MLB Player News

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Thursday that Criswell (illness) is expected to be ready to return from the COVID-19 injured list to make a start or bulk-relief appearance Friday in Baltimore, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Friday is the first day he's eligible for activation from the COVID-19 IL. Criswell is poised to serve as the Red Sox's No. 5 starter indefinitely after James Paxton recently sustained a likely season-ending calf injury. The 28-year-old Criswell holds a 4.02 ERA and 56:17 K:BB over 71.2 innings in a swingman role for Boston this season.

Wallner isn't in the Twins' lineup for Thursday's game versus Texas.

Left-hander Cody Bradford will throw the first pitch for the Rangers in Thursday's series opener, so the left-handed bat of Wallner will step out of the lineup. In his absence, Jose Miranda will serve as the Twins' designated hitter and bat fourth.

Seager is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins.

It's the first day off since July 23 for Seager, who has already popped seven home runs in 12 games in August. Josh Smith will fill in at shortstop and bat second.

Buxton (hip) isn't in the Twins' lineup for Thursday's game versus the Rangers.

Buxton will miss his third consecutive start since leaving Monday's game due to a right hip injury. The Twins still haven't decided whether he'll need to spend time on the injured list, though the 30-year-old may be headed for an IL stint if he's unable to play Friday. In the meantime, Austin Martin will get the starting nod in center field and bat ninth in Thursday's series opener.

Murfee (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Fayetteville on Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Murfee has been on the shelf all season while recovering from July 2023 Tommy John surgery, but he's now ready to advance to the final phase of the rehab process after he tossed 25 pitches in a live batting practice session earlier this week. The right-hander is expected to require a handful of appearances in the minors before returning from the 60-day injured list and settling into a spot in the Houston bullpen, likely at some point in September.

Kochanowicz is scheduled to start Sunday against Atlanta at Angel Stadium.

The rookie right-hander will make a second straight turn through the rotation and stick around as the club's No. 5 starter over Davis Daniel, who was optioned to Triple-A Salt on Tuesday. Kochanowicz struck out two batters and allowed just two runs over 7.2 innings en route to claiming his first big-league victory his last time out Sunday against the Nationals, but the 23-year-old was lit up for 12 runs (11 earned) in seven innings across his first two starts with the Angels back in July before he was sent back to the minors.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday that Scherzer received a nerve injection for his right shoulder and is feeling "really good," Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Scherzer was sent in for a precautionary MRI earlier this week after he had struggled to bounce back from right shoulder fatigue, an issue he contended with during his most recent start July 30 before landing on the injured list three days later. The recent diagnostic tests apparently didn't reveal anything too concerning, and Scherzer's condition finally seems to be trending back up again now after getting the injection. The veteran right-hander is still without a clear timeline for his return from the IL, and a target date likely won't come into focus until he's cleared to start throwing again.

Larnach isn't in the Twins' lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers.

The lefty-hitting Larnach will get a breather Thursday while southpaw Cody Bradford starts on the bump for Texas. Manuel Margot, Austin Martin and Max Kepler will make up the Twins' outfield while Larnach sits.

Jeffers isn't in the Twins' lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers.

Jeffers went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts during Wednesday's contest, snapping his brief three-game hitting streak, and he'll now take a seat as he continues to split time behind the dish with Christian Vazquez.

Bradford is slated to start Thursday's game against the Twins at Globe Life Field.

Bradford will be making a third consecutive appearance as a starter, an unexpected development after the Rangers moved him to the bullpen during his minor-league rehab assignment before he was activated from the 60-day injured list July 29. However, with injuries to Jon Gray (groin), Max Scherzer (shoulder) and Nathan Eovaldi (oblique) having since tested the Rangers' starting depth, Bradford looks like he could have a pathway to a rotation spot. Bradford has turned in a solid 12:1 K:BB while allowing four earned runs over 8.2 innings across his last two starts, and a strong outing Thursday should be enough to keep him ahead of Jose Urena and Dane Dunning in the rotation pecking order. Even though Eovaldi is expected to avoid an IL stint, the Rangers should have room in the rotation for two of Bradford, Urena and Dunning until at least two of Gray, Scherzer or Jacob deGrom (elbow) return from the IL.