MLB Player News

Assad (4-1) allowed three hits and a walk while striking out five over six scoreless innings to earn the win over the Giants on Friday.

Assad received a favorable matchup for his return to the Cubs' rotation, and he made good on it. He's tossed 12.1 scoreless innings against the Giants over his last two appearances since rejoining the big club June 6. The right-hander looks poised to get a stretch of starts while Jameson Taillon (hamstring) and Matthew Boyd (knee/shoulder) remain out. Over 10 appearances (four starts) this season, Assad has a 3.99 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 24:9 K:BB through 38.1 innings. Assad is penciled in for a home start versus the Rockies next week.

Zeferjahn walked one and struck out one without allowing a hit or a run in one-third of an inning to earn the save in Friday's 4-3 win over the Rays.

Mitch Farris worked in long relief despite this being a close game, but he ran into trouble in the ninth inning. He left runners on the corners after Jonathan Aranda's RBI single, and Zeferjahn was brought in. Zeferjahn walked Junior Caminero but struck out Cedric Mullins to end the threat. Over his last 12 outings, Zeferjahn has allowed nine runs (eight earned) across 10.1 innings with a 12:14 K:BB in that span. Kirby Yates has struggled this season and blew his most recent save chance, and though he remains the most likely Angels reliever to receive save chances, the bullpen is far from set in stone. On the year, Zeferjahn has 5.06 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 41:25 K:BB with two saves, five holds and two blown saves over 32 innings.

Aldegheri (2-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out four over five innings to earn the win over the Rays on Friday.

Aldegheri is getting the first chance to fill the rotation spot that became open when Jack Kochanowicz (elbow) was shut down ahead of his upcoming Tommy John surgery. This was a good performance for Aldegheri, though he threw just 45 of 74 pitches for strikes. He's pitched to a 2.12 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 12:8 K:BB over 17 innings across five appearances (two starts) in the majors this season. The southpaw will need to get the walks in check, but the Angels should have plenty of patience to let him work through things in the majors. He is tentatively expected to make his next start at Arizona.

The Nationals optioned Cornelio to Triple-A Rochester on Friday.

Cornelio will head back to the minors after allowing four earned runs in 6.1 innings across his two appearances since joining the big club Sunday. He now owns a 6.48 ERA and 1.92 WHIP with the Nationals but remains an option to make a spot start or provide length out of the bullpen later this summer.

Joyce (shoulder) threw 10 pitches off a mound Friday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

It was a short session for Joyce, but it was a tangible step in his recovery given that it was his first time throwing off a mound since his rehab was halted in mid-May. The righty reliever threw only fastballs Friday, per MLB.com, so he has more hurdles to clear before he's ready to resume a minor-league rehab assignment. It's not out of the question that Joyce will be activated off the 60-day IL in late June, but a more likely scenario has him continuing to rehab into July.

Bachar will serve as the Marlins' opening pitcher for Saturday's game against the Pirates, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

The Marlins will be relying on their bullpen to get through Saturday's contest, and it will be Bachar taking the mound to begin the game. The 31-year-old fared well during his latest opening assignment last Saturday against the Rays, striking out three batters across three perfect innings. He'll likely be asked to give the Marlins around 3-to-4 innings and 50 pitches in Pittsburgh.

Megill (oblique) gave up one hit and struck out two batters during a scoreless inning Wednesday against the Athletics.

Megill had been unavailable out of the bullpen earlier in the week due to oblique tightness, but a few days of rest were all he needed to return to full health. The 32-year-old reliever owns a 4.50 ERA and 1.13 WHIP through 24 frames this season, but he's given up just two runs and struck out 12 batters in his last nine innings.

The Cubs optioned Ferguson to Triple-A Iowa on Friday.

Ferguson gave up one earned run and struck out three batters in 1.1 innings during his lone appearance after joining the big-league bullpen Tuesday. He'll be sent back to Triple-A now that Trent Thornton has returned from paternity leave, but Ferguson could be an option to return to Chicago later in the year to provide the Cubs with a fresh arm.

Garcia (elbow) will continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday and is closing in on being reinstated from the 60-day injured list, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.

Garcia hasn't had the best stats across five minor-league rehab games, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three across four innings. However, the important thing for Garcia is that he hasn't hit any setbacks during his rehab assignment, and if that trend continues, then the right-hander could make his 2026 regular-season debut with the Blue Jays by the end of June. He is in the final stages of his recovery from a cleanup procedure that he underwent on his right elbow in September.

The Cubs reinstated Thornton from the paternity list Friday.

Thornton will return to the Cubs' bullpen after spending the past three days welcoming a new addition to his family. Tyler Ferguson was optioned to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move.