MLB Player News

Bieber (elbow) will return from the 60-day injured list to start Monday's game against Houston, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Manager John Schneider had previously hinted that Bieber would be coming off the IL on Monday, but the team wanted to see him throw one last bullpen session Saturday before locking him into the pitching schedule. The 31-year-old righty has made five rehab appearances across three affiliates since beginning his minor-league assignment in late May, posting a 6.88 ERA and 1.88 WHIP with a 14:5 K:BB across 17 innings. He threw 80 pitches in five frames during his final rehab outing with Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday.

The Blue Jays optioned Little to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday.

Little joined the big-league roster Friday, but he'll be sent right back to the minors after giving up four earned runs in one inning during Friday's blowout loss to the Cubs. Lazaro Estrada (shoulder) was activated from the 60-day IL in a corresponding move.

The Blue Jays reinstated Estrada (shoulder) from the injured list Saturday.

Estrada has been on the shelf since April due to a right shoulder impingement. He was cleared to begin pitching in rehab games June 2 and has since allowed four earned runs in 9.2 innings across four appearances at Triple-A Buffalo. Now fully healthy, he'll presumably work as a long-relief option for the big club. Brendon Little was optioned to Buffalo in a corresponding move.

The Blue Jays optioned McAdoo to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday.

The 24-year-old will end up as the odd man out of a roster spot following Daulton Varsho's (wrist) return from the injured list. McAdoo went just 4-for-25 at the plate across eight games during his stint in the big leagues but could still return to the majors later this season if the Blue Jays run into problems with their infield depth.

The Blue Jays reinstated Varsho (wrist) from the injured list Saturday.

Manager John Schneider said Thursday that Varsho would "have to do a lot" in order to return from the IL by Saturday, but the 29-year-old appears to have passed all of the Jays' tests and will now rejoin the team without heading out on a rehab assignment. He'll reclaim his role as Toronto's primary center fielder, and Charles McAdoo will head back to Triple-A Buffalo to clear space on the 26-man roster.

Eovaldi was scratched from his start Saturday against the Padres due to left knee soreness, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

The Rangers are saying that Eovaldi's knee is just "a little" sore, so while he won't be able to pitch Saturday, a trip to the injured list may not be necessary. MacKenzie Gore will move up a day and toe the slab in place of Eovaldi.

Manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that Fried (elbow) is expected to begin facing hitters by late June or early July, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.

Fried has been throwing off a mound for about a week and is now asymptomatic after landing on the injured list May 16 due to a bone bruise in his left elbow. He remains without an official timeline for his recovery and is likely to require a rehab assignment before coming off the IL, but a return to the rotation at some point around the All-Star break appears feasible.

Manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that Wells (head) will likely return from the injured list and start Sunday, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.

Wells landed on the injured list June 6 with cervical headaches but has been playing in rehab games since Tuesday, going 2-for-12 with a pair of homers and an additional RBI across three contests. He'll presumably reclaim his job as New York's primary backstop once he's activated, though he may not take on an everyday role after posting a .533 OPS through 169 plate appearances to begin the season.

Heim went 1-for-1 with a two-run home run in Friday's extra-inning win over the Angels.

Pinch hitting for Colby Thomas at designated hitter with the Athletics down to their final out in the ninth inning, Heim delivered a towering, two-run homer to tie the game and force an extra inning. It marked his sixth long ball of the season. The veteran backstop faces an uphill battle for regular playing time behind Shea Langeliers, but Heim has been productive enough at the plate to earn starts in four of the past seven games between catcher and designated hitter. In June, the switch hitter has gone 12-for-29 (.414) with four homers, two doubles, five RBI and five runs scored across 11 games.

Springer went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's loss to the Cubs.

The veteran slugger provided the only offense for the Blue Jays in a 16-2 rout, bring home Andres Gimenez with a third-inning single before launching a solo shot off Ben Brown in the sixth. Springer has eight homers on the year, and three of them have come in the last seven games, a stretch in which he's batting .360 (9-for-25) with a double, three steals, five runs and seven RBI.