MLB Player News

Bello was promoted to Triple-A Worcester on Monday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Bello is one of Boston's more interesting pitching prospects. The 22-year-old righty impressed in six starts for Double-A Portland to begin the season, striking out 32.6 percent of opposing batters en route to a 1.60 ERA. If he continues to impress at the Triple-A level, it's possible he gets the chance to make his big-league debut later this season.

Wacha (intercostal) completed a two-inning simulated game Monday, Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald reports.

The Red Sox plan to re-evaluate Wacha on Tuesday before deciding his next steps, but based on all accounts, the right-hander looked good during his 35-pitch throwing session Monday. According to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, Wacha faced utility man Christian Arroyo during the simulated game and made use of all of his pitches, even generating a few swings and misses. He'll be eligible to return from the 15-day injured list this weekend and could make a start in the Red Sox's series against Seattle if the coaching and training staffs are comfortable activating him without sending him on a rehab assignment beforehand.

Sale (ribs) resumed playing catch Monday, Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald reports.

Sale had been tracking toward a return from the 60-day injured list when first eligible in early June, but he was sidetracked by a non-baseball medical issue in early May. The setback reportedly delayed his timeline by a few weeks, but he's seemingly back on the right track now.

Manager Alex Cora said Monday that Paxton (elbow) continues to receive regular treatment and has yet to be cleared for throwing, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

Paxton appeared to be making strong progress in his recovery from April 2021 Tommy John surgery after he was cleared to throw bullpen sessions late in spring training, but he's been idle for about two weeks now after experiencing posterior elbow soreness during his rehab program. The Red Sox will wait and see how Paxton responds to treatment before clearing him for activity again, but the recent layoff could require him to essentially restart his buildup program rather than picking up where he left off prior to the setback. Despite some early optimism that Paxton might be ready to come off the 60-day injured list in June shortly after he's first eligible, the veteran southpaw may now be trending toward a return at some point after the All-Star break.

Martinez (thumb) was cleared to make his Triple-A Pawtucket debut May 8 and has thus far appeared in two starts for the affiliate, giving up 10 earned runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out four over 4.1 innings.

Martinez signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox earlier in May shortly after he was released by the Giants without having made an appearance for the organization. The 30-year-old was brought along slowly by the Giants in spring training after his 2021 campaign was cut short by a thumb ligament injury that required surgery, but he's ostensibly healthy now. Martinez's previous track record of success in the majors makes him more intriguing than the typical veteran minor-league arm, but he'll need to deliver better results over a prolonged period before the Red Sox give him a look in the big-league rotation or bullpen.

Ryu (forearm) allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out three across 4.1 innings in a no-decision Saturday in the Blue Jays' 5-1 win over the Rays.

Making his first start with the Blue Jays since April 16 after a four-week stint on the injured list due to forearm inflammation, Ryu looked to be on a limited pitch count. He was lifted midway through the fifth inning after tossing 71 pitches (44 strikes), despite doing a good job of limiting baserunners. The only damage against Ryu's ERA came in the first inning, when Yandy Diaz sent a wall-scraping home run over the right-field fence. Assuming Ryu feels fine physically after his between-starts bullpen session Monday, he should make his next turn through the rotation Friday at home versus the Reds.

Hill (illness) worked six innings and was the pitcher of record Saturday in Boston's 11-3 win over Texas. He struck out four while allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and zero walks.

Following a stint on the COVID-19 injured list, Hill was making his first appearance for Boston since May 5. Hill didn't face any obvious limitations in his return; in fact, his six innings and 94 pitches were his most of any of his six starts this season. In an effort to mitigate injury risk for the 42-year-old, the Red Sox could be more cautious with Hill's workloads as the season unfolds, but the team doesn't have any immediate plans to deploy him as a tandem starter like he had been earlier in the campaign.

Bundy (illness) could return from the COVID-19 injured list this week but will be limited initially when he returns, Megan Ryan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. "We're looking into maybe a potential piggyback game for his first game back," manager Rocco Baldelli said. "It'll give us an opportunity to not throw him out there for 85 pitches his first game back."

Bundy was able to clear MLB's COVID-19 protocols last week, but the right-hander is still working to regain conditioning after dealing with the effects of the virus. As the rotation currently lines up, Bundy could return Friday at Kansas City, but Minnesota's plans aren't completely clear.

The Tigers recalled Faedo from Triple-A Toledo ahead of his scheduled start Monday in Tampa Bay.

Though he was optioned to Toledo following his May 10 start against the Athletics, Faedo is eligible to rejoin the big club before the minimum 10 days after Detroit placed outfielder Austin Meadows (illness) on the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. Faedo has looked good across his first two big-league starts, covering five frames both times out while allowing a combined total of four earned runs on 12 hits and three walks. Assuming he doesn't completely implode Monday in his first career road start, Faedo should stick in the rotation and pick up his second start of the week Sunday in Cleveland.

Ober (groin) gave up five runs (four earned) over five innings in a rehab start Sunday for Triple-A St. Paul. He had seven strikeouts and no walks but gave up a home run.

Ober looked sharp enough to return to the major-league rotation, but it's not clear when he'll return. However, manager Rocco Baldelli told the Minneapolis Star Tribune he could join the Twins on the upcoming road trip. He could be activated from the IL and start a game this weekend at Kansas City.