MLB Player News

Tate was diagnosed with a sore right forearm after an MRI returned negative Saturday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Tate will likely be barred from throwing for at least a few days, but with the MRI detecting no structural damage, he doesn't look to be in danger of a long-term absence. The 2015 first-round pick is vying for a spot in the Orioles' Opening Day bullpen and is expected to work mostly in lower-leverage spots this season.

Weber threw 79 pitches across four innings during Saturday's intrasquad game, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Weber was effective for the first three innings before tiring in the first fourth inning he's pitched since spring training. "Yeah, I got tired, but it was a mechanical adjustment I will fix in my next bullpen and carry it on into the game," said the soft-tossing right-hander. Weber had a dominant spring, pitching nine scoreless innings, walking none and striking out 11 over three starts. That performance stands in contrast to his career statistics in the major leagues (5.04 ERA), but he's worked his way into a rotation spot in 2020. With Eduardo Rodriguez (illness) possibly headed to the injured list, Weber is expected to start the third game of the season.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Sunday that Blach will receive a second opinion on his left elbow injury, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Blach complained of elbow soreness during Thursday's summer camp workout and was sent in for an examination Friday, but his initial test results were apparently inconclusive. As a result, Blach will receive another opinion in the coming days, after which the Orioles should have a better idea of how long he might be sidelined. Blach doesn't possess a spot on the 40-man roster, so he was already looking like a long shot to win a spot in the Orioles' Opening Day bullpen before the elbow injury surfaced.

Orioles pitching coach Doug Brocail said Sunday that Harvey remains in the mix to close, but Baltimore has yet to decide on a top option for the ninth inning, Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Along with Harvey, Brocail named Mychal Givens as a candidate to close for Baltimore, with southpaw Richard Bleier also viewed as a potential end-game option against lefty-heavy lineups. Unless the Orioles confirm a closer prior to Opening Day, fantasy players will have to take something of a leap of faith in Harvey, who boasts the best skills of the three contenders for saves. Durability concerns prompted the Orioles to move the 2013 first-round pick to the bullpen last season, and the 25-year-old thrived in his first taste of the big leagues, giving up one run and striking out 11 over 6.1 innings. Harvey's big fastball and above-average curveball should at least allow him to deliver quality production in the ratio categories if the Orioles elect to use Givens or someone else as their primary closer.

Cisnero looked sharp in an intrasquad game Saturday and should be able to secure a bullpen spot with a decent showing the rest of summer camp, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Cisnero was thought to have a pretty firm grip on a bullpen spot heading into spring training earlier this year, but he struggled before play was suspended. He looked good Saturday, however, striking out three of the six batters he faced, and he should be able to solidify his spot with a few more strong showings. Cisnero tallied a 4.33 ERA and 40 strikeouts across 35.1 innings for the Tigers last season.

Tate underwent a precautionary MRI on his right forearm Saturday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Tate left Friday's intrasquad game after being struck in the arm by a line drive. The severity of the issue should become clear once the results of the MRI are released.

Thornton will likely begin the season as the Blue Jays' fifth starter, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Thornton's hold on the number five spot is unlikely to be a firm one, as highly rated pitching prospect Nate Pearson could be ready to claim the job quite early in the year, since the Blue Jays only have to keep him in the minors for a week in order to gain an extra year of service time. Thornton's 4.84 ERA, 22.0 percent strikeout rate and 1.41 WHIP as a rookie last season weren't terrible but hardly make him an exciting fantasy option.

Chapman tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Chapman is reportedly showing mild symptoms. He'll have to be symptom-free with a pair of negative tests before he's allowed to return to the field. While it's possible he's able to do so before Opening Day, which is less than two weeks away, missing out on so much time during an already abbreviated summer camp may mean the Yankees will want him to get a few low-leverage innings under his belt before handling his customary closing duties.

Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said McHugh (elbow) needs "to start progressing a lot faster" to be ready for the Opening Day roster, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

McHugh has thrown a few bullpens and was scheduled to throw another one Friday, but the right-hander hasn't thrown live batting practice, an activity Roenicke said is needed for him to be on the active roster July 24. The manager isn't even ready to commit to McHugh as a starter. "Not yet because we're not at that point where he feels comfortable with really getting after it in his bullpen sessions," Roenicke said. "Once he gets to where he feels his arm's there - and he's where he needs to be - then those discussions will happen. But he's not at that point yet." There are a few uncertain elements in Boston's starting rotation and McHugh is just one of the stories. Eduardo Rodriguez (illness) has not yet reported to camp, and there has been no announcement as to whom will be the No. 4 and 5 starters.

Hearn could emerge as a top left-handed reliever for the Rangers, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.

Hearn is a starter but is not expected to be needed in that role this season. As such, the Rangers are looking at the southpaw for a potential bullpen role. That became more likely in light of recent events. The team's top two left-handed relievers are Joely Rodriguez and Brett Martin. Rodriguez has been sidelined with a lat muscle strain and has not thrown off a mound yet, while Martin is out indefinitely after testing positive for COVID-19. Hearn has just one game of MLB experience, but he impressed coaches during spring training and could be needed early.