MLB Player News

Meckler is not in the Angels' starting lineup against the Tigers on Friday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

The Tigers are sending right-hander Troy Melton to the mound Friday, but the lefty-hitting Meckler will begin the contest on the bench while Josh Lowe, Mike Trout and Jo Adell start in the outfield from left to right. Meckler and Lowe are competing for outfield reps in the second half of the season now that Trout is back from the 10-day injured list.

Ohtani (knee) is expected to make his first start of the second half Wednesday against the Phillies, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Knee irritation kept Ohtani from making his final start on the mound before the All-Star break. He addressed the issue by receiving an injection of lubricant during the break, rather than having his knee drained, and he now seems to be back on track toward resuming his duties as a pitcher. He will continue to serve as the Dodgers' regular designated hitter in the meantime and make his eighth consecutive start at DH against the Yankees on Friday.

Sosa (wrist) resumed hitting in the batting cages earlier this week after experiencing a setback in his rehab program, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Sosa was cleared to embark on a rehab assignment in late June, but he was pulled from playing after his right wrist injury flared up. He's been cleared to resume baseball activities, but he'll likely need to go on another assignment before being cleared to return to the majors. Prior to his injury, Sosa posted a .490 OPS with one home run and nine RBI across 117 major-league plate appearances.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Friday that the outlook for Woodruff's right shoulder injury "isn't good," Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Woodruff was diagnosed earlier this month with an injury to his right anterior shoulder capsule. He is expected to address the media Sunday regarding next steps, but another shoulder surgery is possible. Woodruff is already on the 60-day injured list and ineligible for activation until early September.

Barger (back/elbow) remains shut down from baseball activities, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

While Barger hopes to play again this season, an August return would be a best-case scenario, according to manager John Schneider. Barger hasn't played since May 9 due to right elbow inflammation and a stress reaction in his back. It's been a lost season for the 26-year-old, as he's managed to appear in just nine games to this point in 2026.

The Red Sox released Thaiss on Friday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Thaiss has spent the entire season at Triple-A Worcester, where he's slashed an ugly .201/.314/.313 with three homers, 24 RBI, 17 runs scored, one stolen base and a 20:26 BB:K across 170 plate appearances. The 31-year-old will look for an opportunity elsewhere after appearing in 60 games with the White Sox and Rays last season.

Yoshida went 3-for-5 with a double, a solo home run and two additional runs scored in a 10-0 win over Tampa Bay in the first game of Friday's doubleheader.

Yoshida jumped on the first pitch he saw in the fourth inning -- a sinker that didn't sink -- and curled it inside the foul pole down the right-field line. It was his fourth homer of the season and third in the last nine contests. Yoshida has hit safely in his last seven starts, going 13-for-29 (.448) with four doubles, three home runs, seven RBI and eight runs scored during that stretch. He's not an everyday starter but is finding regular work at designated hitter against right-handers.

Santander is still dealing with discomfort in his surgically repaired left shoulder and recently received another cortisone shot, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

Santander underwent surgery to repair his labrum back in February and has yet to resume swinging the bat. It's becoming increasingly unlikely that he plays this season. Signed to a five-year, $92.5 million deal following the 2024 season, Santander's tenure in Toronto has been a nightmare after he slashed just .175/.271/.294 across 54 games last regular season.

Jones will no longer make a start for the Pirates on Friday after their game versus the Guardians was postponed due to air quality conditions.

The contest will be made up as part of a split doubleheader Saturday. Jones will presumably take the ball in one of those games, though it's unclear at this point which one.

Williams and the Guardians won't face the Pirates on Friday, as the game was postponed due to poor air quality.

The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader Saturday, with Williams taking the mound for Game 1, per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. Williams went 10-4 with a 3.81 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 134:37 K:BB across 113.1 innings prior to the All-Star break.