MLB Player News

Smith (shoulder) struck out two and allowed one hit and no walks over two innings Wednesday in a rehab start with High-A Winston-Salem.

An All-Star selection for the White Sox as a rookie Rule 5 Draft pick in 2025, Smith surrendered 10 earned runs over 8.2 innings over his first three starts this season before Chicago optioned him to Triple-A Charlotte on April 8. After making four starts for Charlotte, Smith was shelved May 2 due to a right rotator cuff strain, but he's closing in on a return to the Triple-A rotation nearly two months later. Smith could make another rehab start or two in the lower levels of the minors before Charlotte activates him.

Tiedemann (elbow) will be given injections for his injured neck, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Nagging neck problems have prevented Tiedemann from making any rehab starts over the past two weeks. He had previously made a pair of one-inning rehab appearances with the Blue Jays' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate. Tiedemann initially landed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Buffalo as he continues to work his way back from left elbow surgery. It's unclear when he might be ready to pitch again.

McCullers (shoulder) struck out three and allowed one earned run on four hits and one walk across four innings Wednesday in a rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land.

McCullers has been stellar through his first two rehab outings at Sugar Land, allowing just one earned run while posting a 7:1 K:BB over seven innings. The right-hander tossed 60 pitches in Wednesday's appearance, so he'll likely need to make at least one more start in the minors before Houston brings him back from the 15-day injured list. McCullers had posted a lowly 6.86 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in eight starts for Houston before being shelved May 19 due to a rotator cuff impingement, and despite the strong form he's showed in the minors, he could face an uphill battle to reclaim a spot in a crowded big-league rotation once activated. Though the Astros have already decided that Cristian Javier (shoulder) will go to the bullpen when he returns from the 60-day IL on Friday, Ronel Blanco (elbow) has also built up to the 60-pitch mark during his rehab assignment and could be prioritized ahead of McCullers for a starting role upon his activation from the IL.

Prielipp isn't listed among the Twins' probable starting pitchers for their three-game weekend series versus the Yankees in New York.

The Twins will end up going with a four-man rotation during their six-game week, with Prielipp having his turn skipped after he struck out a career-high 10 batters over six innings in his last outing Sunday against the Rockies. Prielipp has covered six innings and tossed 90-plus pitches in four of his last five starts, so the Twins may simply be looking to manage the workload of the 25-year-old lefty, who previously underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 and a UCL repair with an internal brace in July 2023. If he isn't used out of the bullpen over the weekend, Prielipp will likely re-enter the rotation at some point during the Twins' home series with the Guardians that runs Tuesday through Thursday.

Early has been diagnosed with left posterior elbow inflammation following an MRI, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

It appears to be a best-case scenario after Early was forced to depart Tuesday's start against the Nationals after four innings and then landed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday. The Red Sox have not yet officially determined next steps for the young hurler, but the hope is Early will be able to resume throwing soon. If that happens, it's possible the left-hander could rejoin the rotation not long after the All-Star break.

Ginn (7-4) allowed one run on three hits and five walks while striking out four over six innings to earn the win over the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Ginn's control wasn't great, but he limited the damage to a Freddie Freeman solo home run in the third inning. This was Ginn's fourth win in his last five outings, a span in which he's allowed 14 runs (12 earned) over 29 innings. On the year, he has a 3.04 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 82:41 K:BB over 94.2 innings through 19 appearances (16 starts). While he's allowing a few too many baserunners to be truly dominant, he's getting timely outs to avoid too much damage. Ginn will look to keep rolling on the road versus the Tigers next week.

Imai (5-4) picked up the loss Wednesday against the Twins after allowing five runs on four hits and five walks across 1.1 innings. He struck out two.

The start versus Minnesota was the latest hiccup in Imai's up-and-down first season in MLB, as he struggled with control and the long ball Wednesday. After striking out 21 in his previous two starts, Imai was unable to get through the second inning for the third time this season. He was handed his first loss since May and saw his ERA and WHIP rise to 6.14 and 1.47, respectively. The 28-year-old's next turn through the rotation lines up to be a road matchup with the Nationals.

Bradley (7-3) allowed one run on four hits and three walks while striking out 11 over five innings to earn the win over Houston on Wednesday.

Bradley threw five solid innings, with the only damage against him coming during the first inning as he struck out a season-high 11 batters. The righty is pitching well over his past three starts with just five runs allowed and a 22:8 K:BB across 17 innings. The 25-year-old is slated to pitch next week against the Guardians.

Lugo (3-6) took the loss Wednesday against the Rays, allowing three runs on nine hits over six innings. He struck out seven.

Lugo got off to a shaky start Wednesday, allowing a two-run homer to Junior Caminero in the first inning. He'd settle in and hold the Rays scoreless until Cedric Mullins launched a solo shot with two outs in the sixth, though the Royals failed to provide Lugo with any run support in an eventual 4-0 defeat. Despite the loss, it was an encouraging bounce-back effort from Lugo, who gave up seven runs in five innings during his previous outing (also against Tampa Bay). The veteran right-hander now sports a 4.20 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP and 76:30 K:BB across 17 starts (96.1 innings). Lugo is currently lined up to face the Phillies at home his next time out.

McClanahan (7-5) earned the win Wednesday over the Royals, allowing three hits and no walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out four.

McClanahan certainly appeared to benefit from the extra rest he got after Tampa Bay elected to skip his last turn in the rotation. The southpaw was excellent Wednesday, as he blanked Kansas City to earn his first win since May 31. McClanahan turned the page on a rough month of June, during which he went 0-3 with a 5.79 ERA across four starts (18.2 innings). His ERA now sits at 3.05 through 16 starts (79.2 innings) this season with a 1.17 WHIP and 77:28 K:BB. McClanahan is tentatively lined up to face the Yankees at home his next time out.