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Sherman’s Latest: Matz, Padres, Maurer, Yankees, Rangers, Smith, Mariners

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Officials from several teams tell Joel Sherman of the New York Post that this year’s deadline market is lacking in top-tier starting pitching.  Jose Quintana and Sonny Gray are the top names available, though both have their share of flaws; Quintana’s rather shaky performance this year and Gray’s long-term health are concerns.  With the market thin on aces, Sherman wonder if the Cardinals and Tigers would consider shopping controllable young stars Carlos Martinez or Michael Fulmer, each of whom would score an enormous return at the deadline.  The Cards and Tigers could get more than the prospect package the White Sox landed for Chris Sale last winter since so many teams would be vying for those stars.  It should be noted, however, that “there is no indication whatsoever” that either St. Louis or Detroit would even consider moving either pitcher.

Here’s more from Sherman in the previously-linked article and in two other pieces (first link, second link)…

  • Mets officials dismissed any notion of trading Steven Matz, in relation to Sherman’s consideration of teams trading controllable young arms.  Elbow problems kept Matz from debuting until June, and he has a 2.12 ERA through five starts, though advanced metrics paint a much less impressive view of Matz’s performance.  While the lefty would be a big trade chip if made available, it’s also certainly understandable why the Mets see him as a future building block, especially since Matz hasn’t even reached arbitration eligibility yet.
  • The Padres have received interest in starters Trevor Cahill, Jhoulys Chacin and Clayton Richard, as well as relievers Craig Stammen and Jose Torres.
  • The Yankees have already been linked to Padres reliever Brad Hand, but Sherman reports that closer Brandon Maurer’s name has also come up in talks between the two teams.  Maurer has a 5.60 ERA over 35 1/3 IP for San Diego this year but he has been victimized by a inordinately low 52.9% strand rate.  ERA indicators (2.95 FIP, 3.56 xFIP, 3.31 SIERA) and his peripheral numbers (8.92 K/9, 5.00 K/BB rate) paint a much more positive view of his 2017 performance.  San Diego had interest in Gleyber Torres prior to his Tommy John surgery, though officials from the Padres and other teams believe that the Yankees’ farm system is deep enough that they’ll be able to make deals without moving any of their top prospects.
  • Control may be more of a commodity than pure talent in the reliever market, according to one NL executive.  “My sense is that if you have a reliever who is under control through at least next year, you can expect more interest and a greater return than for a slightly better reliever who is a free agent after this season,” the executive said.
  • One team is looking to add controllable pieces both its bullpen and in general is the Rangers, in a return to their strategy from the 2015 deadline.  One AL official feels Texas will add one or two relievers, and whomever the Rangers may add, “I would be shocked if that player did not have control through at least next season.”
  • The Red Sox are still waiting to see if Carson Smith can be a bullpen asset for them this season before fully exploring the relief market.  Smith is expected to start mound work this week as he continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery, though his process was already delayed when he was shut down from throwing for a spell last month.  Given that it would surprising to see Smith even return to action before July 31, one would think Boston will end up looking at relief help and counting on Smith only as a potential bonus down the stretch.
  • The Mariners are one of only a few teams open to adding payroll in deadline trades, which one official describes as not “as good as having prospects, but it is an asset.”  The M’s began 2017 with a record payroll of more than $155.2MM, so with such a major financial investment already made, it makes sense that GM Jerry Dipoto and company are willing to spend a bit more to get the team over the hump.  Dipoto recently stated that the team is still planning to add at the deadline, though Seattle ends the first half with a 43-47 record (albeit four games out of a wild card spot).

Pitching Notes: Mets, Rangers, ChiSox, Tribe

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Both left-hander Steven Matz and right-hander Seth Lugo will join the Mets’ rotation next weekend for their 2017 debuts, manager Terry Collins announced Saturday (via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). The Mets have been without the pair all season because of elbow injuries, and once they return, righties Robert Gsellman and Tyler Pill will exit the team’s rotation. While righty Matt Harvey has arguably pitched poorly enough to warrant a demotion, the Mets aren’t considering relegating him to the big league bullpen or their Triple-A rotation, according to David Lennon of Newsday. Instead, they’ll continue to give the former ace an opportunity to work his way back from last year’s thoracic outlet syndrome surgery as part of their starting five.

