MLB Player News

Rocker (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Friday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Rocker has been sidelined since late April with a right shoulder impingement but has been cleared for rehab games after getting through a live batting practice session earlier this week. He will need multiple rehab starts, assuming the Rangers intend to bring him back as a starting pitcher, but Grant raises the possibility that the club could accelerate Rocker's return by having him pitch in relief.

The Athletics recalled Duran from Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday.

Duran was with the big club briefly earlier this season but didn't make an appearance. He's collected a 7.71 ERA and 21:15 K:BB over 21 frames with Las Vegas and will be making his major-league debut when/if he gets into a game.

The Guardians optioned Nikhazy to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday.

Nikhazy was available as the 27th man for Wednesday's doubleheader against the Twins but did not make an appearance. He will return to the rotation at Columbus, where he's posted a 4.99 ERA and 31:15 K:BB over 30.2 innings covering seven starts.

The Mariners activated Kirby (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list Thursday.

Kirby is set to make his season debut Thursday with a start against the Astros after missing the first eight weeks of the season with right shoulder inflammation. The righty was dinged for eight runs over 10 frames across three rehab outings but posted a 13:2 K:BB. Kirby threw 64 pitches in his final rehab start, so he's probably looking at a max pitch count in the 75-to-80 range Thursday in Houston.

Ryan didn't factor in the decision in Monday's suspended game against the Guardians after giving up three runs on three hits and two walks across five innings. He struck out four.

The contest resumed ahead of Wednesday's regularly scheduled game, which Ryan was originally positioned to start. The right-hander instead took the mound for the fourth inning of the suspended game with a 2-1 lead, and he nearly went the distance before allowing the first two batters to reach in the ninth inning. Closer Jhoan Duran was unable to strand the runners and blew the save, leaving Ryan with a no-decision. It wasn't a bad showing from Ryan, though it still ended a dominant four-start stretch that saw him allow just two runs with a 35:3 K:BB over 25 innings. The 28-year-old lines up to take the mound on the road against the Rays early next week.

Urena gave up two hits and struck out one in two scoreless innings of relief Wednesday during a 14-0 win over the Padres.

The right-hander threw 35 pitches (24 strikes), which could leave him unavailable to provide any length out of the bullpen when Eric Lauer makes his next scheduled start Friday in Tampa Bay. Urena has a 4.82 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 3:3 K:BB in 9.1 innings over four appearances (two starts) since joining the Blue Jays, but he seems unlikely to be a factor in the team's rotation any time soon, given his recent usage.

Sears (4-4) took the loss against the Angels on Wednesday, allowing six runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out four batters over five innings.

Sears came into contest having served up a modest six homers over nine starts, but the Angels tagged him for four long balls Wednesday, including two off the bat of catcher Logan O'Hoppe. After yielding three or fewer runs in each of his first eight outings of the campaign, Sears has hit a rough spot in his past two starts, surrendering 10 runs across nine innings. That's pushed his season ERA up over a run (from 2.80 to 4.00) and resulted in consecutive losses for the first time this year. The lefty will try to right the ship his next time out, which lines up to be a road matchup against Houston.

Kochanowicz allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and five walks while striking out six batters over four-plus innings in a no-decision against the Athletics on Wednesday.

The Angels offense provided plenty of support for Kochanowicz, but the right-hander completed just four innings due partly to racking up 99 pitches. Only 56 of those offerings were strikes, and Kochanowicz issued a season-high five walks but also tied a season high with six punchouts. He also served up two long balls, including one in the fifth frame to Nick Kurtz, who ended up being the second-to-last batter Kochanowicz faced. The second-year hurler has managed to hang onto a rotation spot so far, but his results have been mediocre -- he has a 4.86 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 35:27 K:BB through 53.2 innings across 10 starts.

Crochet didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Mets, allowing one run on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

Crochet notched his fewest strikeouts in a start since Apr. 8, but he yielded fewer than three runs for a fifth straight outing. The 26-year-old southpaw has a mediocre 4-3 record, but he boasts a 1.98 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and a 78/22 K:BB across 68.1 innings spanning 11 starts. Crochet is in line to face the Brewers in Milwaukee early next week.

Paddack (2-4) took the loss Wednesday against Cleveland, allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks across 5.1 innings. He struck out two.

Paddack tied his season high in hits allowed -- yielding more than five hits for the first time since April 6 -- but he extended his streak of starts allowing three or fewer earned runs to nine. The 29-year-old has a 3.98 ERA and a 35:19 K:BB in 52 innings of work this season. He's tentatively scheduled to face the Rays early next week.