MLB Player News

Ortiz (shoulder/ankle) was removed from his rehab appearance Tuesday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley due to forearm soreness, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.

Ortiz was placed on the 15-day injured list March 31 with a sprained left ankle, but he's now picked up new injuries on both of his rehab assignments. He began his initial assignment in late April, only to get shut down after two appearances with Single-A Clearwater due to right shoulder inflammation. He restarted the assignment June 11 and made three appearances before the forearm issue flared up. The severity of the forearm issue isn't yet fully known, but expect Ortiz to get shut down again for some time before he's cleared to start pitching in rehab games.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Brown (neck) resumed throwing Tuesday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Brown landed on the 15-day injured list June 11 with what the Cubs labeled as a stress reaction to the left side of his neck. Counsell said that the pain in Brown's neck is already subsiding, and the fact that the right-hander is throwing again bodes well for his chances of avoiding an extended absence. Jordan Wicks (oblique) was placed on the IL just four days after Brown, so the Cubs have turned back to Kyle Hendricks as their No. 5 starter in the meantime.

Roycroft (1-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits over two-thirds of an inning to take a blown save and the extra-inning loss versus the Marlins on Tuesday.

Due to recent workloads, the Cardinals were short in the bullpen Tuesday, leaving Roycroft to protect a one-run lead in the 10th inning. It didn't work out, as the right-hander saw his 6.2-inning scoreless streak come to an end. It's his first blown save, though he's still done a decent job at run prevention this year with a 3.38 ERA over 13.1 innings. He has a less-impressive 1.65 WHIP and 12:8 K:BB while mainly working in a low-leverage role.

Liberatore will start Wednesday's game in Miami in place of the injured Kyle Gibson (back), Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Gibson was a late scratch, forcing the Cardinals to turn to Liberatore, who threw 12 pitches and allowed one run over two-thirds of an inning in a relief appearance during Tuesday's loss to the Marlins. Liberatore has made three starts for St. Louis this season, but his last one came a month ago. He hasn't thrown more than 23 pitches in an appearance since then and will be going on zero days' rest Wednesday, so he'll presumably be in store for an abbreviated outing.

The Cubs placed Thompson on the paternity list prior to Wednesday's game against the Giants, Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald reports.

After striking out the side in Tuesday's 5-2 win to net his first save of the season, Thompson will be away from the team for at least the next 1-to-3 games following the birth of his son earlier Wednesday. The Cubs called up right-hander Porter Hodge from Triple-A Iowa to take Thompson's spot in the bullpen.

The Cubs recalled Hodge from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald reports.

Hodge was optioned to Iowa less than two weeks ago, but he'll be eligible to rejoin the Cubs since right-hander Keegan Thompson (personal) was placed on the paternity list in a corresponding move. Over his six relief appearances with the Cubs earlier this season, Hodge gave up two earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out seven.

Garrett (7-2) picked up the win Tuesday over the Rangers, striking out one in a perfect eighth inning.

The right-hander carved up the heart of the Texas order on 12 pitches (seven strikes), and Garrett was rewarded when New York completed a comeback in the top of the ninth. The journeyman reliever came into 2024 with a career 7.11 ERA in only 44.1 big-league innings, but he's been a revelation as a high-leverage option for the Mets, producing a 3.03 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 55:17 K:BB through 35.2 frames while adding three saves and six holds to his win total over 28 appearances.

Miller will serve as the Giants' opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Cubs.

Miller is operating as an opener for the sixth time this season. On the previous five occasions, Miller has never been asked to record more than five outs, so he's unlikely to remain in the game for more than two innings. Spencer Howard is expected to work in bulk relief behind Miller.

Chavez has a 1.21 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 24:10 K:BB through 29.2 innings over 23 appearances this season.

The 40-year-old right-hander is on his fourth stint with Atlanta during his 17-year career, and Chavez is once again proving to be a valuable piece of the team's bullpen. His low-leverage role limits his fantasy value -- he has zero saves or holds, and his only win came back on March 30 -- but he's worked more than an inning in four of his last seven appearances, helping to keep the team's higher-leverage options fresh.

Gallegos (shoulder) could be activated from the 15-day injured list as soon as Thursday, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

The expectation had been that Gallegos would return sometime during the Cardinals' current series versus the Marlins, and while he is with the team in Miami, the club has opted to hold off on activating the reliever for now. Gallegos has been out since early May with a right shoulder impingement. He posted a 12.00 ERA in 13 appearances with St. Louis before getting hurt.