MLB Player News

The Cardinals optioned Fernandez to Triple-A Memphis on Friday.

Fernandez pitched well in his rookie season in 2024 and came into 2025 as a setup man for the Cardinals, but he's really struggled, allowing 13 runs (11 earned) with a 7:5 K:BB over 8.2 innings. Riley O'Brien is taking his spot on the roster and in the bullpen.

The Cardinals recalled O'Brien from Triple-A Memphis on Friday.

He'll absorb the roster spot vacated by Ryan Fernandez, who was optioned to Memphis. O'Brien has yielded three earned runs while striking out 14 over seven innings with Memphis this season. He'll look to help out a struggling St. Louis bullpen.

Weathers (forearm) will begin a rehab assignment Sunday, Fish on the Farm reports.

It's not clear what affiliate Weathers will be assigned to, but he is ready to pitch in games after suffering a left flexor strain late in spring training. The left-hander had been hoping to rejoin the Marlins' rotation in the first week of May, and while that might be optimistic, his recovery shouldn't take much longer than that. Weathers is coming off something of a breakout 2024 in which he posted a 3.63 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 16 starts.

The Padres recalled Bergert from Triple-A El Pason on Friday.

Kyle Hart was demoted to El Paso on Thursday with the Padres having three scheduled off days over the next two weeks, eliminating their need for a fifth starter in the short term. Bergert will instead provide depth in the bullpen. The right-hander is one of the organization's top prospects and was in the rotation at Triple-A, so a good performance could put him in the mix for a starting job once the team's schedule gets tighter.

McNeil will start at second base and bat eighth in Friday's contest versus the Nationals.

It will be the season debut for McNeil, who missed the first four weeks of the season with a right oblique strain. The 33-year-old will serve as the Mets' primary second baseman but is also expected to see some action in the outfield.

Perez (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Jupiter on Saturday, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald reports.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough indicated last week that Perez was about a month away from rehab games, but evidently that timeline has been moved up. Perez will likely need all of the allotted 30 days on his rehab assignment, which would set him up for a season debut in late May. The 22-year-old right-hander is coming back from April 2024 Tommy John surgery.

The Mets activated Alvarez (hand) from the 10-day injured list Friday.

Alvarez is starting at catcher and batting seventh Friday versus the Nationals in what will be his season debut after he missed the first four weeks of the season following surgery on a fractured hamate bone in his left hand. The catcher went 7-for-39 with one home run across 10 rehab contests.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Pressly's (knee) availability for Friday's game against the Phillies is yet to be determined, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Pressly had to have his right knee drained Tuesday. He played catch Thursday and will do so again Friday before the Cubs determine whether he's available to pitch in the series opener versus the Phillies. Porter Hodge is next in line to close for Chicago if Pressly cannot pitch, although an appearance Friday would be Hodge's third in four days, so it's possible the Cubs would prefer not to use him.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Assad has been shut down after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Assad re-injured his oblique during a rehab start Tuesday with Triple-A Iowa. It's not clear how long the right-hander will remain shut down, but Counsell intimated that Assad will have to start building up from scratch once he's cleared to resume a throwing program. It's a significant setback for Assad, who will likely remain sidelined until at least June.

Suzuki (wrist) is batting third as the designated hitter Friday against the Phillies.

Suzuki was scratched from Wednesday's starting nine due to a recurrence of a wrist issue, though he's good to go following Thursday's team off day. The 30-year-old has cooled off a bit lately with a .208 batting average (5-for-24) in his past six contests, but it's been a productive start to the campaign overall with six homers, 20 RBI, 14 runs and a .276/.354/.540 slash line in 99 plate appearances.