MLB Player News

Syndergaard (illness, elbow) resumed playing catch Tuesday, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

Syndergaard tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of August, but he's since cleared all health and safety protocols and was cleared to resume activities Tuesday. The 29-year-old will now resume turning his focus to building up again as he looks to make his way back from March 2020 Tommy John surgery. He's expected to throw off the slope of the mound soon, and a late-season return to the New York bullpen hasn't yet been ruled out.

DeGrom (elbow) increased his throwing distance to 120 feet Tuesday, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

DeGrom has continued to throw off flat ground recently, but he'll have a day off Wednesday. The right-hander doesn't have a clear timetable to resume mound work as he continues to recover from a partial right UCL tear, but he's made good progress across the last few weeks.

Brubaker (shoulder) will be shut down from throwing for the next 5-to-7 days, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.

Brubaker landed on the injured list Sunday with right shoulder inflammation and will shut down for a brief period before potentially moving into his rehab. The 27-year-old won't be ready to return from the injured list when first eligible Sept. 15, and there's a very real chance he won't return this year given there will be, at most, three weeks left in the season once he resumes throwing.

Gonsolin (shoulder) will be activated off the 10-day injured list Thursday and start against the Cardinals, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Gonsolin has spent nearly six weeks on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, but he'll be rejoining the active roster Thursday to start in the series finale versus the Cardinals. The right-hander threw 41 pitches over 2.1 innings during his rehab outing with High-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday, so he'll still face some workload limitations for at least a couple starts.

Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw (forearm) is expected to rejoin the starting rotation early next week, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The veteran left-hander came through Tuesday's rehab start with no issues after throwing 49 pitches over three innings with Triple-A Oklahoma City, clearing the way for his return from the injured list. Given that workload, Kershaw is slated to be limited to about four innings or 60 pitches in his first major-league start since early July. Per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, the 33-year-old will throw a bullpen session Friday and is tentatively penciled in to start Monday against the Diamondbacks.

Eflin will undergo surgery Friday to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee and is expected to require 6-to-8 months of recovery time, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The Phillies transferred Eflin from the COVID-19 injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.

The procedure is Eflin's second on the knee in less than five years, which could prompt the Phillies to take a cautious approach with him over the winter and spring before a firmer target date for his 2022 debut is established. Regardless, the 6-to-8-month window means that Eflin will more than likely open the upcoming campaign on the shelf. Before he was shut down Aug. 27 due to the knee injury and MLB's health and safety protocols for COVID-19, Eflin submitted a 4-7 record, 4.17 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over his 18 starts.

Manager Gabe Kapler said Wednesday that Cueto (elbow) won't throw for at least another 10 days, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Cueto has been on the 10-day injured list for a week due to a right elbow strain, and he'll remain shut down for at least another week and a half. Kapler didn't rule out a return during the regular season for the right-hander, but he'll presumably require time to build up following his pause. Even if he's unable to return prior to the end of the regular season in early October, it's certainly plausible that he'll be back in action for the postseason.

Quintana has worked exclusively out of the bullpen through his first three appearances with the Giants, covering six innings while striking out 10 and permitting one run on two hits and four walks.

When the Giants claimed him off waivers from the Angels on Aug. 30, Quintana was viewed as a potential short-term replacement in the rotation while Johnny Cueto (elbow) and Alex Wood (COVID-19) were on the injured list, but manager Gabe Kapler has thus far kept the veteran lefty in the bullpen. Quintana dazzled in his team debut a day after being scooped off the waiver wire -- he struck out six over 3.1 innings of one-hit ball against the Brewers -- and he looks like he could be entrusted with a key role out of the bullpen over the final three weeks of the regular season.

The Giants promoted Bednar from the rookie-level Arizona Complex League to Low-A San Jose on Wednesday, Low-A San Jose radio broadcaster Joe Ritzo reports.

The 2021 first-round pick should make his full-season debut within the next few days after he excelled over two abbreviated starts in rookie ball. Because Bednar was the staff ace for a Mississippi State squad that played deep into the spring at the College World Series, the Giants will likely be cognizant about managing his innings count the rest of the season.

The Rockies reinstated Gray (forearm) from the 10-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Giants in Colorado.

Gray wound up missing the minimum amount of time with right forearm tightness, an injury that cropped up during his Aug. 28 start against the Dodgers. The right-hander was able to assuage any concerns about his health during his recent throwing sessions, and given the brevity of his absence, Gray likely won't face any major restrictions in his return to the mound. That being said, a matchup versus one of the majors' top offenses at Coors Field is hardly an ideal setup for Gray to deliver value in DFS lineups or as a streamer in season-long leagues.