MLB Player News

Rodriguez (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Rodriguez got the green light to pitch off the mound Tuesday after his MRI on Saturday showed his left shoulder had fully healed. Since the 31-year-old hasn't pitched this season, he will need multiple bullpen sessions before embarking on a rehab assignment. Barring any setbacks, Rodriguez could return from the injured list in late July or early August.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Monday that Kelly (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

Kelly recently upped his throwing distance to 120 feet, and Tuesday will mark the first time he's thrown off the mound since straining his right shoulder in April. It's a positive step in the 35-year-old's throwing program, though the right-hander isn't expected to come off the injured list until mid-to-late August. In the four starts prior to his injury, Kelly was 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA and 0.93 WHIP over 24.2 innings.

Parker (5-5) took the loss Monday against the Cardinals, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk over seven innings. He struck out six.

After pitching to a 5.82 ERA across 17 innings over his last three outings, Parker looked much sharper against St. Louis, tossing his sixth quality start of the season. The Washington rookie yielded just one extra-base hit -- a 415-foot solo shot to Paul Goldschmidt in the fourth. Although the 24-year-old southpaw hasn't tallied a win since June 16, he has been a dependable starter overall with a 3.44 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 74:19 K:BB across 91.2 innings. Parker is tentatively scheduled to pitch against the Brewers on the road in his next start this weekend.

The Diamondbacks selected Diaz's contract from Triple-A Reno and he will start Monday against Atlanta.

After 11 starts with Double-A Amarillo to start the season, Diaz was promoted to Reno on June 11, where he has posted a 3.27 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 28:9 K:BB over 22 innings. The 23-year-old right-hander will make his major-league debut Monday against an Atlanta team that ranks 12th and 13th this season in home runs (100) and OPS (.713), respectively. Diaz is likely to return to Reno following Monday's outing.

Atlanta recalled Elder from Triple-A Gwinnett, and he'll start Monday's game against the Diamondbacks in Arizona.

Chris Sale had been listed as Atlanta's scheduled starter for Monday, but the big club will build in some extra rest for the All-Star lefty and have him take the hill Tuesday. In his last start in the majors June 26 against the Cardinals, Elder took the loss while allowing two runs on four hits and striking out four over six innings. The 24-year-old right-hander is 1-3 across six major-league starts this season with a 5.76 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 29.2 innings.

Sale is no longer scheduled to start Monday's series opener in Arizona and will instead take the hill Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The southpaw appeared poised for a two-start week to close out Atlanta's first-half schedule, but that's suddenly in jeopardy after the club chose to call up Bryce Elder from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Monday. While he could still be available to start Atlanta's final game before the break Sunday in San Diego on four days' rest, since Sale has already been named to the National League All-Star team, the coaching staff might prefer not to use him that day in advance of the Midsummer Classic. Even if Sale ends up getting just one start this week, fantasy managers will likely still want to keep him active, given that he's gone 3-2 with a 1.97 ERA and 0.84 WHIP since serving up a season-high eight earned runs June 1 versus Oakland.

The Reds optioned Ashcraft to Triple-A Louisville on Monday.

Ashcraft's latest stint in the Reds rotation lasted three turns, and he allowed 10 runs with an 8:6 K:BB over 15 innings. Nick Lodolo (finger) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list later this week, and the Reds have elected to keep Carson Spiers as their No. 5 starter over Ashcraft.

Keller (10-5) earned the win Monday, allowing two runs on seven hits and no walks over eight innings against the Mets. He struck out six.

The 28-year-old cruised to his second straight season with double-digit wins, allowing just one extra-base hit -- a two-run Brandon Nimmo homer in the sixth. Keller has been reliable since June 1, pitching to a 3.09 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 44:8 K:BB over 43.2 innings across seven starts. The Pirates right-hander is scheduled to make his last outing of the first half against the White Sox in Chicago this weekend.

The Nationals optioned Herz to Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Unless the Nationals place another player on the injured list in a corresponding move, Herz won't be eligible to rejoin Washington for another 15 days. Though Herz was tagged for five runs (four earned) in 4.1 innings in his most recent start in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com suggests that the left-hander's demotion likely isn't a result of the Nationals being dissatisfied with his performance. Instead, Washington is likely just giving him some extra rest ahead of the All-Star break, with Herz being a candidate to rejoin the big-league rotation when a fifth starter is needed to begin the second half of the season. Washington recalled right-hander Joan Adon from Triple-A to replace Herz on the 26-man active roster and provide a fresh arm out of the bullpen in the short term.

The Nationals recalled Adon from Triple-A Rochester on Monday.

Adon has made all but two of his 28 career big-league appearances as a starter, but he appears poised to work out of the Washington bullpen after he transitioned to a relief role at Rochester in late June. Over his five relief outings at Triple-A, Adon struck out five while allowing seven baserunners over 5.1 scoreless innings.