MLB Player News

Gausman (ankle) is unlikely to be ready to start Thursday's series opener with the Mariners, though he hasn't been ruled out from pitching Sunday's series finale in Seattle, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

Gausman's inability to throw a bullpen session Tuesday likely closed the door on him starting Thursday, but he hasn't been shut down entirely, as he's expected to play catch Wednesday. The Blue Jays will evaluate Gausman during the workout before potentially allowing him to throw off a mound Thursday or Friday, which would keep him in the mix to start Sunday, according to Davidi. Casey Lawrence was called up from Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, and if he's not needed in relief in the Blue Jays' series finale in Oakland, he would likely be the top candidate to fill in for Gausman on Thursday, per Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star.

Bello was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday.

Bello will make his major-league debut as the starter during Wednesday's series finale against the Rays following a strong showing in the minors to begin the year. The right-hander is among Boston's top prospects and has posted a 2.33 ERA, 114:33 K:BB and 1.02 WHIP in 85 innings over 15 appearances (14 starts) between the Double-A and Triple-A clubs this season. Since several of Boston's starters are dealing with injuries, Bello should have a chance to draw additional starts if he performs well Wednesday.

Tigers general manager Al Avila said Wednesday that Rodriguez (personal) hasn't been in communication with the club since landing on the restricted list June 13, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports. "We reached out, but he hasn't reached out back. We're just kind of waiting it out...it is unusual. But we have no choice but to wait and see what develops as we move forward," Avila said.

When Rodriguez was placed on the restricted list to tend to a personal matter, the Tigers relayed that the southpaw wouldn't have a timeline for a return, but the expectation was that he would remain in touch with the team in some capacity. The fact that Rodriguez isn't actively keeping in contact with Tigers officials could hint at some potential friction between player and team, as Avila might not have made these public comments if the two sides were on the same page. At any rate, fantasy managers shouldn't count on Rodriguez being ready to go coming out of the All-Star break, as he'll likely need at least few weeks to ramp back up regardless of when he rejoins the Tigers. Before being moved to the restricted list, Rodriguez was on the cusp of returning from the 15-day injured list after he had been sidelined since late May with a left rib cage sprain.

Velasquez was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a blister on his right index finger.

Velasquez's move to the IL will keep him on the shelf through the All-Star break, but he should be fully healed from the blister when the White Sox open their second-half schedule. Jimmy Lambert was called up from Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday to take Velasquez's spot in the bullpen.

Faedo (hip) will join Detroit's taxi squad for its upcoming 12-game road trip and appears on track to be called up from Triple-A Toledo to start one half of Monday's doubleheader in Kansas City, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Faedo was most recently called up to start the second game of a twin bill this past Monday against the Guardians, with the right-hander exiting the contest early due to right hip soreness. Since he was designated as the 27th man for the doubleheader, he was optioned to Triple-A following the outing, but Faedo looks like he'll avoid a stint on the injured list. According to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, manager A.J. Hinch revealed Tuesday that initial tests on Faedo's hip revealed no structural damage and only inflammation, so the rookie should be ready to pitch in the upcoming doubleheader if he experiences no setbacks during a bullpen session later this week.

Syndergaard (5-7) took the loss Tuesday as the Angels were downed 2-1 by the Marlins, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out eight without walking a batter.

Both runs off the right-hander came on solo shots by Garrett Cooper and Bryan De La Cruz, and Syndergaard had no margin for error with Sandy Alcantara dealing for Miami. Syndergaard has only one win in five starts since the beginning of June, but that's as much due to a lack of run support as poor pitching on his part, as he sports a 3.60 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 28:7 K:BB through 30 innings over that stretch.

Wacha (arm) could start Friday against the Yankees, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. "[Wednesday], he's going to get back on the mound," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Wacha. "If everything goes well, hopefully Friday will be the day for him."

Wacha was scratched from his previous start due to a heavy arm but might be ready to start after a few days off. He played catch at Fenway Park on Tuesday and reported the arm feels better than it did over the weekend.

Gilbert (10-3) earned the win Tuesday in San Diego after giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits with one strikeout and three walks over 5.1 innings.

The right-hander generated only eight whiffs on 101 pitches (61 strikes) and set a season low with just one strikeout versus the Padres, but he was able to limit the damage against him. Gilbert has won five of his past six outings and has a 2.61 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 93:29 K:BB across 100 innings for the campaign.

McCullers (forearm) threw 32 pitches against live batters Tuesday and is closing in on a minor-league rehab assignment, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

McCullers' fastball velocity continues to sit in the low 90s, and he's able to mix in all of his pitch types. The 28-year-old will need to progress to simulated games before embarking on a minor-league rehab assignment, so he seems unlikely to be available immediately after the All-Star break July 21, though a return by the end of the month appears possible.

Springs gave up three earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five over four innings in an 8-4 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday. He did not factor into the decision.

Springs got into trouble early, giving up home runs off the bats of Xander Bogaerts and Trevor Story in the first and second innings. He eventually settled down to throw a couple of scoreless frames before being pulled after four innings of work. The 29-year-old left-hander has asserted himself as a fairly dependable starter in 2022 after beginning the season in the bullpen. Despite giving up three earned runs over four innings he still has a 2.53 ERA and 1.05 WHIP this season. Springs, who has now given up five home runs over his last two starts, is expected to make his next start Monday at home in a rematch against the Red Sox.