MLB Player News

The Twins optioned Funderburk to Triple-A St. Paul on Saturday, Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Funderburk made two appearances for the Twins after joining the team last Saturday, allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out five batters across four innings. He'll end up as the odd man out of a roster spot with Brock Stewart (hamstring) returning from the injured list but could return to the big leagues again if Minnesota's bullpen depth is tested later in the year.

The Twins reinstated Stewart (hamstring) from the injured list Saturday, Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Stewart has been on the injured list all season due to a left hamstring strain he suffered during spring training. He's made two rehab appearances in Single-A since then, pitching 1.2 innings and striking out every batter he faced. Now that he's fully healthy, the 33-year-old righty figures to immediately slide into a high-leverage role in Minnesota's bullpen. Kody Funderburk was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Jansen worked a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his fifth save of the season in a 2-0 win over the Giants. He didn't walk or strike out a batter.

Three flyball outs got the job done for Jansen, who has begun the season going 5-for-5 in converting save chances and has yet to give up a run in seven innings. While he could be a candidate to get flipped at the trade deadline if the Angels fall out of contention, that hasn't been a concern in the early going -- the Halos sit second in the AL West with a 10-9 record.

Hader struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his fifth save of the season in a 6-4 win over the Padres.

The southpaw closer needed 10 pitches (seven strikes) to mow down San Diego's 9-1-2 hitters. Hader has looked like his usual dominant self to begin 2025, converting all five of his save chances and posting a 0.90 ERA, 0.60 WHIP and 13:2 K:BB through 10 innings.

Gusto (2-1) picked up the win in Friday's 6-4 victory over the Padres, giving up two runs on nine hits over five innings. He struck out two without walking a batter.

A two-homer game from rookie Cam Smith gave Gusto all the offense he needed, as the 26-year-old right-hander pounded the strike zone by tossing 51 of his 68 pitches for strikes before exiting. He's held his own in the big-league rotation, and through six appearances (two starts) on the season he's posted a 3.18 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 17:3 K:BB through 17 innings, but with Lance McCullers (forearm) potentially returning before the end of the month, Gusto could be headed back to the bullpen soon enough. If he gets one more turn, it would line up to come at home next week against the Blue Jays.

Clase recorded his third save of the season in Friday's 10-7 win over the Pirates, walking one and striking out one in one-third of an inning.

The Guardians took a 10-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning, but after Tim Herrin, Jakob Junis and Paul Sewald were all tagged for runs, Clase was forced onto the mound in the ninth to get the final out. The right-hander has had a shaky start to the season, posting a 6.48 ERA, 2.04 WHIP and 9:2 K:BB through 8.1 innings while blowing one of his first four save chances, but Clase's 34.4 percent whiff rate is actually a career high and his .467 BABIP is due for major regression.

Jax (0-2) took the loss in Friday's 6-4 loss to Atlanta. He allowed four runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one over one-third of an inning.

Jax began the eighth inning with a three-run lead but couldn't hit his spots and wasn't helped by a shaky defense. It's his second poor outing in a row that has cost the Twins a lead. He has an ugly 11.25 ERA and 2.13 WHIP so far this season. He does have a strong 12:3 K:BB in eight innings with an unsustainable .480 BABIP, so there's plenty of reasons to believe he'll turn his season around. Still, he may see usage in lower-leverage spots the next few games to get him back on track.

Stewart (hamstring) will be activated from the 15-day IL on Sunday, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Stewart left a spring training appearance March 15 with a left hamstring strain and began the season on the injured list. He then had a setback in early April that delayed his return. He's made two minor league rehab appearances and says he's back to full strength. He should immediately have a prominent setup role when he returns.

Kahnle struck out a batter and gave up a walk in two-thirds of an inning to collect his fourth save of the season in Friday's 7-3 win over the Royals.

The Tigers put Kenta Maeda on the mound with a 7-1 lead to begin the ninth inning, but he was pulled after allowing a run and loading the bases while recording just one out. Kahnle then took the hill and walked the first batter he saw to make it a 7-3 ballgame, but the 35-year-old bounced back by striking out Cavan Biggio and getting Drew Waters to line out, putting an end to Friday's festivities. With four saves on the year, Kahnle has seemingly taken a firm hold of the closer job in Detroit and now owns a 1.17 ERA and 0.52 WHIP through 7.2 innings.

Loaisiga (elbow) is scheduled to throw a live bullpen session Sunday, will toss another live bullpen after that and could begin a minor-league rehab assignment shortly thereafter, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Loaisiga underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow last April, putting him just over 12 months post-surgery. The veteran reliever began throwing to hitters this past Wednesday and seems to have come away without any setbacks given his scheduled live session Sunday. Once Loaisiga's rehab assignment kicks off he'll likely need several weeks to ramp up, but there's a chance he could be back in the big-league club's bullpen by late May.