MLB Player News

Singer (1-2) took the loss Sunday against the Twins, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks over 5.2 innings pitched. He struck out two.

After getting through his first two innings unscathed, Singer gifted the Royals a run in the third, as a walk, wild pitch and balk led to an RBI groundout for Jorge Polanco. The right-handed Singer was bit by a walk again two innings later, as a leadoff free pass preceded a go-ahead two-run homer for Max Kepler. On a positive note, Singer's 5.2 innings of work marked his longest outing on his young career. He will look to flip the script when he takes on Minnesota again Saturday.

Keuchel (3-2) allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out one across 5.2 innings to earn the win Sunday against the Cardinals.

Keuchel retired 15 of the first 17 batters he faced, surrendering only a walk and a single through five frames. However, he met resistance in the sixth inning, allowing three singles and a walk to account for his two earned runs. As would be expected, he generated 10 groundball outs and didn't miss many bats while inducing only eight swinging strikes across 93 total pitches. Keuchel now has a 3.07 ERA across 29.1 innings this season, and he'll look to maintain that success in his next start, currently projected to come Friday at the Cubs.

Hart is slated to start Wednesday's game against the Phillies, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Hart was roughed up in his first MLB start Aug. 13 against the Rays, lasting just two innings and giving up seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and three walks. While that sort of poor showing would normally disqualify a spot starter from earning another turn through the rotation, the Red Sox -- whose starters have posted a 6.95 ERA this season heading into Sunday's action -- have few appealing alternatives on hand to replace Hart. Boston will hope Hart can at least eat a few more innings Wednesday, but fantasy players are probably best off looking at other streaming options this week.

White Sox manager Rick Renteria mentioned Dunning as a candidate to make a spot start Wednesday against the Tigers, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

Dunning, one of the organization's top pitching prospects, has made a full recovery from his March 2019 Tommy John surgery and has been throwing regularly at the White Sox's alternate training site in Schaumburg in anticipation of a callup. Since Carlos Rodon (shoulder) was placed on the injured list Aug. 4, the White Sox have thus far gotten by with using Matt Foster as the opening pitcher in bullpen games when a fifth starter has been needed, but Renteria is leaving the door open for a more traditional starting option like Dunning to fill the opening. During his last active minor-league season 2018, the 25-year-old split time between Double-A Birmingham and High-A Winston-Salem, compiling a 2.71 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 86.1 innings.

Hill (shoulder) is a candidate to return from the 10-day injured list to start at some point during the Twins' three-game home series against the Brewers, which begins Tuesday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.

Hill is lobbying to return to the rotation after telling the Twins' staff that his sore left shoulder responded well to the 60-pitch simulated game he completed Friday at the organization's alternate training site in St. Paul. The Twins likely wouldn't be inclined to bring Hill back from the IL on less than four days' rest, so Wednesday or Thursday are probably more realistic target dates for his return to the rotation than Tuesday. While Hill and Homer Bailey (biceps) have both been on the shelf, the Twins haven't appointed a new pitcher to the rotation, instead opting for bullpen games when a fifth starter has been needed.

The Rays activated Chirinos (triceps) ahead of his scheduled start Sunday against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Tampa Bay didn't need to open up a spot on the active roster for Chirinos, who is being designated as its 29th man after the Rays and Blue Jays resumed Saturday's suspended game earlier. The nightcap will only go seven innings, but that shouldn't impact Chirinos, who didn't reach the sixth inning in either of his two outings before landing on the injured list earlier this month.

Montas (back) felt good during a throwing session Sunday and is scheduled to return to the Oakland rotation for Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks, Shayna Rubin of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Montas was scratched with back tightness ahead of his scheduled turn Friday against the Giants, and though he was initially considered a candidate to start Sunday's series finale, the Athletics elected to take a more cautious approach with the right-hander, who threw a side session instead. Due to the brevity of his absence, Montas isn't expected to face any major restrictions Tuesday as he takes the hill for his fifth start of 2020. Montas owns a 1.57 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 22:9 K:BB across 23 innings.

Kaprielian was recalled from the Athletics' alternate training site in San Jose on Sunday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The right-hander will take the place of fellow reliever Burch Smith, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a forearm strain. It will be Kaprielian's second tour of duty with the big-league club thus far this season, although he did not make an appearance over the two days he was up the first time. The 26-year-old right-hander has an impressive minor-league resume from his time with both the Yankees and Athletics organizations, but he's yet to make his big-league debut.

Kikuchi, who was scratched from his scheduled start Friday against the Astros due to neck spasms, was still dealing with stiffness Saturday and taking muscle relaxers for relief, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.

Manager Scott Servais added that Kikuchi was going to try and play catch later in the day to see how he felt. The team is holding out hope the southpaw will still make his next scheduled start Thursday against the Dodgers, but the coming days will naturally reveal how likely that is.

The Orioles activated Means from the COVID-19 injured list ahead of his scheduled start Sunday against the Nationals, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.

Means was never known to have tested positive for the coronavirus, but the Orioles were allowed to stash him on the COVID-19 IL while he waited to complete intake testing protocols after he went on bereavement leave over a week ago. The Orioles opened up spots on the 40-man and active rosters for Means by designating reliever Chandler Shepherd for assignment.