MLB notes
ROYALS Soler continues rehab
The Kansas City Royals are poised to exercise patience as outfielder Jorge Soler continues a rehab assignment at Class AAA Omaha.
Soler, 25, is not expected to be activated today when the club opens a 10-game homestand against the Minnesota Twins, General Manager Dayton Moore said.
“His rehab assignment runs through May 10,” Moore said Thursday. “And at this point in time, we fully expect to utilize that period of time for him to get some at-bats and get caught up.”
Soler began a minor-league rehab assignment last Friday, 26 days after sustaining a Grade 1 oblique strain during the final week of spring training. Yet after playing in five games for Class AAA Omaha before a scheduled day off on Wednesday, his debut in Kansas City is not imminent.
The Royals will remain cautious with Soler as he regains his timing at the plate and tests his oblique in a less stressful environment. There is no public timetable for his return, Moore said, but the club would like to see Soler accumulate additional at-bats and reps in the outfield.
“He needs to play a lot more in the field, and obviously he was out toward the end of spring training,” Moore said. “But it was still close to a month before he was back into a game.”
Acquired in a December trade that sent closer Wade Davis to the Chicago Cubs, Soler was expected to begin the season as the Royals’ starting right fielder. But a slow start during spring training led to additional at-bats in a handful of spring minor-league games. It was in one of those games that Soler strained an oblique muscle.
After close to a month of rehab, he returned to games for Omaha last week. He entered Thursday 4 for 17 with 2 home runs in 5 games. He’s also struck out five times while drawing two walks.
The Royals will enter the homestand with the lowest-scoring offense in baseball, averaging just 2.57 runs per game.
METS Cespedes pulls hamstring
NEW YORK — Yoenis Cespedes left Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Braves with what the New York Mets are calling a pulled left hamstring, the latest blow to a team reeling from a brutal start to the season.
Though Cespedes has been dealing with a hamstring issue, the Mets chose not to place him on the disabled list.
But they may pay for that decision with an extended absence from Cespedes, all in the midst of a five-game losing streak and a looming threegame series this weekend against the division-leading Washington Nationals.
Cespedes doubled to right-center field in the fourth inning then hobbled after rounding first base. Manager Terry Collins and trainer Ray Ramirez sprinted to the base, where Cespedes stood doubled over.
Moments later, Cespedes began his slow walk toward the dugout, where he needed assistance going down the steps.
Cespedes’ injury came on the same day that Noah Syndergaard had to be scratched with biceps discomfort.
MARLINS Manfred: Sale ‘premature’
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday labeled “premature” reports that a group headlined by Derek Jeter and Jeb Bush has received tentative approval to buy the Miami Marlins.
“Well, we have a policy; we don’t really comment on sale processes,” he said after a groundbreaking ceremony for the Jackie Robinson Museum in lower Manhattan. “There have been some premature, frankly, reports. There are multiple bidders for the Marlins. The Marlins are for sale. There is no agreement in place.
“We’re working with more than one group and when we have a definitive agreement we’ll make an announcement on that.”
Asked about a timeline for such a decision, Manfred said, “The timeline is relatively short. It would be measured in days, not weeks.”