MLB Player News

Wells is without a timeline to resume throwing after being placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right elbow inflammation, but manager Brandon Hyde said Saturday that he's optimistic the right-hander will avoid an extended absence, MLB.com reports.

Hyde suggested that Wells' placement on the IL was for precautionary reasons after the 29-year-old experienced discomfort in his elbow following his most recent outing April 12. Given that he hasn't been diagnosed with anything more than inflammation, Wells should be in store for a brief shutdown before he starts throwing again, but since he has yet to do so just under a week after being placed on the IL, he's still likely to miss more than the minimum 15 days. Wells is one of three Orioles starters on the IL at the moment, but he appears to be the furthest away from being activated since John Means (forearm) and Kyle Bradish (elbow) are already in the midst of rehab assignments.

Vines (0-1) was the pitcher of record in Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Rangers, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out two over five innings. He was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett following the game, according to David O'Brien of The Athletic.

Making his second start for Atlanta, Vines cruised through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. Evan Carter led off the frame with a solo shot to right center before Andrew Knizner put the Rangers in front with a three-run blast. Outside of the fourth inning, Vines held his own against a dangerous lineup, but he'll head back to Gwinnett nonetheless to gain further seasoning. Atlanta will call up Bryce Elder from Gwinnett to take replace Vines on the 26-man active roster ahead of Monday's series opener versus the Marlins.

Bradish (elbow) covered 3.1 innings in the second start of his rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Norfolk, striking out four while allowing four earned runs on six hits and three walks.

According to MLB.com, Bradish's fastball sat around 93 to 95 miles per hour in Sunday's outing as he built up to 64 pitches. Though his velocity was roughly in line with his average from the 2023 season (94.8 mph), Bradish still looks like he needs more time in the minors to regain his control and command as he makes his way back from a right UCL sprain. He spotted only 37 of his 64 pitches for strikes (57.8 percent) and hit a batter and threw a wild pitch in addition to issuing three free passes. Bradish is likely to make another rehab start for Norfolk or Double-A Bowie on Friday or Saturday before the Orioles reassess whether he's ready to return from the 15-day injured list.

Woo (elbow) struck out five over three perfect innings in his first rehab start with Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday.

Woo needed just 35 pitches to cruise through his three frames in a difficult pitching environment in Las Vegas. The velocity on his four-seamer was down a bit at 93.9 miles per hour, but that's not overly concerning considering it was his first game action in more than a month. Woo is in line for multiple rehab starts but could be ready to rejoin the Mariners rotation by early May.

Means retired just one of the seven batters he faced in his fourth rehab start with Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday, allowing five earned runs on five hits and one walk.

Means covered three frames in both of his previous two rehab outings with Norfolk and was expected to increase his workload Wednesday, but he ended up having the plug pulled on him after tossing just 34 pitches (19 strikes) while struggling mightily in the first inning. The 30-year-old, who is ramping back up from a left forearm strain that flared up in the offseason, hasn't been as sharp as the Orioles have hoped during his rehab assignment, as he now owns an 18.41 ERA and 2.68 WHIP across 7.1 innings with Norfolk. According to Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun, manager Brandon Hyde acknowledged Friday that Means still needs to be stretched out more in the minors, so expect the southpaw to make at least one or two more rehab starts before being activated from the 15-day injured list. Per MLB.com, general manager Mike Elias said earlier this month that the Orioles are targeting "not too deep into May, if it does go into May" for Means to make his season debut with the big club.

Suarez is slated to start Monday's series opener versus the Angels in Anaheim, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.

Though he was summoned from Triple-A Norfolk last week to make what was expected to be a spot start, Suarez will end up drawing a second turn through the rotation after he struck out four over 5.2 shutout innings against the Twins in what was his first MLB appearance since 2017. Both John Means (forearm) and Kyle Bradish (elbow) are in the midst of minor-league rehab assignments and may be ready to return from the 15-day injured list within the next week or two, but Suarez could be able to stick around in a starting role if he delivers another quality performance versus the Angels. Dean Kremer (4.91 ERA, 5.28 FIP in 22 innings) and Cole Irvin (4.64 ERA, 4.18 FIP in 21.1 innings) have served as the Orioles' back-end starters so far this season, but neither has performed well enough early on to be fully locked into a rotation spot for the long haul.

Lorenzen (2-0) got the win Atlanta on Sunday, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks while striking out seven over six innings.

All three runs against Lorenzen came in the first inning after he gave up a home run to Marcell Ozuna. After that, Lorenzen was able to get in a nice groove and shut down Atlanta's talented lineup for his second win in as many tries. He's been an excellent addition thus far for a Rangers rotation still working on getting guys back from injury. Lorenzen owns a 2.45 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 11:8 K:BB in 11 innings and lines up for another weekend start against Cincinnati.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson implied Friday that Turnbull will likely move to the bullpen after he starts Wednesday's game in Cincinnati, MLB.com reports.

Taijuan Walker (shoulder) tossed 6.1 innings and 102 pitches in his latest rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, setting him up to return from the 15-day injured list and take back a spot in the rotation next weekend in San Diego. Rather than making room for both Walker and Turnbull and expanding the rotation to six men, the latter is poised to head to the bullpen as the Phillies look to manage his innings. Even with Turnbull's upcoming move to relief, Thomson is optimistic that the right-hander can get enough work to stay stretched out in the event a spot in the rotation opens up again. Turnbull has been tremendous thus far for any managers in deeper mixed leagues or NL-only leagues that scooped him up in the later rounds of drafts, as he's gone 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 22:7 K:BB across 22 innings.

Walker (shoulder) struck out one and allowed four earned runs on seven hits and three walks over 6.1 innings in the third start of his rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Though he's struck out just two batters while walking six over his last two rehab appearances with Lehigh Valley, Walker appears ready to return from the 15-day injured list from a workload standpoint. He tossed 102 pitches while reaching the seventh inning in Sunday's outing, making him an option to rejoin the Philadelphia rotation as soon as this upcoming weekend in San Diego if the Phillies elect to bring him back. The Phillies are expected to maintain a five-man rotation upon Walker's return, with Spencer Turnbull likely to move to the bullpen in spite of his strong start to the season (1.23 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 22:7 K:BB in 22 innings), according to MLB.com reports.

Musgrove (3-2) got the win Sunday over the Blue Jays, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out three over seven innings.

Musgrove reached seven innings for the first time this season and the first time since July 4 of last year. Most of the damage against him in this one came from the long ball when Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement took him deep in back-to-back innings early on. Schneider then later grounded in a run in the seventh before Musgrove's day concluded. He's exhibiting lower strikeout numbers early on compared to past seasons and has five or fewer strikeouts in all but one start thus far. Musgrove will take a 5.74 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 23:11 K:BB (31.1 innings) into his next start, which projects to come against the Phillies.