MLB Player News

Wiliams (appendix) played light catch Sunday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Williams is beginning to ease back into baseball activities after requiring an appendectomy May 30, but since he hasn't been cleared for mound work yet, he appears unlikely to make it back from the 10-day injured list when first eligible this week. Kohl Stewart has made two straight starts in place of Williams and could get the nod when Williams' turn comes up again next weekend versus the Cardinals. Alec Mills (back), who built up to six innings in his most recent rehab outing June 2 at Triple-A Iowa, would represent another option to fill in for Williams.

The Dodgers are expected to reinstate Gonsolin (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list to start Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Gonsolin will step into the rotation spot that has most recently been occupied by David Price, who has worked as an opening pitcher in bullpen games the last three times his turn has come up. The Dodgers will look for Gonsolin to provide more length after the right-hander built up his pitch count to 60 (over 3.2 innings) in his third and final rehab start at Triple-A Oklahoma City on June 3. Gonsolin could be capped at around 75 pitches as he steps into the rotation, but he shouldn't face many restrictions in any subsequent starts he makes after Wednesday.

Burnes (3-4) allowed four hits over seven shutout innings Sunday, striking out 13 and earning a win over the Diamondbacks.

Burnes has been dominant for most of the 2021 campaign, but Friday's performance was his best of the season. He fanned a season-high 13 batters in his longest outing to date. All four hits against him were singles, and only one Diamondback reached scoring position. The 26-year-old lowered his season ERA to 1.97 alongside an outrageous 94:7 K:BB. Burnes is lined up for another promising matchup next weekend at home against the Pirates.

The Phillies recalled Sanchez from Triple-A Lehigh Valley ahead of Sunday's 12-6 loss to the Nationals. He made his MLB debut out of the bullpen, covering 1.1 scoreless innings while giving up a hit and striking out two.

Philadelphia placed long reliever Chase Anderson on the COVID-19-related injured list in a corresponding move. Sanchez entered the contest while the Phillies were already trailing by six runs, so he's seemingly being viewed as a low-leverage reliever or mop-up man while he's up with the big club.

The Phillies placed Anderson on the COVID-19-related injured list prior to Sunday's game against the Nationals.

Reliever David Hale was also added to the COVID IL, but the Phillies didn't specify whether the two pitchers were moved to the list due to testing positive for the virus. Since being bounced from the rotation after giving up seven runs in 1.1 innings in a May 16 loss to the Blue Jays, Anderson hasn't fared much better in a low-leverage relief role. In his first three outings out of the bullpen, Anderson has surrendered six earned runs on eight hits and a walk over 5.2 innings.

Fried (3-3) allowed a run on six hits and struck out four in six innings to earn the win Sunday versus the Dodgers.

Albert Pujols' RBI single in the fourth inning was the only damage on Fried's line. After a speed bump in Tuesday's messy loss to Washington, Fried appears back on track. He's allowed just one run in five of his last six starts. The southpaw's ratios remain messy after a poor start to the year, as he carries a 4.63 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 45:16 K:BB across 44.2 innings overall. His next start is expected to be in Miami next weekend.

Steele (hamstring) threw a 35-pitch bullpen Sunday and will be re-evaluated Monday, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.

Steele landed on the 10-day injured list May 21. The reliever appears to be nearing a return to the Cubs' bullpen, though it's not clear if the club intends on sending him on a rehab assignment before activating him.

Alcantara (3-5) allowed one unearned run on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts in eight innings. He earned the win Sunday versus Pittsburgh.

Adam Frazier got aboard on an error and came around to score on a Colin Moran double in the first inning, but that was all Alcantara would surrender. The right-hander bounced back well after a rough turn versus Toronto on Tuesday. The 25-year-old has a 3.30 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 74:22 K:BB across 79 innings this year. He lines up to face Atlanta in next weekend's series.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Keller (illness) will be placed on the COVID-19 injured list Sunday, Jake Crouse of MLB.com reports.

Per Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Shelton said he couldn't confirm whether Keller's move to the IL was related to the heat-related illness that caused the right-hander's removal from his start Friday against the Marlins. Regardless, the Pirates don't seem to be concerned about a lengthy stay on the IL for Keller; according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Keller is listed as the team's probable starter for Thursday's game against the Dodgers. The 25-year-old has been a decent source of strikeouts (9.7 K/9) over his 11 starts, but his 3-6 record, 6.65 ERA and 1.72 WHIP across 44.2 innings have limited his overall fantasy value.

Musgrove (4-5) lost Saturday's 4-0 game against the Mets, going five innings and allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts.

Musgrove was locked in a pitcher's duel with New York ace Jacob deGrom until allowing two fifth-inning home run and two baserunners in the sixth before being removed. The runs were the first allowed by Musgrove since May 14 -- his subpar 4-5 record masks an outstanding 2.33 ERA.