MLB Player News

Alexander (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Alexander has been on the injured list since early May due to left shoulder inflammation, but he threw live batting practice last weekend and will now progress to a rehab assignment. The southpaw isn't eligible to return from the 60-day IL until July 5, but he appears on track to be ready by that date.

Lamet will start Sunday's game against the Reds, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.

Lamet was initially listed as the starter for Saturday's matchup, but he'll get an extra day of rest, while Yu Darvish will likely start against his former team Monday. The Padres haven't yet announced who will start Saturday's contest.

Pomeranz (lat) threw a bullpen session Thursday, MLB.com reports.

The left-hander's bullpen session represents a major step toward a return as it marks his first such session since he experienced a setback in his recovery in late May. Manager Jayce Tingler indicated that Pomeranz will throw at least one more bullpen session before facing live hitters, and it is uncertain whether he will need a rehab stint before returning to the big club. He remains unlikely to rejoin the big club until early July.

Voth (nose) was activated from the 10-day injured list Friday, Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington reports.

The right-hander underwent surgery after suffering a broken nose on a hit by pitch June 6, and he'll rejoin the Nationals after spending little more than the 10-day minimum on the shelf. Voth has a 2.73 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 29:10 K:BB across 29.2 innings and should work out of the bullpen, though he could be in the mix for spot starts depending how long Max Scherzer (groin) and Stephen Strasburg (neck) are sidelined.

Hjelle (leg) was injured in Thursday's game versus Double-A Somerset.

Hjelle appeared to injure his leg on a pitch in the first inning. The 24-year-old has posted a 3.48 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 42:10 K:BB across 33.2 innings in eight starts this year. He's added a 3-1 record. It's unclear when he'll be able to return to action.

Crowe is slated to start Saturday's game against Cleveland.

Crowe will be rewarded with a second straight turn through the rotation after he struck out a career-high eight over five innings while not factoring into the decision in a June 13 loss to the Brewers. With Mitch Keller back in the minors and Trevor Cahill (calf) recently returning to the injured list, Crowe could be in store for additional starts beyond Saturday's. The 26-year-old righty has struggled on the whole this season, posting a 6.75 ERA and 1.61 WHIP across nine outings (eight starts).

Wilson will likely start Sunday's game against the Cardinals, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Wilson has been with Triple-A Gwinnett since May 23, and he's made four starts in his most recent minor-league stint. He last pitched June 15, which means that he'd be on full rest if he takes the mound in Sunday's series finale against St. Louis. Atlanta's starters are dealing with several injuries, so Kyle Muller will likely start one of the two games in Monday's doubleheader against the Mets. It's not yet clear whether Wilson will remain in the rotation while Tucker Davidson (forearm) is sidelined.

Melancon allowed four runs on four hits and struck out one in two-thirds of an inning versus Cincinnati on Thursday. He was charged with a blown save.

Melancon melted down in the ninth inning, allowing a go-ahead two-run home run to Jonathan India after previously letting a two-run lead slip away. The right-hander was spared the loss when San Diego's offense walked off in the bottom of the ninth. Entering Thursday, Melancon had only allowed four runs (two earned) all season. He now has a 1.86 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 25:11 K:BB across 29 innings this season. He is 19-for-22 in save chances.

Johnson (2-2) retired the only batter he faced and earned the win over Cincinnati on Thursday.

Mark Melancon allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning before Johnson recorded the third out in the ninth. San Diego's offense answered with a four-run inning of its own, which gave Johnson his second win of the season. The right-hander has a 3.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 32:9 K:BB across 22.2 innings. He's added three holds and a blown save across 27 outings, although he mainly sees lower-leverage assignments.

Kimbrel picked up the save against the Mets on Thursday after tossing a perfect ninth inning that included a pair of strikeouts.

Another day, another save for Kimbrel, who has successfully converted his last save eight opportunities and now ties for first in the majors with 19. His elite season includes a 0.64 ERA and 0.67 WHIP across 29 appearances.