MLB Player News

Williams (elbow), who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list earlier Sunday, is scheduled to make his first start of the season for the Guardians on Wednesday versus the White Sox at Progressive Field.

Williams' 30-day rehab window came to a close Sunday, so the Guardians brought him back from the IL a few days before he's set to make his 2024 MLB debut. The right-hander submitted a 7.88 ERA and 2.00 WHIP across eight innings over his first four rehab starts with Triple-A Columbus, but he looked strong his last two times out, turning in five- and four-inning starts while allowing two total runs and submitting a 10:2 K:BB between those outings. The Guardians will likely keep the 24-year-old's workload in check to some extent Wednesday, but based on how he concluded his rehab assignment, Williams might be worthy of activating this week while he faces off against a weak White Sox lineup.

Mize (leg) will undergo further tests on his left leg, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

After exiting Sunday's win over the Angels in the bottom of the sixth inning with a left leg injury, Mize will see what the extent of the damage is. In regard to if it was a cramp or not, the right hander said "that's what it felt like" and that he and the team will "see how the next couple of days play out." The severity of his injury will be determined once Mize receives the results of the imaging.

Festa is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Tigers at Target Field.

Tabbed as a replacement in the big-league rotation this past Thursday for the injured Chris Paddack (forearm), Festa surrendered five earned runs on seven hits and one walk and struck out just two batters but received enough run support to come away with a win against the Diamondbacks. Festa was cruising early in his debut and faced just one batter more than the minimum through three innings, but he began to unravel over his final two frames, when he allowed all seven of his hits. Festa may need a better showing in Minnesota against a weaker Detroit offense to ensure he gets additional turns through the rotation, as Caleb Boushley has been pitching well at Triple-A St. Paul and looms as an alternative as the Twins' No. 5 starter if Festa can't get the job done.

Bradley (3-4) earned the win Sunday, allowing no runs on three hits and two walks over 5.2 innings against the Nationals. He struck out 11.

Bradley held the Nationals off the board while matching a season high in strikeouts. Since allowing nine runs and four homers against Baltimore on June 1, Bradley has been on a heater, posting five-consecutive starts allowing two earned runs or fewer while accumulating double-digit strikeout totals during two of those outings. During that stretch, he's completed 29 innings, allowing just four earned runs (1.24 ERA) with a 1.00 WHIP and 40 strikeouts. He'll look to keep things rolling during his next start, tentatively slated to take place next weekend when the Rays travel to Arlington to take on the Rangers.

Mize left Sunday's outing against the Angels in the bottom of the sixth inning with an apparent leg injury, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

Mize was in the midst of one of his best starts of the season, striking out two while allowing five baserunners over 5.1 scoreless innings before "cramping up" and grabbing at the back of his left leg, according to McCosky. More information on Mize's status will likely come later Sunday or Monday, but if his departure ultimately does end up being the result of cramping, there's won't be much concern for his availability moving forward.

Gausman (6-7) suffered the loss Sunday, allowing seven runs on seven hits, five walks and a hit batsman against the Yankees. He struck out seven.

Gausman needed 107 pitches to record 13 outs, allowing season highs in runs (seven) and walks (five) while being tagged for three extra-base hits including a first-inning Aaron Judge two-run blast. Gausman did strike out seven batters to represent the fourth time this season he's reached at least seven in an outing, but that's nothing more than a minor silver lining around Sunday's ugly performance. It's the fifth time this season Gausman has allowed at least five runs in a start, and he closes the month of June with a 5.64 ERA over 36.2 innings spanning six starts. His next start is tentatively slated for when the Blue Jays head west to take on the Mariners in Seattle next weekend.

Crochet came away with a no-decision in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Rockies in 14 innings, striking out 11 over seven frames while allowing two earned runs on five hits and zero walks.

After Crochet had thrown 85 and 91 pitches in his prior two starts, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Tuesday that the lefty's workload was "going to start dwindling" moving forward while the White Sox look to prioritize his long-term health. Even though he was mowing down the Colorado lineup for most of the afternoon, Crochet was still pulled after tossing 88 pitches and covering seven innings. If Crochet's pitch count continues to hover around the 85-to-90 range in his future starts, it could hurt his chances of coming away with wins, though he's notched only six wins through his first 18 starts while he's been supported by a weak White Sox lineup. Even so, Crochet remains a must-start fantasy option as long as he's active, as he's thus far provided elite ratios whenever he's taken the hill. The southpaw now owns a 3.02 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP and a league-leading 141 strikeouts over 101.1 innings this season. He's tentatively scheduled for a road start in Miami next weekend.

Allen (8-4) took the loss Sunday against the Royals, allowing three earned runs on six hits and zero walks in 4.1 innings. He struck out three.

Allen never found his footing, surrendering runs in the first two frames before exiting in the fifth inning. This comes off the back of a brutal outing during which he allowed three home runs and was pulled after just three innings. The 25-year-old has been an adequate source of wins thanks to the Cleveland offense, but he sports an ugly 5.75 ERA, a 1.54 WHIP and a 67:31 K:BB across 83 innings this season. The southpaw will look to bounce back in his next start, currently scheduled for next weekend against the Giants.

Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that Verlander (neck) resumed playing catch from 60 feet Sunday and "felt good," Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

The 41-year-old's return to throwing is an encouraging development after he was shut down for a bit while recovering from neck soreness. Given the prolonged shutdown period, Verlander shouldn't be expected to return from the injured list when first eligible this week and will likely need to make a minor-league rehab start prior to being activated.

Lugo (11-2) picked up the win Sunday against Cleveland, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out 10 over six scoreless innings.

Lugo was dominant Sunday, throwing 66 of his 93 pitches for strikes en route to 10 strikeouts. The 34-year-old logged his fourth consecutive quality start and his 14th of the season, tied for first in MLB. Over his past four starts, the right-hander has registered a robust 1.46 ERA along with a 1.01 WHIP and 30:7 K:BB over 24.2 innings. He will look to keep rolling his next time out, currently scheduled for next weekend in Colorado.