News
Rob Brantley was removed from Sunday’s game against the Phillies with right shoulder discomfort.
Brantly was 0-for-2 before leaving the game after an awkward swing. There’s a chance top prospect Agustin Ramirez, who is hitting .258 with three homers and five steals in 18 games at Triple-A Jacksonville, gets the call to the majors if Brantly winds up requiring a trip to the injured list.
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.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said earlier this week that Shane McClanahan (triceps) is still dealing with discomfort.
Cash added that McClanahan has been given clearance to continue his throwing program, despite the lingering discomfort, but won’t be able to start ramping up from an intensity standpoint until the issue is resolved. There is no timetable for the 28-year-old fantasy ace to make his season debut. It’s starting to look like he won’t make it back until the second half, even in a best-case scenario.
Alejandro Kirk (head) is not in the lineup for Tuesday’s series opener against the Rays.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters that Kirk has passed all concussion tests was lifted from Sunday’s game after being hit in the helmet on a backswing, which is an extremely encouraging development. He’ll get some extra time off to rest and recover out of an abundance of caution. It’ll be Tyler Heineman handling the catching duties on Tuesday night in his absence.