MLB Player News

Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed Sunday that Whitlock (elbow) should begin a minor-league rehab assignment during the upcoming week, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

Whitlock made it through his live batting practice session Saturday no worse for the wear, so he'll advance to the final phase of his recovery program from the bone bruise in his right elbow. Cora reiterated Sunday that his plan is to deploy Whitlock as a multi-inning reliever once he returns from the 15-day injured list, likely around the middle of August.

Brito was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following Sunday's loss to the Astros.

Brito served as a reliever during Sunday's matchup and allowed no hits and two walks while striking out two in 1.2 scoreless innings. He's had shaky results this season and will attempt to right the ship in the minors.

Bradish did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing three hits and five walks over 4.2 scoreless innings against the Mets. He struck out five.

Bradish hit Jeff McNeil to lead off the game and continued to struggle with his command throughout, tossing only 45 of 87 pitches for strikes. He was pulled after he loaded the bases with his fifth walk, one out shy of becoming eligible for the win. This marks the first time in his last 13 starts that Bradish has walked more than two batters in a game. He will look to rebound in his next start, likely set for next weekend in Seattle.

Heaney (9-6) allowed four hits and two walks while striking out four over 5.2 shutout innings to earn the win Sunday over the Marlins.

Heaney recorded his third straight win and his second consecutive scoreless start. The southpaw's main improvement of late has been keeping the ball down with just two home runs allowed over his last five starts. For the season, he has a 4.14 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 118:45 K:BB through 113 innings over 22 outings. Heaney is projected to make his next start on the road in San Francisco.

Rodon (hamstring) will undergo an MRI on Monday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Rodon was removed from Sunday's start against the Astros due to left hamstring tightness, and the Yankees aren't yet sure whether he'll require a trip to the injured list. He described his exit as precautionary, but his imaging should help offer clarity on the severity of the injury, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the team update his status afterward. If Rodon is unable to make his next turn through the rotation, Luis Severino is a strong candidate to remain a starter.

Sale (shoulder) threw 53 pitches over 4.1 scoreless innings during his rehab start with Triple-A Worcester on Sunday. He struck out seven and allowed three hits and issued no walks.

The veteran left-hander threw 40 pitches across two frames during his first rehab outing last week, and he continued ramping up his workload Sunday. The Red Sox haven't officially indicated when Sale will return from the 60-day injured list and rejoin the big-league rotation, but he could do so as early as next weekend against the Tigers. If activated during the upcoming week, Sale will likely be on a limited pitch count in his first start and could be piggybacked by a reliever.

The Yankees announced that Rodon was removed from his start Sunday against the Astros due to left hamstring tightness. He was charged with five earned runs on three hits and two walks and struck out five over 2.2 innings prior to departing.

After being visited by a trainer on the mound to have his leg checked out, Rodon pled his case to stay in the game, but the Yankees ultimately called an early end to what had been a rough outing even before the injury cropped up. Though an initial diagnosis for his injury has been provided, Rodon will be examined over the next 24 hours before the Yankees offer up an updated timeline for when the southpaw might be ready to pitch again. If Rodon is unable to make his next turn through the rotation next weekend in Miami and is forced to the injured list, Luis Severino would likely stick around as a starter after manager Aaron Boone was previously non-committal regarding Severino's role moving forward. The Yankees could also turn to Jhony Brito to replace Rodon in the rotation, if needed.

Rodon was removed during the third inning of Sunday's start against the Astros with an apparent leg injury, David Lennon of Newsday reports.

Rodon endured a rough day even prior to the injury, as Houston tagged him for five runs on three hits -- including a pair of home runs -- and two walks in 2.2 innings. The specifics of the 30-year-old's injury are unclear, leaving his availability for the next turn through the rotation up in the air.

Gibson (11-6) allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out nine over seven innings to earn the win Saturday over the Mets.

Gibson's been on a roll lately, posting four straight quality starts with two wins, a 3.24 ERA and 27 strikeouts over 25 innings in that span. The strong stretch has trimmed his ERA to 4.50 with a 1.28 WHIP and 117:43 K:BB through 140 innings across 24 starts overall. Gibson will try to keep it rolling in Seattle for his next projected start.

Blackburn didn't factor into the decision in the Athletics' win over the Giants on Saturday, firing six scoreless innings during which he allowed two hits and three walks. He struck out seven.

The right-hander was pulled after 105 pitches, but there was plenty to be encouraged about from what was Blackburn's second straight quality start and third consecutive in which he surrendered two runs or fewer. After a delayed beginning to the season that saw him struggle to achieve start-to-start consistency over his first month-plus, Blackburn's current stretch of impressive work has seen him pitch to a 1-0 record, 1.56 ERA and 0.5 HR/9 across his last 17.1 innings. He lines up to next take the hill on the road against the Nationals during next weekend's interleague series.