  • Righty Tyson Ross could start for the Rangers next weekend, though the team hasn’t made a decision yet on when it will activate him, per T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. “It comes down to how he feels the next few days, going through the progression and his overall health,” manager Jeff Banister said of Ross, an ex-Padre who hasn’t pitched in the majors since suffering a shoulder injury on Opening Day 2016. Ross, who underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last October and then signed with the Rangers in the winter, made his third Triple-A rehab start Saturday and allowed two runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings (93 pitches).
  • White Sox southpaw Carlos Rodon, on the shelf all season with shoulder bursitis, is about to take an important step in his recovery. Rodon will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday at the Class-A level, which will represent his first game action since a March 19 spring training start, writes Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. A key piece for the rebuilding White Sox, the 24-year-old Rodon recorded a 4.06 ERA, 9.16 K/9, 2.95 BB/9 and a 44.1 percent ground-ball rate in 165 innings last season.
  • Indians righty Danny Salazar hasn’t made enough progress since his demotion to the bullpen last week to return to the rotation, manager Terry Francona suggested Sunday (per Robert Falkoff of MLB.com). “He’s got some work to do,” Francona said. “We felt like the best thing to do is keep him where he is and let him keep working more often. He’ll have more chances to throw with shorter segments. He’s still not where he needs to be.” In two appearances and 2 2/3 innings in relief, the flamethrowing Salazar has given up one earned run on four hits and four strikeouts.

Injury Notes: Polanco, Pedroia, Happ, Mets, Nats, Palka

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The Pirates seemingly made it through a scare today after outfielder Gregory Polanco was carted off the field following a collision with the wall. As Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review first tweeted, Polanco escaped with only a sprained ankle. Still, the severity isn’t quite clear and may not be until the joint responds overnight. As Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets, Polanco did require a walking boot after the game.

Here are some more injury updates from around the game:

  • Some fears were seemingly put to rest for Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia after an X-ray on his wrist came back clean, as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald was among those to report. But Pedroia, who was injured in a collision while running to first base, has yet to undergo an MRI. The team is sending him back to Boston for a closer look tomorrow morning, with his status to be assessed thereafter.
  • The Blue Jays will welcome back starter J.A. Happ from the DL tomorrow, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports on Twitter. Happ, 34, was sidelined after his third start of the year with elbow inflammation. He had recorded twenty strikeouts against four walks in his first 16 innings on the year after racking up 195 frames of 3.18 ERA ball in 2016.
  • There are some updates on notable injured Mets players, courtesy of Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. Closer Jeurys Familia says he is “feeling good” and thinks he can resume throwing within about two weeks — possibly setting up a return as soon as late August. Both Steven Matz and Seth Lugo, meanwhile, will take additional rehab starts before returning to the majors. They are said to be slated for the rotation, with Robert Gsellman expected to move to the bullpen. Meanwhile, star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is looking at another week or ten days before he’s back, though the team is treading carefully. The current issue — not his hamstring, for which he originally went on the DL, but his quadriceps — is apparently tied to the injury that kept Cespedes out of action for a stretch last year.
  • As for the division-rival Nationals, the bench got some good news today. Stephen Drew made it back from the DL today after a long layoff for a hamstring strain, as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. And it seems that Chris Heisey may be ready to return much more quickly than seemed likely when it was learned that he had a torn biceps tendon. Heisey is already on a rehab assignment, in fact, since it turns out he can essentially play through the injury. As manager Dusty Baker put it: “Boy, if you’re going to get hurt, I guess you gotta hurt something that you really don’t need.”
  • Twins outfield prospect Daniel Palka is out “indefinitely” after suffering a fractured left index finger, as Triple-A Rochester PR official Nate Rowan tweets. The 25-year-old has shown big-time power in the minors, but also swings and misses with some frequency. He has yet to conquer the highest level of the minors; through 171 plate appearances this year, he owns a .261/.316/.452 batting line with eight long balls.

