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Houston Astros closer Ken Giles suffered a right wrist injury during batting practice Saturday and had to be carted off the field. X-rays came back negative, according to Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle. 

It is uncertain when he’ll return to the mound. 

Continue for updates.

Giles Injury Details Revealed 

Saturday, Sept. 24

Giles’ wrist injury is being called a contusion, per Kaplan. 

Giles Carted Off the Field During BP

Saturday, Sept. 24

Mark Berman of Fox 26 relayed a video of Giles being tended to by medical personnel: 

A Healthy Giles Needed For Final Stretch of Regular Season

If the Astros—who were two games back in the American League wild-card race entering Saturday night—lose Giles down the stretch, they’ll be in a tough spot. 

Although Giles has struggled with just 13 saves and a 4.31 ERA this season, he’s a fireballer who wields a wicked two-pitch arsenal. According to FanGraphs, Giles is averaging 97.2 mph on his fastball and 86 mph on his slider this season. 

Luke Gregerson should serve as the Astros’ closer if Giles misses any time. After he racked up a career-high 31 saves last season, Gregerson notched 15 saves earlier this year before moving to a role as the team’s setup man.

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The Seattle Mariners announced they have suspended catcher Steve Clevenger without pay for the remainder of the regular season after he sent a series of offensive tweets Thursday.

“As soon as we became aware of the tweets posted by Steve Clevenger yesterday we began to examine all of our options in regard to his standing on the team,” general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement Friday. “Today we have informed him that he is suspended for the remainder of the season without pay.”

In tweets that have since been deleted, Clevenger appeared to make references to the unrest in Charlotte, North Carolina, after a police officer shot and killed Keith Lamont Scott.

“Black people beating whites when a thug got shot holding a gun by a black officer haha s–t cracks me up! Keep kneeling for the Anthem!” he wrote, according to the Seattle Times‘ Matt Pentz.

The second tweet reportedly referenced the Black Lives Matter movement and President Barack Obama.

“BLM is pathetic once again,” Clevenger said. “Obama you are pathetic once again! Everyone involved should be locked behind bars like animals.”

After Clevenger’s tweets made the rounds, he issued a statement of apology, as shared by Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal:

“The Seattle Mariners are very disappointed at the tweets posted on Steve Clevenger’s account,” Dipoto said in a statement Thursday. “While he is certainly free to express himself, his tweets do not in any way represent the opinions of the Seattle Mariners. We strongly disagree with the language and tone of his comments.”

The 30-year-old is on the 60-day disabled list and hasn’t appeared in a game since June 29 after he fractured the third metacarpal in his right hand.

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Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder A.J. Pollock suffered a strained groin during Friday’s game against the San Francisco Giants and will miss an extended period of time down the stretch.

Continue for updates.

Pollock Out at Least a Week Before Starting Rehab

Saturday, Sept. 10

According to MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert, Pollock will not start rehab for at least a week but could return before the regular season comes to a close. However, Jack Magruder of FanRag Sports noted the team will not rush him back to the field.

Pollock suffered a fractured right elbow before the start of the 2016 season, but he returned to the lineup Aug. 26.

“It’s tough going through an injury and saying you’re really fortunate to be where you’re at, but it’s the truth,” Pollock said, per MLB.com’s Jake Rill. “The cards I was dealt wasn’t really the most ideal, but I had an unbelievable doctor that went in there and just did a great job with my arm.”

Since returning, Pollock has batted .244 with two home runs and four RBI. 

Before his 2016 season was marred by injuries, Pollock emerged as a dynamic force in the outfield for the Diamondbacks. In 157 games during the 2015 campaign, the 2009 first-round pick clubbed 20 home runs and drove in 76 runs while stealing 39 bases en route to his first All-Star Game nod. 

Now on the shelf again, Pollock will need to focus his energy on getting healthy as he seeks to make the most of a lost year.

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New York Mets second baseman Neil Walker will undergo season-ending back surgery as he continues to battle pain related to a herniated disk.

Continue for updates.

Walker Comments on Surgery

Thursday, Sept. 1

Walker said he will have a three-month recovery following his surgery, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Walker indicated that he cannot feel a toe because a disk in his back is pressing against a nerve, per James Wagner of the New York Times.

According to Marc Carig of Newsday, after getting multiple opinions, Walker said playing through the injury would exacerbate the issue.

Walker, who missed four straight games and eight total in August, has been dealing with a herniated disk that has caused him considerable discomfort. According to the New York Post‘s Howie Kussoy, the herniated disk caused “weakness in one of his legs and numbness in one of his feet.”

“It’s been on and off all year,” manager Terry Collins added, per Kussoy. “As Neil puts it, he has grinded it out, the discomfort level. Sometimes it goes up, and when it goes back down he needs rest until the strength comes back up again.”

Walker’s Injury Comes at Unfortunate Time for Mets

The news comes as a blow to the Mets, who are still hanging tough in the National League wild-card race with the regular season drawing to a close.

Before hitting the shelf, Walker batted .282 with 23 home runs, 55 RBI and a .347 on-base percentage.

