MLB Player News
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Stephen Kolek SP | KC
Padres' Stephen Kolek: Sent down Sunday
Kolek was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Sunday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Kolek will head to El Paso after posting a disappointing 6.23 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with 20 punchouts over 26 innings in his last five starts. The cold stretch came on the heels of back-to-back scoreless outings for the right-hander, and he will now look to reset at Triple-A. The move made room for Kyle Hart to join the major-league roster, and Hart is expected to operate as the team's bulk reliever behind opener David Morgan against the Rangers on Sunday.
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Kyle Hart RP | SD
Padres' Kyle Hart: Called up Sunday
The Padres recalled Hart from Triple-A El Paso on Sunday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Hart will rejoin the Padres for the first time since late May, after he was demoted upon turning in a 6.66 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over six starts with the big club. The lefty hasn't fared much better since returning to El Paso (6.57 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 20:9 K:BB in 24.2 innings), but he'll get the call back to the majors with the Padres short on rotation arms. Though he won't start Sunday's game against the Rangers, Hart is a likely candidate to pitch in bulk relief behind David Morgan, who isn't expected to cover more than an inning or two as the Padres' opening pitcher. In a corresponding move, San Diego optioned righty Stephen Kolek to El Paso.
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Shinnosuke Ogasawara RP | WAS
Nationals' Shinnosuke Ogasawara: Struggles in debut
Ogasawara (0-1) took the loss Sunday against the Red Sox, allowing four runs on seven hits over 2.2 innings. He struck out two.
It was a rude welcome for Ogasawara in his major-league debut -- the Red Sox jumped on the left-hander for four runs in the first inning, capped by a Trevor Story two-run homer. Ogasawara, who was sidelined for much of the first half of the season with an oblique injury, pitched to a 4.80 ERA in three rehab outings with Triple-A Rochester. Despite his struggles Sunday, Ogasawara figures to remain in the Nats rotation, at least through the All-Star break, with Trevor Williams (elbow) landing on the IL.
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Chase Burns SP | CIN
Reds' Chase Burns: Better vs. Phillies
Burns did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Phillies, allowing a run on two hits and four walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out seven.
While Burns couldn't make it out of the fifth inning after throwing 91 pitches, it was certainly an encouraging outing for the rookie right-hander after he allowed seven runs (five earned) while recording just one out in his last start against the Red Sox. The 22-year-old Burns sports an 8.10 ERA with a 1.90 WHIP through his first 10 major-league innings, though he's averaged an impressive 13.5 K/9. Burns is currently lined up for a more favorable home matchup with the Rockies his next time out.
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Zack Wheeler SP | PHI
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: One-hits Cincinnati
Wheeler (9-3) earned the win Sunday in a complete game against the Reds, allowing one run on one hit. He struck out 12.
It was a dominant performance from Wheeler in his fifth career complete game. The right-hander allowed just one hit, an Austin Hays homer to lead off the fifth inning. Wheeler hasn't allowed an earned run in his last four starts (28 innings) while logging 38 strikeouts in that span. His ERA is down to 2.17 through 18 starts (116 innings) with a stellar 0.84 WHIP and 148 strikeouts. Wheeler is currently scheduled to face the Padres on the road next week in what'll likely be his final outing before the All-Star break.
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Emmet Sheehan SP | LAD
Dodgers' Emmet Sheehan: Recalled ahead of start
The Dodgers recalled Sheehan from Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to his start Sunday against the Astros.
Sheehan will be making his second start of the season with the big club, after he previously struck out six batters over four innings of one-run ball in a June 18 outing against the Padres following his return from the 60-day injured list. During his time in the minors while completing his rehab from Tommy John surgery and in his two starts since being optioned to Triple-A, Sheehan owns a 4.12 ERA in 19.2 innings, but his 0.92 WHIP and 36:2 K:BB offer a better indicator of how dominant he's looked in his return from the major arm injury. Now that he's set to rejoin the Dodgers and could be in line for multiple turns if the team keeps a six-man rotation in place, Sheehan makes for an appealing speculative pickup in fantasy leagues where he's still available.
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Roki Sasaki SP | LAD
Dodgers' Roki Sasaki: Upping velocity from flat ground
In a pregame interview Friday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Sasaki's (shoulder) velocity while throwing from flat ground has "ticked up" to the upper-80s but indicated that the rookie hurler isn't yet ready for mound work, per The Dodgers Bleed Los Podcast.
Sasaki has been on the IL due to a right shoulder impingement since May 13, and he has had his throwing program paused on two separate occasions. However, the right-hander resumed playing catch June 20 and seems to be taking positive steps toward a return. Roberts stated Friday that Sasaki is "kind of letting it rip" from flat ground but indicated that it's "too early" for him to be ready for mound work. It's not yet clear when Sasaki will be able to take that step, but it at least appears that he's on track to be part of the Dodgers' pitching staff at some point during the second half of the campaign.
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Grant Holmes SP | ATL
Braves' Grant Holmes: Quality start in loss
Holmes (4-8) took the loss Sunday against the Orioles, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out five.
While he was ultimately outdueled by Trevor Rogers in a 2-1 loss, Holmes delivered another strong performance Sunday. The right-hander has pitched to a 1.86 ERA over his last five starts (29 innings) while striking out 41 in that span. Overall, Holmes sports a 3.44 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and 118:48 K:BB across 102 innings this season. He's currently slated to face the Cardinals on the road his next time out.
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MacKenzie Gore SP | WAS
Nationals' MacKenzie Gore: Next start bumped
Gore will get extra rest before making his next start Wednesday in St. Louis, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
The 26-year-old southpaw will get a full week between outings after tossing a career-high 111 pitches against the Tigers on July 2, marking his third straight start with 100-plus pitches. Gore also struck out a season-low two batters versus Detroit, so more time to recuperate seems warranted. He's still third in the NL on the season with 131 punchouts, and making a start Wednesday would put Gore on regular rest for his first All-Star Game appearance, should he get named to the squad.
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Shinnosuke Ogasawara RP | WAS
Nationals' Shinnosuke Ogasawara: Promoted for MLB debut
The Nationals selected Ogasawara's contract from Triple-A Rochester in advance of his start Sunday against the Red Sox in Washington.
The Japanese left-hander has been called up for his MLB debut after missing most of the first three months of the season due to an oblique injury. Ogasawara has a 4.80 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 12:4 K:BB in 15 innings over his three starts for Rochester this season. The 27-year-old inked a two-year, $3.5 million contract with the Nationals in January after spending the first nine seasons of his career in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, where had had a 3.67 ERA and 7.1 K/9 in 190 games with the Chunichi Dragons.