Mets Notes: Robles, Cespedes, d’Arnaud, Rivera

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The Mets announced on Tuesday that they’ve optioned right-hander Hansel Robles to Triple-A Las Vegas. That’s a somewhat surprising and definitively unfortunate measure for the team to resort to, as Robles has emerged as a solid relief option for the Mets over the past two seasons. However, the 26-year-old has been shelled for 12 earned runs in his past three outings (2 2/3 innings), causing his ERA to balloon from 1.42 to 6.23. He’ll hope to sort things out in what will be his first minor league stint since early 2015. Robles’ struggles, paired with the loss of Jeurys Familia for the next several months (and possibly the rest of the season) have rapidly thinned out an already overworked Mets relief corps. The Mets’ bullpen entered play Tuesday tied for seventh in the Majors with 157 2/3 innings of work on the books, and the team has already gone outside the organization to bring in righty Neil Ramirez as a fresh arm. Addison Reed is currently closing in Queens, with Fernando Salas, Paul Sewald and Jerry Blevins among the top setup options. The Mets recalled lefty Josh Smoker in place of Robles, giving manager Terry Collins another option.

Here’s more on the Mets…

  • MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo provides a few updates on the injury front. Slugger Yoenis Cespedes is still a few days away from returning, as the Mets have decided to send him on a minor league rehab assignment once his running program is wrapped up. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud, meanwhile, is catching Steven Matz’s rehab game in Las Vegas tonight and should be ready for activation in the very near future. Both Matz and right-hander Seth Lugo require another rehab start before they’ll be cleared to return to the big league roster.
  • However, even with d’Arnaud’s return imminent, he’s not guaranteed to reclaim his role as the starting catcher. As Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News writes, Collins over the weekend voiced a desire to keep Rene Rivera in the lineup. “Rene Rivera has earned a spot, has earned a job catching. We’re going to play him as much as possible,” said Collins. “By no means are we going to sit Rene Rivera down and not have him play much anymore.” On the other hand, one team source suggests to Ackert that d’Arnaud won’t be losing his starting role as long as he hits well upon his return. The 33-year-old Rivera entered play today hitting .308/.337/.410 through his first 83 plate appearances. d’Arnaud was hitting .203/.288/.475 with four homers in 66 plate appearances when he landed on the DL.

Injury Notes: Matz, Hughes, Cardinals, Span, Flaherty

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The Mets may welcome back lefty Steven Matz sooner than later, David Lennon of Newsday reports on Twitter. Indeed, if he has a strong outing tomorrow at Triple-A, the club may allow him to make his next start at the major league level. That would obviously represent welcome news for the beleaguered Mets staff. Whether Matz can stay on the hill the rest of the way will no doubt go a long way toward determining whether New York can climb back into the postseason picture.

Here’s more on some health situations from around the game:

  • Though he’s still heading to the 10-day DL, Twins righty Phil Hughes will do so with a somewhat more optimistic outlook than had been feared, as Phil Miller of the Star Tribune was among those to tweet. Hughes is dealing with right biceps tendinitis, the team says, which seems quite a bit less worrisome than the hints of a shoulder problem that had been given previously.
  • The Cardinals have provided a few injury updates, as MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch reports. Notably, lefty Tyler Lyons is nearing a return from an intercostal strain, though the precise timing of his activation isn’t yet clear. The Cards don’t expect a prolonged absence from second baseman Kolten Wong, meanwhile, who is still out with some elbow soreness but doesn’t figure to hit the DL. Interestingly, Langosch also notes, lefty Zach Duke is lining up an effort to return more quickly than is typical from his Tommy John surgery. Duke is already eyeing work against live hitters in hopes of ramping up in time to return to the Cards in August.
  • Giants center fielder Denard Span is limited by a left thumb problem, he told reporters including Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link). It doesn’t appear as if it’s something that’ll require a DL stint, but it does represent yet another nick for the 33-year-old. Span is hitting just .258/.296/.398 on the year thus far, with a shoulder injury also having limited him in the early going.
  • It seems the Orioles will go without infielder Ryan Flaherty for a reasonable stretch. Per Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com, via Twitter, the veteran utilityman is going to need a platelet-rich plasma injection after suffering an injury to his shoulder/upper-back area. Flaherty, 30, is expected to need more than the minimum ten-day stay on the DL.
  • Phillies prospect Jesmuel Valentin may need shoulder surgery that could end his season, Ryan Lawrence of the Philly Voice reports on Twitter. The 23-year-old second baseman, who was taken 51st overall in the 2012 draft, came to the Philadelphia organization as part of the 2014 trade that sent veteran righty Roberto Hernandez to the Dodgers. Valentin, who occupies a 40-man spot, had struggled to a .229/.282/.292 batting line this year but has shown a quality approach in the past and slashed .269/.341/.395 with nine home runs last year in the upper minors.

