MLB Player News

Staumont pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one to earn a hold in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Angels.

Staumont entered the game with a one-run lead to protect. The Royals added four runs while Staumont was in the game, giving the right-hander a larger cushion, not that he needed it. He's allowed just one hit and one walk with four strikeouts in 5.2 innings this season, and he's yet to allow a run. He should be good to go after spending Tuesday on the COVID-19-related injured list.

Abreu was optioned to the alternate training site Wednesday.

He gave up one run while striking out three in two innings over two appearances while up with the big club. Look for Abreu to be up and down between the majors and Triple-A all season long.

Burdi was recalled prior to Wednesday's game against Cleveland, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.

He takes the place of Dylan Cease (COVID) in the short term to provide the White Sox with some extra bullpen depth. Burdi can miss bats with the best of them, but throwing strikes and staying healthy have been major hurdles in the past.

Lakins was recalled from the Orioles' alternate training site Wednesday.

Lakins was sent down by the Orioles after he served as the 27th man for Tuesday's doubleheader against Seattle, but he'll now rejoin the club after right-hander Mac Sceroler (shoulder) was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday. Lakins made his season debut against the Mariners on Tuesday and struck out two in one clean relief inning.

The Red Sox announced that Mata (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Mata opted for the procedure after he was shut down during spring training when he was diagnosed with a slight tear of the UCL in his right elbow. The 21-year-old is expected to require a 12-to-16-month recovery from the surgery, meaning he'll likely be sidelined until the summer of 2022. Mata had been regarded as one of the Red Sox's top pitching prospects heading into the season.

Hernandez was optioned to the Royals' alternate training site Wednesday.

Hernandez had a shaky start to the 2021 campaign and will now head to the team's alternate camp to work things out. The right-hander made three relief appearances for the Royals to begin the year and allowed four runs on six hits and five walks while striking out five in 3.1 innings. Right-hander Josh Staumont was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move.

Richards, recalled by the Rays on Monday, allowed two earned runs on three hits, a walk and a wild pitch over three innings in a loss to the Rangers on Tuesday. He struck out three.

Ryan Yarbrough threw 93 pitches over six difficult frames, and Richards was therefore called upon in his role as swingman to eat up some innings. The right-hander struggled to a career-worst 5.91 ERA and 1.72 WHIP across nine appearances (four starts) in 2020, so Tuesday's uneven outing wasn't exactly the most encouraging start to his new season.

The Royals reinstated Staumont from the COVID-19 injured list Wednesday.

Staumont was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday without a defined injury, but the Royals' ability to activate him a day later implies that he was sidelined due to COVID-19-related reasons. The hard-throwing right-hander has apparently cleared all health and safety protocols, so he should be be available out of the bullpen for Wednesday's game against the Angels.

Romano appears in line to handle the bulk of the save chances for Toronto for at least the next week and a half after Julian Merryweather (oblique) was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Manager Charlie Montoyo had yet to anoint a pitcher as the team's closer this season, but Merryweather's initial usage seemed to suggest that he was the skipper's preferred option for the ninth inning. If Merryweather can move past the injury in the minimum amount of time or close to it, he should factor back into the closing picture, but Romano looks like the top candidate for saves out of the Toronto bullpen in the short term. Though he was tagged with a blown save earlier this season, Romano was Toronto's best reliever when healthy in 2020, submitting a 1.23 ERA and 0.89 WHIP while striking out 21 over 14.2 innings.

Merryweather was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain Wednesday, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.

Merryweather was removed from Tuesday's win over the Yankees due to left hip irritation. It's not yet clear how much time he'll be forced to miss after he was diagnosed with a left oblique strain Wednesday, but Jordan Romano should be in line for most of the save chances while Merryweather is sidelined, and Rafael Dolis could also be in the mix. Right-hander Anthony Castro was recalled by the Blue Jays to serve as bullpen depth.