philadelphia Phillies placed left-hander Jose Alvarado (elbow) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 8) with left-elbow inflammation on Wednesday and reinstated right-hander Andrew Bellatti (triceps) from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. The Phils announced that Alvarado wasn't available to pitch on Tuesday due to left-wrist tightness, but apparently he's […]

Rays Designate Chase Anderson For Assignment

The Tampa Bay Rays designated right-hander Chase Anderson for assignment on Wednesday after he threw five scoreless innings for the team in two relief appearances. Apparently the Rays are making room to sign reliever Jake Diekman. Anderson has bounced around the league with four different teams in four years, and now he'll likely be looking […]

Max Muncy Sitting Against Lefty Wednesday

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Max Muncy is not in the team's starting lineup on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers and left-hander Wade Miley. It's a good time for Muncy to take a little breather, as he went 1-for-18 with seven strikeouts in his last five games. The 32-year-old left-handed slugger has also been owned by […]

Luis Severino Goes 3 1/3 Frames In Rehab Start

New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino (lat) made his first minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday and allowed a run on two hits (one home run) while walking one and striking out three in 3 1/3 innings pitched. Severino threw 49 pitches in the outing, so there's a chance that the Yankees […]

Twins Option Jose Miranda To Triple-A

The Minnesota Twins optioned third baseman Jose Miranda to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday and reinstated shortstop Kyle Farmer (mouth) from the injured list in a corresponding move. Miranda really turned heads in his rookie season in 2022, but the 24-year-old could use a little breather at the plate after beginning his sophomore campaign with […]

Deonte Banks Could Make Impact From Day 1

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll constantly reiterates that training camp this summer will be a competition for starting spots, but rookie cornerback Deonte Banks could have the biggest impact from Day 1. The first-rounder will likely be the starter opposite top corner Adoree' Jackson. Jackson isn't signed beyond next year, though, so Banks […]

Isaiah Foskey Could Be Rotational Pass-Rusher

New Orleans Saints rookie pass-rusher Isaiah Foskey has an opportunity to emerge as a potent pass-rusher opposite Cam Jordan in his first NFL season. Carl Granderson might be the favorite to start, but Payton Turner is closer than not to being labeled a bust, and Marcus Davenport is gone. Foskey has a reasonable chance to […]

Chad Ryland To Compete With Nick Folk

The New England Patriots traded up in the fourth round of this year's NFL draft to take kicker Chad Ryland, who will technically compete with Nick Folk for the job in training camp this summer. However, teams don't draft kickers in the fourth round just to cut them in September. Ryland is a big-legged kicker […]

Jordan Addison Should Make An Immediate Impact

Minnesota Vikings rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison is undersized at 5-foot-11 and 173 pounds, which raises durability concerns, but the Vikings wouldn't have taken him in the first round of this year's NFL draft if they didn't think he could thrive immediately. His separation skills at multiple levels will create flexibility for head coach Kevin […]

Cam Smith Could Get On The Field Right Away

Miami Dolphins rookie cornerback Cam Smith is a fine athlete whose ability to play inside and out and his love for making plays in the running game should get him on the field right away in his first NFL season, even in a secondary that already boasts two top talents in Jalen Ramsey and Xavien […]

Romeo Doubs Could Lead Team In Catches

The Athletic's Matt Schneidman predicts that Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs will lead the team in catches in 2023 in quarterback Jordan Love's first full season as the starter under center. After Doubs, Scheidman goes with Christian Watson, running back Aaron Jones, rookie tight end Luke Musgrave and rookie receiver Jayden Reed. Doubs […]

Jayden Reed Could Play The Slot Right Away

Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed gives the team's receiver room something it doesn't have in terms of size and speed, and he could play the slot right away in his first NFL season. Reed was taken in the second round of this year's draft. The 23-year-old stands at 5-foot-11, 187 pounds, and […]