NL East Notes: Nationals, Rosario, Cespedes, Straily

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While the Nationals still hold the best record in the National League, the team’s bullpen struggles remain a real concern, as Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post writes. Boswell acknowledges the benefit of hindsight but points out that the very trade that brought the Nats a closer last summer (Mark Melancon) cost them a much-needed future piece, as left-hander Felipe Rivero went to the Pirates in that deal. Rivero, 25, has a 0.87 ERA in 20 games for the Bucs this season, while the Washington relief corps has one of baseball’s worst bullpens, in terms of ERA. Manager Dusty Baker acknowledged to Boswell that the bullpen is a problem but suggested that there’s no quick fix at this time. “You’re always pushing for a trade, but ain’t nobody trading right now,” said Baker. “Sometimes you have no choice but to have patience. Nobody is going to drop you down a knockdown closer out of the sky until there’s some teams out of it. We have to look from within right now.”

More from the NL East…

  • While Boswell focuses heavily on the need for a closer, Dave Cameron of Fangraphs observes that for the Nationals, it’s not just a matter of finding a closer. A league-average bullpen could get the Nats to the postseason, but that won’t cut it in the playoffs, Cameron notes. Washington is likely in need of at least two quality relief arms this summer, and Cameron posits that the team could look to add multiple pitchers in a single trade. He speculates that the pairing of Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle from the A’s (assuming Doolittle is healthy) or Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson from the White Sox could be plausible fits.
  • The Mets are considering a DL stint for shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, but even if he does land on the shelf, top prospect Amed Rosario isn’t a consideration for a callup, writes Mike Puma of the New York Post. Mets assistant GM John Ricco told reporters that while the team is happy with Rosario’s performance in Triple-A, the general thought is that the 21-year-old still needs more time to round out his development. Also of note: Ricco refuted the notion that Cabrera has sustained a torn ligament in his thumb. “The ligament is not affected,” said Ricco. “It’s a joint. We have to see how he feels [Tuesday]. To his credit, he wants to keep fighting.” Cabrera himself, however, told Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News on Sunday that he had torn a ligament in his thumb.
  • Ackert also writes that Yoenis Cespedes is close to beginning a running program and could be a week to 10 days from returning to the Mets. Ricco stated that Cespedes will “have to ramp up a couple days” but has been getting at-bats in extended Spring Training already. She also reports that left-hander Steven Matz and right-hander Seth Lugo will both throw bullpen sessions tomorrow and go out on Class-A Advanced rehab assignments on Thursday.
  • Marlins right-hander Dan Straily allowed just one hit in tonight’s start against the Astros but exited after five innings. Straily was struck on the right forearm by a line drive off the bat of Evan Gattis that was smoked at 108.3 mph, per Statcast (h/t: MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro). Straily was able to make his scheduled plate appearances the next inning (though he only bunted), and Frisaro tweets that the righty said after the game that he escaped serious injury. Straily said the ball struck more muscle than bone, and while there’s obviously some swelling, he expects to make his next start.

NL Notes: Nationals, Mets, D-backs, Cards

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The Nationals and Bryce Harper began working toward the one-year, $21.625MM extension the right fielder signed Saturday over the winter, general manager Mike Rizzo told Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com (all Twitter links). The deal could end up as a slight discount for the Nationals, who believe Harper would have pushed for $25MM in arbitration next offseason if he were to win his second National League MVP this year, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).

