Zach Plesac Optioned, Peyton Battenfield Expected To Start Friday

The Cleveland Guardians officially optioned right-hander Zach Plesac to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. Rookie right-hander Peyton Battenfield is expected to start on Friday against the Minnesota Twins in Plesac's rotation spot. Plesac had a rough 7.59 ERA in five starts this year, and opponents were posting a .374/.404/.576 slash line against him. The 28-year-old will […]

Kenley Jansen Fully Available Thursday

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that closer Kenley Jansen (back) is fully available to pitch on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Jansen will be available for the first time since dealing with back tightness in his last outing on Saturday, but he was able to throw a successful bullpen session on Wednesday […]

Jeurys Familia Designated For Assignment

The Oakland Athletics designated right-handers Jeurys Familia and Domingo Acevedo for assignment on Thursday. The team also recalled right-handers Rico Garcia, Spencer Patton and Austin Pruitt from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned right-hander Adam Oller to Las Vegas. Familia has a team-leading two saves on the year, but his 6.39 ERA (7.31 FIP), 2.05 WHIP […]

Vince Velasquez Leave's Early With Right-Elbow Discomfort

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Vince Velasquez (elbow) left his start early on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays due to right-elbow discomfort, the team announced. Velasquez's velocity took a dip in the ballgame as well, and he was removed in the bottom of the fourth inning after he allowed a run on two hits (one […]

Jazz Chisholm Jr. Not Playing Against Lefty

Miami Marlins outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is not in the starting lineup on Thursday for the series finale against the Atlanta Braves and left-hander Dylan Dodd. The Marlins will give Chisholm a normal day of rest in a day game and against a southpaw. Fantasy managers will want to pull him out of their lineups. […]

Luke Goedeke The Favorite To Start At Right Tackle

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Luke Goedeke, who struggled at left guard in his rookie season in 2022, is the front-runner to start at right tackle in 2023 with Tristan Wirfs moving to left tackle. Brandon Walton and Matt Feiler will be competing with Goedeke in training camp this summer. Tampa sees second-round pick Cody […]

Browns Agree With Rodney McLeod

The Cleveland Browns agreed to terms on an undisclosed deal on Thursday with veteran free-agent safety Rodney McLeod, according to a source. He will likely step into a key backup role in Cleveland's secondary behind starting safeties Grant Delpit and Juan Thornhill. McLeod was a key member of the Indianapolis Colts' defense in 2022 in […]

Colts Waive Chris Williams, Others

The Indianapolis Colts waived defensive tackle Chris Williams, defensive end Kameron Cline, tight ends Nikola Kalinic and Jalen Wydermyer and linebacker Forrest Rhyne on Thursday. Williams played in 13 games (zero starts) for the Colts the last two years and had just six combined tackles and a QB hit. The moves free up space for […]

Jake Burger Goes On Injured List

The Chicago White Sox placed infielder Jake Burger (oblique) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a strained left oblique and recalled infielder Lenyn Sosa from Triple-A Charlotte in a corresponding move. Burger injured himself during a swing on Wednesday night and will likely miss more than 10 days on the injured list. It's […]

Tim Anderson Resting Against Twins

Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is not in the starting lineup versus right-hander Pablo Lopez and the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. Anderson returned from the injured list on Tuesday and went hitless, but he rebounded with three hits on Wednesday and will get a breather as we head into the weekend. The 29-year-old All-Star […]

Mike Trout Resting, Zach Neto Returns Thursday

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout is not in the team's starting lineup on Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Meanwhile, rookie shortstop Zach Neto (finger) is back at shortstop and is hitting leadoff against Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty. Trout is getting a normal day of rest after starting each of the team's last 11 […]

Ke'Bryan Hayes Hitting Seventh Against Rays

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes is starting at third base and batting seventh in the lineup on Thursday against right-hander Zach Eflin and the Tampa Bay Rays. With Hayes moving down the order, Tucupita Marcano will get the nod in the leadoff spot for the Bucs. Hayes has really struggled of late at the […]

Brett Baty Out Of Lineup Against Lefty

New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty is not in Thursday's starting lineup against the Detroit Tigers and left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. Baty has performed nicely in his first 14 games with the Mets so far in 2023, hitting .311 (14-for-45) with two doubles, two home runs, four RBI and five runs scored, but he'll take […]

Justin Verlander Activated And Making Season Debut Thursday

The New York Mets activated starting pitcher Justin Verlander (shoulder) from the injured list on Thursday, and he will be making his 2023 debut against his old team, the Detroit Tigers. In corresponding moves, the Mets signed right-hander Dominic Leone and activated him, optioned right-hander John Curtiss and left-hander Zach Muckenhirn to the minors, returned […]

