MLB Player News

Cole (elbow) could be reinstated from the 60-day injured list to start Wednesday's game versus the Orioles at Yankee Stadium, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

The Yankees have confirmed Nestor Cortes and Luis Gil as their starting pitchers for games Tuesday and Thursday versus Baltimore, but a starter has yet to be made for Wednesday while the club weighs whether to activate Cole for his season debut or to have him make another minor-league rehab start. While shifting his assignment from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Cole delivered a gem in his third rehab outing Friday, striking out 10 over 4.1 innings while allowing one unearned run on two hits and no walks. He tossed 70 pitches in the start, so Cole would likely have a slight cap on his workload if he were to rejoin the New York rotation Wednesday. If the Yankees decide to have Cole make one more start in the minors, Cody Poteet would likely get another turn through the big-league rotation.

Maeda (2-3) was the pitcher of record in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Astros. He gave up four earned runs on five hits and two walks over five innings.

The Astros jumped on Maeda early, plating a run on a pair of base hits in the first inning. Maeda initially looked as though he might not come back for the bottom of the second, as he was struck in the right leg by an 86.7-mile-per-hour Jon Singleton line drive that Maeda gathered and threw to first base for the final out of the first. Maeda limped off the mound and returned for the second, but he served up a three-run home run to Jose Altuve to put the Tigers in a bigger hole. On a positive note, Maeda was able to save the Detroit bullpen a bit, as he faced the minimum nine hitters over the next three frames to get through five innings. Still, the damage was done early, and Maeda has now given up at least four runs in five of his 11 starts this season. The veteran righty will take a 6.02 ERA into his next start, which will likely fall next weekend versus the White Sox.

Blanco (7-2) got the win Sunday vs the Tigers. He did not allow a run or a hit in seven innings while walking three and striking out eight.

Blanco flirted with his second no-hitter of the season, but his elevated pitch count forced him out of the game after seven frames, and the bullpen would give up a hit the next inning. The 30-year-old righty mowed through the Tigers lineup by registering eight strikeouts in another impressive showing. Blanco lowered his ERA to 2.43, and he became the eighth pitcher since 1900 to have multiple games of seven innings and zero hits allowed in single season.

The Orioles transferred Stoudt's option from Triple-A Norfolk to Double-A Bowie on Sunday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

After being claimed off waivers by the O's earlier this week, Stoudt was initially assigned to the organization's top minor-league affiliate. However, the team has changed course, and he instead will jump down a level and attempt to get right at Double-A after posting ERAs north of 6.00 at Triple-A the past couple years.

Verlander (neck) played catch Sunday, and manager Joe Espada has left the door open for the right-hander to return to Houston's rotation this week against the White Sox, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Verlander already seems to be feeling better after he was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday due to neck discomfort. If he responds well in the coming days, the three-time Cy Young Award winner could return for a prime matchup in Chicago, though Espada said Verlander's next start is still up in the air. Ronel Blanco will get the start Sunday against Detroit after Spencer Arrighetti was lit up for seven runs in place of Verlander in the second game of the series.

The Astros transferred Javier (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

The move was merely a procedural one to free up a 40-man spot. Javier underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this month and will miss extended time, including perhaps all of the 2025 season. Right-handed reliever Luis Contreras was called up from Triple-A Sugar Land and will take Javier's spot on the 40-man roster.

Blanco will start Sunday's game against the Tigers, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Heading into the weekend, Blanco wasn't expected to make a start against the Tigers, but he ended up getting pushed up in the pitching schedule after Justin Verlander had his turn in the rotation skipped due to a neck injury. As a result of the change in the pitching schedule, Blanco no longer lines up for two starts during the upcoming week. After Sunday's outing, the right-hander is on track to make his next start next weekend versus the Orioles in Houston.

Fedde (5-1) picked up the win over the Diamondbacks on Saturday, allowing two runs on eight hits over six innings while striking out six.

Fedde got himself into trouble early and often, surrendering leadoff hits in four of his six innings of work. However, the right-hander was able to limit the damage to just two runs, one of which came across in the opening frame. He threw only 12 first-pitch strikes (out of 26 first pitches) but still managed to hang on for his first win since May 14 against the Nationals. Fedde has now logged a quality start in back-to-back outings and in three of his last five starts overall. He also carries an impressive 17:1 K:BB through three June starts.

Lugo (10-2) earned the win over the Dodgers on Saturday, allowing two runs on six hits and one walk over six innings while striking out four.

Lugo did a great job of working his way out of trouble for most of the contest, with the exception of the fourth inning when he allowed back-to-back hits to open the frame and also hit Jason Heyward with a pitch before eventually surrendering two runs. The right-hander allowed just two more hits over his final two innings of work, notching his 11th quality start of the season and his first this month. Lugo is now tied with Ranger Suarez for the major-league lead in wins with 10 and has gone at least six innings in five consecutive outings.

The Twins recalled Varland from Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday.

Varland had previously been optioned to St. Paul on Wednesday, one day after he was summoned from Triple-A to make a spot start against the Rockies. Though he delivered five shutout innings while taking a no-decision against Colorado, he'll be back with the Twins as a long-relief option Sunday, as Minnesota has designated him as its 27th man for its doubleheader with Oakland. Bailey Ober and Chris Paddack will start the first and second games of the twin bill, respectively.