MLB Player News

Hancock (back) was removed from start this past Wednesday with Triple-A Tacoma due to lower-back tightness, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Hancock was expected to make his next appearance Saturday, but his status is currently in question. There's also a possibility that Seattle would promote Hancock to pitch against Minnesota over the weekend if Bryan Woo (hamstring) forced to go on the injured list, but Hancock's own health complicates the matter. The club will likely re-evaluate the right-hander over the next few days to determine his availability going forward.

Woo was removed from Monday's game against the Rays due to right hamstring tightness.

Woo left his start with the team trainer after suffering what looked to be a right leg injury, and he's since been diagnosed with a hamstring issue. The team should have a better idea of whether he'll require a trip to the injured list after further evaluation, and he's set to undergo an MRI on Tuesday, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com.

Woo left Monday's contest in the fourth inning due to an apparent right leg injury, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.

Woo pitched three scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out three batters to open his outing Monday. He then surrendered a leadoff single to Richie Palacios in the bottom of the fourth inning and was removed thereafter with a right leg injury. Woo was visibly upset after tweaking something in his leg and a more exact diagnosis will likely come in the near future.

Williams (elbow) will make another rehab start with Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday.

Williams built up to 66 pitches in his most recent rehab outing with Columbus, striking out four over five innings of one-run ball. The Guardians would like him to get stretched out just a bit more before likely reinserting him into their rotation next week. Williams has been out all season with a right elbow injury, which he suffered during a weighted-ball workout in spring training.

Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said Monday that Bubic (elbow) is being transitioned to the bullpen on his rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Bubic has been granted an extra 10 days to continue his rehab assignment and now is tracking toward activation from the 60-day injured list in early July. The lefty's results on his rehab assignment have been promising, as he holds a 3.38 ERA and 36:11 K:BB over 29.1 innings. However, the Royals have determined Bubic's best shot at helping the big club is in relief. He's coming back from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent last April.

Sandoval told reporters Monday that he has a high-grade flexor tear and a torn UCL in his left elbow, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

Sandoval was removed in the third inning of Friday's start against the Dodgers, and he was placed on the injured list Saturday. The injury is more severe than what was originally labelled a left elbow strain, and the 27-year-old southpaw will have to undergo surgery. Whether Sandoval undergoes an internal brace procedure or Tommy John has yet to be determined, but he will be out of action for at least a year. Prior to the injury, Sandoval was 2-8 over 16 starts with a 5.08 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 81:35 K:BB over 79.2 innings.

The Guardians recalled Curry from Triple-A Columbus on Monday.

Curry will provide Cleveland's bullpen with some length. The right-hander holds a 5.68 ERA and 8:3 K:BB over 12.2 frames covering three starts for the Guardians this season.

Boyle has posted a 9.00 ERA and issued nine walks over the five innings covering his two starts with Triple-A Las Vegas since being optioned June 5 following his IL stint due to a lower-back issue.

Boyle had wrapped up a rehab assignment with the Aviators by surrendering just two hits over 5.1 scoreless innings across his last two appearances, but his control has deteriorated since officially joining the affiliate's roster. Boyle actually allowed just one hit over 4.1 innings in a June 9 start against El Paso, yet the four walks he issued in that outing helped lead to three runs (two earned) surrendered. The right-hander then had 13 days between starts before returning to the mound Saturday against Tacoma, when he was chased after just two-thirds of an inning after conceding three earned runs on five walks without allowing a hit. Free passes were also largely Boyle's undoing at the big-league level earlier this season -- he generated a 7.5 BB/9 across 27.2 innings with the Athletics -- underscoring how much work the 24-year-old still needs before a return to the majors is considered.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that France (shoulder) experienced a slight setback while recently taking part in long-toss throwing, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. "At some point we'll get him stretched out and back out on the mound," Brown said. "It's been longer than expected."

France secured a rotation spot coming out of spring training but turned in a 7.46 ERA over five starts before the Astros optioned him to Triple-A Sugar Land in late April. The right-hander proceeded to make just one start in the minors before landing on Sugar Land's 7-day injured list May 7 with a right shoulder injury. Though he was cleared to resume throwing earlier this month after about a one-month shutdown period, France didn't advance to mound work before succumbing to a setback. Brown didn't go into much detail about the extent of France's setback, but the right-hander would appear to be unlikely to rejoin the Triple-A rotation until after the All-Star break.

Kremer (triceps) may need to make another rehab start this week before being reinstated from the 15-day injured list, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Kremer logged 3.2 innings in his first rehab start June 16 while building up to 59 pitches. He made his second start Saturday with Norfolk but needed 39 pitches to record two outs and was charged with five earned runs on five hits and one walk. Baltimore can go with a five-man rotation this week even without Kremer, and if he is able to go deeper into his third rehab start, he could return from the IL as early as July 2 in Seattle.