Cubs ace Justin Steele is just about ready to return to Chicago's rotation after being sidelined since the season opener because of a strained left hamstring.

Steele is on track to start Monday against San Diego, assuming he gets through one more bullpen session with no issues, manager Craig Counsell said Friday. The left-hander was hurt trying to field a bunt at Texas in his Opening Day start.

"We've missed him for a month, and it'll be good to get him going," Counsell said.

Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi left Thursday's 6-0 win over the Washington Nationals with right groin tightness.

Eovaldi will get an MRI on Friday.

He threw a 94 mph fastball for strike one after issuing a one-out walk. Eovaldi then turned and faced the outfield. He was visited by Bruce Bochy and head trainer Matt Lucero and left for the dugout.

"I went to throw it, and I kind of felt it," Eovaldi said. "The initial thoughts that went through my head were I can call out the training staff, then maybe get the two warmup throws just to kind of check it out and stuff, but they wanted to play it safe and take me out of the game."

"We'll see how it feels (Friday). Just play it safe. Again just trying to be smart with this, not push it."

Walker Buehler is expected to make his return to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday after missing nearly two full years following Tommy John surgery in 2022.

"The plan is Walker's going to start on Monday," Dave Roberts said. "We're excited about that. Everything checked out. It'll be good."

The Dodgers play at home against the Miami Marlins.

Buehler hasn't thrown in a Major League game since June 10, 2022.

Byron Buxton left Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox in the second inning because of right knee soreness after an unsuccessful attempt to steal second base for the Minnesota Twins.

Buxton, who singled leading off the inning, didn't slide into second and was thrown out. Buxton walked off the field slowly and was replaced in the bottom half of the inning.

He was limited to 85 games as a designated hitter last season because of a right knee injury. Rocco Baldelli said Buxton would undergo imaging on the knee.

Texas Rangers right-hander Max Scherzer was scratched from his second scheduled rehab start Tuesday because of thumb soreness.

The soreness is similar to what Scherzer experienced last year before being sidelined for the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs for the World Series champion Rangers.

Mike Trout, the Angels' superstar center fielder who has been hampered by a litany of injuries in recent years, suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee that will require surgery.

The Angels did not announce a timetable for Trout's recovery while revealing the injury Tuesday, but sources familiar with the situation said a best-case scenario could be four to six weeks. A true timeline, however, can't be determined until doctors take a closer look at Trout's knee. Surgery is expected to take place at some point this week, with a source indicating it could happen Friday.