MLB Player News

Dunning (ankle) is in line to return from the 15-day injured list to start the Rangers' game in Seattle on Tuesday, Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com reports.

Dunning was placed on the IL on July 11 with a right ankle impingement, but he'll end up spending the minimum amount of time on the shelf due to the injury. The right-hander is scheduled to make a rehab start Thursday for the Rangers' rookie-level Arizona Complex League affiliate, and assuming he comes out of that outing unscathed, he shouldn't face any major workload restrictions in his return to the Texas rotation next week. Before being shut down prior to the All-Star break, Dunning went 1-6 with a 4.42 ERA and 84:37 K:BB in 95.2 innings over his 18 starts.

Paxton (elbow) remains limited to throwing bullpens and has yet to resume facing live hitters, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

According to Cotillo, Paxton suggested just under a month ago that he planned on throwing live batting practice around the All-Star break or the week after, so he could be poised to take the next step forward in his rehab from Tommy John surgery within the next few days. Paxton has previously said that he's eyeing a mid-August return, though that may be ambitious at this point since he has yet to start a minor-league rehab assignment.

The Yankees plan to activate German (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list to start the second game of Thursday's doubleheader with the Astros, Adam Spolane of Sports Radio 610 Houston reports.

Jordan Montgomery will take the hill for the opening game of the twin bill before the Yankees turn to German in Game 2 for what will be the latter pitcher's season debut with the big club. German was placed on the 60-day injured list in mid-March after he had shoulder troubles crop up during his offseason throwing program, but the right-hander was cleared to begin a rehab assignment in late June and looks to be back to full health. He ended his rehab assignment on a high note last weekend, tossing six scoreless innings in a 65-pitch outing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Though the Yankees likely won't want to push German past 80 or 90 pitches Thursday, the 29-year-old looks like he'll have some temporary security as the team's No. 5 starter while Luis Severino (lat) is likely sidelined until at least early-to-mid-August.

The Astros recalled Bielak from Triple-A Sugar Land and designated him as their 27th man for Thursday's doubleheader with the Yankees, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Bielak has been working as a swingman for Sugar Land this season, but he'll be available as a multi-inning option in relief for either end of Thursday's doubleheader. The right-hander is expected to report back to Sugar Land immediately following the twin bill.

The Yankees recalled Sears from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and designated him as the 27th man for Thursday's doubleheader in Houston.

Sears will be available as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen for both ends of the twin bill before likely returning to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday. Though the Yankees have an opening in the rotation with Luis Severino (lat) recently landing on the injured list, the team is expected to turn to Domingo German (shoulder) -- who is on the 60-day IL but is ready for activation -- rather than Sears when a fifth starter is needed for the first time coming out of the All-Star break.

Milone is expected to work out of the bullpen to begin the Mariners' second-half schedule, as Seattle intends to call up George Kirby from Triple-A Tacoma to take the hill when a fifth starter is first needed Tuesday against the Rangers, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

The veteran lefty had already made his last appearance before the All-Star break out of the bullpen, though he had been deployed as the primary pitcher behind an opener in a July 13 doubleheader matchup with the Nationals. Milone will now serve in a more traditional relief role following the break, with most of his opportunities likely to come in mop-up situations.

McCullers (forearm) is scheduled to make a rehab start Friday for Double-A Corpus Christi, Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston reports.

McCullers is expected to toss two innings Friday in San Antonio in what will mark his first game action since October, when he exited in Game 4 of the Astros' ALDS matchup with the White Sox due to forearm discomfort. Given the length of his absence, the right-hander will need to make multiple starts during his rehab assignment while gradually upping his pitch count. He could be ready to make his return from the 60-day injured list at some point around mid-August.

Sale underwent surgery on his broken left pinky finger Monday.

Sale suffered a left fifth finger proximal phalanx fracture after being hit by a comebacker in the first inning Sunday against the Yankees. In other words, he broke his left pinky finger and will now be out at least a month following surgery. Sale believes he will pitch again this season and we've yet to see an official timeline from the Red Sox. Nonetheless, the left-hander won't likely be fantasy relevant until early September at the soonest.

The Athletics confirmed Montas (shoulder) will start the second game of Thursday's doubleheader with the Tigers in Oakland.

Montas was never forced to the injured list, and he'll make his return to action coming out of the All-Star break having not pitched in 18 days on account of a sore right shoulder. Though Montas' shoulder responded well to an aggressive bullpen session over the weekend, the Athletics could be careful with his workload Thursday with the hope of avoiding any potential setback to his arm ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline. The non-contending Athletics firmly put themselves in the seller camp even before the season began, and Montas currently ranks as the team's most prized trade asset in what is shaping up to be a weak market for starting pitchers. Before the shoulder issue surfaced, Montas had been in the midst of a strong statistical season, having turned in a 3.26 ERA and 1.09 WHIP to go with 100 strikeouts over 96.2 innings.

Manning (biceps/shoulder) was unable to make his scheduled rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Toledo after the affiliate's game against St. Paul was suspended in the top of the first inning.

The Tigers could opt to have Manning throw a simulated game in the next day or two to allow him to remain on schedule with his rehab program, as Toledo won't be back in action again until Friday due to the minor-league All-Star break. Manning is restarting his rehab assignment for a second time after he experienced a biceps injury during a late-May throwing session that kept him out of commission for nearly six weeks. The right-hander returned to action July 12 for Single-A Lakeland, tossing two scoreless innings in his lone appearance before the Tigers cleared him to move his rehab to Toledo. He's projected to return from the 60-day injured list at some point in early August.