Perez may replace Jose Suarez when Atlanta next needs a fifth starter Sunday against the Diamondbacks, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

While Suarez struggled in his start Tuesday and lasted just 3.2 innings, Perez saved the rest of the bullpen by tossing 4.1 scoreless innings of relief on only 47 pitches, allowing just two hits with a 3:0 K:BB in his season debut. Manager Walt Weiss has yet to tip his hand on which of them will get the nod Sunday, but Perez's performance likely makes him the favorite.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Suzuki (knee) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Knoxville on Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Counsell expects the rehab assignment to last 3-to-7 days, setting Suzuki up to make his season debut next week, either on the road against the Rays or at home versus the Pirates. Suzuki is working his way back from a strained PCL in his right knee, an injury he suffered in mid-March while playing for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

Julien is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays.

Julien started at designated hitter in the Rockies' first two games of the season, but he's now been left out of the lineup three times in the last four contests, with each of those absences coming against right-handed pitchers. Rather than leaning on Julien as the regular DH, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer seems content to rotate a number of players at that spot.

Pushard (knee) will be shut down for 4-to-5 days before resuming a throwing program, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Pushard landed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right knee patellar tendinitis. The Rule 5 selection will be eligible to return April 14 but could be given more time than that to recuperate.

Tena is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.

The left-handed-hitting Tena had been included in the lineup for the first two games of the series while the Nationals faced off against right-handers, but he'll hit the bench Wednesday as southpaw Cristopher Sanchez toes the rubber for Philadelphia. Daylen Lile will get a day off from playing the outfield and will replace Tena as the Nationals' designated hitter.

The Dodgers transferred Cousins (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for righty Jake Eder, who was acquired from the Nationals on Wednesday. Cousins is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will be sidelined until after the All-Star break.

Garcia is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.

The Nationals will hold out the left-handed-hitting Garcia for the third time in three matchups versus a southpaw starter through the club's first six games of the season. Curtis Mead will pick up his first start with Washington, filling in for Garcia at first base while the Nationals face off against Cristopher Sanchez.

Ruiz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.

The Nationals have divvied up the work evenly between their two catchers to begin the season, with both Ruiz and Drew Millas drawing three starts apiece. Ruiz has gotten on base in just two of his first 12 plate appearances, though he delivered a two-run home run in Sunday's 6-3 win over the Cubs.

The Dodgers acquired Eder from the Nationals on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.

Eder had been designated for assignment by the Nationals and is now headed to a new organization. The left-hander has minor-league options remaining and is likely to be assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Eder has made nine relief appearances at the big-league level, allowing 11 runs with a 16:10 K:BB over 20.1 innings.

Kerkering (hamstring) will make the second of back-to-back rehab appearances Wednesday at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Kerkering is eligible for activation from the 15-day injured list April 6, and making back-to-back appearances points to him being ready to go on that date. He's been working his way back from a strained hamstring that knocked out most of his spring training.