MLB Player News

Gilbert (9-5) allowed two runs on nine hits and struck out five without walking a batter over 6.1 innings to earn the win over the Diamondbacks on Friday.

Gilbert picked up his fourth win in his last five outings, and this was his third quality start in that span. The one knock on his performance was allowing a season-high nine hits. He's given up some lofty hit numbers lately -- he's allowed eight or more hits in four of his last nine outings -- but he was able to work around trouble Friday. The right-hander is now at a 3.83 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 121:21 K:BB through 124.2 innings over 21 starts. He's projected for a home start versus the Red Sox next week.

Sears (2-7) allowed one run on four hits and a walk over five innings Friday, striking out five and earning a win against Colorado.

The lone blemish on Sears' line came in the fourth inning, when he served up a solo shot to Randal Grichuk. Sears snapped a streak of four straight losses dating back to his last win June 11. Since the start of June, he's produced a 3.79 ERA through 57 frames, lowering his season mark to 4.09 across 21 starts. His next outing is projected to be on the road against the Dodgers next week.

McClanahan did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing three runs on eight hits over five innings against the Astros. He struck out six without issuing a walk.

The final line is rather pedestrian by his standards -- that speaks to the incredibly high bar he's set for himself more than anything else. McClanahan induced a whopping 17 swinging strikes on 86 pitches. Jose Abreu's homer in the fourth inning accounted for two of the three runs against McClanahan, who lines up to pitch in Yankee Stadium his next time out and will be looking for his first win since June 16.

Javier did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks over six innings in a 4-3 loss against Tampa Bay. He struck out nine.

After handing out six free passes his last time out, Javier only issued two walks. However, his control issues were still apparent in the form of three hit batsmen. Javier started the season by going 7-1 with a 2.84 ERA and 0.99 WHIP over his first 12 starts (69.2 innings), but his performance has slipped considerably over the past two months. Despite his struggles, the Astros figure to keep him in the rotation, though they will have options thanks to the impending return of Jose Urquidy (shoulder).

Toussaint (1-3) earned the win Friday, allowing three hits and one walk over five scoreless innings in a 3-0 win over the Guardians. He struck out four.

The White Sox traded Lucas Giolito to the Angels on Wednesday, creating an opening in the starting rotation. Toussaint got another chance to step in and made his case for a more permanent spot, inducing 14 swinging strikes on 83 pitches en route to his first win of the season. Once a highly regarded prospect, the right-hander has bounced around in recent years, failing to make the most of his big-league opportunities to date. He should be considered a highly volatile fantasy option given his command and control issues.

Urquidy (shoulder) will make his fourth and final minor-league rehab start Sunday for Double-A Corpus Christi, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

This lines him up to return to the Astros' rotation Aug. 4 in Yankee Stadium. The right-hander built up to 53 pitches in his rehab outing Tuesday, tossing four scoreless innings with one hit allowed and four strikeouts. Urquidy wasn't pitching particularly well before the injury (5.20 ERA), with home runs being his downfall on a number of occasions, but he will likely have streaming appeal here and there down the stretch.

Eflin (knee) played catch without issue Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Eflin was removed from his last start Wednesday against the Marlins due to left knee discomfort, but an MRI taken Thursday came up clean and he could potentially take the hill on normal rest next Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. The 29-year-old boasts an 11-6 record, 3.64 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 116:17 K:BB through 116.1 innings (20 starts) this season.

Cortes (shoulder) will make a minor-league rehab appearance with Double-A Somerset on Friday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

This will be Cortes' second rehab outing after he pitched 2.1 innings for Somerset on Sunday, allowing one run on four hits and posting four strikeouts. Yankees manager Aaron Boone indicated that the left-handed hurler will likely make one more rehab start after Friday before he's activated. That puts Cortes in line to possibly return to the big-league rotation during a road series against the White Sox that begins Aug. 7.

Festa has a 5.15 ERA, 3.99 FIP, 1.44 WHIP and 84 strikeouts in 62.2 innings for Double-A Wichita.

The 6-foot-6 righty has been very unlucky this year, as he has a 61.6 percent strand rate and a .360 BABIP against. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs reports that Festa has routinely touched 98 mph with his fastball this season while also showcasing an upper-80s slider and a potentially above-average changeup, and he gets good extension from his long, athletic frame to complement a deceptive short-arm delivery. He could be an option in the big-league rotation sometime next summer.

Lynch received an injection in his shoulder Friday and will be shut down for 2-3 weeks, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

After suffering a setback during his bullpen session Monday, Lynch is now facing an extended absence. There is currently no timeline in place for his return, but one could come into focus once he's cleared to resume throwing in mid-August.