MLB Player News

Astros manager Dusty Baker told reporters after Tuesday's game that Garcia's MRI on his right elbow is undergoing further evaluation by doctors, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Baker told reporters that they expected to have more clarity on Garcia's status this weekend. The right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list with discomfort in his right elbow after leaving Monday's start against the Giants just eight pitches in. Garcia is going to miss at least two weeks while recovering, but fantasy GMs will have a better idea on whether this is a long-term injury in the next couple of days.

Lorenzen's scheduled start against the Mets on Tuesday was postponed due to inclement weather, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Lorenzen will instead likely take the ball against the Mets on Wednesday with Tuesday's postponement being made up in a split doubleheader. The Tigers may need to alter their rotation beyond that point, as Detroit doesn't have another off day until May 11 before a three-game series against the Mariners.

Seattle selected the contract of Miller from Double-A Arkansas on Tuesday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.

Miller will make his MLB debut as the starting pitcher for the Mariners on Tuesday against the Athletics in Oakland. The right-hander posted a 6.41 ERA with the Travelers prior to the promotion, but he pitched well in his last outing with five innings of one-run ball, and he is widely considered the best pitching prospect in the Seattle system. Miller may need some adjustment time with the jump from Double-A to the majors, but he has the stuff to succeed and has a soft landing against the woeful A's on Tuesday.

Astros manager Dusty Baker said Tuesday that Garcia (elbow) is without a timeline to return from the 15-day injured list, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Baker also said that the team doesn't have a plan as of yet for who will replace Garcia in the rotation while he's on the shelf. The Astros won't need a fifth starter until May 9, so it's possible the team will go with a four-man rotation until making a decision. Garcia will be out at least two weeks while dealing with elbow discomfort, and a more concrete timetable should be presented after the results of his MRI are available.

Whitlock (elbow) will undergo more testing Tuesday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Whitlock was initially diagnosed with right elbow ulnar neuritis, but he will be looked at further to rule out any additional issues. The hope had been that the right-hander could make it back after missing just two starts, but that now appears firmly in doubt.

The Astros placed Garcia on the 15-day injured list Tuesday due to right elbow discomfort, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Garcia was pulled from his last start Monday just eight pitches into the game. The 26-year-old righty is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Tuesday evening, but the team apparently feels his injury is significant enough to warrant a trip to the injured list anyway. Matt Gage was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move.

Rodon's back is still bothering him and affecting his mechanics, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told Chris Kirschner of The Athletic on Tuesday.

Rodon's pitching arm is a non-issue at this point, but he's been unable to get over the hump with a back problem that first cropped up in early April. Boone said the team is still discussing how best to proceed with Rodon's rehab. The lefty has thrown a few bullpen sessions, but it's possible he might be shut down for some time again.

The Twins will call Varland up from Triple-A St. Paul to start Wednesday versus the White Sox, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

He's sliding into the rotation spot vacated by Tyler Mahle (elbow) and should get multiple starts with Mahle slated to miss more than a month of action. Varland holds a 4.20 ERA and 25:4 K:BB across 15 frames with Triple-A St. Paul this season and pitched well in a spot start earlier this season. He's not a bad deep-league streaming option against a struggling White Sox club.

Rucinski is scheduled to start Thursday's game against the Mariners at Oakland Coliseum, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

After returning last week from a season-opening stint on the 15-day injured list, Rucinski stepped into the rotation for his Oakland debut and his first MLB appearance since 2018. Though Rucinski gave the team 5.2 innings in his start against the Reds, he was lit up for five runs (three earned) on 11 hits and one walk while striking out one. Rucinski's results weren't anything to get excited about, but the one-year, $3 million deal he received over the winter after spending the previous four seasons pitching in the Korea Baseball Organization represents some level of commitment from the penny-pinching Athletics. Expect the 34-year-old to continue picking up starts, especially while the team is lacking in appealing alternatives to replace him in the rotation.

Bielak did not factor into the decision during Monday's 7-3 win over the Giants, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks while striking out six over four innings.

Bielak was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday to replace Jose Urquidy, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with shoulder discomfort. Luis Garcia drew the start versus San Francisco, but his outing lasted just eight pitches due to a right elbow injury, forcing Bielak to eat up as many innings as he could. The right-hander was a bit shaky with three walks over four innings and surrendered a two-run homer to Joc Pederson, but that was the lone blemish on an otherwise successful night for Bielak. With so many injuries to Houston's rotation, Bielak, who operated as a starter and reliever in the minors, could get a spot start or two moving forward.