David Bakhtiari Unlikely To Be Traded

The Athletic's Matt Schneidman thinks the odds are astronomically low that left tackle David Bakhtiari is traded during the 2023 season. However, there's a much greater chance that the team looks to get rid of him next offseason, but the Packers won't need to move on from him just because of the direction the team […]

Von Miller Could Miss Start Of Regular Season

Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller's (knee) ACL tear in late November of last year could put him in jeopardy of missing the start of the 2023 regular season, regardless of how optimistic he might appear to be about it. Considering Miller's age (34) and how important he is to the team's playoff push, so […]

Khalil Shakir, Deonte Harty To Compete For Slot Role

Buffalo Bills wide receivers Khalil Shakir and Deonte Harty will compete to be the starting slot receiver in a more traditional 11-personnel look this summer at training camp. However, whoever wins the job could concede a lot of snaps to first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid, who is expected to be lined up a lot as […]

Damien Harris, Latavius Murray Could Be In Competition

The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia suggests that Buffalo Bills running backs Damien Harris and Latavius Murray could be in a competition to see who the complementary rusher behind James Cook will be in 2023. Both Harris ($1.4 million) and Murray ($802,500) received substantial guaranteed money from the Bills. Unless he suddenly takes to the offense this […]

Kyle Allen Likely To Win Backup Job In Buffalo

The Buffalo Bills' backup quarterback job will be more of a competition in 2023 than it was this past year between Kyle Allen and Matt Barkley. Allen is the likeliest to win the job behind Josh Allen with the Bills successfully getting Barkley to the practice squad in past years. Kyle Allen, 27, has made […]

Ricky Tiedemann Week-To-Week With Biceps Injury

Toronto Blue Jays left-handed pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann (biceps) is being considered week-to-week with left-biceps inflammation after his injury was revealed during an MRI exam last week. The 20-year-old southpaw has been slowed by injuries so far in 2023 and has made only four starts for Double-A New Hampshire, posting a 4.97 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, […]

Kyle Hendricks Sharp In Tuesday's Rehab Start

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (shoulder) picked up a win on Tuesday in his latest minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Iowa. The veteran right-hander allowed no runs on just two hits while walking none and striking out four in his five innings of work. It was a nice change after Hendricks allowed 10 earned […]

Carlos Carrasco Goes Three Innings In Rehab Start

New York Mets starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (elbow, illness) made his first minor-league rehab start for Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday and allowed a run on three hits while walking one and striking out one in three innings of work. Carrasco only threw 33 pitches in the outing, so it's more than likely that he'll need […]

Michael Brantley Shut Down From Hitting

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley (shoulder) has been shut down from hitting, according to manager Dusty Baker. The skipper also said it's unclear when Brantley will return and said it wasn't a setback. When specifically asked if Brantley had suffered a setback, Baker said, "Not really. We decided to just take it easy for a […]

Lance McCullers Jr. Throws Bullpen Tuesday

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) said he threw 25 pitches during a bullpen session on Tuesday, reaching 91.6 mph with his fastball. He will start mixing in breaking pitches in his next bullpen, which will likely come Saturday in Chicago. After that, he will have a normal spring training build-up from there. […]

Andres Munoz Suffers Setback, Shut Down A Few Days

An MRI exam on Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Andres Munoz (shoulder) showed inflammation in his deltoid area. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection and has been shut down for a few days as a result. If all goes well, Munoz should be sent out on a minor-league rehab assignment in late May/early June. The 24-year-old […]

Nick Lodolo Pushed Back Due To Calf Issue

Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (calf) is dealing with a sore left calf and is having his next start pushed back from Thursday to Saturday against the Miami Marlins so that he can get some extra rest. Right-hander Hunter Greene will pitch on Wednesday against the New York Mets, with the Reds listed as TBA […]

Carlos Rodon Receives Injection, Could Throw This Weekend

New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon (back) received a cortisone injection on Tuesday, and he'll now have a 48-hour window of doing nothing. Rodon will then begin exercising on Friday and could throw off a mound this weekend. The 30-year-old southpaw began the season on the injured list with a left forearm injury. He's past […]