Looking ahead, Rizzo revealed that there haven’t been any discussions about Harper’s status beyond next season, when he’s scheduled to become a free agent. In the meantime, by settling Harper’s salary for next year, the Nationals ensured that he’ll be “comfortable” and won’t have to worry about it this season, Rizzo added. Harper agrees, saying: “It’s huge. We’re able to go into the offseason and worry about other things.” The 24-year-old also noted that anything past the 2018 campaign is “still a long way away.”

More from the NL:

  • Both left-hander Steven Matz and right-hander Seth Lugo threw 30 pitches in an extended spring training game Saturday and could return to the Mets by late May or early June, manager Terry Collins indicated (via MetsBlog). Matz has dealt with an elbow issue that has prevented him from pitching this season, while a partially torn UCL has sidelined Lugo. The two were quality starters last year for the Mets, whose rotation has declined significantly this season for both injury- and performance-related reasons.
  • Diamondbacks catcher Chris Iannetta took a 93 mph fastball to the face from the Pirates’ Johnny Barbato on Friday, but he’s “doing OK,” according to manager Torey Lovullo (via the Associated Press). Despite suffering a couple fractured teeth and a broken nose, Iannetta is “eager to play,” per Lovullo. However, the team is understandably taking a careful approach with Iannetta and is still deciding whether to place him on the disabled list.
  • In another scary situation, Cardinals Triple-A pitching prospect Daniel Poncedeleon took a line drive off the head Tuesday and then underwent surgery Wednesday to relieve pressure around his brain. Poncedeleon has been in the intensive care unit of an Iowa hospital over the past few days, though doctors are “very encouraged by how things are progressing,” Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said Saturday (per Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com). “Right now, everything is going in a very positive direction,” continued Mozeliak. “You don’t want to speak in absolutes. You don’t want to draw conclusions. But we’re very encouraged with where he’s at.”

Alderson On Matz, Lugo, Familia, Duda, Flores

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Mets GM Sandy Alderson spoke to reporters, including the Daily News’ Kristie Ackert, today. We already noted that Alderson said the team doesn’t think Yoenis Cespedes’ hamstring injury is very serious, but here’s more of what he related about the Mets’ outlook.

  • Lefty Steven Matz (who has been dealing with discomfort in his pitching elbow) and righty Seth Lugo (partially torn UCL) are both throwing up to 200 feet from flat ground and will begin throwing off the slope of the mound soon — perhaps tomorrow, Alderson said. Neither pitcher has yet appeared in a game this season; Lugo is trying to avoid Tommy John surgery with a platelet-rich plasma injection and rest. “The further along he gets the more optimistic we become,” said Alderson.
  • Alderson seemingly did not offer a full vote of confidence in closer Jeurys Familia, who has walked six batters in his first four innings this year after missing the first two weeks of the season to a domestic-violence suspension. “As of right now, do we have a closer? You tell me,” Alderson said. Nonetheless, Alderson said he is hoping for “things to settle in a little bit” and added that the Mets are not looking for bullpen help right now. Addison Reed, who collected four saves in the early going, would presumably close if Familia were to be bumped, temporarily or not, from the role.
  • First baseman Lucas Duda (hyperextended left elbow) played in his first game on a rehab assignment with Class A+ St. Lucie yesterday, and Alderson is hopeful that Duda can soon return to the big leagues. “He played last night. His comment after was he felt just about 100%, so hopefully it’s in the next two or three days,” said Alderson. “Monday might be a little early, but we’ll see.” Duda was off to a .238/.360/.571 start when the Mets placed him on the DL last Friday.
  • Infielder Wilmer Flores (right knee infection) will soon start a rehab assignment of his own, Alderson said. Flores hit the DL last Friday, the same day as Duda.

NL East Notes: Glover, Marlins, Alfaro, Mets

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The Nationals announced today that right-hander Koda Glover has been placed on the 10-day disabled list due to an impingement in his right hip. As Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post writes, the move is somewhat precautionary. “We are going to need Koda for the long run because he’s never pitched a potential seven months of the season. So just trying to keep an eye on these things,” said manager Dusty Baker. “Cold weather probably didn’t help last night. He didn’t want to go on the DL. We think it’s best for him and what’s best for him is also what’s best for us.” Glover missed the final month of the 2016 season with a partially torn labrum in that same hip, Janes notes, and he elected to undergo physical therapy instead of offseason surgery. The 23-year-old righty is “extremely confident” that he’ll be ready to go in 10 days, Janes adds. Left-hander Matt Grace will take Glover’s spot in the bullpen for now.

