MLB Player News

The Angels optioned Noda to Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday.

Noda batted .182 this spring, but 15 walks in 49 plate appearances helped him finish the Cactus League with an .813 OPS. Despite his display of plate discipline and ability to play first base and the corner outfield, he'll have to work his way back into the majors by maintaining success at the Triple-A level.

The Angels optioned Robinson to Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday.

After slashing .154/.371/.192 across 36 spring plate appearances, Robinson will head back to Triple-A to begin 2025, leaving Logan O'Hoppe and Travis d'Arnaud as the Halos' big-league backstops. Robinson owns just a .364 OPS across 136 plate appearances in his MLB career, so he'll likely need a drastic turnaround in Salt Lake to have any hope of returning to Anaheim in 2025.

The Twins placed Lee (back) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a lumbar strain.

Lee's back began to tighten up on him toward the very end of spring training, and he won't be able to make it back for Opening Day. Reps at third base will likely be handed down to Jose Miranda and Willi Castro while Lee and Royce Lewis (hamstring) are out, but Lee should be able to take over at the hot corner once he returns.

The Angels placed Bachman on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to thoracic outlet syndrome, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

Bachman previously had shoulder surgery in the fall of 2023, and he's now tending to a new health concern that prevented him from making any appearances during the Cactus League. According to Bollinger, Bachman isn't expected to require surgery to address the condition, leaving the Angels optimistic that he might be able to avoid a stint on the 60-day IL and return within the next two months.

The Twins placed Lewis (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.

A moderate hamstring strain has kept Lewis sidelined since March 16, and he has yet to resume any sort of baseball activities since then, other than throwing. A minimum-length stay on the IL seems unlikely at this point, and he'll remain without a clear return timeline until he advances to the next stage in his rehab.

The Twins placed Tonkin on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a right shoulder strain.

Tonkin hasn't pitched in a game since Feb. 28 due to his strained shoulder. It's unclear how far along he is in his rehab, but his extended hiatus from game action likely means he'll require a rehab assignment in the minors before making his season debut with the big club.

The Twins selected Dobnak's contract from Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.

Dobnak pitched six shutout innings while striking out seven batters this spring before being moved to minor-league camp March 9, but injuries to Brock Stewart (hamstring) and Michael Tonkin (shoulder) will lead to Dobnak opening the season with Minnesota. The 30-year-old righty owns a 4.99 ERA in his big-league career and has made just five appearances since 2021, so he'll almost certainly be limited to low-leverage situations.

The Yankees reassigned Velazquez to minor-league camp Saturday.

Velazquez didn't see MLB action in 2024, but he stuck around in big-league camp longer than anticipated and logged 44 plate appearances in the Grapefruit League as he competed for a reserve gig. Ultimately, the Yankees elected to carry fellow non-roster invitee Pablo Reyes on the Opening Day roster as a utility player. Velazquez is expected to report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and will likely spend the bulk of the season in the International League.

The Yankees reassigned Zastryzny to minor-league camp Saturday.

Zastryzny found success in a small sample of big-league action with the Brewers in 2024 (1.17 ERA, 0.65 WHIP in 7.2 innings), but he'll open the 2025 season in the minors with a new organization after struggling during spring training. Over his seven innings in the Grapefruit League, the veteran lefty surrendered four earned runs on seven hits -- including two home runs -- and two walks.

The Yankees reassigned Hartlieb to minor-league camp Saturday.

Hartlieb made five appearances out of the Colorado bullpen in 2024, but he otherwise spent the entire season at the Triple-A level. The 31-year-old is likely to see the bulk of his appearances with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre during the upcoming season.