• Garrett Whitlock dealing with soreness in elbow
    Garrett Whitlock will undergo additional testing on Monday after experiencing soreness in his right elbow.

    Advice: Ugh. The 27-year-old hurler had looked sharp in his latest minor league rehab start at Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, striking out five batters over 4 2/3 innings of shutout baseball. The plan was to have him rejoin the Red Sox’ rotation next week, but that’s obviously on hold for now. The Red Sox should provide an update on his status after Monday’s testing is complete, but it doesn’t sound great. Rotoworld 10 minutes ago
     
  • Faces hitters
    Bachman (shoulder) threw live batting practice Friday, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.

    Advice: Bachman began throwing off a mound May 7, and Friday marks another major step in his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. The 24-year-old righty will almost certainly require a lengthy rehab assignment before the Angels think about adding him to their rotation, though the team has not yet specified when his assignment will start. Rotowire.com 11 minutes ago
     
  • Astros option Shawn Dubin to Triple-A on Friday
    Astros optioned RHP Shawn Dubin to Triple-A Sugar Land.

    Advice: The 28-year-old hurler took one for the team on Thursday night, saving a depleted bullpen by working the final three innings against the Athletics and recording his first career save. That means he wasn’t going to be available for a few days though, which means he gets sent out so the Astros can bring in a fresh arm. Dubin holds a 6.59 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and a 13/7 K/BB ratio over 13 2/3 innings with the Astros on the season. Rotoworld 13 minutes ago
     
  • Falls to Pittsburgh
    Hendricks (0-4) took the loss Friday against the Pirates, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out four.

    Advice: Hendricks started the day well, allowing just one hit through his first two scoreless innings. However, Jared Triolo would snap a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the third before the Pirates tacked on three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, sticking Hendrick's with his fourth loss. It's been a brutal start to the year for the veteran right-hander -- Hendricks has now allowed five or more runs in five of his first seven outings. His ERA is up to 10.57 with a 1.99 WHIP and 25:11 K:BB across 30.2 innings this year. Things won't get any easier for Hendricks in his next start -- he's' currently in line for a tough home matchup with Atlanta. Rotowire.com 39 minutes ago
     
  • Mitch Spence to start for Athletics on Friday
    Athletics’ manager Mark Kotsay told reporters that Mitch Spence will start on Friday night against the Royals in Kansas City.

    Advice: Kotsay noted that for now, it’s just a one-start thing, but that if Spence pitches well he could secure a spot in the team’s rotation. The 26-year-old Rule-5 pick has registered a 4.26 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and a 22/7 K/BB ratio over 25 1/3 innings in 11 appearances with the A’s this season. He threw 72 pitches against the Marlins on May 5, so he may be able to work deep enough into Friday’s outing to earn a victory if the A’s offense provides enough support. Rotoworld 43 minutes ago
     
  • Dominant in first MLB win
    Skenes (1-0) earned the win over the Cubs on Friday, issuing just one walk while striking out 11 over six hitless innings.

    Advice: Skenes was lights out in his second big-league start -- he struck out the first seven batters faced while holding the Cubs without a baserunner until Michael Busch's one-out walk in the fifth inning. Skenes has certainly looked as-advertised to start his career -- he averaged 99.3 MPH with his fastball Friday, generating a 44-percent whiff rate with the pitch. The 21-year-old right-hander has allowed three runs through his first 10 innings while striking out 18. Skenes will look to keep rolling in his next outing, tentatively lined up as a home matchup with the Giants. Rotowire.com 45 minutes ago
     
  • Throwing off mound
    Eovaldi (groin) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

    Advice: Friday will mark the first time Eovaldi has thrown off a mound since being diagnosed with a right groin strain May 3. He's eligible to return from the IL on Saturday, but considering the right-hander is just now resuming mound work, he may still be a week or two from returning to Texas' rotation. A clearer timeline for his return may emerge once he progresses to facing live hitters. Rotowire.com 52 minutes ago
     
  • Paul Skenes goes six hitless, fans 11 in first win
    Paul Skenes pitched no-hit ball for six innings, striking out 11, in the Pirates’ 9-3 win over the Cubs on Friday.

    Advice: Skenes was overwhelming in striking out the first seven batters he faced, and he didn’t let up much after that. He allowed only one hard-hit ball, a 107-mph groundout from Miguel Amaya. In fact, six of his seven non-strikeout outs came on grounders. It was a clear step forward from his debut last week and even a little extra impressive because it came against a lineup that had just seen him. Rotoworld 54 minutes ago
     
  • Kyle Hendricks gets roughed up by Pirates in loss
    Kyle Hendricks was lit up for eight runs — seven earned — and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings Friday in a loss to the Pirates.

    Advice: Hendricks had a decent effort against the same lineup Sunday in his first start off the IL, but the Pirates had his number today. It perhaps shouldn’t have been quite as bad as it was; he actually wound up with a nice 35% CSW and none of the nine hard-hit balls he allowed came in over 103.9 mph. He struck out four and walked none. Hendricks’ spot is probably safe for now, but similar results this weekend against Atlanta might force the Cubs to make a change even before Jordan Wicks returns. Rotoworld 54 minutes ago