MLB Player News

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Scherzer (thumb/forearm) will start Saturday's game against the Angels, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports.

Scherzer battled right thumb fatigue and also some forearm tightness during his previous start in Monday's win over the Yankees. However, the 40-year-old was able to throw his between-starts bullpen session Thursday without any apparent issues, clearing the way for him to take his regular turn in the rotation Saturday. Scherzer's start against the Yankees was easily the best of his three this season for Toronto, as he struck out seven, didn't issue a walk and permitted just two runs over five innings. He threw only 71 pitches in that outing, however, and is unlikely to be ready to handle a full workload Saturday.

The Guardians recalled Nikhazy from Triple-A Columbus on Thursday.

Nikhazy was lit up during his lone MLB outing this season, giving up six runs on five hits and six walks in just three innings against the Red Sox on April 26. Since then, he's posted a 4.56 ERA and 1.46 WHIP over 49.1 frames at Columbus. The 25-year-old southpaw has worked exclusively as a starter this year, but with Joey Cantillo already slated to start Thursday in place of Luis L. Ortiz (personal), Nikhazy could be ticketed for a bullpen role. Kolby Allard was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday that Senga (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment either Saturday or Sunday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Senga could need just one rehab start before coming off the 15-day injured list and joining the Mets rotation. The club is hopeful that Sean Manaea (elbow/oblique) can make his season debut July 13, which likely sets Senga to rejoin the rotation July 12 in Kansas City if all goes well in his rehab outing. Senga has been sidelined since mid-June with a right hamstring strain.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday that Manaea (elbow/oblique) will make one more rehab start Tuesday, Manny Gomez of NJ.com reports.

If all goes well Tuesday, the Mets will likely bring Manaea back from the 60-day injured list to make his season debut July 13 against the Royals in the final game of the first half. The left-hander went three innings and threw 60 pitches Wednesday with Double-A Binghamton in his most recent outing. Manaea initially went on the injured list due to a right oblique strain, but more recently he's dealt with a loose body in his pitching elbow.

Bello (4-3) allowed two earned runs on one hit and one walk over five innings out of the bullpen and scooped up a win in the Red Sox's 5-3 victory over the Reds on Wednesday in the continuation of a game that was suspended Tuesday. He struck out three batters in the 62-pitch appearance.

Rather than having Bello start the regularly scheduled game for Wednesday, the Red Sox had the right-hander take the hill in the top of the fourth inning for the suspended game from Tuesday. Making what was his first relief appearance since 2022, Bello entered the contest with the Red Sox up 2-1, but Boston quickly fell behind after he served up a one-out, two-run home run to Spencer Steer in the fourth. Bello buckled down thereafter, however, retiring 13 of the final 15 batters he faced and inducing inning-ending double plays in the seventh and eighth. The Red Sox were able to plate the tie-breaking run in the bottom of the eighth to put Bello in line for the win before closer Aroldis Chapman finished out the contest with a scoreless ninth. Bello will return to a traditional starting role for his next appearance, which is expected to come during next week's series with the Rockies at Fenway Park.

The Mets optioned Tidwell to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday.

Tidwell picked up his first career win in the big leagues Wednesday against the Brewers, but not before giving up three runs over 4.1 innings. The 24-year-old now owns a 9.00 ERA and 2.20 WHIP through 15 frames in the majors and will head back to Syracuse in order to right the ship.

The Mets placed Blackburn on the 15-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to Monday, due to a right shoulder impingement.

Blackburn wasn't able to make it past the first inning of his last start -- partially because he had to sit for 89 minutes during a rain delay before coming out for the second frame, during which he allowed three runs on five consecutive hits. He also seems to have also come away from that outing with a shoulder injury, which will cause him to remain on the injured list through the All-Star break. He'll be joined on the IL by Dedniel Nunez (elbow), and the Mets will bring up Justin Hagenman and Rico Garcia to fill the openings on their pitching staff.

Festa (2-3) took the loss against the Marlins on Thursday, allowing four runs on five hits and one walk while striking out seven across six innings.

Festa put the Twins behind early after yielding three runs in the first inning, highlighted by a two-run home run by Agustin Ramirez. Festa gave up another run in the third, but he settled in over his final three innings -- striking out six batters over that span -- yet didn't receive enough run support to fade the loss. He has a 7.28 ERA (in 29.2 innings) across six starts since being promoted from Triple-A St. Paul in early June, but that number is inflated by two outings in which he gave up eight runs apiece. Festa is slated to face the Cubs at home next week, which will likely be his last turn in the rotation before the All-Star break.

Ortiz is being investigated by Major League Baseball due to a possible gambling-related offense, Zack Meisel and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report.

Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave by MLB on Thursday, and he will remain on leave through the All-Star break as the league continues its probe. MLB has the ability to extend the leave beyond that, if necessary. Ortiz had been slated to start Thursday's game against the Cubs, but the Guardians will now hand the ball to Joey Cantillo instead.

Manaea (elbow/oblique) allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out three batters over three innings in his rehab start Wednesday with Double-A Binghamton.

Manaea made the fifth start of his rehab assignment Wednesday and his first since June 19, after he was shut down for a brief spell when he required a cortisone shot to address a loose body in his elbow. The veteran southpaw had gotten stretched out to 5.1 innings and 62 pitches in his prior appearance at Triple-A Syracuse, and while he was less efficient Wednesday, he essentially replicated that workload by throwing 60 pitches (39 strikes). The Mets haven't provided official word on Manaea's next steps, but manager Carlos Mendoza said earlier this week that the 33-year-old lefty will most likely make another start in the minors next Tuesday before he's considered for a return from the 60-day injured list, per Ezra Lombardi of SI.com. With that in mind, Manaea doesn't appear on track to slot into the New York rotation any earlier than July 13 in Kansas City, which is the team's final game before the All-Star break.