More from the NL East…

  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports and Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports both penned columns this week on Derek Jeter being the correct person to revitalize — or, as Passan suggests, invigorate for the first time — the baseball community in southern Florida if their purchase of the Marlins goes through. Rosenthal writes that while the Jeter/Jeb Bush-led group may require the typically lengthy approval process, it seems unlikely that the league will stand in the way. Passan cites two sources in reporting that there are “plenty” of “money men” backing Jeter and Bush in their efforts to purchase the club. Both writers suggest that the allure of Jeter himself, a more dedicated plan to capitalizing on Miami’s proximity to Latin America, and the potential for increased payroll funding could bring in a new era of Marlins baseball. As Passan points out, whoever is brought in to oversee baseball operations will have multiple avenues to pursue; either try to build around the young core of Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton, Dee Gordon, J.T. Realmuto and Marcell Ozuna or field interest in those controllable talents to bring in a flood of youth that can comprise the next competitive Marlins roster.
  • Top catching prospect Jorge Alfaro is off to a blistering start with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, but as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes, a promotion to the Majors is not in his immediate future. Zolecki explains that despite being just 23 years of age, Alfaro is in his final option year, meaning the Phillies won’t be able to shuttle him back and forth between the Majors and Triple-A next season if he struggles. As such, there’s every incentive to make sure that Alfaro is not rushed to the Majors. Alfaro still has work to do in terms of his K/BB numbers and his defense, though it’s hard to ignore the numbers he’s logged thus far. In a small sample of 63 plate appearances, Alfaro is hitting .377/.397/.607 with three homers, two triples and a double.
  • Injured Mets pitchers Steven Matz and Seth Lugo are both ready to begin throwing off a mound, tweets MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. Both pitchers have been throwing from 120 feet and reported no discomfort following those sessions. Matz has been on the disabled list with an elbow injury, though there’s been some debate about the specific nature of the ailment. Lugo, meanwhile, was diagnosed with a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, though to this point surgery seemingly isn’t being considered as an option.

Pitching Injury Notes: Graveman, Lugo, Tillman, Ross

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Athletics right-hander Kendall Graveman has been placed on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to this past Saturday, due to a strained right shoulder, per a club announcement. Catcher Bruce Maxwell has been recalled from Triple-A to fill Graveman’s spot on the 25-man roster. While A’s fans are undoubtedly disheartened to see the 26-year-old Graveman land on the shelf, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that there are no indications that the injury is severe. Slusser notes that she’d be surprised to see Graveman miss more than one start, so it seems that Oakland is merely taking advantage of the shortened minimum stay on the DL to help keep the roster full while Graveman recovers.

A few more injury notes from around the game…

  • Mets righty Seth Lugo is set to begin a throwing program after taking two weeks off, per The Record’s Matt Ehalt (Twitter link). Lugo, who is hoping to avoid surgery after being diagnosed with a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, will begin his program by throwing from 60 feet. Ehalt adds. Lugo and southpaw Steven Matz are both presently on the DL for the Mets, which has considerably thinned out the club’s rotation depth.
  • Chris Tillman was able to make his first rehab start yesterday, appearing with the Orioles’ Double-A affiliate, as Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun reports. Though he says he is still having trouble getting his problematic shoulder loose, he says he’s “good to go” once he’s able to do so. Tillman suggested he is learning to deal with the constraints of the balky joint, though how that’ll work out at the game’s highest level is anyone’s guess. The righty sat in the upper eighties with his fastball yesterday, though he did top out at 91 — which is where he typically works. So long as he’s able to rebound from this first outing, Tillman will continue to increase his pitch count in further rehab starts.
  • The back issues that have slowed the rehab progress of Rangers’ righty Tyson Ross are still hanging around, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports on Twitter. Since he has yet to return to the mound, it now seems that his early-May target to return to the majors will move back by at least a week or two. Ross had seemed to be nearing a full recovery from thoracic outlet surgery when the seemingly minor back issue cropped up.
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