MLB Player News

White Sox manager Tony La Russa said Kopech will start the second game of Sunday's doubleheader with the Red Sox, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

Facing off against the organization that selected him with the 33rd overall pick in the 2014 first-year player draft, Kopech will be making his first MLB start since Sept. 5, 2018. Kopech has been dynamic in his four extended relief appearances for Chicago this season, allowing one run on two hits and three walks over 7.2 innings while striking out 13. According to James Fegan of The Athletic, La Russa said Kopech will likely work up to three innings if he's efficient with his pitch count, so the right-hander may have a tough time factoring into any decision. The White Sox designated Jonathan Stiever as their 27th man for the twin bill, and he could end up piggybacking Kopech in the outing.

Quintana will start Wednesday's game against the Rangers, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

The 32-year-old was originally slated to start Saturday, but he's been bumped back a few days due to two postponements from the Twins' COVID-19 issues. Dylan Bundy will remain on schedule to start Monday while Shohei Ohtani (blister) returns from a two-week absence to pitch Tuesday. Quintana has surrendered 11 runs (nine earned) on 10 hits with a 9:7 K:BB over five innings through his first two starts of 2021.

Luzardo and the A's won't play the Twins on Monday since the game was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns, Megan Ryan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

It's the third straight postponement for Minnesota as the organization continues to conduct additional testing and contact tracing after reporting multiple positive tests for the virus. The contest could be made up via a doubleheader Tuesday, and Luzardo figures to start one of those games if a twin bill is finalized.

Skubal will pitch but won't start during this week's series against the Pirates, which begins Tuesday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

The 24-year-old has a 6.08 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 12:9 K:BB over 13.1 innings through three starts this season, and Spencer Turnbull (COVID-19 protocols) is set to come off the injured list and make his season debut Wednesday. Turnbull figures to face some limitations in his first outing, so Skubal's tandem day could come Wednesday.

Turnbull (COVID-19 protocols) is expected to return from the COVID-19 injured list to start Wednesday against the Pirates, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

Manager A.J. Hinch said there was a "definite chance" the 28-year-old makes his season debut versus Pittsburgh, and the right-hander is now penciled in to start Wednesday. Turnbull missed the start of spring training due to the COVID-19 protocols and has been building up his stamina since reporting in early April, but he could still face some limitations in his first start of the season. Hinch suggested Sunday that Tarik Skubal -- the player Turnbull is replacing in the rotation -- is scheduled to pitch at some point in the Pittsburgh series, so there's a decent likelihood Skubal is deployed as a bulk reliever behind Turnbull on Wednesday, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News.

The Red Sox recalled Houck from their alternate site ahead of Sunday's doubleheader against the White Sox.

Houck is slated to make his second start of the season in the first game of the twin bill, while Martin Perez takes the hill for Game 2. Boston is appointing Houck as its 27th man for the doubleheader, so he'll likely report back to the alternate site at the conclusion of Sunday's start.

Allard retained his bullpen job after the Rangers optioned Wes Benjamin to the team's alternate camp.

Allard's spot on the roster was in jeopardy as the Rangers prepared to make room for both Willie Calhoun and Joely Rodriguez, but the team opted to send Benjamin down instead. Both are lefties who can pitch multiple innings, so having them rostered was redundant. Benjamin was serving as a tandem starter, but he struggled to throw strikes. Meanwhile, Allard had dominant back-to-back outings this past week, which likely played a role in the team's decision.

Dunning fired six scoreless innings, allowing five hits and zero walks while striking out five in Saturday's loss to the Orioles. He did not factor in the decision.

Dunning did all he could Saturday, but the Rangers' bullpen couldn't hold up. Six shutout innings lowers Dunning's ERA to 0.60 in 15 innings over three starts. What might be even more impressive is his 16 strikeouts compared to only two walks. Dunning is producing numbers like an ace that the Rangers desperately need.

Cease gave up two runs on six hits and three walks while fanning six across 4.2 innings Saturday against the Red Sox. He didn't factor into the decision.

Cease has pitched exactly 4.2 innings in each of his first three starts of the season, but his numbers haven't been very good -- perhaps reflecting what happened last season when his 6.35 FIP didn't come close to supporting his 4.01 ERA. The 25-year-old right-hander has a 15:9 K:BB with a 3.86 ERA through 14 innings this year.

Flexen (1-1) allowed one run on 10 hits over six innings in a loss to the Astros on Saturday. He struck out three and did not issue a walk.

Only one of the 10 hits went for extra bases and Flexen did not hand out a single free pass, but even so he was fortunate to escape with just one run on his ledger. The Mariners' defense turned two double plays behind him. Flexen is holding his own in his return stateside (3.38 ERA), but he would be well served to dial the strikeouts back up. He faces a tough road test in Boston next weekend.