MLB Player News

Santiago (back) will make another rehab start for Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The expectation was that Santiago would rejoin the Twins following Thursday's rehab outing -- after all, he built up to 92 pitches during that start -- but the Twins have decided to keep the lefty down for a fourth turn. With that, Aug. 13 now appears the most likely return date for Santiago. He has been out since early July with upper-back pain.

Kelly (hamstring) was reinstated from the DL on Saturday, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports.

Kelly wound up being sidelined for three weeks, and he hasn't pitched in a major-league game since July 9. Throughout the course of the 2017 season, the right-hander has posted a sparkling 1.49 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 36.1 innings. Kelly figures to reside in high-leverage situations upon his return, although Addison Reed may be in line to work the eighth-inning setup role for Craig Kimbrel.

Valdez (1-1) coughed up six runs on six hits and two walks over 3.1 innings in Friday's 16-7 loss to the Astros. He struck out one.

The right-hander was hardly alone in his struggles on the night -- Houston's offense scored at least one run against every Toronto pitcher it faced, and homered off five of the six -- but Valdez has now had two awful starts in a row, leaving him with a 7.63 ERA and putting his spot in the rotation in serious jeopardy. If the team doesn't make a move to replace him, his next trip to the mound would come Wednesday at home against another potent offense in the Yankees.

Scribner gave up five runs (two earned) on two hits and four walks with three strikeouts over four innings in a no-decision Friday against Oakland.

Scribner was wild in his first major-league start, but he also wasn't helped by his defense, as a Yunel Escobar throwing error set up a three-run second inning. The rookie flashed some nasty stuff at times, inducing 12 swinging strikeouts in just 74 pitches. The results weren't pretty but should be intriguing enough for the Angels to give him another look.

Santiago (back) will likely be activated next week after making a rehab start Thursday for Triple-A Rochester, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. He gave up one run over 5.1 innings.

Santiago will likely return to a bullpen role. He has a 3.75 ERA and 12.0 K/9 in four minor-league rehab starts.

Diaz saved his 22nd game in Friday's win over Kansas City with a perfect ninth inning.

Diaz struck out a batter and has recorded a strikeout in 38 of his 46 outings this season. The flamethrower has his ERA down to 3.09 and has blown just two saves since May 2.

VerHagen will get the start Saturday against Baltimore, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports.

VerHagen has appeared twice out of Detroit's bullpen and has allowed three home runs in just four innings of work. With Michael Fulmer and Daniel Norris both on the disabled list, however, the Tigers are desperate. VerHagen had just a 4.90 ERA and 1.56 WHIP over 19 starts for Triple-A Toledo this year, so expectations should be kept low.

The Orioles will make a decision this weekend whether to put Castro in the rotation or ship him back to Triple-A Norfolk to develop as a starter, Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun reports.

The 22-year-old has been impressive through 22 games as a reliever for the O's this year, managing a 2.73 ERA over 33 innings. However, Castro has spent recent minor-league seasons being groomed as a starter, and after allowing just one hit over six innings Friday, the right-hander showed he may be ready for a rotation job. Sending Castro back to the bullpen only hurts his development, so that option seems to be off the table. If he does get a crack at a starting job, Chris Tillman is likely to become a reliever in the meantime.

Smith (elbow) is set to begin his rehab assignment Saturday at Double-A Portland, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

This figures to be a lengthy rehab assignment for Smith, who will be returning to game action for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery. The plan is to have Smith work every third day while rehabbing and the Red Sox will not press him into action on back-to-back days in order to limit wear and tear on his surgically repaired elbow. Look for Smith to be back up with the Red Sox in late August or early September if his rehab assignment goes according to plan.

Barnes (shoulder) was activated off the disabled list Friday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports.

The Blue Jays are getting one of their steadier bullpen arms back with Barnes' return from a shoulder injury. Barnes has been particularly effective in limiting base runners, as evidenced by his 1.01 WHIP across 43.2 innings. He'll take Joe Biagini's spot on the roster after Biagini was optioned in a corresponding move.