MLB Player News

Sewald (oblique) will throw a second bullpen session Tuesday, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Sewald threw 18 pitches in his bullpen session Saturday, which was his first since being placed on the 15-day IL with a Grade 2 left oblique strain. It's unclear what the next step will be after Tuesday's session, but Sewald will presumably eventually advance to throwing live batting practice before heading out on a rehab assignment.

Bukauskas' injury has been reclassified as a right triceps strain, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Bukauskas was placed on the injured list Sunday with what had been referred to as a right lat strain, but further testing revealed the injury is actually to his triceps. There remains no timetable for his return, as more testing still needs to be done.

Chargois (neck) threw a one-inning, 20-pitch live batting practice session Monday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

He's slated for a two-inning, 35-pitch live BP session Friday. Seemingly, Chargois should be cleared for a rehab assignment after that. He's been out all season with a neck issue but is making nice progress.

Brown is scheduled to start Monday's game against the Diamondbacks in Arizona.

Though Jameson Taillon (back) looks to be in line to return from the 15-day injured list later this week to join the Chicago rotation, Brown will get at least one more turn on the heels of a strong first MLB start April 9 in San Diego. After making his first two appearances in bulk relief, Brown covered 4.2 innings in his start versus the Padres and struck out five while allowing zero runs on three hits and one walk. Another solid effort Monday against the reigning National League champions could make it tough for the Cubs to justify keeping Brown out of the rotation, even with Taillon's return being imminent.

Raley (1-0) picked up the win Sunday against the Royals, striking out two in a perfect eighth inning.

Jose Butto and Cole Ragans posted goose eggs for six innings before turning things over to their bullpens, and Raley was in the right place at the right time as the Mets broke the scoreless tie with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. The 35-year-old southpaw has begun the season with six straight scoreless appearances of his own, delivering a 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 6:3 K:BB through 5.1 innings along with three holds as the primary setup man to Edwin Diaz.

Bender gave up a run on three hits while striking out one in the seventh inning Sunday, recording his fourth hold of the season in a loss to Atlanta.

The right-hander's 5.14 ERA and 1.57 WHIP through seven innings aren't pretty, but Bender leads the Marlins in holds and his 11:2 K:BB indicates he's fully recovered from the Tommy John surgery that cost him all of 2023. Tanner Scott blew the save Sunday and seems to be hanging onto his closer role by a thread, so Bender and Andrew Nardi could begin to see ninth-inning work in his place.

Nardi struck out the side in a perfect eighth inning Sunday to record his third hold of the season in a loss to Atlanta.

The southpaw needed 12 pitches (10 strikes) to knife through the bottom of Atlanta's order, only to see Tanner Scott blow the save in the ninth. Nardi's had a rough start to the season, giving up multiple runs in four of his nine appearances, but his 10:3 K:BB through 7.1 innings is something to build on. Should Scott be removed from the closer role, Nardi is still one of the prime candidates to see save chances in his place despite his horrific 12.27 ERA.

Scott (0-3) took the loss Sunday and blew his first save of the season, giving up three runs on two hits and a walk in the ninth inning against Atlanta. He struck out one.

Called upon to protect a 7-6 lead, Scott instead served up a massive three-run homer to center field by Marcell Ozuna. It's been a brutal start to the season for the left-handed closer, and he's saddled with a 4.70 ERA, 1.83 WHIP and ghastly 7:10 K:BB through 7.2 innings. Scott's job security might be hanging by a thread, and potentially the only thing keeping him in the ninth right now for the Marlins is that no one else in the bullpen has pitched particularly well either.

Minter (2-1) struck out the side in a perfect eighth inning Sunday to record the win over the Marlins.

It was very nearly an immaculate inning, but Minter fired a fastball just off the plate on his first pitch to Jesus Sanchez before getting him to chase three straight cutters. The southpaw then got rewarded for his performance when Marcell Ozuna launched a game-winning homer in the top of the ninth. Minter is curiously still looking for his first hold of 2024, but he's otherwise been outstanding in a high-leverage role, posting a 2.57 ERA, 0.43 WHIP and 11:0 K:BB through seven innings.

Moll (shoulder) made his first appearance in a week for Triple-A Louisville on Sunday while on a rehab assignment. He allowed a walk and struck out one over a scoreless inning.

Moll began his stint with Louisville on March 29 and pitched regularly until the rehab assignment was paused a week ago, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. The pause occurred after he threw on back-to-back days.