MLB Player News

Manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday that the early diagnosis on Fulmer's strained shoulder was positive, and the Tigers are hopeful that the right-hander could return from the 10-day injured list in the minimum amount of time, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Shoulder injuries always bring some level of concern for pitchers, but Fulmer appears fortunate to at least have avoided a significant one. Hinch's hope of Fulmer coming off the IL when first eligible Sunday may be overly optimistic, but the 28-year-old will at least have a shot at returning in the minimum amount of time if he's able to resume throwing off a mound in the next few days. After being moved to a relief role in early May, Fulmer almost immediately factored into the mix at closer for the Tigers, notching four saves in five chances before he was placed on the IL. Gregory Soto and Jose Cisnero are expected to serve as the Tigers' primary late-inning options in the short term sans Fulmer.

Kowar (0-1) was tagged with the loss Monday against the Angels after allowing four runs on three hits and two walks across two-thirds of an inning.

This wasn't the outing Kowar was expecting, as he couldn't even get out of the first inning and was lifted after giving up four runs and not striking out anyone. He could be lined up for a two-start week since he'd be tentatively up to pitch during the weekend series in Oakland, but that remains to be seen considering how much he struggled in his pro debut.

Pivetta allowed two runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out six across 4.2 innings Monday against the Marlins. He didn't factor into the decision.

Pivetta made it through the first three innings unscathed before surrendering one run in the fourth and another in the fifth on a solo blast to center. Had he managed to record one more out, he would have qualified for the victory, but instead, Hirokazu Sawamura was credited with the win. Pivetta struggled in his last two starts to close out May (eight earned runs allowed across 11 innings), but he's back on track in June, holding the opposition to four runs while fanning 15 in 10.2 frames since.

Ottavino picked up the save after allowing one run on three hits while striking out two across 1.1 innings Monday against the Marlins.

Ottavino was called upon with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, and while he was able to escape without issue, he surrendered a run on a pair of doubles and an infield single in the ninth. He ultimately induced a groundball for the final out of a 5-3 victory. Per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, after the game, manager Alex Cora praised Ottavino's effort on a day their usual closer, Matt Barnes, wasn't available after pitching three straight days. "He's in a great place right now," said Cora. "We were short (without Barnes), to have a guy who can do that is huge." Ottavino owns a 2.88 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and a 30:17 K:BB across 25 frames in 2021.

Chargois secured his fifth hold in a win over the Angels on Sunday, firing a perfect sixth inning.

Chargois mowed through his frame on just six pitches, posting his sixth straight scoreless effort and coaxing his ERA under 2.00 in the process. The 30-year-old did not log a majors appearance last season and looks like a completely different pitcher than in his last big-league tenure with the Dodgers in 2019 (6.33 ERA across 14 appearances).

Montero secured his fourth hold in a win over the Angels on Sunday, allowing an earned run on two hits and a walk over one inning.

Montero needed 24 pitches to get through his one frame, creating some trouble for himself by allowing the first two hitters he faced to reach safely. The right-hander is still seeing save opportunities -- he's 3-for-3 in such scenarios across his last 10 appearances -- but he's also garnered three holds in that sample.

Diekman, who fired a scoreless seventh inning during which he recorded a strikeout in a loss to the Rockies on Sunday, has a 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, one save and one hold across the 7.2 innings covering his last seven appearances.

The left-hander has been much more hittable overall this season than during a career-best 2020, but he set a near-impossible bar with an 0.42 ERA and 0.94 WHIP a year ago. Diekman's current strong stretch of pitching has his 2021 figures in those categories at a solid 3.20 and 1.22, respectively, and he's also benefited fantasy managers by successfully converting six of eight save chances after only logging one such opportunity across 21 appearances last season.

Fairbanks fired a scoreless ninth inning in a win over the Rangers on Sunday, allowing two hits and recording two strikeouts.

Fairbanks has now generated scoreless efforts in his last eight appearances, a span of 7.1 innings during which he's also posted an 11:4 K:BB and secured three holds. The hard-throwing right-hander is once again missing plenty of bats with his high-90s fastball, as he sports an 11.6 K/9, 90.0 percent LOB rate and 14.6 percent swinging-strike rate across 14 frames.

Kowar's contract was selected as expected ahead of his big-league debut Monday against the Angels.

Heading into this season, Kowar was a real prospect but not an elite one, as he'd produced a 3.50 ERA and a modest 22.8 percent strikeout rate in 35 minor-league starts. He burst out of the gate this season for Triple-A Omaha, however, striking out 33.9 percent of opposing batters en route to a 0.85 ERA through six starts, thanks in part to an improvement in his previously fringy curveball. If he pitches well enough in his debut start to earn a permanent place in the Royals' rotation, he'd line up for a two-start week this week, as he'd likely pitch during the weekend series in Oakland. Jakob Junis was optioned to clear a spot for him on the active roster.

Luetge struck out two batters but allowed two runs on one hit and one walk over 1.1 innings Sunday and was charged with the blown save against Boston.

The left-hander wasn't used in a traditional save situation, coming in with two outs and New York clinging to a two-run lead in the top of the sixth inning. Luetge struck out Rafael Devers to end that frame, but he served up a two-run homer to Marwin Gonzalez in the seventh to allow Boston to tie the game. Despite a rough start to the campaign, Luetge has been mostly solid in his first MLB action since 2015, posting a 3.03 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 30:4 K:BB across 29.2 innings.