MLB Player News

Happ (hamstring) is starting in left field and batting second Tuesday against the Astros, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The 29-year-old sat out Saturday and Sunday with hamstring soreness after exiting Friday's contest, but he's ready to retake the field following Monday's team off day. Happ has been in a slump over his past nine games, going 4-for-35 after he posted a .933 OPS in his first 40 at-bats of the campaign.

Biggio isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup for Tuesday's game against Kansas City.

Biggio will get a day to rest Tuesday after going 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored during Monday's victory. His absence will allow Davis Schneider to start at the keystone while batting sixth.

Jansen isn't in Toronto's lineup for Tuesday's game aganist the Royals.

Jansen will get a breather after going 1-for-4 with a double during Monday's series opener. Alejandro Kirk will step in as the Jays' catcher and bat seventh.

Mervis was recalled from Triple-A Iowa and is batting eighth as the designated hitter Tuesday against the Astros, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The 26-year-old was called up as expected Tuesday and will immediately make his way into the starting nine. Michael Busch has earned an everyday role at first base with his hot start to the season, so Mervis is likely to see most of his playing time at designated hitter, especially while Seiya Suzuki (oblique) remains sidelined.

The Cubs recalled Little from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Little was just returned to Iowa on Monday after serving as the team's 27th man during Sunday's doubleheader against the Marlins, but he's been rerouted back to the big-league bullpen. He'll give manager Craig Counsell another lefty option in relief.

The Cubs placed Smyly on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to April 22, with a right hip impingement, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

Smyly last pitched on Sunday against the Marlins and must have suffered an injury during the outing. He'll be eligible to return May 7, although it's not clear at this point whether he will be ready at that time.

O'Hoppe went 3-for-4 with a run in Monday's loss to Baltimore.

O'Hoppe batted out of the No. 7 slot in the lineup and accounted for one of the team's two runs and for three of the team's eight hits. The backstop notched his fifth multi-hit game of the season and got his season batting average back up to .318 after a recent 2-for-18 skid. O'Hoppe also has two homers, seven RBI and eight runs over 74 plate appearances.

The Cubs placed Hendricks on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to April 22, with a lower-back injury, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.

It's fair to question as to whether Hendricks is indeed injured, but either way he's going to be out of the Cubs' rotation for at least the next couple weeks. With Justin Steele (hamstring) perhaps beating him back, it's possible Hendricks might not have a rotation spot waiting for him when he's ready. The veteran right-hander has posted a 12.00 ERA over five starts this season.

Manager Rob Thomson said Walker (shoulder) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Sunday against the Padres, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

The veteran right-hander allowed four runs over 6.1 innings during his third minor-league rehab start Sunday, and a successful bullpen session Tuesday was his final hurdle before being cleared to return. Walker posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 138:71 K:BB across 172.2 innings last season for the Phillies.

Robles (hamstring) will travel with the Nationals on their next road trip and will resume baseball activities, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

Robles is nearly three weeks removed from suffering a left hamstring strain and has finally made enough progress to reincorporate baseball activities. He will presumably need some rehab games before being activated, so a return could still be more than a week away.