The Mets should continue to employ Wilmer Flores as a stopgap solution at second base.

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Former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow held a workout in front of “roughly 25” Major League Baseball teams in Los Angeles on Tuesday, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, and reviews of his performance were mixed.  

Participating in the workout as an outfielder, Tebow—who earned all-state honors playing baseball at Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, according to the Washington Post‘s Marissa Payne—impressed with a 60-yard dash in the ballpark of 6.6-6.8 seconds.

Former MLB pitcher and ESPN broadcaster Dallas Braden relayed video of Tebow’s sprint: 

Morosi reported that the 60-yard dash was officially 6.65 seconds, which would make Tebow an “above-average runner” based on MLB scouting standards. 

However, other scouts in attendance didn’t come away as impressed, according to Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller:  

After showing off his speed, Tebow moved to the outfield—where he struggled a bit more on throws out of right field. 

According to Miller, one scout in attendance graded Tebow’s throwing a 40 on the scouting scale that ranges from 20-80, while another handed out a lackluster mark of 30. 

MLB on Twitter posted several photos of Tebow in action during the fielding portion of the program: 

The highlight of the afternoon, though, was Tebow’s performance at the plate.

Although he went just 1-for-5 with a single and walk against veteran pitcher Chad Smith, per Morosi, Tebow was able to rebound and finish with a rock-solid day at the dish. 

The former Florida Gators standout, who squared off against both Smith and David Aardsma, finished 8-for-19 with two doubles and three strikeouts. 

Tebow also mashed several pitches over the outfield wall during batting practice, as MLB on Twitter documented: 

Scout Media’s Taylor Blake Ward snapped a photo that displayed just how impressive Tebow’s power was: 

“I thought he was OK. Better than I expected, to be honest,” an anonymous MLB scout told USA Today‘s Josh Peter. “For not having played as long as he had, I thought he did OK. That’s a big dude, for as fast as he can run. The power was impressive, but I wish he could have translated it maybe a little better [against live pitching].”

As all of the scouts’ observations suggest, Tebow appeared a bit raw in certain phases of the game. Then again, that should have been expected since he hadn’t been on a diamond like he was Tuesday since turning his attention to football. 

But now that he’s completed his workout, Tebow can focus on fine-tuning his game as he continues to look for a shot in the big leagues. 

When asked whether or not the door was closed on football, Tebow replied, “oh yeah,” per Nate Davis of USA Today.

“I want to be someone to pursue what I believe in, what I’m passionate about,” Tebow said, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. “A lot of people will say, ‘But what if you fail? What if you don’t make it?’ Guess what, I don’t have to live with regret. I did everything I could. I pushed it.

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Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones suffered a strained hamstring during Friday’s game against the New York Yankees when he pulled up at first base after a leadoff groundout in the first inning. However, he is expected to return to the lineup soon. 

Continue for updates.

Showalter Comments on Jones’ Recovery

Sunday, Aug. 28

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said that Jones is close to returning and would have played against the Yankees if it was a night game, according to MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli.

Showalter told reporters on Friday that Jones was in the “same spot as” Thursday, per Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun. Showalter added it’s not a situation where Jones could land on the disabled list.

Jones Out vs. Yankees

Sunday, Aug. 28

The Orioles announced Jones will not be in Sunday’s lineup against the Yankees: 

O’s Need Jones in Lineup Heading Toward Playoffs

Jones battled oblique discomfort at the start of the season, but he returned to the starting lineup on a full-time basis after missing four games and making two brief appearances as a defensive replacement. 

Entering Friday, Jones had posted a slash line of .275/.316/.456/ with 74 RBI and 24 home runs a year after regressing slightly to the tune of 25 home runs and 82 RBI when he was limited to 137 games.

To put those numbers in perspective, Jones clubbed 29 dingers and drove in 96 runs while batting .281 and missing just three games in 2014.

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Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera will miss Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals with a left biceps strain. 

Continue for updates. 

Cabrera’s Injury Not Considered Serious

Tuesday, Aug. 16

According to the team’s official Twitter account, Cabrera is listed as day-to-day. ESPN.com’s Katie Strang confirmed Cabrera was injured during Monday night’s game. 

Cabrera’s injury has not been deemed severe, but losing the 33-year-old for even a couple of games at this point could hurt the Tigers’ postseason chances. 

Detroit is entering Tuesday night’s game against the Royals 2.5 games back in the wild-card standings, and Cabrera is an indispensable piece of the team’s offense who has put up monster numbers all season long. 

Through 117 games, the two-time American League MVP is batting .310 with a .550 slugging percentage, .934 OPS, 27 home runs and 77 RBI. 

Cabrera has also been on a tear of late. In 52 at-bats this month, he’s batting .365 with a .673 slugging percentage, 1.084 OPS, four home runs and 11 RBI. 

Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been tabbed to start at first base in Cabrera’s absence. 

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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left knee sprain.

Continue for updates.

Toronto Selects Contract of Junior Lake with Bautista Out

Wednesday, Aug. 10

The team confirmed the corresponding moves, which signaled another setback for Bautista.

