MLB Player News

McCullers (forearm) covered 1.2 innings in his rehab start Saturday with Double-A Corpus Christi, striking out one batter while allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks.

McCullers made the second start of his rehab assignment after covering two innings for Triple-A Sugar Land on March 30. Though his command and control left much to be desired Saturday, McCullers was still able to build up to 50 pitches after tossing 35 in his previous outing. He'll make his next appearance for Triple-A Sugar Land this Saturday and may require just one additional rehab outing after that before the Astros potentially bring him back from the 15-day injured list. Houston could look to McCullers to fill the opening in the rotation created by the loss of Spencer Arrighetti, who appears headed for an extended absence after fracturing his right thumb Monday.

Forret struck out five while allowing two hits and two walks across 4.2 scoreless innings in his season debut for High-A Aberdeen on Saturday.

There was an incorrect report that Forret was headed to Double-A, but he still needs to put in more work at the High-A level. Forret had a 4.35 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 75:29 K:BB in 60 innings at High-A last year.

The Guardians transferred Means (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.

The left-hander is only about 10 months removed from undergoing his second career Tommy John surgery, so it was only a matter of time before he was moved to the 60-day IL. Means continues to ramp up his throwing program and isn't expected to be ready for game action until late in the season.

Single-A Modesto placed Gough on the full-season injured list as he recovers from Tommy John surgery he underwent in September, Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline reports.

Gough had a 3.21 ERA for Modesto over the first three months last year but faded in the second half before getting shut down in late August with an elbow injury that required surgery. He will miss the full season and should be fully recovered for spring training in 2026.

Single-A Modesto placed Izzi on the 7-day injured list with an oblique injury, Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline reports.

Per the report, Izzi should return in mid-to-late April. Izzi logged a 2.85 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 95 strikeouts in 110.2 innings at Single-A last season.

Double-A Arkansas placed Morales on the 7-day injured list with an elbow injury, Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline reports.

Mayo reports that Morales should be back in the next couple weeks. The 22-year-old righty has a pretty ordinary low-90s fastball but had a strong 2024 season, logging a 3.02 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 147 strikeouts in 149 innings across High-A and Double-A.

Madden (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

After sustaining a right rotator cuff strain in spring training, Madden was placed on the 15-day injured list shortly before Opening Day and then transferred to the 60-day IL a day later when Detroit needed to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. As a result of the transaction, Madden won't be eligible to make his 2025 debut with the Tigers until late May, though the fact that he's already been cleared for mound work suggests he could be ready for activation at that time. Once he completes multiple bullpen sessions and faces live hitters without issue, Madden will embark on a rehab assignment that could last for the entirety of the 30-day window, as the Tigers presumably want him to build up as a starter. It's unclear if he'll have a rotation spot available for him with the big club once he's activated, however.

The Tigers announced Tuesday that Urquidy (elbow) has been playing catch out to 120 feet three times per week as he continues his rehab program from Tommy John surgery, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Urquidy isn't expected to be available until the second half of the season after he required the second Tommy John surgery of his career last June. He's been limited to flat-ground throwing at this stage of his rehab, though he's steadily increasing the distance at which he's been playing catch and could be ready to start throwing off a mound by the end of the month.

Double-A Wichita placed Culpepper on the 7-day injured list as he's had a hard time ramping up this spring, Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline reports.

Culpepper had a forearm strain last summer that limited him to 58.1 total innings across High-A and Double-A. There isn't an official injury diagnosis this time around, but it doesn't sound like his 2025 debut is imminent.

Prielipp gave up two runs with three strikeouts and a walk over two innings in his first start Saturday for Double-A Wichita. He'll begin the season as a starting pitcher but on a strict pitch count, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

The 48th overall draft pick in 2022 hasn't been able to stay healthy, as he needed Tommy John surgery in 2021 and then needed internal brace surgery on the same elbow in July 2023. He threw just 23.1 innings last year while working his way back from the latter injury. It's not clear if the Twins will keep him as a starter or move him to the bullpen long term, but he has the strikeout rate to be an impact arm in the majors (41.6% K% at High-A last season).