MLB Player News

The Nationals recalled Rutledge from Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Rutledge ranked second on the Nationals with 63 appearances in 2025, but he netted a 5.77 ERA and 1.51 WHIP over 73.1 innings and was unable to secure a spot on the Opening Day roster coming out of spring training. He hasn't been especially sharp at Rochester this season with a 1:5 K:BB in five innings over six appearances, but Rutledge will get the call back to Washington nonetheless after relievers Ken Waldichuk (forearm) and Cole Henry (shoulder) were placed on the 15-day injured list Monday.

The Nationals placed Waldichuk on the 15-day injured list Monday due to left forearm tightness.

Waldichuk was pulled early from his relief appearance in Sunday's 8-6 win over the Brewers after skipping a pitch to Milwaukee's Brice Turang and immediately motioning for team trainers to check him out. While the Nationals have determined that Waldichuk is tending to a forearm injury, he'll likely be sent in for further imaging as Washington looks to determine its severity. The southpaw previously underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2024, and even if Waldichuk doesn't require another forearm operation this time around, the Nationals are likely to proceed conservatively with his recovery program.

The Astros optioned Murray to Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday.

Houston will replace Murray on the active roster with Colton Gordon, who was called up from Triple-A in a corresponding move and would appear to be a strong candidate to make a start during the team's upcoming three-game series versus the Rockies after the Astros lost three rotation members to the injured list within the last week. Murray was unlikely to be available out of the Houston bullpen for at least another day or two after he was pressed into long relief in Sunday's 6-1 loss to the Mariners. He tossed two innings and 38 pitches in his 2026 big-league debut, giving up two earned runs on two hits and three walks while striking out three batters.

The Astros placed Imai on the 15-day injured list Monday with right arm fatigue.

Imai recorded just one out in his last start and looks to be going through a "dead arm" phase. The right-hander will be eligible for activation before the end of April, but it's unclear at this juncture whether he will be ready to go by that time. Houston's rotation depth is really being tested, as Imai joins Hunter Brown (shoulder) and Cristian Javier (shoulder) on the 15-day IL. The club also has Ronel Blanco (elbow), Hayden Wesneski (elbow) and Brandon Walter (elbow) on the 60-day IL.

The Astros recalled France from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday.

Houston had optioned France to Triple-A on Saturday, but because the Astros placed Tatsuya Imai (arm) on the injured list in a corresponding move, France won't have to wait the required 15 days to rejoin the big club. With Imai becoming the third Astros starter in six days to land on the IL and with Cody Bolton (back) also at risk of hitting the shelf, France could be a candidate to move into the rotation if he's not needed in relief in the next few days. France is already on the same schedule as Imai, having covered 2.2 innings in long relief in Friday's loss to the Mariners after Imai recorded just one out before departing.

The Blue Jays transferred Bieber (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.

Bieber's timeline for a 2026 debut remains murky, as the Blue Jays have been bringing him along slowly, but a move to the 60-day IL ensures that he'll remain on the shelf through at least late May. The veteran right-hander wasn't cleared to throw off a mound in spring training after experiencing inflammation in his surgically repaired elbow, but this past weekend, he completed his third bullpen session since the start of the season, per MLB.com. He could soon graduate to facing hitters, but Bieber still looks to be at least a couple weeks away from beginning a minor-league rehab assignment.

Kremer was present at Camden Yards on Sunday and could be formally recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to start Monday's game against the Diamondbacks, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The right-hander was unable to win a rotation spot with the Orioles coming out of spring training, but he looks like he won't have to wait long for a promotion to the big leagues. Zach Eflin (elbow) underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery last week, but Kremer -- who accrued a 4.19 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 142:45 K:BB across 171.2 innings with the big club in 2025 -- may only be getting a spot start as Baltimore navigates a stretch of 13 games in 13 days, given that Cade Povich looked very good in his first start of the year Sunday. Kremer has performed well himself in his first two outings with Norfolk, however, covering 9.1 innings and striking out 12 while allowing three earned runs on eight hits and two walks.

Triple-A Memphis placed Fitts on its 7-day injured list Monday due to a right lat strain.

Fitts had gotten off to a nice start with Memphis this season, collecting a 1.76 ERA and 11:6 K:BB over 15.1 innings covering his first three outings. He likely would have been the first pitcher to get the call when the Cardinals needed help in the big-league rotation, but now that opportunity could fall to Hunter Dobbins (knee). Fitts is likely to be sidelined several weeks and perhaps longer, depending on the severity of the strain.

Hernandez has a 1.29 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and 15:1 K:BB in seven innings through his first two starts for Single-A Bradenton.

He has a comical 56.0 K-BB% and shouldn't be at Single-A much longer. Hernandez looks the part of a future ace, he just needs to stay healthy on what could be a relatively quick path to the majors, relative to other prep pitchers. Already 19 and turning 20 in June, Hernandez is on track to reach High-A and Double-A before the end of his first pro season.

Williams (elbow) began pitching off a mound at the Nationals' spring training complex this weekend, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

The veteran right-hander continues to rehab from elbow surgery with an internal brace procedure performed last July. Williams is on the 60-day IL and won't be eligible to make his 2026 debut until late May, but it's not yet clear if that's a realistic timeline. Over 82.2 innings and 17 starts in 2025, Williams stumbled to a 6.21 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 65:21 K:BB.