MLB Player News

The White Sox placed Drohan (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.

A Rule 5 selection this winter, Drohan missed the entirety of his first spring training with Chicago while recovering from left shoulder nerve decompression surgery. According to MLB.com, Drohan is expected to begin a throwing program shortly after the regular season begins, but his placement on the 60-day IL implies that the White Sox expect him to take nearly two months to get fully ramped up. Drohan served primarily as a starter for the Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate in Worcester last season, registering a 6.37 ERA, 1.85 WHIP and 93:63 K:BB in 89 innings.

The Tigers placed Gipson-Long (groin) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

Gipson-Long didn't pitch during the Grapefruit League while battling a left groin strain, so his move to the IL to begin the regular season was fully expected. After an eye-opening finish to the 2023 campaign over his first four big-league starts with the Tigers, Gipson-Long had been expected to compete for a rotation spot this spring if the groin injury hadn't cropped up. Because of the missed time in addition to the Tigers' other rotation options being in generally good health, Gipson-Long could be optioned to Triple-A Toledo once he completes a minor-league rehab assignment. Per MLB.com, Gipson-Long has resumed facing hitters in live batting practice as of last week, so he shouldn't be far away from reporting to an affiliate for game action.

The Orioles placed Means on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a left forearm strain.

Means will be eased along slowly into the season after he experienced a flareup in his surgically repaired left elbow back in October. According to MLB.com, Means was about a month behind the Orioles' healthy pitchers in his throwing progression when he reported to spring training Feb. 14, so he only recently reached the point in his ramp-up program where he's able to face hitters. Means is expected to report to Triple-A Norfolk in the near future for a rehab assignment and is likely to make multiple starts on the farm before the Orioles are comfortable bringing him back from the IL.

The Orioles placed Bradish (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.

The fact that Bradish is opening the season on the 15-day IL rather than the 60-day IL supports the notion that the Orioles are hopeful the 27-year-old will avoid a longer-term absence to begin the season while he recovers from a right UCL sprain. Bradish remains likely to miss all of April, but since he resumed throwing bullpen sessions more than two weeks ago, the right-hander is seemingly on pace to pitch at some point in May, barring any setbacks in the ramp-up process.

The Astros placed Urquidy (forearm) on the 15-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

He suffered the injury during an appearance in a minor-league game in mid-March. According to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, manager Joe Espada said Thursday that Urquidy hopes to start playing catch by the weekend. Even if that happens, he's unlikely to be ready to make his 2024 Astros debut before the end of April.

The Astros placed Verlander (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Verlander's recovery from right shoulder inflammation is going well, as he most recently threw a live batting practice session Tuesday. The plan is for him to begin a rehab assignment soon, which should consist of multiple starts before he's ready to rejoin Houston's rotation.

The Astros placed Garcia (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Garcia will be a candidate to shift to the 60-day IL when the Astros need a 40-man roster spot. He's expected to be out until around midseason while working his way back from May 2023 Tommy John surgery.

The Astros placed McCullers (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for right-hander Tayler Scott, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Sugar Land. McCullers is expected to be out until late June or early July as he continues his recovery from right elbow surgery.

The Yankees recalled Gil from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday.

He was optioned in early March, but Gil wound up winning the Yankees' fifth starter job after Gerrit Cole went down with an elbow injury that forced him to the 60-day IL. Gil is tentatively slated to make his season debut Monday in Arizona.

The Yankees placed Cole on the 60-day injured list Thursday with right elbow inflammation.

The initial timetable for Cole's return from his right elbow injury that cropped up a few weeks ago was 1-to-2 months, but it's clearly going to be closer to the latter end of that span. The hope is that the reigning American League Cy Young winner will be ready to begin a throwing program in a couple weeks, but the Yankees won't rush him for what will be a slow and steady buildup.