MLB Player News

Festa (shoulder) is about two weeks from beginning to pitch off a mound, Twins General Manager Jeremy Zoll told the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Festa recently resumed a throwing program after being shut down in late February due to a right shoulder impingement. However it sounds like he'll need several weeks before he can begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Festa was already coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome, which he dealt with last September, so expect the Twins to be cautious with his return.

Rojas (hamstring) is scheduled to face hitters in simulated at-bats March 31, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Rojas has started the minor-league season on the Triple-A injured list with a right hamstring strain. The 23-year-old southpaw was acquired from Toronto at the deadline in the Louis Varland deal.

Fraley was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals due to right shoulder soreness, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports..

Fraley was set to start in right field and bat third but will now step out of the lineup to tend to an injury to his non-throwing shoulder, which he sustained while attempting to make a diving play in the outfield in Saturday's 6-5 extra-inning loss, per Ryan Bass of Rays.tv. Manager Kevin Cash said that he expects Fraley to be OK, but Jonny DeLuca will spell Fraley in right field for Sunday's contest.

Narvaez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Narvaez started behind the plate in the first two games of the season and will get a breather in Sunday's series finale after going 3-for-6 with a run and a strikeout. Connor Wong will instead do the catching for lefty Connelly Early.

Lukes is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics.

Toronto has now used three different starters in left field and in the No. 2 spot in the batting order in its first three games, with Jesus Sanchez receiving the nod Sunday after Lukes got the Opening Day nod and Davis Schneider started Saturday against lefty Jeffrey Springs. Schneider is the preferred short-side platoon option of the trio, but Lukes and Sanchez may be stuck in a timeshare against righties unless one of them gets hot at the plate.

Kirk is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics.

He'll get a breather after starting behind the plate in the Blue Jays' first two games of the season and going 1-for-9 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run. Tyler Heineman will step in behind the dish, forming a battery with Eric Lauer.

Rafaela is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Rafaela went 3-for-9 with an RBI and a run scored in the first two games of the season and will receive a day off for Sunday's series finale in Cincinnati. Jarren Duran will shift to center field while Roman Anthony receives a turn at designated hitter.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that he would be "surprised" if Estevez is available out of the bullpen for Sunday's game in Atlanta, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Estevez was seen wearing a walking boot Sunday after taking a line drive off his left ankle Saturday, when he suffered a blown save after allowing six earned runs while recording just one out in the Royals' 6-2 loss. Though Estevez been diagnosed with nothing more than a contusion after getting X-rays on his ankle, the Royals appear content to stay away from the 33-year-old reliever, at least for one day. Per Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City, Quatraro added that he's "not averse to putting [Estevez] in a lower-leverage situation" once he's deemed available, which suggests that the right-hander may not have a stranglehold on the closer's gig after Saturday's blowup. Before the rough showing in his season debut, Estevez was coming off a discouraging spring training in which he noticed a steep decline in his velocity.

McNeil is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.

McNeil went 1-for-7 with a walk, a stolen base and a run while starting the first two games of the season, but he'll hit the bench Sunday against lefty Eric Lauer. Darell Hernaiz will instead start at the keystone in the series finale.

Butler is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.

The 25-year-old went 0-for-3 with a strikeout Opening Day and made a defensive miscue after shifting from right field to center that led to an Andres Gimenez triple, and Butler now finds himself on the bench for a second consecutive contest. He sat against Toronto righty Dylan Cease on Saturday, but it's lefty Eric Lauer on the bump for the home team Sunday. Denzel Clarke is back in center Sunday while Brent Rooker starts in right field, allowing catcher Shea Langeliers to receive some rest as the designated hitter.