MLB Player News

Stroman (finger) threw a bullpen session Saturday and manager John Gibbons indicated there was a "really good chance" he'll start Monday against the Rays, Mike Wilner of Sportsnet 590 The Fan reports.

Stroman, who landed on the disabled list Aug. 19 with a nagging blister issue, is currently on track to return to the starting rotation Monday. The 27-year-old has been dealing with the blister for much of the season, which could help explain his 5.27 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in what amounts to the worst statistical season of his major-league career.

Bergman was designated for assignment Saturday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Bergman has been at Tacoma since mid-August and will remain there after being removed from the 40-man roster. The 30-year-old allowed nine runs -- including four home runs -- across 14 innings with the Mariners this season.

Paxton (forearm) was activated off the 10-day disabled list ahead of Saturday's start at Oakland, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.

Paxton has been on the disabled list since taking a line drive off his left forearm Aug. 14 and will return without a rehab assignment. The veteran left-hander has a 3.68 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 176:37 K:BB over 139.1 innings this season.

Nuno (hamstring) was activated from the 10-day disabled list Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Nuno is set to rejoin the Rays after spending close to two months on the shelf with a hamstring injury. The southpaw made three minor-league rehab appearances before he was cleared to return, allowing four runs over 7.1 innings while striking out eight. Prior to suffering the injury, Nuno posted a shiny 1.50 ERA across 24 innings for the Rays.

Rodriguez (ankle) was activated from the disabled list ahead of his scheduled start Saturday against the White Sox.

As expected, Rodriguez is set to rejoin the Red Sox rotation after missing around six weeks with an ankle injury. The southpaw made two rehab appearances with Double-A Portland before being cleared to return, striking out 14 batters across eight scoreless innings. He compiled a 3.44 ERA and 110:32 K:BB across 19 starts (104.2 innings) prior to landing on the DL. Rodriguez will match up against Carlos Rodon in his first start back.

Eovaldi will make his next start Monday, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.

Eovaldi will pitch on three days rest after throwing just 35 pitches in a rain-shortened outing Friday. That means he could get two starts next week -- pending the status of starters David Price (wrist) and Chris Sale (shoulder) -- but fantasy owners should know he has an 8.05 ERA over his last five starts. Manager Alex Cora suggested Eovaldi is throwing too many strikes and is missing location, particularly when he gets two strikes on a hitter. "He doesn't walk people. The strike percentage is way up there," Cora said. "Maybe we're throwing too many strikes. Sometimes they fall into that. They're so aggressive in the strike zone and they trust their stuff that they leave pitches in the zone with two strikes instead of pitching to the edges."

Keller (7-5) struck out four and picked up the win in Friday's 9-2 victory over the Orioles, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over eight innings.

The rookie finished up August in style, settling down nicely after serving up a leadoff homer to Cedric Mullins to win his third straight decision. Keller posted a 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 31:11 K:BB in 37.1 innings over six starts on the month, giving him plenty of momentum heading into his next outing Wednesday in Cleveland.

Eovaldi (5-7) took the loss Friday, giving up three runs on three hits over two innings as the Red Sox fell 6-1 to the White Sox.

A rain delay of over two hours in the middle of the third inning ended Eovaldi's night after only 35 pitches (22 strikes), but the damage had already been done thanks to Yoan Moncada's two-run homer in the bottom of the first. Eovaldi will carry a 4.35 ERA into his next scheduled start Wednesday in Atlanta.

Kopech did not factor into the decision Friday when he allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one over three scoreless innings in a 6-1 win over the Red Sox.

For the second time in three starts, the young right-hander was forced to leave a start due to rain. Kopech was wild to start the night, hitting Mookie Betts with his first pitch and issuing a four-pitch walk to Andrew Benintendi, but he settled in after picking off Betts. Kopech is next scheduled to pitch Wednesday at home against the Tigers.

Valdez (2-1) allowed one run on two hits and three walks while striking out three over five innings, taking the loss against the Angels on Friday.

Valdez was effective against an Angels lineup that was seeing him for the second time in six days. The left-hander threw five scoreless innings and was pulled in the sixth after a leadoff walk that came around to score while Collin McHugh was pitching. It was just the second run Valdez has allowed in 14.1 innings with the Astros. His walks are on the high side, but the 24-year-old has held his composure and worked around basepath traffic with the help of a groundball-inducing sinker. Three appearances into his stint as the replacement for the injured Lance McCullers (forearm), and it's starting to look like more than just beginner's luck for Valdez, who is next scheduled to start Wednesday at home against the Twins.