MLB Player News

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker indicated Thursday that the team plans for Strider (elbow) to make his season debut next week, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Strider yielded one run while striking out 13 over 5.1 innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday, getting his pitch count up to 90. While Snitker would not officially commit to Strider coming off the 15-day injured list next week, he could just be waiting to make sure the righty bounces back well from the outing Friday. Strider could start as soon as Tuesday in Toronto, but he's been pitching on five days' rest during his rehab assignment, so Wednesday might be the likelier target date.

Manager Brian Snitker said Thursday that Kimbrel is still ramping up at the team's complex in Florida but hasn't begun facing hitters yet, Grant McAuley of 92.9 The Game Atlanta reports.

Kimbrel got off to a late start preparing for the season, as he didn't sign with Atlanta until close to the end of spring training. There's no telling when he might begin facing live opponents, but the plan is still for him to join the big-league club sometime in May if he proves to be effective in the minor leagues.

Acuna (knee) will have a checkup with doctors in Los Angeles early next week and is expected to be cleared for lateral movements and change-of-direction running, Grant McAuley of 92.9 The Game Atlanta reports.

After Acuna ramps up his running, it will be determined when he will begin a rehab assignment, and clarity on a timeline for return should be established. To this point, early-to-mid-May has been viewed as an approximate timetable for his season debut. Acuna is working his way back from left ACL surgery.

Castellanos is starting in right field and batting fourth in Thursday's contest in Atlanta, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Castellanos previously had hit sixth in six of seven games against right-handed pitching, with his other start coming from the five spot. However, with righty Spencer Schwellenbach on the bump for Atlanta on Thursday, Castellanos is up in the cleanup spot while Alec Bohm has been dropped to seventh. Castellanos is 7-for-18 at the plate over his last five games and is second only to Kyle Schwarber among Phillies regulars with a .911 OPS on the season.

Bohm will start at third base and bat seventh in Thursday's game in Atlanta, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Bohm hadn't previously hit lower than cleanup, but he'll be moved down to a less prominent spot in the lineup after going just 1-for-18 at the plate over his last four games. Nick Castellanos will be the Phillies' cleanup hitter Thursday.

Kelenic isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies.

Left-hander Jesus Luzardo will toe the slab for Philadelphia on Thursday, so the lefty-hitting Kelenic will begin the game on the bench. While he rests, Bryan De La Cruz, Michael Harris and Stuart Fairchild will start across the outfield for Atlanta.

Arcia isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Phillies.

Arcia has gone 3-for-7 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in two games since his four-game benching, but he'll get another day off Thursday while Nick Allen starts at shortstop and bats ninth.

Strider (elbow) allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out 13 batters over 5.1 innings on Thursday in his third rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett.

Just as Atlanta had planned heading into the day, Strider reached 90 pitches (62 strikes) in Thursday's outing and breezed through the start in dominant fashion. He struck out the first six batters he faced and punched out 13 of 21 batters overall while inducing 21 total swinging strikes and maxing out at 97 miles per hour with his fastball. Suffice to say, the 26-year-old right-hander looks ready to return from the 15-day injured list, and all that's left is for Atlanta to decide when to insert him into the rotation for his 2025 debut. He has been pitching on five days' rest during his rehab assignment, so if that trend holds, Strider would be lined up to pitch for Atlanta in Wednesday's series finale in Toronto.

Cronin (hip) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Cronin has been shelved since late March with a left hip strain but has been cleared for game appearances. It's not clear how many rehab outings the Marlins will ask him to make, but Cronin should eventually return to high-leverage work in the Miami bullpen.

The Pirates will recall Nicolas from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The 26-year-old righty will come up from the minors to give the Pirates' bullpen another fresh arm to work with, replacing Thomas Harrington. Nicolas has been hit around quite a bit in Triple-A this year, allowing nine earned runs in just 6.1 innings, so he'll likely only see action in low-leverage situations while in Pittsburgh.