MLB Player News

Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said that Boyd will be the team's Opening Day starter, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Boyd missed an intrasquad outing Tuesday, noting that he was kept out of the stadium due to testing protocol. There was some thought that this delay in his throwing schedule could make him unavailable for Opening Day, but the lefty said he'd pitch on short rest next week to get back on track for the July 24 opener.

Milone had his contract selected by Baltimore on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old was included in the Orioles' 60-player pool for the shortened season, and he's now officially been added to the 40-man roster. Milone appears to be in competition with Kohl Stewart for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, but with the potential for sudden absences due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both pitchers will likely have a place on the initial 30-man roster.

Boyd was slated to pitch in an intrasquad game Tuesday but said he "wasn't allowed to come into the field" due to testing protocols, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

Tuesday was 10 days before Opening Day for the Tigers, so it was expected that Boyd would pitch to stay lined up for the first game of the season. This explains why he didn't make an appearance, though it's a bit unclear why specifically he was banned from entering the park. The lefty said he would throw on short rest next week, which would put him back on track for the opener.

Manoah hasn't yet reported to Blue Jays camp, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.

No reason has been given for Manoah's absence, but he hasn't been added to the injured list or replaced on the 60-man roster. The team doesn't expect him to arrive soon, but he's still eligible to join the player pool. The right-hander recorded a 2.25 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over seven appearances in the minors last season.

Verlander will start Opening Day for the Astros on July 24 against the Mariners, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The veteran right-hander was going to miss the original start of the season after undergoing groin surgery in mid-March, but he'll receive another Opening Day start following the multi-month shutdown. Verlander allowed a career-high 36 homers in 2019, but he still posted an impressive 2.58 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 300:42 K:BB over 223 innings to earn his second AL Cy Young award.

Canning (elbow) struck out eight hitters in five innings during an intrasquad game Tuesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Canning's appearance was far from traditional -- he faced only six different batters, most of whom are Triple-A level -- but it is encouraging that the right-hander was able to go five frames after experiencing elbow issues during spring training. Canning appears to have benefited from extended time off and a series of biological injections, and he should be ready to hold down a spot at the back end of the Angels' rotation when the season kicks off.

Bundy took five turns on the mound and struck out eight hitters in an intrasquad game Tuesday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Against a lineup of mostly minor-league hitters, Bundy flashed his swing-and-miss arsenal while walking only one batter. It's always wise to avoid getting too excited about exhibition performances, but Bundy has thus far looked outstanding in an Angels uniform between spring training and summer camp. He's lined up to be an important piece of the team's rotation during the abbreviated season.

Javier could make the Opening Day roster, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.

The Astros' pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries and absences from camp, and with Javier already on the 40-man roster and fairly accomplished in the upper levels of the minors, he is a natural candidate to step into an early-season role. Javier lacks a plus offspeed pitch or premium velocity, but he has consistently thrived in the minors (2.22 ERA, 1.03 WHIP in 377 career innings) and he had a 1.74 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 170:59 K:BB in 113.2 innings across three levels in 2019. His top pitch is a low-90s "invisiball" that is incredibly deceptive from his low three-quarters arm slot. He projects as a solid No. 4 starter and could be used as a swing man or long reliever in 2020.

The Royals placed Keller (illness) on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday.

Keller and Ryan O'Hearn were both moved to the IL just a few days after they were revealed to have tested positive for the coronavirus, while Salvador Perez was activated from the COVID-19 IL after clearing all health-related protocols. The 24-year-old right-hander is believed to only be contending with mild symptoms of the coronavirus, but his absence from camp will take him out of the mix for the Opening Day nod. Instead, the Royals will have Danny Duffy take the hill when the team begins its season July 24 in Cleveland.

The Red Sox placed Rodriguez (illness) on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Rodriguez was one of three pitchers who recently tested positive for the coronavirus that Boston moved to the IL. The southpaw is apparently coming along well in his recovery from COVID-19, as he's been able to do some throwing at home this week while he remains in quarantine. Rodriguez will have to submit two negative COVID-19 test results before he's able to rejoin the team, but even if he's back with the Red Sox before the conclusion of summer camp, he likely won't be included on the Opening Day roster. Once he reports to the team, Rodriguez will still have to ramp up and get his arm conditioned for starting duty, a process that could result in him missing multiple turns through the rotation.