MLB Player News

McCullers (elbow) threw off the mound Monday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The session is McCullers' first off the mound since undergoing Tommy John surgery back in November. He'll only throw fastballs, but it still represents a significant milestone. He won't have time to return this season, but the fact that he's throwing several months before next season's spring training bodes well for his readiness for next year.

Montgomery (shoulder) is scheduled to make a rehab start Tuesday for Double-A Trenton in Game 1 of the affiliate's Eastern League Championship Series matchup with Bowie.

With the minor-league postseason soon drawing to a close, Montgomery could be making his final start on the farm before being reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Though Montgomery built up to three innings in his previous rehab outing Sept. 4, the Yankees may not be comfortable deploying him in a starting role if he rejoins the roster later this month. Instead, Montgomery is more likely to see usage as a multi-inning reliever as the Yankees look to manage his workload carefully as he returns from June 2018 Tommy John surgery.

Manager Bob Melvin told MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM that Luzardo, who is expected to be called up from Triple-A Las Vegas ahead of Monday's series opener in Houston, would likely work out of the Oakland bullpen initially. "The way our starters have been pitching I don't feel the need to have [Luzardo] start a game," Melvin said.

Melvin acknowledged that while Luzardo is stretched out and ready to handle a starter's workload, the strong results the team has received lately from the likes of Sean Manaea, Homer Bailey and Chris Bassitt lessens the need for Oakland to break the 21-year-old into the rotation, which already includes six pitchers. While Luzardo would probably represent an upgrade over some of the back-end rotation options, Melvin believes the flame-throwing lefty can provide plenty of value out of the bullpen down the stretch, likely as a multi-inning reliever. Oakland has yet to find any consistently reliable relief arms beyond closer Liam Hendriks, so Luzardo could immediately get a look as a high-leverage, late-inning stopper in the mold of the Brewers' Josh Hader in 2018.

Cease allowed one run on four hits with five walks and four strikeouts across 3.1 innings during a no-decision against the Angels on Sunday.

This was one of the 23-year-old's best outings of the year in terms of preventing hits, but it was a short one, so he settled for the no-decision. Part of the reason it was short was because he tied his season high with five walks, but none of them came around to score. Cease is 3-7 with a 6.53 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 68 strikeouts in 62 innings this season. He will look to build off this outing at the Mariners in his next start Saturday.

Cole (16-5) allowed one run on one hit with no walks and 15 strikeouts across eight innings while earning a victory against the Mariners on Sunday.

With the offense scoring more than 20 runs, the Astros hardly needed a stellar outing from Cole, but they got it anyway, and he could have easily gone the distance, as he threw 96 pitches to get through eight frames. This was the fifth straight game where Cole posted at least 10 strikeouts, and his third consecutive outing with 13-plus punchouts. He's also won 12 straight decisions, as Cole hasn't lost since May 22. Cole, who will next start at the Royals on Friday, owns a 2.73 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 281 strikeouts in 184.1 innings this season.

Clevinger (11-2) allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over 6.1 innings Sunday, striking out seven and earning the win over Minnesota.

Clevinger coughed up a solo homer to Mitch Garver in the fourth inning and allowed another run in the seventh before he was removed from the contest. Still, it was another strong outing for the 6-foot-4 righty. He hasn't taken a loss since June 28 and owns a stellar 2.72 ERA. Clevinger will face the Twins again -- this time at home -- on Saturday.

German's next appearance will come in relief of CC Sabathia on Wednesday in Detroit, as the Yankees manage his workload and prepare him for the relief role he will likely occupy in October, James Wagner of The New York Times reports.

It will be a piggyback situation. Sabathia has not logged more than 4.1 innings in an outing since July 16, so he and German could each log between three and four innings before turning it over to the actual relievers. This will give German a chance to qualify for a win, but it also makes him somewhat reliant on Sabathia keeping the lead. German has thrown 140.2 total innings this year after throwing 94 innings in 2018, so it's understandable that the Yankees want to dial back his usage.

Severino (lat) will make one more rehab start Wednesday for Double-A Trenton before rejoining the big-league rotation, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports.

This would put him on track to rejoin the big-league rotation Sept. 17 at home against the Angels. He will throw 60-plus pitches in this final tuneup in the minors. Severino has given up three earned runs while striking out seven and walking none in four innings across two rehab starts.

Luzardo's contract will be selected from Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

The top left-handed pitching prospect in the minors, Luzardo has been fully stretched out at Triple-A and is ready to give the big-league rotation a boost as the A's look to win one of the two American League wild-card spots. He logged a 3.19 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 34 strikeouts in 31 innings across seven appearances at Triple-A. Luzardo will join the A's on Monday in Houston. Brett Anderson seems like the most likely starter to get bumped from the rotation. Luzardo last pitched Friday, so he lines up to slot into the rotation Wednesday in a tough matchup against the Astros.

Glasnow gave up two runs on one hit and two walks while striking out five through two innings in a no-decision against the Blue Jays on Sunday.

Only expected to pitch a couple of innings in his first outing off the injured list, Glasnow struck out the first three batters he faced before walking two and allowing a two-run home run in the second frame. On the positive side, the 26-year-old hit 100 mph on his fastball and generated six swinging strikes. Glasnow has a 2.15 ERA and 60 strikeouts through nine starts this season. Glasnow is scheduled to be the opener again Saturday at Angel Stadium.