The Blue Jays placed Bautista on the disabled list June 17 with turf toe, and the 35-year-old proceeded to miss 30 consecutive games nursing the ailment.

Bautista also battled nagging quad pain throughout the first half of the season—a segment that wasn’t particularly kind to him. Over the course of 65 pre-All-Star Game appearances, Bautista batted just .230 with a .360 on-base percentage, 12 home runs and 41 RBI.

His lack of discipline at the plate was evident during that stretch, as he compiled 49 strikeouts and just 48 walks.

In 80 games this season, Bautista is batting a putrid .222 with 15 home runs, 48 RBI, 63 strikeouts, 58 walks and a .349 on-base percentage.

And while the injury woes have hampered Bautista’s production throughout the 2016 season, they could also limit his earning potential this winter.

The aged slugger is slated to become a free agent at season’s end, per Spotrac, and it’s difficult to envision a contender sinking significant financial resources into a 36-year-old power hitter coming off an injury-riddled campaign.

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Cleveland Indians pitcher Danny Salazar will miss at least two weeks because of an injury to his pitching elbow that forced him to the disabled list. It is uncertain when he will return to action.

Continue for updates.

Chernoff Comments on Salazar’s MRI, Timeline for Return

Wednesday, Aug. 3

Indians general manager Mike Chernoff told MLB Network Radio that Salazar’s MRI “came back clean,” adding that the team is “hoping he doesn’t miss too many starts.”

Salazar Placed on 15-Day DL

Tuesday, Aug. 2

The Indians announced that Salazar was dealing with inflammation in his right (pitching) elbow and that Brandon Guyer would replace him on the roster.

Salazar Comments on Injury

Tuesday, Aug. 2

“There’s something in my elbow,” Salazar said, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. “I don’t know what it is. We don’t know. I think we’re going to find out tomorrow.”

Salazar Is Valuable Piece for Indians’ World Series Hopes

Salazar had his shortest start of the year on Monday against the Minnesota Twins, allowing six runs on six hits (three home runs) with three strikeouts and two walks in two innings. 

The good news for Salazar, who had Tommy John surgery in 2010, is he was not diagnosed with any significant elbow problem that could require surgery and possibly end what has been a terrific season for the 26-year-old. 

Bastian tweeted out after Monday’s game that Salazar’s average fastball velocity has gone from 96.5 mph in his June 12 start to 94.4 mph against the Twins. 

With 20 starts so far this season, Salazar has tallied a record of 11-4 while posting a 3.38 ERA and 133 strikeouts in a stacked rotation that includes Corey Kluber, Josh Tomlin, Trevor Bauer and Carlos Carrasco.

It will be difficult for Cleveland to replace Salazar, but the Indians have been in first place in the American League Central most of the season thanks to their outstanding rotation depth and a lineup that has performed better than expected without Michael Brantley. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless noted otherwise. 

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All eyes were on New York Yankees closer Andrew Miller as the team teetered on the edge of contention ahead of Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline, and the Bronx Bombers pulled the trigger on a deal that shipped the dynamic reliever to the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and ESPN’s Buster Olney weighed in on the deal:

The Miller trade came shortly after Rosenthal announced the Indians traded for All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the Milwaukee Brewers. However, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s Tom Haudricourt reported on Sunday that “Lucroy has exercised his no-trade clause and vetoed [the] trade.”

The Yankees signed Miller to a four-year, $36 million deal prior to the 2015 season, and his $9 million annual salary now looks like peanuts following a superb campaign.

Although the Yankees disappointed last year when the Houston Astros bounced them from the postseason in an American League wild-card showdown, Miller finished his first season in pinstripes with 36 saves and a 2.04 ERA.

Miller’s 36 saves ranked third among AL closers, and the 31-year-old’s 2.3 wins above replacement were the second-most among AL relievers with at least 20 saves, per ESPN.com. As a result, Miller captured the 2015 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award, despite dealing with a forearm strain that forced him to miss a month.

“To be associated with anything with Mariano’s name on it, probably more than I deserve,” Miller said in October, according to NJ Advance Media’s Ryan Hatch. “Nobody has a better reputation, and especially off the field, than him. It’s something I’ll cherish.”

In 44 appearances in 2016, Miller has posted a 1.39 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 77 strikeouts and seven walks.

Trading Miller on a team-friendly deal after shipping fireballer Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs is a bold move, but it represents a chance to bolster the team’s asset stockpile.

It’s also a vote of confidence in rising star Dellin Betances. The 28-year-old earned his third straight All-Star nod in 2016, and he thrived in a setup role before Chapman came aboard this season and shook up the structure of New York’s bullpen.

As the Yankees’ go-to eighth-inning arm in 2015, Betances recorded a 1.50 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP and 131 strikeouts while tying his career high with a 3.7 WAR. So far this season, Betances has posted a 2.50 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP with 89 strikeouts. Betances is also a more cost-effective option since he’s under team control through 2019.

Considering the Yankees’ World Series aspirations for 2016 have morphed into a pipe dream, selling high on Miller is a prudent long-term move.

All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless noted otherwise. Salary information courtesy of Spotrac.com.

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