MLB Player News

Lowder will pitch out of the bullpen until the All-Star break, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox19 Now reports. "When we get to next Sunday, we'll see where we're at and map it out from there," Reds manager Terry Francona said over the weekend. "We're not trying to make Lowder a bullpen guy. We're trying to figure out ways to protect our staff, win games and get through this next week."

Lowder's transition to the bullpen was triggered by the return of Hunter Greene to the rotation. Lowder is expected to provide length as a reliever but could also get use in high-leverage spots when a right-hander is needed.

Nola (3-6) took the loss Sunday against the Royals, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out seven over seven innings.

Nola was tagged for two runs in the first inning after Kansas City recorded three hits through five batters, but he settled in nicely from there. The veteran allowed just one more run over his final six innings and finished strong by striking out the side in the seventh. It marked his longest outing of the season, and he generated an impressive 19 whiffs. The performance was a much-needed rebound after he was tagged for a season-high eight runs in his previous start against the Pirates. Nola remains hard to trust in fantasy, owning a 5.87 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 94:29 K:BB across 92 innings. He is scheduled to face the Tigers on the road next.

Sheehan (4-6) took the loss Sunday, allowing one run on three hits and three walks over 4.1 innings against the Padres. He struck out five.

The right-hander was mostly effective, holding the Padres to just one run, though after throwing 96 pitches (60 strikes) and surrendering a one-out double to Fernando Tatis, the Dodgers opted to pull Sheehan in the fifth inning. While the 26-year-old didn't provide significant length and was charged with the loss, his game-high 15 whiffs and ability to keep the ball in the yard were encouraging in what has been a disappointing campaign. Sheehan will take a 4.91 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 86:25 K:BB across 77 innings (16 starts) into his next start, tentatively scheduled for next Sunday against the Diamondbacks.

Sears (2-1) earned the win Sunday, allowing a hit and two walks over five scoreless innings against the Dodgers. He struck out five.

With the Padres looking to snap an eight-game losing streak, Sears stepped up and silenced the vaunted Dodgers offense over five shutout frames. The southpaw has spent the majority of the 2026 campaign with Triple-A El Paso but has been called upon to fill a spot in the big-league rotation due to a rash of injuries. Sears will take a 4.70 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 14:7 K:BB across 15.1 innings (three starts) into his next outing, tentatively scheduled for Friday against the Blue Jays.

Perez (5-6) struck out eight over seven perfect innings to earn the win over the Athletics on Sunday.

Perez didn't get a chance to go for history, as manager Clayton McCullough pulled the right-hander at 92 pitches (56 strikes). Lake Bachar then made a mess of things in the eighth inning, and Pete Fairbanks struggled in the ninth, but the Marlins had just enough of a cushion to escape with the win. Perez has allowed just two runs over 17 innings across three starts since he returned from a right gracilis muscle strain. He's at a 3.84 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 89:32 K:BB through 79.2 innings over 15 starts this season. Perez is projected to make his next start at home versus the Guardians.

Rodriguez (7-3) allowed two runs on five hits and struck out three without walking a batter over six-plus innings to take the loss Sunday versus the Brewers.

Rodriguez blanked the Brewers for six innings, but he served up a two-run home run to Jake Bauers in the seventh. This was Rodriguez's fourth straight quality start, a span in which he's allowed just four runs over 26.2 innings. He's also avoided walking any batters over his last two outings. For the season, the left-hander is at a 2.25 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 74:38 K:BB through 108 innings across 18 starts. Rodriguez is lined up to make his next start in a tough test on the road versus the Dodgers.

Sproat allowed a run on five hits and three walks while striking out four over four innings in a no-decision versus the Diamondbacks on Sunday.

Sproat was inefficient Sunday, throwing 55 of 92 pitches for strikes in this short start. Since the beginning of June, he has allowed 11 runs over 30 innings across six starts. He's at a 5.13 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 84:37 K:BB across 79 innings through 17 games (15 starts) this season, but he's trending in the right direction. Sproat should remain in the rotation even with Logan Henderson (back) slated to return during the coming week, as Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) was shelved following his injury Saturday. Sproat is projected to make his next start at Pittsburgh.

Mahle allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and struck out five without walking a batter over 4.1 innings in a no-decision versus the Rockies on Sunday.

Mahle was mostly able to limit mistakes, but the Rockies still got enough traffic on the bases to make this a tough outing. He has given up just one home run over three starts since he returned from a hamstring strain, which has helped him avoid truly awful starts. He's still struggling overall with a 5.70 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 69:29 K:BB through 71 innings over 14 starts. Mahle is lined up for a rematch at home versus the Rockies in his next start.

Liberatore (4-6) took the loss Sunday against the Cubs, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks in five-plus innings. He struck out three.

Liberatore couldn't get through the sixth inning Sunday, but he was at least able to toss four scoreless frames in between the sixth inning and a two-run first frame by the Cubs. The 26-year-old southpaw was especially wild, landing just 44 of his 78 pitches for strikes while also plunking a trio of batters, so he might have been fortunate to complete five innings. Liberatore has an uninspiring 5.34 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 82:35 K:BB over 87.2 innings, and he's given up at least three runs in five of his last six outings.

Knack (intercostal) will make his third rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

During his most recent outing Tuesday, Knack built up to 2.2 innings and 50 pitches (30 strikes) while striking out four batters and allowing no runs on one hit and one walk. He'll look to build up his pitch count a bit more Sunday and will likely require one more rehab start beyond that before potentially returning from the 60-day injured list coming out of the All-Star break. The Dodgers aren't expected to have a rotation spot available for Knack, but he could join the big club as a long reliever if he isn't optioned to Triple-A upon his activation from the IL.