MLB Player News

McCullers (10-5) was hit with the loss against the Angels on Sunday, giving up five earned runs on six hits over 4.1 innings while striking out three and walking five as the Astros eventually fell 14-5.

It was a second straight rough outing for McCullers, who gave up six earned and walked five in his last start against the Athletics before following up with another dud against the Angels in this contest. The stretch has pushed his ERA up to 4.01 through 116.2 innings. He'll look to get on track in another division matchup in his next start, which will see him take the mound against the Rangers next Sunday.

Heaney (6-6) got the win against the Astros on Sunday, giving up one earned run on four hits over six innings while striking out four and walking two as the Angels cruised to a 14-5 victory.

Heaney held up his end of the bargain on a day where his team afforded him plenty of run support, picking up his sixth win of the season with his fourth straight quality start. The 27-year-old is having a solid campaign overall, as he's now sporting a 3.66 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 106:32 K:BB through 108.1 innings. He'll take the mound against Seattle next Friday.

Kluber (knee) completed his normal pre-start bullpen session Friday without issue and will make his first start of the second half Monday against the Pirates, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Kluber's arm slot had drifted in recent starts while he compensated for instability in his right knee, which may have contributed to the right-hander's poor showing in his last outing July 12 against the Yankees (six runs allowed on eight hits and two walks over 7.1 innings). He received an injection in his knee the day after the start to correct the problem, though the treatment prevented him from taking part in the All-Star Game. With 10 days of rest between starts and the shot having provided the desired effect, Kluber should be activated with confidence as he prepares for a two-start week. His second turn is set to come Sunday in Detroit.

Clevinger (7-6) pitched 6.2 innings but took the loss Sunday, yielding two runs on four walks and four hits while striking out seven in the 5-0 defeat against Texas.

Clevinger absorbed a loss for the third straight outing but did slightly lower his ERA from 3.47 to 3.43. He still owns a strong 125:44 K:BB, but the four walks in Sunday's outing were the most since May 18. The 27-year-old right-hander will look to get back in the win column against the Tigers on Saturday.

Bridwell recently underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow and received a stem-cell injection to aid his healing, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic Los Angeles reports.

The Angels didn't provide a recovery timetable for the right-hander, but with Triple-A Salt Lake's season coming to an end Sept. 3, it's quite likely Bridwell won't pitch again in 2018. Bridwell has been sidelined since early June after experiencing a setback with the elbow, which previously presented problems for the 27-year-old back in April.

Jaye (arm) was activated from the 7-day disabled list at Triple-A Columbus on Sunday.

Jaye hadn't pitched for Columbus since June 10 due to the arm injury. Over 10 starts at the Triple-A level in two organizations this season, Jaye has submitted a 5.43 ERA and 1.52 WHIP across 54.2 innings.

Lynn (7-8) took the loss Saturday as the Twins fell 4-2 to the Royals, giving up three runs on three hits and six walks over five innings while striking out six.

Things could have been a lot worse for Lynn given his control issues, as the Royals only managed to bring one run home after he walked the bases loaded in the third inning. After seeming to solve his wildness at least somewhat in June, the right-hander's now posted a 7.1 BB/9 through four starts in July (17.2 innings), leading to a 7.13 ERA over that stretch -- and making Lynn a very risky fantasy play in his next start Thursday in Boston.

Carrasco (12-5) allowed two earned runs on five hits and one walk while striking out eight across 6.2 innings to earn the win Saturday against the Rangers.

This was Carrasco's longest effort and the first time he surpassed five innings in a start since June 16. He also generated an impressive 16 outs by strikeout and groundball combined, leaving the Rangers little room to do damage against him. His sole blemish was a two-run homer he surrendered to Adrian Beltre in the seventh inning. Carrasco continues to post strong underlying skills, giving hope that he can put together a string of strong starts post All-Star break.

Verlander (10-5) picked up the win in Saturday's 7-0 victory over the Angels, allowing five hits and two walks over six scoreless innings while striking out 11.

Remarkably, it was the right-hander's first win in over a month, as Verlander has gone 0-3 over his previous six starts with an uncharacteristic 4.10 ERA and 1.9 HR/9 in 37.1 innings. He took full advantage of the All-Star break to refocus, however, generating 18 swinging strikes in 92 pitches and fanning Ian Kinsler and Luis Valbuena with runners on second and third to shut down the Angels' only real threat in the fourth inning. Verlander will take a 2.19 ERA into his next start Saturday at home against the Rangers.

Paxton (back) got through a 40-pitch bullpen session Saturday without setbacks and remains on target to start Tuesday against the Giants, David Gottlieb of MLB.com reports. "It felt good, everything all good," Paxton said. "I got up to 40 pitches in the bullpen, let some rip, no problems. Was able to get through my pitches, finish them off, so it was definitely good."

This was one of the final hurdles for the southpaw to clear prior to his expected Tuesday activation. Paxton reported a complete absence of any pain or discomfort, lending credence to the notion that he's ready to return to the mound after what would be a 12-day stint on the disabled list. Final confirmation on Paxton's readiness figures to come in the earlier part of the day Tuesday.