MLB Player News

Ramirez (forearm) was transferred to the 60-day DL on Friday, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.

This move eliminates any hope for a late-season return. After spending 2016 in the bullpen between Cincinnati and Anaheim, Ramirez found success in the rotation earlier this season thanks in large part to an altered pitch mix. Assuming he's back to full health by spring training, Ramirez should compete for a starting role.

Bergman was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma on Friday.

The Mariners needed to clear a spot on the 40-man roster with rosters expanding in September, and Bergman was the casualty. He has a 5.00 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 54 innings in the big leagues this season.

Boyd gave up only one run on five hits and two walks over five innings while striking out five in the first game of Friday's doubleheader, but he had to settle for a no-decision in a 3-2 loss to Cleveland.

The lefty ran up his pitch count in what was otherwise a strong performance, throwing 61 of 98 pitches for strikes before exiting the game with the score knotted at 1-1. Boyd should remain in the Tigers rotation for the rest of the season with Justin Verlander in Houston and Michael Fulmer (elbow) shut down, but his 6.19 ERA in the second half doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

Carrasco held the Tigers to one run on six hits over seven innings while striking out eight in the first game of Friday's doubleheader but didn't factor into the decision in a 3-2 win.

He was in line for his 14th win of the year, which would have tied his career high, but Cody Allen's fourth blown save spoiled the party. Carrasco now has a stellar 2.14 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 41:4 K:BB in 33.2 innings across his last five starts, making him a premium DFS option in his next outing Wednesday on the road against the hapless White Sox.

Lewicki will have his contract selected to start Monday's game against the Royals, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

The move is not official, but the Tigers' September rotation is starting to take shape. This will be Lewicki's MLB debut, after posting a 3.38 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 123 strikeouts in 141 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. He was actually better at Triple-A, where he notched a 2.03 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 31 innings. If he pitches well, he should hold onto that rotation spot for the rest of the season.

Montgomery was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday.

This was an obvious move with rosters expanding. Montgomery will serve as the long man out of the bullpen, but would likely be first in line if the Yankees need a sixth starter at some point in September.

Verlander will make his debut for the Astros on Tuesday in Seattle, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

There was a late blockbuster prior to the August trade deadline, sending Verlander to Houston in exchange for three quality prospects (Franklin Perez, Daz Cameron, Jake Rogers), with the Astros also receiving $16 million to help offset the money remaining on his contract. He retains a full no-trade clause as part of the deal, and the Astros agreed to waive his vesting option for the 2020 season, meaning Verlander will become a free agent after the 2019 season. Verlander's value shouldn't change much the rest of the way, as he should gain run support, but is also moving to a worse defensive club. He has a 2.41 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 67.1 innings since the All-Star break.

McCullers (back) will be re-evaluated Saturday at Minute Maid Park for a possible return to the rotation next week, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports.

The Astros haven't set their rotation for next week yet, but if all checks out, McCullers will throw Tuesday or Wednesday against the Mariners at Safeco Field. He threw a five-inning rehab start Wednesday, which manager A.J. Hinch described as "a normal game" for the right-hander. "His stuff was pretty good," Hinch said Thursday. "He was in the low-to-mid 90s. That's a good sign. His breaking ball was a little bit better. He threw a quite a few changeups." McCullers threw only 60 pitches in Wednesday's start, but followed it up with a 15-pitch simulated inning in the bullpen. Any fears that his pitch count will be limited upon his return should be mitigated by that extra bullpen session.

Verlander was traded to the Astros on Thursday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

The Astros stood pat at the non-waiver deadline in late-July and did not make any moves to bolster their rotation. However, a disappointing August forced the club to reconsider its plans and add an ace for the playoff push by acquiring Verlander. The veteran right-hander not only adds a front-end arm to Houston's rotation, but also plenty of postseason experience to a young team. Verlander has been sharp since the All-Star break, posting a 2.41 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP and 10.4 K/9 rate over 10 starts. He'll slot in behind Dallas Keuchel to form one of the best one-two combinations in baseball.

Rodriguez (4-5) allowed five runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out four batters through five innings during Thursday's loss to the Yankees.

Rodrgiuez has now surrendered 17 runs over 22.2 innings over his past four outings. He's now up to a 4.40 ERA and 1.30 WHIP for the campaign, and until he shows more consistency on the mound, it's difficult to turn to him outside of cushy matchups. The southpaw kick-started the year with a 2.77 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 9.6 K/9 through his first nine outings, so the potential is there for deeper settings or daily contests. A date with the Blue Jays at Fenway Park is up next and it could prove to be a rebound spot for Rodriguez.