MLB Player News

Benintendi (Achilles) will begin a rehab assignment Monday in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League.

Benintendi landed on the 10-day injured list June 2 with left Achilles tendinitis but looks to be tracking toward a short-term stay on the shelf. He'll likely need at least a couple of games in the minors to regain his timing at the plate in addition to proving that he can hold up to a full nine innings in the outfield, but Benintendi may be ready to rejoin the big club at some point later this week during its seven-game road trip.

Muller (shoulder) began a throwing program Thursday, MLB.com reports.

The next step for Muller will be to progress to throwing off a mound, but a timetable for such has yet to be established. The right-hander appears to be making fairly steady progress, however, so he could be set for activation well before the end of June.

Erceg (forearm) threw a successful bullpen session Sunday and is in line to be activated during the Athletics' road trip that begins Monday, MLB.com reports.

Erceg came out of his 20-pitch session feeling healthy, his second bullpen in a span of four days. With the right-hander eligible to come off the injured list Wednesday, it's possible he's activated that same day, if not soon thereafter.

Blackburn (foot) has shed his walking boot and is expected to begin a throwing program this week, MLB.com reports.

Although the right-hander remains without a timetable for return, this news is naturally encouraging. Blackburn isn't expected back before the All-Star break, considering he may need a full-length rehab assignment whenever he reaches that stage of his recovery.

Stripling (elbow) is set to begin a throwing program Tuesday, MLB.com reports.

Stripling has been shut down from throwing since May 29, so this is certainly noteworthy news. The veteran right-hander will gradually up his throwing distance until he's deemed healthy enough to progress to throwing off a mound. Given the deliberate pace of his recovery, Stripling may not be a candidate for activation before the end of June.

Adams (0-2) took the extra-inning loss against the Blue Jays on Sunday, allowing three runs (two earned) on a hit, three walks, and a hit batsman over one inning. He struck out one and also uncorked a wild pitch.

Adams' one frame was about as frenetic as his final line implies, with the right-hander eventually surrendering a bases-clearing double to Isiah Kiner-Falefa that snapped the 3-3 tie the veteran reliever had been entrusted with preserving. Adams has now allowed at least one run in three of his last four appearances, a stretch that was preceded by seven consecutive scoreless outings.

Rodriguez (back) is scheduled to make another rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Buffalo, MLB.com reports.

Rodriguez is closing in on a return from the 15-day injured list after the Blue Jays deactivated him April 30 due to thoracic spine inflammation. The Blue Jays appear to be prepping for Rodriguez to take on a starting role upon his return from the IL -- or are at least keeping him available as a rotation option -- as MLB.com notes that the organization wants him to push his pitch count up to 75 before he's activated. In his most recent rehab start with Buffalo last Wednesday, Rodriguez tossed 43 pitches over three shutout innings, then tossed 15 more pitches in a bullpen session immediately upon leaving the game. If he's able to add around 15 more pitches to his workload Tuesday, Rodriguez could get the green light to rejoin the big club as soon as the upcoming weekend. Should the Blue Jays choose to include Rodriguez in their rotation, he would likely unseat Bowden Francis as the No. 5 starter, though even in that scenario, Toronto could deploy the two pitchers as a piggyback tandem like it did earlier in the season.

Toro went 1-for-5 with a two-run single in an extra-inning loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday.

Toro erased a 2-1 deficit in the seventh inning with a bloop single that plated Tyler Soderstrom and Aledmys Diaz. Toro has hit safely in four straight games, although he's also uncharacteristically struck out seven times over that span. Nevertheless, Toro appears to have a firm hold of a leadoff spot and is carrying a solid .269 average and .708 OPS across 261 plate appearances.

Diaz started at second base in Sunday's extra-inning loss to the Blue Jays and went 1-for-4 with a run.

Diaz drew his first start since June 1 and his fourth overall since being activated from the injured list May 28. The veteran's single was only his second hit in that span, and Diaz figures to continue seeing sporadic playing time moving forward as long as Zack Gelof and Max Schuemann are healthy in the middle infield.

Rooker went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in an extra-inning loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday.

Rooker squared up for his 13th homer in the sixth inning, a 436-foot shot that cut a 2-0 deficit in half. The veteran outfielder has hit safely in three straight games, and he's now popped nine extra-base hits and driven in 12 runs over his last 19 contests on his way to an .851 OPS in that span.