MLB Player News

The Royals announced that Ragans was removed from his start in Wednesday's game against the Guardians in the first inning due to a left thumb contusion. He recorded two outs via strikeout and was charged with three earned runs on two hits and one walk.

Ragans sustained the injury when he was struck on the hand by a Jose Ramirez comebacker. The southpaw initially stayed in the game, but after struggling with his control against the next two hitters he faced, the Royals opted to pull the plug on his start. Though preliminary X-rays have ruled out any structural damage to Ragans' pitching hand, he'll still need to show that the thumb contusion presents no issues with his ability to grip and command the baseball before the Royals clear him to make his next turn through the rotation. Ragans tentatively lines up to make his fourth start of the season during next week's series in Detroit.

The Angels announced that Stephenson underwent ligament and flexor repair surgery on his right elbow Wednesday and is likely to miss the remainder of the season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Stephenson was placed on the 60-day injured list prior to Opening Day due to right elbow inflammation, an issue that cropped up during spring training. He had initially been eased into workouts during camp after he had experienced symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome over the winter. While Stephenson was able to avoid another UCL reconstruction surgery after previously requiring the procedure in May 2024, the 33-year-old right-hander is nonetheless on track to miss his second full season since signing a three-year, $33 million deal with the Angels following the 2023 campaign. The contract includes a $2.5 million club option for 2027, so the Angels could still look to bring him back next season if they're satisfied with where he stands in the rehab process.

Ragans was removed from his start Wednesday against the Guardians in the first inning due to an apparent left hand injury, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports. He recorded two outs and was charged with three earned runs on two hits and a walk prior to departing.

After striking out the first two batters he faced, Ragans was struck in his pitching hand by a 96-mile-per-hour comebacker off the bat of Jose Ramirez, who reached on an infield single. Ragans was evaluated by the Royals' training staff and cleared to remain in the game, but after issuing a four-pitch walk and then yielding a two-run double to Chase DeLauter, he was pulled from the contest. The Royals will likely send him in for X-rays to determine whether or not he suffered a fracture, but even if tests come back negative, Ragans could still be at risk of missing his next turn through the rotation.

Yates (knee) threw 26 pitches to hitters Tuesday and could next begin a minor-league rehab stint, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Yates said his body "felt good" during the session but acknowledged that his legs aren't quite up to speed yet. "The hard part is, I didn't get a chance to do anything with my legs for 12-to-13 days. So we're trying to play catch-up with that. The legs aren't as fresh as I'd probably like them to be. But, overall, I think it was good," Yates said after throwing. Manager Kurt Suzuki echoed that sentiment, saying, "I thought he looked fine. Obviously, first time in a while throwing to hitters, so it's going to take time. Build his stamina, his legs back up, get his legs under him again... But hopefully we'll see him sooner than later." Yates said he's hoping his next step will be a rehab assignment with a minor-league squad but stated that he's going to talk that over with coaches and trainers Wednesday.

Cruz (1-0) earned the win over the Athletics on Tuesday, walking two batters and striking out one over 1.1 hitless and scoreless innings.

Cruz threw only 10 of 20 pitches for strikes and walked two batters in the eighth inning, but he fanned Max Muncy to get out of that frame unscathed. The righty reliever moved in line for the victory when New York struck for four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Cruz has been working in a setup role in front of closer David Bednar and has recorded three holds through six appearances. He's pitched 4.2 frames, allowing one run while posting a 7:4 K:BB.

The Mariners transferred Vargas (lat) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.

The transaction will clear a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of outfielder/first baseman Connor Joe, who was called up from Triple-A Tacoma. Vargas has been out all season while recuperating from a right lat strain and now won't be eligible to return until late May. It's not clear whether Vargas has resumed throwing or remains shut down.

The Rays recalled Scholtens from Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.

Scholtens will give the club an extra bullpen arm while Drew Rasmussen is away on paternity leave. The 32-year-old Scholtens got into two games for the Rays last season, allowing seven runs (five earned) over 8.1 innings but also notching 12 strikeouts.

Kelly retired both batters he faced in the seventh inning to earn a hold in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Milwaukee.

Kelly entered a high-leverage situation that might normally be entrusted to Justin Slaten, but Slaten was unavailable due to an oblique injury. With Boston leading, 3-1, the bases loaded and one out, Kelly limited the damage to one run on a pair of groundouts and recorded his first hold. In three appearances since being called up from Triple-A Worcester last week, the right-handed reliever has allowed one run and one hit while striking out one over 2.2 innings. The 31-year-old Kelly is a well-known commodity in the bullpen, having made 98 appearances for the Red Sox over the previous four seasons.

Helsley picked up the save in Tuesday's win against the White Sox, allowing one walk while striking out two over a scoreless inning.

Helsley entered the ninth with a two-run lead and issued a leadoff walk to Dustin Harris but quickly regained control, retiring the next three batters, including two via strikeout. While the righty has now converted four saves, his 4.15 ERA, 2.08 WHIP and 7:4 K:BB in 4.1 innings reflect his inconsistency lately. Still, outings like Tuesday's offer a positive sign as Helsley looks to settle into a more reliable groove moving forward.

The Red Sox placed Slaten on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to a right oblique strain.

Boston had previously noted that Slaten wasn't available out of the bullpen for Tuesday's 3-2 win over Milwaukee due to a sore oblique, but the righty reliever will now be shut down for at least two weeks after being diagnosed with a strain. The Red Sox recalled lefty Tyler Samaniego from Triple-A Worcester to take Slaten's spot in the bullpen. For his part, Slaten believes his injury is minor and is hopeful to return from the IL when first eligible April 20, per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic.