MLB Player News

Leclerc is likely to see the save opportunity for the Rangers should one arise Thursday against the Phillies, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Leclerc has been seen as the favorite to close for a while, but his velocity was down this spring and manager Bruce Bochy had hedged his bets previously. However, it does appear the right-hander is indeed at the top of the pecking order. Will Smith, Jonathan Hernandez and Ian Kennedy could be options to close if Leclerc stumbles.

The Athletics placed Tarnok on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain.

Tarnok was first injured in mid-March and it's unclear how much time he might miss. He'll likely be assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas once he's deemed healthy.

The Guardians placed Morris on the 60-day injured list with a right teres major strain.

The move rules Morris out though at least late May. He's been sidelined since February and doesn't seem to have started a throwing program yet.

The Yankees placed Kahnle (biceps) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

After recently receiving a cortisone injection to address tendinitis in his right biceps, Kahnle could be cleared to begin a throwing program soon, though he'll essentially have to complete spring training all over again since he's already been sidelined for more than three weeks with the injury. Barring any setbacks once he starts throwing again, Kahnle could be cleared to make his 2023 debut out of the Yankees bullpen in late April or early May.

The Yankees placed Trivino (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

Trivino is dealing with a ligament strain of his right elbow and is expected to miss around a month, though the 31-year-old is leaving the door open for a potential debut before the end of April. When healthy, Trivino is likely to serve as a middle-relief or setup arm out of the New York bullpen.

Wingenter had his contract selected by the Tigers on Thursday.

Wingenter signed with Detroit as a non-roster invitee in January and earned a spot on the Opening Day roster after he recorded 11 strikeouts in seven scoreless frames during spring training. The right-hander hasn't pitched in the majors since 2019 with the Padres, when he had one save and 16 holds with a 5.65 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 72:28 K:BB over 51 innings.

The Yankees placed Effross (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.

Effross is set to miss the entire 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, so his placement on the 60-day IL is merely a formality. The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for shortstop Anthony Volpe, whose contract was selected ahead of Thursday's season opener versus the Giants.

Winder (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday. He will be built up as a long reliever in the short term rather than as a starter, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Winder threw 2.2 innings in a spring outing Tuesday, so he's making progress. It's likely he'll go on a rehab stint at Triple-A first and could ultimately replace Cole Sands as Minnesota's long reliever in the bullpen.

Henriquez (elbow) was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

Henriquez was shut down in late February due to right posterior elbow soreness. He started throwing late in spring training and could be on track to return in April. A key distinction of the roster move is that he was placed on the major-league injured list. He may be sent to Triple-A when he's activated.

The Orioles optioned Krehbiel to Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday.

Krehbiel narrowly missed out on making the Orioles' Opening Day roster, with Baltimore instead opting to go with Logan Gillaspie and Mike Baumann as its final two bullpen arms. The 30-year-old right-hander previously appeared in 56 games with the big club in 2022, logging a 3.90 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 45:18 K:BB in 57.2 innings while collecting five wins, 10 holds and one save.