MLB Player News

The Royals optioned Kowar to Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

Kowar threw two scoreless innings in his most recent appearance July 14, yet he still has an 8.80 ERA through six games this season. The righty figures to rejoin Kansas City for bullpen depth at some point in 2022.

The Royals recalled Zerpa from Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports. He will start Tuesday's game versus the Angels.

As expected, Zerpa joins the 26-man roster and will make his second start of the season. The 22-year-old has allowed just one earned run in seven total innings in 2022.

Brash was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday.

Brash will return to Triple-A after he appeared in five games following a promotion July 9, surrendering two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out six over 5.1 innings. The right-hander remains one of the Mariners' top prospects and will likely return to the big leagues at some point down the line.

The Red Sox activated Winckowski (illness) from the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday. He will start Tuesday against the Guardians.

Winckowski's most recent start was a six-inning, three-run effort in Tampa on July 13. The rookie has pitched to a 4.38 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in seven starts this season and could be primed for a quality night against a Cleveland team he limited to two runs over 5.1 innings June 25.

Baker allowed two hits in a scoreless inning during Monday's 5-1 win over the Rays.

Baker is enjoying his best month of the season -- he owns a 0.90 ERA and 1.30 WHIP through 10 innings in July, and he hasn't allowed a run in his last six appearances. The right-hander has racked up a 17:3 K:BB in that span. With the strength of the Orioles' bullpen, he hasn't been able to earn a larger role with this stretch of success. For the year, he has a 3-3 record, four holds and a blown save while recording a 3.83 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 46:15 K:BB in 42.1 innings.

Vespi (3-0) allowed a hit and struck out four over 1.2 innings to earn the win Monday against the Rays.

Vespi was called up as a fresh reliever after Rico Garcia was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday. With starter Austin Voth lasting only three innings, Vespi was able to provide solid pitching as one of five Orioles relievers to keep runs off the board. The southpaw has had only one awful outing -- a six-run disaster in Seattle in late June. That makes his 4.80 ERA and 1.20 WHIP a little deceiving, as he's given up just two runs over 14.2 innings in his other 12 appearances. Vespi is still likely to be a middle reliever during his stay in the big leagues.

The Royals plan to recall Zerpa from Triple-A Omaha to start Tuesday's game against the Angels, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Zerpa will be rejoining the big club just a week and a half after he stepped in to make a spot start in Toronto while Kansas City was without two rotation options in Brad Keller and Brady Singer during its four-game series with the Blue Jays. This time around, Zerpa will be filling in as the Royals' No. 5 starter while both Daniel Lynch (hand) and Jonathan Heasley (shoulder) are on the injured list. Heasley made a rehab start over the weekend while Lynch is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday, so Zerpa may not stick around in the rotation beyond this week. Over his three career big-league outings (two starts), Zerpa has given up three runs (one earned) on eight hits and three walks while striking out six over 12 innings.

The Guardians optioned Pilkington to Triple-A Columbus on Sunday.

The left-hander was sent back to the minors after he served as the 27th man in Saturday's doubleheader with the White Sox. He drew his ninth start of the season with the big club in the second game of the twin bill, taking a no-decision while striking out three over five innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits and three walks. Though Pilkington will head to the minors for the time being, he could be called up in short order, as the Guardians have yet to settle on a permanent fifth starter while Aaron Civale (wrist) is on the 15-day injured list.

Guardians manager Terry Francona said Shaw will serve as the team's opening pitcher in Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

The 34-year-old will be making his first big-league "start" after coming out of the bullpen for the first 732 appearances of his career. Since he hasn't tossed more than two innings at any point in 2022, Shaw is unlikely to make it even once through the order before Francona turns the game over to the bullpen. Meisel posits that Kirk McCarty will be recalled from Triple-A Columbus to serve as a primary pitcher behind Shaw.

Voth didn't factor into the decision in Monday's 5-1 win over the Rays, allowing one run on four hits and three walks over three innings. He struck out two.

The right-hander tossed an inefficient 70 pitches (39 strikes) before exiting, and Voth wasn't able to stick around long enough to take advantage of the Orioles' offensive eruption in the fifth inning. The 30-year-old has made five starts among his last six appearances, but only once in that time has he even lasted five innings, giving him little fantasy utility despite a passable 3.48 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 18:8 K:BB through 20.2 innings over that stretch.