News
Paolo Banchero logged 42 minutes in Sunday’s Game 1 loss to the Celtics, scoring 36 points (14-of-27 FGs, 4-of-6 FTs) with 11 rebounds, four assists, one steal, one block and four three-pointers.
Banchero was excellent in Game 1, scoring 19 points in the first half and another 17 after the halftime break. Unfortunately for the Magic, he was the only player who could consistently create opportunities offensively. A difficult matchup for most teams due to his combination of size, athleticism and skill set, this could be a big series for Banchero individually. However, the prevailing question is whether or not Orlando will be able to generate enough offense collectively to have a chance of beating the reigning champions. Game 2 is on Wednesday night.
Eddie Rosario has elected free agency.
Rosario refused an outright assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett over the weekend and will head to free agency instead. There’s a decent chance he winds up back with Atlanta on a brand-new minor league deal. The 33-year-old journeyman outfielder has gotten into five games this season between Los Angeles and Atlanta.
Mike Trout (knee) is scheduled to run on an Alter G (zero gravity) treadmill on Monday.
Angels manager Ron Washington told reporters they’ll see how Trout fares before making a decision on his next steps. The 33-year-old generation superstar remains without a definitive return timetable after hitting the injured list back on May 2 with a bone bruise in his left knee.
Rangers promoted OF prospect Alejandro Osuna to Triple-A.
Osuna checked in at 499th overall in Rotoworld’s dynasty rankings back on Opening Day after an impressive showing in spring training. The 22-year-old earns a promotion to the doorstep of the majors hitting .284/.363/.409 with 10 extra-base hits and seven steals in 31 games this season for Double-A Frisco. He doesn’t project as a high-upside fantasy contributor, but he does a little bit of everything well and should be able to carve out a role at the highest level someday.
Justin Martinez (shoulder) will face hitters on Wednesday in a live batting practice session.
There’s an outside chance Martinez is ready to return from the injured list later this week when first eligible, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet. The hard-throwing 23-year-old reliever is making steady progress and should be ready to rejoin Arizona’s high leverage mix at some point in the coming days.
Logan Gilbert (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday.
It’ll be Gilbert’s first bullpen session since landing on the injured list back on April 26 with a flexor strain in his right elbow. The 28-year-old fantasy ace will likely require a couple minor league rehab outings to get back up to speed, but it looks like there’s a decent chance he’s back in Seattle’s rotation at some point in June.
DJ LeMahieu (calf) was not activated prior to Monday’s game against the Mariners.
LeMahieu joined the Yankees in Seattle as they continue their West Coast trip, but he hasn’t been officially activated yet. That figures to happen prior to Tuesday’s contest. The 36-year-old will make his season debut this week after missing the first six-plus weeks of the year recovering from a calf injury.