MLB NOTEBOOK

RANGERS OPTION ROOKIE LEITER AFTER ONE START

Texas rookie righthander Jack Leiter was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Friday, one day after allowing seven runs in his major league debut.

The Rangers recalled right-hander Owen White from Round Rock to provide bullpen depth for the start of their weekend series against the Atlanta Braves.

Leiter, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft, allowed seven runs on eight hits in 3 2⁄3 innings in Thursday’s 9-7 win at the Detroit Tigers.

ROCKIES’ FREELAND OUT

Colorado Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland is expected to miss between one month and six weeks because of a strained left elbow and says the pitch clock may have been a factor.

Freeland said the elbow issue is not related to a right shoulder injury sustained this week during a collision at home plate as a pinch runner.

“There has been a lot of talk about pitch clock and sticky stuff and how all that is correlating to this,” Freeland said Friday. “I’m a firm believer that there is something that correlates with pitch clock and pitchers. We are exerting our bodies at 100% every 15 to 18 seconds. You do that, it’s tough. You do that in Colorado, even tougher.”

LEMAHIEU STILL SIDELINED

The Yankees delayed the start of DJ LeMahieu’s minor-league injury rehabilitation assignment after an MRI showed the fracture in his right foot has not fully healed.

The 35-year-old, a twotime batting champion, has been sidelined since fouling a ball off the foot during spring training on March 16. He was to have started the rehab assignment Friday but remained in New York. The earliest he will report to a minorleague team is Tuesday.

CUBS ROLL PAST MARLINS

The Woodlands’ Jameson Taillon had a solid first start and Nico Hoerner doubled twice as the Chicago Cubs rolled past the visiting Miami Marlins 8-3 on Friday.

Taillon (1-0) retired the first 10 Miami batters before Bryan De La Cruz smacked his fourth homer of the season.

ODDS AND ENDS

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ryne Nelson exited Thursday night’s start against the San Francisco Giants with a bruised pitching elbow after getting hit by a line drive in the second inning. X-rays were negative. … The Red Sox acquired right-handed pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez from the Milwaukee Brewers for cash. … Federal transportation officials are investigating an unauthorized inflight cockpit visit by a coach for the Colorado Rockies baseball team during a United Airlines charter flight last week from Denver to Toronto.