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Cody Bradford SP | TEX
Rangers' Cody Bradford: Goes on IL
The Rangers placed Bradford (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.
Bradford has been diagnosed with a left elbow sprain since being scratched from a Cactus League start March 12, with manager Bruce Bochy relaying that the southpaw would be shut down from throwing for four weeks. Even if Bradford is cleared to begin a throwing program by mid-April, he'll likely need at least another month to get stretched back out and complete a rehab assignment. Any setback along the way would make him a candidate to move to the 60-day IL.
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Tanner Bibee SP | CLE
Guardians' Tanner Bibee: Set for season debut Sunday
Bibee (illness) will start Sunday against the Royals, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.
Bibee had to be scratched from his Opening Day start after coming down with food poisoning, so he will now take the ball for his season debut Sunday. Luis L. Ortiz was in line to start Sunday but has been pushed back to Monday versus the Padres, setting him up for a two-start week.
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Michael Fulmer RP | NYY
Red Sox's Michael Fulmer: Being used in rotation at Triple-A
Fulmer will begin the season in the rotation at Triple-A Worcester, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Fulmer hasn't been a full-time starting pitcher since 2020 and missed the entire 2024 season following UCL revision surgery. However, he was stretched out during spring training and will represent rotation depth in the minors for the Red Sox.
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Matt Moore RP | BOS
Red Sox's Matt Moore: On minor-league IL with sore arm
Moore has been placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Worcester due to left arm soreness, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
It's not clear at this point how long Moore might be sidelined. The veteran left-hander was in Red Sox camp as a non-roster invitee but failed to make the Opening Day roster, and he won't be an option for the big club for a while.
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Brandon Lowe 2B | PIT
Rays' Brandon Lowe: Draws start versus southpaw
Lowe is starting at second base and batting third in Friday's opener versus the Rockies.
Not only is the left-handed hitting Lowe in the lineup against southpaw Kyle Freeland, but he's hitting in the middle of the order. Lowe has been better versus righties (.833 OPS) than lefties (.737 OPS) in his career, but he had an .835 OPS against left-handers in 2024.
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Joshua Lowe LF | LAA
Rays' Josh Lowe: Starting versus lefty in opener
Lowe is starting in right field and batting seventh in Friday's opener against the Rockies.
The Rays seemed to telegraph that they intended to use the left-handed hitting Lowe as an everyday player with how they constructed their roster, and he is indeed in there versus southpaw Kyle Freeland on Opening Day. Lowe has a career .193/.252/.287 slash line against left-handed pitching, so he has some work to do to avoid being platooned.
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Jonathan Aranda 1B | TB
Rays' Jonathan Aranda: On bench for Opening Day
Aranda is not in the lineup for Friday's opener against the Rockies.
The Rockies are sending left-hander Kyle Freeland to the bump, so it's not a surprise the lefty-hitting Aranda will begin the contest on the bench. He is a candidate to come in mid-game when the Rockies use a right-handed reliever, and the 26-year-old remains likely to start at first base or DH against most righties.
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Curtis Mead 3B | BOS
Rays' Curtis Mead: Batting leadoff in opener
Mead is starting at first base and batting leadoff in Friday's opener versus the Rockies.
Mead was one of the best hitters in all of baseball during spring training, going a ridiculous 22-for-42 (.524) with one home run and a 6:6 K:BB. The Rays have rewarded him by slotting him at the top of their batting order in their opener against southpaw Kyle Freeland. Much of Mead's playing time is likely to come versus lefties, but he could hit his way into a bigger workload if he gets off to a hot start.
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Alan Roden RF | MIN
Blue Jays' Alan Roden: On base twice in MLB debut
Roden went 1-for-2 with a walk in Thursday's loss to the Orioles.
Hitting ninth and playing right field in his big-league debut, Roden led off the sixth inning with a single before working Keegan Akin for a free pass to lead off the eighth. It was an early glimpse of Roden's on-base skills, and if the Blue Jays struggle to generate offense early, it may not be long before the 25-year-old is moved up to the top of the order. Roden's role once Daulton Varsho (shoulder) comes off the IL remains uncertain, but the rookie made a strong first impression.