MLB Player News

Chief baseball officer Derek Falvey didn't provide an indication that Kirilloff (wrist) was close to returning from the 7-day injured list at Double-A Pensacola when asked about the matter Saturday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Rather than specifying a timeline for Kirilloff's return, Falvey merely noted that the Twins had always expected the 21-year-old to miss the first few weeks of the season due to the wrist injury he sustained in spring training. Until word surfaces that Kirilloff is ready to play in simulated games, a return to Pensacola won't be forthcoming.

Abreu went 0-for-3 in Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Yankees and is batting just .192.

Abreu opened the campaign on a tear, bashing three home runs and knocking in nine over the first eight games, but he has slid back since. He has one hit in his last 20 at-bats.

While Guerrero may not debut this weekend, he will be up "sooner than later," according to general manager Ross Atkins, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. "It's about getting built up and getting into really just regular-season form and being hopefully ready to make a debut at some point soon," Atkins said.

The Blue Jays have now waited long enough that they have Guerrero under team control for this year and the following six MLB seasons. It seems likely that Guerrero will be up for the team's next homestand, which begins April 23 against the Giants. He has only played in two games with Triple-A Buffalo, going 2-for-5 with a home run, two walks and zero strikeouts. Guerrero has apparently slimmed down since spring training and now weighs closer to 240 pounds than the 250 pounds at which he is listed.

Voit hits the bench for the first time Saturday against the White Sox.

With the rash of injuries hitting the Yankees this season, Voit has been needed in an everyday role. He's shown good power, hitting four homers, but his batting average sits at just .184. Greg Bird starts at first base Saturday, with Clint Frazier starting in left field.

Gurriel went 3-for-5 with a grand slam in Friday's 10-6 win over the Mariners.

Gurriel's eighth-inning home run gave Houston insurance runs as it held on against the pesky Mariners. The homer was Gurriel's first of the season, but the 34-year-old has been putting a charge into the ball early on. Eight of his 15 hits have gone for extra bases and his .531 slugging and .225 ISO are career bests.

Cabrera went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Friday's 8-6 loss to the A's.

The veteran infielder came into this one on an 0-for-13 mini-skid in his prior four games, but Cabrera snapped out of it by taking Mike Fiers deep in the fourth inning for his fourth homer of the year. His .190/.255/.500 still leaves a lot to be desired, but the 33-year-old at least brought his power stroke with him to begin his tenure in Texas.

Guerrero's arrival in the big leagues may not be only days away, Mike Wilner of Sportsnet 590 The Fan reports.

Guerrero has recovered from his oblique strain and is hitting well in the minors. He could have been called up Friday, as the Blue Jays have already secured an extra year of team control, and GM Ross Atkins reiterated that the prospect's promotion would come "sooner than later", but the club doesn't seem to be in any hurry to get the 20-year-old to the majors. It's possible that in a season in which the Blue Jays are not expected to compete for a playoff spot, the team will elect to maximize the believability that Guerrero is truly "working on his defense" rather than maximizing his number of big-league at-bats.

Tellez is not starting Friday against the Rays.

After making seven straight starts, Tellez finds himself on the bench for the second time in three games. He's hitting a modest .241 but has a .923 OPS and three homers. Lourdes Gurriel will be the designated hitter Friday.

Guerrero (oblique) went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a home run, two runs scored, four RBI and a stolen base for Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday.

Baseball's top prospect could hardly have done more to convince the Jays that he's fully recovered from the oblique strain that cut short his spring. Guerrero's big-league debut seems like it will happen in a matter of days.

Bour is not in the lineup Friday against the Cubs, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

With the game in a National League park, regular designated hitter Albert Pujols will take Bour's usual spot at first base. Bour will likely start at least one of the games over the weekend.