MLB Player News

German (4-2) picked up the win Thursday after holding the Rangers scoreless across seven innings. He allowed six hits and no walks while striking out five.

German turned in a lights-out performance, blanking his opponent for the second time this season while stretching out for a tied for season-long seven innings of work. The 28-year-old took advantage of solid command as he did not issue any free passes for the first time this year. German has now posted quality starts in five of his last six outings, going 4-0 over that span. On the season, the right-hander is pitching to the tune of a 3.05 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. He's slated to take the mound again at home Wednesday against Toronto.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Thursday that Seabold (elbow) has started a throwing program, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Seabold is likely just throwing off flat ground at this point, but the activity at least represents a positive sign for the right-hander, who has been shut down since the beginning of the month with elbow inflammation. Once the 25-year-old completes a throwing progression that will likely span multiple weeks, he should slot into the Triple-A Worcester rotation.

Houck (arm) has started his throwing program, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.

Houck has been dealing with a sore flexor muscle recently, but the injury was considered minor. It's not yet clear how long Houck's throwing program will last before he's able to return to the mound for Triple-A Worcester.

Manoah tossed six innings of one-run ball Wednesday for Triple-A Buffalo in its 4-1 win over Worcester. He scattered four hits and a walk and struck out 10.

After turning heads during spring training, Manoah has continued to look like one of the minor league's top arms since reporting to Triple-A Buffalo in May. Through three outings with the affiliate, Manoah is 3-0 with a 0.50 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and 27:3 K:BB in 18 innings. With the back end of the rotation representing the main weakness for a 23-18 Blue Jays squad with playoff aspirations, Manoah could be in the mix for a call-up sooner than expected if he continues to dominate at Triple-A.

Luzardo (finger) threw 30 pitches in his bullpen session Thursday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Luzardo had been playing catch from 120 feet recently, and he felt good after throwing his first bullpen session Thursday. He's expected to need at least one more bullpen session before he's cleared to face hitters, and he'll have a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas before he returns to the majors, Shayna Rubin of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Urquidy (shoulder) threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session Thursday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Urquidy was placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation Sunday, but he felt good after his throwing session Thursday. It's not yet clear when the right-hander will be able to return to game action, but he appears to be trending in the right direction. Houston will likely send Urquidy out to Triple-A Sugar Land for a rehab start next week rather than immediately activating him from the IL.

Cobb (finger) was reinstated from the injured list ahead of his scheduled start in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Twins.

Cobb wound up missing two turns in the rotation due to a blister. He struggled to a 5.48 ERA in five starts prior to the injury, but his 2.52 FIP and 2.64 xFIP told a very different story and suggested that he'd have far better results if not for a .431 BABIP. His 30.4 percent strikeout rate is nearly double his 16.8 percent mark from 2020, while his 55.2 percent groundball rate is his best mark since 2014. Jose Quijada was optioned in a corresponding move.

Suarez was recalled by the Angels to serve as the 27th man in Thursday's doubleheader against the Twins.

Suarez spent just over a week with Triple-A Salt Lake but will now return to the major-league bullpen on a temporary basis. The southpaw allowed a run on five hits and three walks while striking out one in four innings during his lone major-league appearance this season.

Civale (6-1) allowed two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out eight as he earned the win over the Angels on Wednesday.

Civale started off the game by retiring the first eight batters he faced before the Angels rallied together a run in the third on a two-out triple and an RBI double. He let up his second run in the fourth when Jared Walsh led off the inning with a solo home run. Civale was dominant otherwise, as he finished the evening with a season-high eight strikeouts while needing 114 pitches to get through the outing. He now owns a 3.30 ERA, has a 47:16 K:BB over 60 innings and is tied for second in baseball with six wins heading into his next start.

Dunning is working to fix his approach early in games that has led to a 10.12 ERA in the first inning of his starts, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

Dunning said he's mostly been a two-pitch pitcher the first time through the order, throwing primarily sliders and sinkers, before incorporating an offspeed pitch later. "Early on, for the most part, I usually try to work two pitches one time through the order," Dunning explained. "And the second time through the order, I add another pitch in and kind of keep doing that the same, just because I'm not trying to show them all my pitches at the very beginning." Starting Thursday against the Yankees, the right-hander intends to adjust that approach by throwing more changeups early to get batters off his slider/sinker. Other than the first-inning woes, Dunning has pitched well for Texas, posting a 4.34 ERA (2.61 FIP) over eight starts (37.1 innings).