MLB Player News

Sykora threw three perfect innings for Single-A Fredericksburg on Tuesday while striking out five.

The 21-year-old righty had a delayed start to the season as he recovered from offseason hip surgery, but Sykora has been dominant since being cleared to get back on the mound. After two appearances in the Florida Complex League in which he compiled a 14:1 K:BB through only five innings, Sykora got bumped up to Single-A and has kept rolling, producing a 0.00 ERA and 9:2 K:BB in six innings over two starts. His workload is still being monitored -- he threw only 42 pitches (29 strikes) Tuesday -- but another promotion to High-A could come quickly given the lack of a challenge Carolina League hitters are presenting him.

Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that Jones will undergo season-ending surgery Wednesday on his right elbow, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Tomczyk didn't indicate whether the upcoming procedure will be Tommy John surgery, an internal brace surgery or another kind of surgery, so Jones' status for the 2026 season won't be immediately known until more details are provided. Even if the 23-year-old righty doesn't need to miss much time to begin the 2026 season, he could struggle to immediately regain his pre-surgery velocity and command, making him a risky investment in fantasy leagues.

The Pirates optioned Mlodzinski to Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.

As expected, Mlodzinski will head back to the minors while the Pirates open up a spot in the rotation for right-hander Mike Burrows, who was called up from Triple-A in advance of his first MLB start Thursday versus the Brewers. After winning a spot in the Opening Day rotation coming out of spring training, Mlodzinski struggled over his nine starts, going 1-4 with a 5.67 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 28:12 K:BB in 39.2 innings. He might stay stretched out as a member of the Indianapolis rotation, but Mlodzinski could be ticketed for the bullpen the next time he receives a call-up to Pittsburgh.

The Pirates recalled Burrows from Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh had been expected to wait until Thursday to make Burrows' promotion official, but he'll join the big club a day in advance of his first MLB start Thursday against the Brewers at PNC Park. He'll be joining the rotation as a replacement for righty Carmen Mlodzinski, who was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move. The 25-year-old righty has been a standout performer at Indianapolis this season, logging a 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 39:9 K:BB across 30 innings.

Triple-A Indianapolis placed Barco on its 7-day injured list Sunday due to an unspecified injury.

Barco sustained the injury at some point during his most recent start for Indianapolis last Thursday, when he was lifted midway through the first inning after allowing two earned runs on one hit and three walks. The 24-year-old lefty had enjoyed a strong start to the season prior to that outing, producing a 0.30 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 39:10 K:BB across 30 innings over his seven starts between Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona.

The Pirates are expected to option Mlodzinski to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

After working primarily in relief over his first two seasons in the big leagues, Mlodzinski surprisingly emerged from spring training as a member of the Pirates' Opening Day rotation, but he always appeared to be little more than a placeholder until one of Pittsburgh's many starting pitching prospects was deemed big-league ready. Right-hander Mike Burrows is in line to get a call-up from Triple-A and will enter the rotation Thursday against the Brewers in place of Mlodzinski, who covered five innings in just three of his nine starts on the season while submitting a 5.67 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 8.9 K-BB%. He'll presumably stay stretched out as a member of the rotation at Indianapolis, though Mlodzinski could work out of the bullpen the next time he gets the call back to the big club.

The Pirates plan to recall Burrows from Triple-A Indianapolis to start Thursday's game against the Brewers at PNC Park, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

Burrows will be joining the big-league rotation as a replacement for Carmen Mlodzinski, who is expected to be optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move. Though he's been part of a prospect-laden rotation at Indianapolis that includes Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington and Braxton Ashcraft, Burrows has been as impressive as any of the lot this season. Over his seven outings (six starts), Burrows has delivered a 2.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 39:9 K:BB in 30 innings. He'll have a chance to build some security in the Pittsburgh rotation if he's able to deliver a credible outing against the Brewers in what will be his first MLB start.

The Reds optioned Petty to Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday.

After Cincinnati chose to bypass Petty for a start last Saturday against the Guardians and instead opted for a bullpen day when the fifth spot in the rotation came up, the writing was on the wall for the 22-year-old righty to head back to the minors. He's been roughed up in both of his two starts for the Reds this season, covering 5.1 innings while coughing up 13 earned runs on 13 hits and eight walks.

Holmes (5-3) took the loss Tuesday, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks over six innings as the Mets fell 2-0 to the Red Sox. He struck out five.

For the second straight outing, Holmes served up multiple homers -- this time solo shots to Carlos Narvaez and Rafael Devers in the fifth inning -- and that was all the offense Boston needed. The right-hander still delivered his fourth quality start in his last six trips to the mound, a stretch in which he's posted a 2.83 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 25:9 K:BB over 35 innings. Holmes will try to get back in the win column in his next start, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the White Sox.

Quintana (shoulder) was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday and will do so again Friday before the Brewers determine his next steps, MLB.com reports.

Quintana landed on the 15-day injured list May 14 due to a left shoulder impingement, and at the time, the Brewers were hopeful that he would be able to return when first eligible May 26. The veteran southpaw is no longer on track to be activated that day, but a return later on next week hasn't been ruled out. Quintana was recently sent in for a second opinion on his injury, but after the original diagnosis was confirmed, he received the green light to get back on the mound this week. Assuming Quintana's side session Tuesday went well, he'll throw what will presumably be a more intense bullpen session Friday. After that, the Brewers will assess whether he's ready to rejoin the big-league rotation, or if he'll need to complete a simulated game or go out on a minor-league rehab assignment beforehand.