MLB Player News

Valdez (12-5) earned the win Monday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk over 5.2 innings against the Rays. He struck out nine.

Valdez allowed Taylor Walls to double his season total in extra-base hits but otherwise allowed just a couple of singles and a walk that tallied merely one run. Valdez was on track for a quality start, but a two-out walk left him at 101 pitches and his night ended one out shy of his 13th such effort on the season. The veteran lefty hasn't taken the loss during any of his last nine starts, going 7-0 with a 2.68 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while punching out 66 batters over 57 innings during that stretch. He's next slated to take the hill in a highly favorable home matchup against the fledgling White Sox.

Scherzer (shoulder) will undergo an MRI on Monday, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Scherzer has missed nearly two weeks of action with right shoulder fatigue and has not progressed as hoped, so he's been sent back to Dallas for further evaluation, which will include an MRI. There might be more information available on Scherzer's status later Monday or perhaps Tuesday once the test results are in. He'll need to ramp things back up before returning, so even if the MRI comes back clean, it's going to be a while before Scherzer pitches for the Rangers again.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Monday that Garcia (elbow) has yet to resume a throwing program, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Garcia has had his rehab assignment shut down on two occasions because of soreness in his surgically repaired right elbow. While Espada wasn't ready to rule Garcia out for the remainder of the season, the skipper acknowledged Monday that the right-hander is running out of time to make it back in 2024. Even if Garcia is able to start ramping up again in the next week or two, he might not be able to complete a starter's throwing progression and could have to settle for a bullpen role once he returns from the 60-day injured list.

Criswell (illness) might not be ready for activation Friday, when he's first eligible to return from his seven-day stay on the COVID-19 injured list, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Criswell has dealt with some significant symptoms while on the COVID-19 IL, and while the Red Sox are hopeful that he can start Friday in Baltimore in place of James Paxton (calf), he sounds like he might need a bit more time to recover. Josh Winckowski would be a candidate to take the ball for Boston on Friday if Criswell isn't ready.

The Red Sox activated Bello (personal) from the paternity list Monday, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Bello was away from the club over the weekend while welcoming a new child to the family, but he is back with the Red Sox to start Monday's game against the Rangers. The right-hander sports a nifty 45:12 K:BB over 40.1 innings since the start of July, although he's submitted a 4.46 ERA during that stretch.

The Red Sox placed Paxton on the 15-day injured list Monday with a right calf strain, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Paxton suffered the injury during Sunday's 10-2 loss to the Astros and required assistance off the field. The southpaw was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, but the severity of the calf strain has not yet been revealed. The Red Sox are likely to turn to either Josh Winckowski or Cooper Criswell (COVID-19 injured list) to serve as their new fifth starter in place of Paxton, who is first eligible to return from the IL on Aug. 27.

Heaney (4-12) took the loss Sunday against the Yankees after he gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out four.

The left-hander labored throughout the contest and had given up two runs through his first four frames, but he departed with runners on the corners with two outs in the fifth inning and had those baserunners added to his tally when Giancarlo Stanton clubbed a three-run homer off Jose Leclerc. It's the second time in Heaney's past three starts that he's failed to complete five innings, and he's surrendered 10 runs (nine earned) between those two short outings. He has a 4.05 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 115:34 K:BB across 120 innings this season and tentatively lines up for a matchup with Minnesota this weekend.

Eovaldi was diagnosed with a low-grade right oblique strain Monday and is expected to have his next start pushed back to the Rangers' four-game series with the Twins this weekend, Jim Bowden of The Athletic reports.

After being pulled from his latest start this past Saturday against the Yankees with what the Rangers described as right side tightness, Eovaldi was sent back to Texas to meet with Dr. Keith Meister. Eovaldi received encouraging results from his MRI, and the Rangers are apparently optimistic that he will avoid a trip to the injured list and be able to pitch through the oblique strain. While the right-hander doesn't sound like he'll be an option to take the hill for Thursday's series opener versus Minnesota on his usual four days' rest, he could be plugged back into the rotation at some point Friday through Sunday. The Rangers will likely wait for Eovaldi to complete a bullpen session later this week before locking him in for his next start.

Stroman (8-6) earned the win over Texas on Sunday, allowing one run on four hits and three walks while striking out one batter over five innings.

Stroman's one punchout wasn't ideal from a fantasy perspective, but it didn't impact his ability to notch his first victory since June 22. The veteran righty had posted a 7.56 ERA and 1.92 WHIP during the six-game winless stretch, so he'll perhaps look to Sunday's performance as a potential turnaround point. Stroman's next outing is tentatively lined up to take place in Detroit this weekend.

Pepiot (knee) struck out seven batters over 3.1 scoreless innings while scattering one hit and two walks in his rehab start Saturday with Double-A Montgomery.

Pepiot tossed 69 pitches in the rehab outing, which should be the only minor-league start he needs before making his return from the 15-day injured list. The Rays have seemingly already reopened a spot in the rotation for Pepiot, as the club optioned Tyler Alexander -- who had been functioning as the de facto No. 5 starter -- to Triple-A Durham on Sunday. Pepiot rejoined the Rays on Sunday and played catch at Tropicana Field, and he'll likely throw a bullpen session Tuesday or Wednesday before Tampa Bay locks him in for a start this weekend versus the Diamondbacks.