MLB Player News

Quero isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Quero will grab a seat on the bench Thursday after going 0-for-7 with two walks and two RBI over his last three games. Reese McGuire will handle catching duties instead and bat ninth.

Manager A.J. Hinch said Verlander's (hip) bullpen session Wednesday was "encouraging," Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.

"I think the last time I tried to really step on it, I don't want to say it was a full step back, but it didn't respond the way I wanted or that anybody wanted," Verlander said. "So that was disappointing. After yesterday, it didn't do that, which is good. It's taken a little longer than I think we expected, which is frustrating." Verlander has missed his last four turns through the rotation due to inflammation in his left hip, and it hasn't responded the way he'd hoped after he was initially believed to require only a minimum stint on the injured list. Verlander is expected to need at least one more bullpen session and a rehab start before making his return to Detroit's rotation.

Sims was designated for assignment by the White Sox on Thursday.

Sims has pitched in nine games out of Chicago's bullpen and has registered a 4.50 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 10:7 K:BB across 10 innings. With Sims jettisoned from the 40-man roster, the White Sox selected Tyler Davis' contract from Triple-A Charlotte.

Cole (toe) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Fayetteville on Thursday.

Cole opened the season at Triple-A Round Rock after failing to make the Astros' Opening Day roster. He then suffered a broken toe in the third game of the season after going 1-for-9 with a solo homer and 2:4 BB:K across 12 trips to the plate. With all four of Jake Meyers (oblique), Taylor Trammell (groin), Joey Loperfido (quadriceps) and Zach Dezenzo (elbow) on the injured list, Cole has missed out on a chance to play with the big-league club early in the season. He still could be an option to be recalled if his rehab goes smoothly.

Lukes went 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Angels.

The 31-year-old outfielder has seen his bat come to life since getting on a treatment program for a case of vertigo that had been plaguing him since spring training. Over the last six games, Lukes is batting .500 (10-for-20) with three doubles, three runs and six RBI, and he's taken over the leadoff spot against right-handed pitching. He might lose that role once George Springer (toe) is off the IL, but Lukes should remain near the top of the order against RHP as long as he stays locked in at the plate.

Trout went 1-for-3 with a home run, an additional run, two walks and a stolen base in a 7-3 win against Toronto on Wednesday.

Trout provided a big boost to the Angels offense and a nice line for fantasy managers with a fifth-inning homer and a seventh-inning stolen base. The veteran outfielder extended his on-base streak to 13 games, and he's slashing .283/.450/.739 with six homers, 14 RBI, 16 runs, two thefts and a 14:8 BB:K during that span. With eight homers and four steals through 25 contests, Trout is providing ample value for fantasy managers who took him in drafts with the hope that he could stay healthy.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Wednesday in an interview on SportsTalk 790 that the teams has had internal conversations about stretching Teng back out to be used as a starting pitcher.

Teng has been terrific as a multi-inning reliever for the Astros, posting a 1.65 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 16:6 K:BB over 16.1 innings. The 27-year-old has plenty of past starting experience, though his control problems (12.2 percent walk rate in the majors, 11.5 percent walk rate in the minors) suggest he might be best off remaining in the bullpen.

Clement went 3-for-5 with an RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Angels.

The 30-year-old infielder extended his hitting streak to seven games, but Wednesday's RBI was actually his first during that stretch despite hitting .400 (12-for-30). Clement doesn't offer much more than a strong batting average for fantasy purposes, posting a .320/.327/.420 slash line through 24 contests on the season with 10 doubles, zero homers, one steal, six RBI and eight runs.

Yesavage (shoulder) could make another rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo before coming off the injured list, Max Ralph of MLB.com reports.

The 22-year-old right-hander built up to 64 pitches in his most recent outing Tuesday but was far from sharp, giving up four runs (two earned) on two hits and four walks over 2.1 innings while striking out two. The Blue Jays would like Yesavage to reach about 75 pitches before adding him to the big-league rotation. If he remains at Buffalo for another turn, Patrick Corbin and Eric Lauer will each get another chance to state their case for remaining in the rotation once Yesavage is activated.

Corbin may not be the pitcher bumped from the rotation when Trey Yesavage (shoulder) comes off the IL, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

The veteran southpaw has been surprisingly effective in three starts since being added to an injury-depleted Blue Jays rotation, delivering a 3.68 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 12:4 K:BB over 14.2 innings. During that same stretch, Eric Lauer has a 7.63 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and 10:8 K:BB over 15.1 innings in his three outings. Lauer also has more experience pitching out of the bullpen, although manager John Schneider curiously described Corbin as "versatile" last week despite the fact that 236 of his last 237 big-league appearances dating back to 2018 have been starts. Yesavage built up to 64 pitches in his latest rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday and likely needs at least one more outing before he's ready to come off the IL, so Schneider may be able to hold off deciding which of the two lefties stays in the rotation until early May.