MLB Player News

Slaten (oblique) is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list Saturday or Sunday, MLB.com reports.

Slaten made two strong rehab appearances for Triple-A Worcester and was seemingly available to be activated Friday after Boston optioned Jake Bennett following his start Thursday. Instead, the team recalled Jack Anderson for Friday's game against the Rays. "I think you'll see Slaten this weekend at some point active," interim manager Chad Tracy told Christopher Smith of MassLive.com before Friday's game. The manager believed that Anderson could provide length if needed. Slaten, who hasn't pitched since April 8, recently threw for the WooSox on Wednesday.

Giolito covered four innings Tuesday in a start for Double-A San Antonio, yielding five runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks while striking out two batters.

Making his third start in the minors after signing a one-year deal with the Padres on April 22, Giolito was able to push up his pitch count to 78. Between Tuesday's start and his previous two appearances with Single-A Lake Elsinore, Giolito has posted a 6.55 ERA, 1.91 WHIP and 12:6 K:BB over 11 innings. The 31-year-old righty will need to be added to the Padres' 26-man active roster by May 16, so he could be in line for one more tune-up outing in the minors before entering the San Diego rotation.

Nimmo started in right field and went 0-for-3 in Friday's 7-1 loss to the Cubs.

Nimmo was back defending in the outfield after a hamstring issue cost him a couple of games and limited him to designated hitter in three others. He continues to be a bright light in the Rangers' lineup and is slashing .291/.373/.440 with four home runs, 12 RBI, one steal and 17 runs over 36 games, all as the team's leadoff batter.

Alonso went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 4-3 loss to the A's.

The slugging first baseman smashed a Jacob Lopez changeup the other way in the fourth inning to open the scoring. Alonso's blast extended his hitting streak to eight games, a stretch in which he's batting .333 (11-for-33) with four doubles, four homers, 10 RBI and 11 runs to account for half his long balls on the season.

Gibson gave up one run on three hits and one walk over two innings of relief in Friday's 4-3 loss to the A's. He struck out two.

Called back up from Triple-A Norfolk earlier in the day, Gibson was immediately deployed by manager Craig Albernaz in a long-relief role. It's a vote of confidence in Brandon Young's ability to hold down a spot in the rotation as injuries pile up on Baltimore's staff, but Gibson also hasn't done much to push for a bigger role. The 23-year-old right-hander has a 4.01 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 25:12 K:BB over 24.2 innings for Norfolk, and in two big-league appearances (one start) he's managed a 5.40 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 4:3 K:BB in 6.2 frames.

Ramos went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 5-2 win over the Pirates.

Ramos hit an RBI single in the fourth inning and doubled in the seventh before coming around to score. The 26-year-old outfielder has struggled in May, batting .179 with an RBI and a run scored in 28 plate appearances over seven outings this month. Overall, he's slashing .261/.295/.406 with 16 RBI, 13 runs scored and three long balls across 146 plate appearances this season.

Bradish (1-5) took the loss Friday, giving up three runs on five hits and a walk over seven innings as the Orioles fell 4-3 to the A's. He struck out a season-high 10.

With injuries beginning to pile up in the Baltimore rotation, Bradish came through with his second quality start of the season on 96 pitches, with 34 called or swinging strikes. It wasn't enough to get into the win column, however, as the A's scratched across three runs in the fifth inning thanks largely to a Nick Kurtz triple to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish. It was only the second time in eight starts this season that Bradish avoided issuing multiple free passes, and through 41 innings he's managed a 4.83 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and 45:22 K:BB. He'll try to build on this performance in his next start, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Yankees.

Hedges went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Friday's 6-4 win over Minnesota.

Hedges was in the starting lineup as usual for starter Parker Messick, but the backup catcher has caught four of Cleveland's last seven games, going 5-for-14 with three extra-base hits, two RBI and four runs scored over that stretch. In addition to his role as the personal catcher for Messick, the right-handed-hitting Hedges appears to have become the choice whenever the Guardians face a lefty starter, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Hedges' production (123 wRC+, .801 OPS) dwarfs that of Bo Naylor (22, .438).

Perkins recorded his first hold of the season in Friday's 4-3 win over the Orioles, giving up one run on one hit and one walk over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out two.

Entering the game in the ninth inning to protect a 4-2 lead, Perkins couldn't get the job done, tossing just 13 of 25 pitches for strikes and getting the hook with the tying run aboard. Hogan Harris picked up the final out to get the save. Perkins is the preferred closing option for A's manager Mark Kotsay, but the 26-year-old righty is still in his probationary period and has been scored upon in back-to-back appearances. On the season, Perkins sports a 4.11 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 21:5 K:BB through 15.1 innings while converting three of four save chances.

Nelson didn't factor into the decision Friday against the Mets, allowing one run on two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts across 6.2 innings.

It's the first time Nelson has gone at least six innings through eight starts this season, and he's now strung together back-to-back strong outings in May. He entered the month with a 7.71 ERA but has surrendered just two runs on six hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts across 12.1 innings over his last two starts. Nelson's lone mistake Friday was a solo homer allowed to Mark Vientos in the second inning. Nelson now owns a 5.68 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 35:14 K:BB across 38 innings on the year. Nelson has above-average stuff, highlighted by a 96.2-mph fastball and plus slider, and perhaps he'll be able to get his season on track following a second straight positive performance.