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Bowden Francis allowed five runs with five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to the Orioles on Saturday.
Francis hadn’t allowed a hit through four scoreless innings until Heston Kjerstad took him deep for a two-run blast in the fifth. Things further unraveled in the sixth. Adley Rutschman added a run with a solo homer before a walk, base hit, and a double made it five runs for Baltimore. Francis’s day would be done with two outs in the inning. The 28-year-old right-hander will draw a better matchup when he takes on the Mariners in Toronto on Friday.
Ronald Acuña Jr. (knee) launched a solo homer on Tuesday in a minor league rehab game in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League.
Acuña went deep in his third and final at-bat of the contest and also completed six innings defensively in right field during his rehab debut. Atlanta’s front office hasn’t disclosed how long his rehab stint might last, but we’re anticipating the 27-year-old fantasy superstar getting at least a couple weeks of minor league contests under his belt to knock off some rust and get back up to full speed. It’s possible he’ll be ready to make his season debut at some point in late May or early June.
Tyler Glasnow (shoulder) has been cleared to start a throwing program.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Glasnow will continue working towards throwing bullpen session later this week after completing his checkup with Dr. Neal ElAttrache. The 31-year-old fantasy ace, who is working his way back from shoulder inflammation, remains without a clear return timetable yet, but it’s an encouraging sign that he’s starting to make some progress.
Logan Gilbert (elbow) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park.
Gilbert is making steady progress in his recovery from a flexor strain in his right elbow and should be ready to face hitters at some point in the near future. It’s theoretically possible that he’ll wrap up a minor league rehab assignment and make it back to Seattle’s rotation at some point in June.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Roki Sasaki is dealing with right arm soreness.
Roberts added that it’s possible Sasaki will require a trip to the injured list. His fastball velocity was down in his previous start last Friday against the Diamondbacks as he allowed five runs over four innings of work. The 23-year-old top pitching prospect would likely benefit from a bit of a mental and physical reset after struggling to a pedestrian 4.72 ERA and subpar 15.6 percent strikeout rate across eight starts. There should be a decision on his status at some point later this week.
Clayton Kershaw (toe, knee) will make his season debut on Saturday against the Mets.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed to reporters that the future Hall of Famer will take the ball this weekend at Citi Field. The 37-year-old southpaw, who is coming back from offseason toe and knee surgeries, should remain a viable option for fantasy managers on a per-start basis. Setting aside the obvious durability concerns, the stuff has looked sharp in recent minor league outings and he should provide a boost in the ratio departments for fantasy purposes, even if there won’t be a ton of volume.
Stephen Curry (hamstring) is out for Game 5 against the Timberwolves on Wednesday.
Unsurprisingly, Curry is officially out for Game 5 due to the hamstring injury he suffered during Game 1. Game 6, which will be played on May 18, was a far more realistic possibility for the Warriors’ superstar guard. Buddy Hield will likely remain in the starting lineup, with Jonathan Kuminga taking on a more prominent role off the bench. Those two and Brandin Podziemski will need to be at their best if the Warriors are to extend this series, which they trail three games to one.