MLB Player News

Williams (elbow) struck out five and allowed one unearned run on one hit and one walk across two innings Tuesday in a rehab start in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

Williams has now made four rehab starts since his 30-day window opened June 28, but he has yet to reach three innings in any of those appearances. Though the veteran right-hander has worked primarily as a starter during his big-league career, the lighter workloads he's handled two and a half weeks into his rehab assignment suggest that the Nationals could be preparing for him to handle a multi-inning role out of the bullpen once he returns from the 60-day injured list. Williams has been on the shelf all season while completing his recovery from internal brace surgery, which he underwent last July.

Knack struck out two and allowed three earned runs on four hits and two walks across three innings in relief Saturday in the Dodgers' 9-2 loss to the Diamondbacks.

After being reinstated from the 60-day injured list Saturday following a lengthy recovery from an intercostal strain, Knack was put to work right away in the Dodgers' penultimate game of the first half. With starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto getting chased from the contest after five innings, Knack mopped up in long relief, needing 60 pitches to record his nine outs. The right-hander made 19 starts at the big-league level over the previous two seasons, but he looks like he'll have to settle for a bullpen role unless another injury creates an opening in the Dodgers' six-man rotation.

McCullough (forearm) was activated from the 60-day injured list Sunday.

McCullough made four rehab appearances while working his way back from season-ending surgery, posting a 4.26 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 17 strikeouts over 12.2 innings in two showings in the Arizona Complex League and two with Single-A Myrtle Beach. He was reinstated from the 60-day IL on Sunday and looked strong in his first appearance of the year with Double-A Knoxville later that day, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks while striking out four in four frames.

Burns will not play in Tuesday's All-Star Game due to a right groin injury he suffered during his last start Wednesday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

Burns, who labored through five innings and 106 pitches, was injured while covering home plate on a wild pitch. The right-hander said he didn't feel anything wrong while on the mound for the rest of the game but felt tightness the following day. He huddled with manager Terry Francona and the front office and decided it was best to not represent the National League in the midsummer classic. There has been no mention of imaging, which suggests the 23-year-old could return following the All-Star break.

Burnes (elbow) began a throwing program July 10 and felt good following the session, MLB.com reports.

Burnes had been working his way back from Tommy John surgery during April and May but was forced to shut down in early June. The plan calls for him to throw off flat ground every other day and then progress to throwing off a mound. The Diamondbacks hope the right-hander can return in time for a September playoff push.

Williams (elbow) struck out two and allowed two hits and no walks over 2.2 scoreless innings Wednesday in a rehab start at Triple-A Rochester.

Through three starts since beginning his rehab assignment June 28, Williams has turned in a 3.18 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 5:0 K:BB over 5.2 innings across stops with Rochester, Double-A Harrisburg and Single-A Fredericksburg. Williams is building up his innings and pitch counts slowly but surely as he works his way back from last July's internal brace surgery and will likely require at least two or three more appearances in the minors to get fully stretched out. The Nationals don't appear to have a spot available in the rotation for Williams at the moment, though that could change in the aftermath of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Irvin (shoulder) struck out three and gave up one hit and no walks over three scoreless innings Monday in a rehab start in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

Making his first appearance in a game since May 23 following an extended recovery from a right shoulder strain, Irvin looked sharp while facing off a lineup consisting mostly of teenaged hitters. He'll presumably shift his rehab assignment to a higher level this weekend when the Nationals' full-season affiliates are back in action following the All-Star break and will aim to push up his pitch count. Prior to landing on the injured list, Irvin had posted a solid 58:22 K:BB over 51.2 innings, but an elevated BABIP (.304) and low strand rate (63.4 percent) played a part in inflating his ERA (5.23) and WHIP (1.35).

The Mets announced June 1 that Hagenman (rib) has yet to resume a throwing program, MLB.com reports.

Six weeks have passed since the Mets have provided an update on Hagenman, so the 29-year-old righty could be stuck in a holding pattern in his recovery from the fractured rib he sustained in a March 5 Grapefruit League game. Once he finally completes a throwing progression, Hagenman will require an extended minor-league rehab assignment and will likely be optioned to Triple-A Syracuse once he's activated from the 60-day injured list.

Smith-Shawver (elbow) will make at least one more rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett, Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Smith-Shawver is in the final stages of his recovery from June 2025 Tommy John surgery. but he's not quite there yet. The 23-year-old right-hander built up to 58 pitches (28 strikes) with Gwinnett on Saturday, but the results weren't pretty as he gave up two runs on five hits and three walks over 2.1 innings. On the bright side, his fastball sat 95-97 mph and topped out at 98.7 mph before he began to fade in his third and final frame. Smith-Shawver's rehab assignment runs out July 29, and if Atlanta decides to max that out, he could fit in three more starts before coming off the IL.

Marquez did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks over four innings against the Blue Jays. He struck out four.

Marquez allowed all three of his runs via the long ball, surrendering a solo homer to Nathan Lukes in the first inning before Ernie Clement connected for a two-run shot in the fourth frame. Marquez has made three appearances (two starts) since returning from the injured list due to a forearm injury, posting a 3.75 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 9:8 K:BB across 12 innings. The veteran right-hander will take a 4-2 record with a 5.18 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 28:20 K:BB across 41.2 innings (nine appearances) into the All-Star break.