MLB Player News

Sims (back) will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Louisville.

Since Sims' placement on the IL is retroactive to March 27, he'll be eligible for activation as soon as Tuesday, but it's unclear if he'll be immediately reinstated at that time. The Reds will likely wait and see how he fares during his upcoming appearance Sunday before deciding whether he's fit to join the big-league bullpen or requires at least one more outing in the minors. Once activated, Sims is expected to settle into a setup role in front of closer Alexis Diaz.

Hearn allowed four runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two over 1.2 innings in Saturday's 10-3 loss to the Cubs.

The Rangers' bullpen had been sharp prior to Saturday, including Hearn, who had not allowed a hit and struck out four over his first 3.1 relief innings. The one-time starter found a measure of success as a multi-inning reliever in 2022. If there's a need for a fill-in starter, other starters in the organization have moved ahead of Hearn.

Holmes walked one and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Saturday to record his second save of the season in a 4-1 win over the Orioles.

He also uncorked a wild pitch and threw only seven of 14 pitches for strikes, but Holmes was able to get the job done. The right-hander is 2-for-2 in save chances to begin the season, and his 6:1 K:BB through 3.2 innings is a strong sign he's ready to build on last year's breakout campaign.

Sewald gave up a hit and a walk while striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning Saturday to record his second save of the season in a 3-2 win over the Guardians.

The right-hander's velocity remains down a bit from last season -- his fastball topped out at 92.2 mph, after averaging 92.6 mph in 2022 -- but Sewald was able to get the job done as he relied heavily on his sweeper. He has a win and two saves through his first five appearances, but the 32-year-old's 4:3 K:BB in five innings reflects the fact that he may not be fully in form yet.

Clarke (1-0) earned the win Saturday versus the Giants. He allowed three hits and struck out three without walking a batter in a scoreless eighth inning.

Clarke kept the game tied at 5-5 before the Royals pulled ahead in the top of the ninth. The right-hander loaded the bases with three singles, but he struck out Thairo Estrada, Brandon Crawford and Blake Sabol in order to end the threat. Clarke has had a shaky start to the season, allowing three runs, including a pair of home runs, on eight hits and a walk while striking out eight over five innings. He hasn't historically displayed swing-and-miss stuff, and that's often kept him limited to middle-relief assignments, a role that's unlikely to change much in 2023.

Edwards earned a save against the Rockies on Saturday, allowing one run on three hits and striking out one batter over one inning.

Kyle Finnegan opened the season as Washington's presumptive closer, but he was used in the eighth inning Saturday with Washington holding a five-run lead. After Anthony Banda allowed three baserunners without getting an out in the ninth, Edwards was brought in to shut the door in a save situation. The right-hander didn't look great, allowing an inherited runner to score as well as having a run charged to himself while surrendering three hits, but he was able to strike out Kris Bryant to close things out. It remains to be seen if Finnegan's recent blowup has dropped him out of the closer role -- if that's the case, Edwards could see more ninth-inning opportunities despite his shaky save Saturday.

Joyce walked four batters in two-thirds of an inning in a Double-A game for Rocket City on Saturday.

In one of the most unique combined no-hitters to date, Rocket City took a 7-5 loss in the seven-inning affair. Joyce came in to finish off the no-no with his team up 3-0 in the seventh, but he allowed a run on four walks before a two-out error by Jeremiah Jackson in center field allowed three runs to cross the plate. Joyce garnered preseason buzz thanks to his 104 mph fastball and 10 strikeouts over 6.2 innings, but control issues were evident as he also walked six over that span. The Angels' bullpen has been middle-of-the road with a 3.62 ERA so far this season, and Joyce's name tends to come up as a potential call-up whenever an upgrade is discussed. However, he'll likely need to demonstrate improved control before the big club summons him to majors.

Silseth has gone 2-0 through his first two starts this season with Triple-A Salt Lake, allowing three hits and posting a 13:3 K:BB over 11 innings.

Silseth opened the season with five shutout innings against Sacramento, then outdid himself with six shutout innings, during which he gave up only one hit, against Albuquerque. The right-hander struggled in his first taste of the majors last season, posting a 6.59 ERA and 1.57 WHIP across 28.2 innings over seven starts. However, he's one of the Angels' top pitching prospects and could certainly get another chance in the big club's rotation this season, especially if he continues dominating in the minors like he has so far.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Phillips will be given ninth-inning opportunities more often than the team's over relievers, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

While Roberts didn't directly name Phillips the team's full-time closer, it certainly appears that the right-hander is in line for something close to that role. Phillips has earned two of Los Angeles' three saves so far, with the other being a three-inning save by Andre Jackson in a rout of Arizona. Brusdar Graterol -- among others -- could still see an occasional save chance, but for fantasy purposes, Phillips is the Dodgers reliever to roster. He's yet to give up a run while allowing only one baserunner through three innings this season.

Through four appearances this season, Vesia has given up four earned runs on eight hits over three innings.

Vesia was one of the Dodgers' best relievers in both 2021 and 2022, posting a collective 2.19 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 133:46 K:BB over 94.1 innings. It's been a different story for the southpaw so far in 2023, as he's given up at least one run in three of his four appearances and has yet to get through an outing without giving up at least one hit. Vesia was thought to be a contender for save chances in Los Angeles' closer committee when the season opened, but he's unlikely to see any such chances until he gets things straightened out.