MLB Player News

Valdez was scratched ahead of his scheduled start Monday against the Rangers after experiencing soreness in the top of his left elbow after playing catch, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Valdez has been sent back to Houston to be evaluated by team doctors. Both Astros manager Joe Espada and general manager Dana Brown have downplayed the level of concern, noting that the lefty hasn't yet been placed on the injured list. That said, more won't be known until the team gets results of the exam, which won't be until at least Tuesday. Blair Henley is drawing a spot start Monday in Valdez's place.

The Angels placed Silseth on the 15-day injured list Monday due to right elbow inflammation.

Silseth struggled over his first two starts, giving up six runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out 12 over eight innings, going 0-1 over that span. Jose Soriano will take Silseth's spot in the rotation, getting the start Wednesday against the Rays.

DeGrom (elbow) has extended his flat-ground throwing to 90 feet, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

It's the next step in deGrom's throwing progression as he continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery. Everything seems to have gone as expected to this point with deGrom, who hopes to rejoin the Rangers' rotation at some point late in the season.

Plesac was designated for assignment by the Angels on Monday.

After signing a one-year contract with the Angels in December, he was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on March 9. He started in two games with Salt Lake, giving up five runs on six hits and seven walks while striking out nine batters over 9.2 innings, and he took the loss in both contests.

Valdez will not start Monday's game against the Rangers, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Valdez is not dealing with any known injury, but Alexander says Blair Henley will be called up to start Monday. It's possible the Astros just want to keep Valdez from starting two straight games against the Rangers, as he's tentatively slated to go up against them on Sunday.

Cole (elbow) played catch without issue Monday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

It's the first time he's done any throwing since he was diagnosed with nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. Cole will be brought along slowly, and it's going to be a while before we gain clarity on a potential return timetable. He is not eligible for activation from the 60-day injured list until late May.

Hancock, who allowed eight runs over 3.1 innings to the Brewers on Sunday, has seen some dip in velocity since the start of spring training and could have his next turn in the rotation skipped, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

The Mariners won't need a No. 5 starter again until April 16 thanks to an off day on Thursday, but Bryan Woo (elbow), who Hancock is filling in for in the Mariners' rotation, may not yet be ready to return at that point. Nevertheless, Drayer speculates Hancock may not necessarily get the call in such a scenario, noting manager Scott Servais may want to have him take a step back and also work on building toward the velocity he was displaying when he first reported to camp. Hancock had impressed with a 97 mph two-seamer and 90 mph changeup at that point, but those figures were at 92.9 and 87.3, respectively, during Sunday's abbreviated outing.

Shuster was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte by the White Sox on Monday.

Tanner Banks will serve as an opener Monday in Cleveland, but Shuster looks to be the prime candidate to follow him in bulk relief. Shuster could also be under consideration for a start until Mike Clevinger is ready. The lefty was knocked around for seven runs and four home runs over four innings in his lone start with Charlotte this season.

Gausman averaged 91.4 mph with his fastball during Saturday's loss to the Yankees, but the veteran right-hander isn't concerned, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Gausman averaged 94.7 mph with his heater in 2023, but his velocity was also down significantly in an early April start last year in Kansas City, and it didn't end up being any kind of warning sign as he went on to post a 3.16 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 31.1 percent strikeout rate over 185 innings. "That's kind of the running joke, I'm 88 to 98," Gausman said after Saturday's game. "[Hitters] don't know what they're going to get. I don't know what I'm going to get, either. I think it was just cold weather more than anything. My first two innings, if you're going to get to me, that's when you're going to get to me. Unfortunately, that was obviously the case tonight." Gausman lines up to make his next start at home this weekend in a much more favorable matchup against the Rockies.

Verlander (shoulder) allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and a walk over three innings in his first rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday.

It wasn't a pretty bottom line, although Verlander did strike out six batters and induced a solid 12 whiffs on his 65 pitches. The veteran right-hander averaged 93.5 mph with his four-seamer, which is nearly one full mph down from his average from last season. Verlander is expected to make one more rehab start later this week before rejoining the Astros' rotation as soon as April 17 versus Atlanta.