MLB Player News

The Mariners will recall Hancock from Triple-A Tacoma to start Thursday's game against the Reds, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.

Hancock was originally expected to come up for a start this weekend in Toronto, but a change of plans will see him return to the big leagues a bit earlier. The 25-year-old righty gave up six earned runs in two-thirds of an inning during his season debut in March, but he's turned in a 3.72 ERA and 1.20 WHIP alongside a 12:2 K:BB in 9.2 frames since being sent down to Triple-A. Assuming Hancock's upcoming start in the majors goes better than his last one, he could remain in the Mariners' rotation until George Kirby (shoulder) returns from the IL.

Cruz picked up the save in Wednesday's win over the Royals after allowing one hit and one walk in two innings. He struck out two.

With both closer Devin Williams and setup man Luke Weaver having worked each of the past two days, Cruz was given a rare save chance and recorded six outs to get the job done. Cody Bellinger made a spectacular diving catch in right field for the final out of the game. Cruz has a strong 2.79 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 16:3 K:BB over 9.2 innings this year, but he's unlikely to see more than a handful of save opportunities in 2025 as long as the top of the Yankees' bullpen is healthy.

Volpe went 1-for-4 with a two-run double in Wednesday's win over the Royals.

Volpe drilled a go-ahead double off the left-field wall to drive in a pair of runs, putting the Yankees in front 2-1 in the third inning. Despite hitting for a low average, the defensive-minded shortstop is off to a productive start offensively in New York's high-powered lineup. Volpe is slashing .219/.320/.469 with four home runs, four doubles and 15 RBI to go with 11 runs scored and two stolen bases through 75 plate appearances (18 games).

Judge went 3-for-3 with a solo home run, a double, a walk and an additional run scored in Wedensday's win over the Royals.

Judge's highlight of the night came on a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning, which gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead. The big fly snapped a 10-game homer dry spell by the superstar slugger, who is still bating a ridiculous .426 (20-for-47) with three round trippers, 10 RBI, 11 runs scored and two stolen bases across his last 13 outings.

Slater underwent surgery Tuesday to repair the torn meniscus is right knee, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Slater went on the injured list Saturday due to his knee, and he's set to miss another 4-to-6 weeks following his procedure. While the 32-year-old is out, Brooks Baldwin and Joshua Palacios figure to continue splitting reps in right field.

Slaten earned the save after throwing a clean ninth inning in Wednesday's win over the Rays. He struck out two.

Slaten faced little resistance, retiring the side on just 11 pitches (eight strikes) for his second save of the season. Aroldis Chapman remains the favorite for save opportunities out of the Boston bullpen, although the left-hander can cede the occasional chance based on certain matchups. The right-handed Slaten, who now holds a 5.14 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 5:1 K:BB through seven innings, was called upon to face three right-handed batters Wednesday.

Long (elbow) is expected to resume playing catch this weekend, MLB.com reports.

After Long was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to left elbow inflammation, doctors advised him not to throw for five days while he waited for the swelling to subside. Assuming Long is cleared to start throwing again after the five-day shutdown, he likely won't require a lengthy ramp-up period, given that the Royals plan to deploy him as a 1-to-2-inning reliever once he's activated.

Miller (1-2) earned the win against the Reds on Wednesday, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out eight across five scoreless innings.

Miller came out firing Wednesday, punching out six of the first eight batters he faced before striking out two more in the fifth frame. It was another sharp outing for Miller, who has now given up just one run in his past two starts. He'll look to make it two wins in a row in his next turn through the rotation, which is tentatively slated for next week at Fenway Park against the Red Sox.

Hamilton went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's win over the Rays.

Although Hamilton got a hold of a Zack Littell fastball for a long ball in the third inning, the 335-foot solo shot wouldn't have left the yard in any other MLB ballpark, per Statcast. Wednesday still marked the first homer of the year for Hamilton, who's off to a miserable start at the plate while slashing .083/.120/.208 with two RBI, three runs scored and two stolen bases over 24 at-bats (10 games).

Giolito (hamstring) struck out four and gave up three earned runs on five hits and three walks over two innings during his rehab start Tuesday with Double-A Portland.

Due to poor weather being in the forecast at Triple-A Worcester, Giolito moved down a level for his third rehab start after making his previous two appearances with Boston's top affiliate. The drop in competition didn't make things any easier for Giolito, who struggled to command his arsenal and spotted just 34 of his 60 pitches for strikes. The right-hander has hovered between 51 and 64 pitches in each of his three rehab starts and has yet to pitch on less than five days' rest, so he could stay in the minors for another outing or two to push up his pitch count and shake off some more rust. Giolito was placed on the injured list after suffering a low-grade left hamstring strain in mid-March, but he also missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from an internal brace procedure on his right elbow.