MLB Player News

The Giants transferred McDonald (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Thursday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

McDonald is set to miss the rest of the season and most of 2027 after undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery earlier this month, so the Giants will stash him away on the 60-day IL. The move frees up a 40-man spot for Shay Whitcomb, who was claimed off waivers from Houston on Thursday.

Cabrera (hamstring) struck out seven and allowed no hits and one walk over five innings Tuesday in a rehab start with Double-A Knoxville.

Cabrera now has three rehab starts under his belt and has been lights out between his last two outings at Knoxville and Triple-A Iowa, giving up just one unearned run on one hit while ringing up a 15:1 K:BB in nine innings. The right-hander built up to 64 pitches during Tuesday's outing, so the Cubs may want him to get a little bit more stretched out before re-entering the big-league rotation. Per MLB.com, manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that the Cubs are still weighing the next step for Cabrera, who would be operating with a restricted workload if he ends up making his next start in the majors.

Greene (elbow) will be out for 12-to-18 months after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

The Reds had previously disclosed that Greene would require another operation on his elbow, and he ended up needing a full Tommy John repair. The right-hander's first Tommy John surgery came back in 2019, and he also had a procedure on his elbow earlier this year to remove bone chips. Greene will be out through the end of the 2027 season.

Williamson (shoulder) allowed two hits and one walk while striking out two over two innings Tuesday in a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville.

Williamson got up to 31 pitches before rain came and spelled an early end to his night. The Reds were targeting 60 pitches for the left-hander, who eventually completed two up-and-downs in the bullpen to reach 65 pitches, per MLB.com. Williamson is in line to make at least one more rehab appearance for Louisville on Sunday.

Lauer (7-6) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, two walks and a hit batsman while striking out six over 6.1 innings to earn the win over the Royals on Wednesday.

Lauer was pummeled for six runs over four innings against the Cubs in his last start, but he bounced back with his third quality start in five outings since the beginning of July. The left-hander was able to contain the damage to the early frames, giving up one run in both the second and third innings before settling down in this 112-pitch (73 strikes) outing. For the year, Lauer has a 4.67 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 63:31 K:BB over 98.1 innings through 19 games (16 starts) between the Dodgers and the Blue Jays., but he's maintained a 3.48 ERA over his 62 innings with Los Angeles. His next start is projected to be at Colorado.

Junk (6-7) earned the win Wednesday against Pittsburgh, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and one walk while striking out two over six innings.

Wednesday marked Junk's longest start since returning from a shin injury that cost him over a month earlier in the summer. Having worked only three innings due to a rain delay in his prior outing, Junk's arm was lively Wednesday, and he fired 56 of his 81 pitches for strikes. The right-hander now has a 3.83 ERA at home compared to a 5.35 road figure, and he lines up to make his next start against the Phillies next week.

Assad secured the save against the Nationals on Wednesday, allowing two runs on two hits and one walk in four innings. He struck out three.

After the Cubs built a 9-5 lead in the sixth inning, Assad closed it out for Chicago on Wednesday to help give other members of the bullpen a respite. The right-hander has a quality 3.59 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 53:21 K:BB with two saves in as many chances over 80.1 innings this season (10 starts), and he should remain a swingman as opposed to a consistent high-leverage option.

Leahy (9-4) picked up the win Wednesday, allowing one run on six hits over five innings in a 7-1 victory over the Phillies. He struck out six without walking a batter.

The right-hander tossed 57 of 81 pitches for strikes as he outlasted opposing starter Zack Wheeler, who fell apart in the fifth inning. Leahy has given up two runs or fewer in an impressive nine straight starts, going 4-0 over that stretch while delivering a 1.52 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 46:9 K:BB over 47.1 innings. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which lines up to come on the road early next week in Cincinnati.

Wheeler (10-4) took the loss Wednesday as the Phillies fell 7-1 to the Cardinals, giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out five.

Things unraveled for Wheeler in the fifth, as St. Louis rattled off four straight two-out hits to break open a 1-1 tie, including back-to-back RBI doubles by Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker. The veteran righty exited after 84 pitches (53 strikes) as he lost his third straight decision since the All-Star break, a stretch in which he's stumbled to a 6.05 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 29:7 K:BB over 22.1 innings and five starts. Wheeler will look to get back on track in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Marlins.

Lowder (4-8) allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out four over 5.1 innings to take the loss versus the White Sox on Wednesday.

Lowder has allowed eight runs over 22.1 innings across his last four starts, but he has just one win in that span. The 24-year-old threw 59 of 94 pitches for strikes Wednesday and has had mixed results throughout the year, posting a 5.15 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 77:40 K:BB through 94.1 innings over 21 games (18 starts). His recent work has been mostly effective -- he's given up more than two runs just once in eight appearances since the beginning of July. Lowder's next outing is projected to be at home versus the Cardinals.