Alex Cobb to throw live batting practice Sunday for first time since concussion - MLB

Rays right-hander Alex Cobb is ready to make the next step in his recovery from a concussion, as Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune reports that he’s scheduled to throw live batting practice tomorrow.

Cobb has been sidelined since he was hit in the side of the head by a line drive off the bat of Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer on June 15. The 25-year-old resumed throwing bullpen sessions last week, but that he’s been cleared to throw batting practice means that he has passed all of his concussion tests.

Cobb told Bill Chastian of MLB.com earlier this week that he was still experiencing “a little vertigo randomly,” but it sounds like a minor league rehab assignment might not be far off. While there’s no formal timetable for his return, he has talked about rejoining the Rays’ rotation at some point in August.

Cobb was enjoying a breakthrough season prior to the concussion, going 6-2 with a 3.01 ERA and 76/23 K/BB ratio in 83 2/3 innings over 13 starts.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.