Jameson Taillon Activated From Injured List To Start Thursday

The Chicago Cubs activated right-hander Jameson Taillon (groin) from the injured list on Thursday, and he will make the start against the Washington Nationals on the road. In a corresponding move, the Cubs optioned pitcher Jeremiah Estrada to the minors. Taillon is returning from a left-groin strain in an excellent matchup against the Nats. However, […]

Braves Put Kyle Wright On 15-Day Injured List

The Atlanta Braves placed right-hander Kyle Wright (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with right-shoulder inflammation and recalled left-hander Dylan Dodd from Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move. It's more disappointing news for Wright, who will land on the injured list for already the second time this year after he opened the year […]

Desmond Ridder Surrounded With Better Weapons

The Atlanta Falcons have bolstered their offensive skill positions entering the 2023 season after two years of salary cap issues. Their offense is expected to be more balanced than the run-heavy approach they had last year, with the focus on tight ends Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith, wide receiver Drake London and running backs Bijan […]

Penny Hart Signs With Falcons

Former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Penny Hart, who played in 39 games over the last three years for Seattle, signed an undisclosed deal with the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday after visiting with them earlier this week. In his three years with Seattle, Hart managed to catch 11 of his 17 targets for 82 yards and […]

Texans Re-Sign Neville Hewitt

The Houston Texans re-signed linebacker Neville Hewitt to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday, according to a source. Hewitt will be returning to the Texans for his third season after finishing last year with 14 tackles (10 solo) in 14 games played (zero starts). Most of the 30-year-old's playing time came on special teams. Originally […]

Jets Sign Al Woods

The New York Jets signed free-agent defensive tackle Al Woods to an undisclosed deal on Wednesday, according to sources. Woods, originally a fourth-round selection by the New Orleans Saints in 2010 out of Louisiana State University, will be joining his sixth NFL team in New York. He's already played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle […]

Jackson Carman In The Mix For Right-Tackle Job

The fact that the Cincinnati Bengals didn't draft an offensive lineman this year should be seen as a vote of confidence for offensive tackle Jackson Carman as one of the guys in the mix to win the right-tackle job this summer. Carman went into organized team activities his rookie year taking first-team repetitions at right […]

49ers Agree With Isaiah Winstead

The San Francisco 49ers agreed to terms with undrafted free-agent rookie wide receiver Isaiah Winstead on an undisclosed deal on Wednesday. Winstead played in 13 games at East Carolina University last year, catching 88 passes for 1,085 yards and six touchdowns and earned All-American Athletic Conference Honorable Mention. He stands at 6-foot-4, 213 pounds and […]

Jalin Hyatt Looking To Beef Up

New York Giants rookie wide receiver Jalin Hyatt said he's around 180 pounds right now and would like to get to and play at around 190 pounds in his first season in the NFL in 2023. Hyatt also isn't worried that a little more weight will mean less speed. "Nah. That speed's gonna stay with […]

Trent Taylor, Trenton Irwin Have Competition

Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Trent Taylor and Trenton Irwin have competition this summer in rookie Charlie Jones, who was taken in the fourth round of this year's draft. Jones is a younger, faster slot receiver with return abilities. The Athletic's Jay Morrison writes that it feels as though there will be only one spot for […]

Donovan Smith Signs One-Year Deal With Chiefs

Veteran free-agent offensive tackle Donovan Smith signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday on a one-year deal worth up to $9 million, according to a source. Smith is now expected to play left tackle and protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes' blind side in 2023, with Jawaan Taylor likely to move over to the right side […]

Oswald Peraza Going For X-Rays After Rolling Ankle

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that rookie shortstop Oswald Peraza (ankle) is going for X-rays after rolling his ankle during a stolen-base attempt in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Yankees are unsure yet on whether Peraza will require a stint on the injured list, and we probably won't know more […]

Jose Urena Agrees To Minor-League Deal With Nationals

Free-agent right-hander Jose Urena agreed to a minor-league deal with the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. The 31-year-old right-hander was designated for assignment and released by the Colorado Rockies last week, but he'll land on his feet quickly with the rebuilding Nats. He has previous stops with the Miami Marlins, Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers in […]

Adalberto Mondesi To Visit With Doctor

Boston Red Sox shortstop Adalberto Mondesi (knee) will visit with a doctor in Boston to determine the next step in his rehab from a torn ACL. For weeks now, Mondesi has been doing hitting and fielding drills, but he has yet to play in games or begin a minor-league rehab assignment. If doctors like what […]

Garrett Whitlock Starts A Throwing Program

Boston Red Sox right-hander Garrett Whitlock (elbow) has started a throwing program. He appears to be making a quick recovery from right-elbow ulnar neuritis and could have a minimum stay on the injured list as a result. Whitlock will be eligible to come off the injured list to rejoin Boston's starting rotation as early as […]

Kenley Jansen Should Be Available Thursday

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (back) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday and is expected to be available to pitch on Thursday in the series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays. It's good news for Jansen and Boston's bullpen, as the 35-year-old right-handed veteran hasn't pitched since suffering […]