Dave Roberts wants to see Shohei Ohtani show more plate discipline with runners in scoring position.

The Los Angeles Dodgers manager approached Ohtani about a week ago to discuss how he could better control the strike zone.

"I thought he was expanding a little bit more than he needed to," Roberts said. "So, I just wanted to have a conversation with him."

Roberts has noticed Ohtani getting comfortable in his surroundings, acclimating with his new teammates and coaches.

"He is doing a great job with everyone," Roberts said. "The hitting coaches are kind of building a really good relationship and trust. I see him more [now]. Before you sort of just see him when he gets in the batter's box. So, he's around a lot more, which is a good thing, too."

Max Scherzer is set to make a Minor League rehab start Wednesday, which will be the first game action for the 39-year-old since back surgery during the offseason.

Scherzer is scheduled to start for Triple-A Round Rock at home against Salt Lake, the Los Angeles Angels' affiliate.

The plan is to throw about 50 pitches. The right-hander threw 40 pitches in a simulated game Friday.

Scherzer had surgery Dec. 15 to repair a herniated disk in his lower back. 

Johnny Cueto has signed a Minor League deal with the Texas Rangers.

Cueto, 38, wants to pitch in his 17th Major League season.

The right-hander made 13 appearances (10 starts) for the Miami Marlins last season and 25 appearances (24 starts) for the Chicago White Sox in 2022. He finished the last of his six seasons with the San Francisco Giants in 2021.

Cueto is expected to report to the club's training complex in Surprise, Arizona.

Hitting leadoff for the first time since 2020, Mike Trout homered off Grayson Rodriguez in the Los Angeles Angels' 7-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

It was the sixth leadoff homer of Trout's career and first since Sept. 28, 2012.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 11 years and 208 days is the second-longest span between consecutive leadoff homers in MLB history.

The longest is 12 years, 286 days by Omar Vizquel.

Trout's nine home runs this season is tied with Marcell Ozuna for the Major League lead

Ranger Suarez pitched seven scoreless innings for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.

Suarez has thrown 25 consecutive scoreless innings going back to the fourth inning on April 6 against the Washington Nationals.

It is the longest streak by a Phillies pitcher since Cliff Lee threw 30 2/3 scoreless innings from Aug. 17–Sept. 10, 2011.

"I've never had a really good fastball, so today I felt how I've always felt,” Suarez said. "As always, I tried to mix all my pitches, especially my changeup and curveball. I don't throw hard. So those are things I have to do to get outs."

Suarez is 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 33 innings this season.

Mike Trout took a called third strike for the final out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning of the Los Angeles Angels' 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.

"I knew what he was going to throw me," Trout said. "They were throwing me the same stuff the whole game. I've gotta come through. I just didn't. … After [Craig Kimbrel] threw one up … that's where he pitches, he pitches up, he has that rising fastball … I've got to put the ball in play, you know, and come through."

It was similar in tone to the Angels' 5-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 14, when Trout struck out swinging with runners on second and third to seal the defeat.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have released Jace Peterson.

The move was expected after the Diamondbacks designated Peterson for assignment last week.

Arizona acquired Peterson in a mid-season trade with the Oakland Athletics last summer. The 33-year-old is still due what remains of this season's $5 million salary. The A's agreed to pay $2 million of that sum as part of last summer's trade, while Arizona is on the hook for the other $3 million.

An arbitrator has denied Rimas Sports' request for a temporary restraining order that would have allowed its main baseball agent, William Arroyo, to continue representing clients while navigating an appeal of his decertification, ESPN has learned.

The decision was made by arbitrator Michael Gottesman on Friday. On Monday, the Major League Baseball Players' Association made the procedural step of filing a motion with the Southern District of New York asking that the court uphold his decision.

Arroyo originally had his agent certification revoked on April 10 in the wake of an MLBPA investigation about improper benefits provided to players.

Jonathan Miranda and Noah Assad, two prominent executives for the Bad Bunny-led agency, were also denied their applications for certification. 

Michael Velazquez, another certified agent who recently joined Rimas, must leave the agency by May 10 or face potential decertification, sources with knowledge of the situation said.

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jakob Junis was taken away in an ambulance after being hit in the neck by a line drive during batting practice on Monday at PNC Park.

Junis was standing in the outfield when he was struck by the hard-hit ball off the bat of teammate Alika Williams.

Junis remained down for about 20 minutes while being treated by medical teams. The Pirates said he was conscious, alert and responsive and sent to a hospital for further evaluation.

The Tampa Bay Rays placed struggling closer Pete Fairbanks on the 15-day injured list with nerve-related issues before Monday night's game against the Detroit Tigers.

Fairbanks has experienced numbness in his fingers at times over the past few years, and the problem flared up again on Saturday and Sunday.