MLB Player News

Javier (shoulder) will make another appearance Sunday for Triple-A Sugar Land in what should be his final rehab start, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Javier only made three appearances for Houston before being placed on the injured list April 10. Houston believes this upcoming rehab start should be the 29-year-old's final one, so it seems the right-hander is close to being back with the big-league club after missing over two months of action.

Fried (elbow) will throw a bullpen session this weekend, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.

Fried has been out of action since mid-May due to a left elbow bone bruise. The southpaw was cleared to throw off a mound about a month later, and he tossed his first bullpen June 16. MLB.com reports that Fried's next bullpen will take place Sunday and that the veteran pitcher is currently asymptomatic. If he continues to progress without any setbacks, Fried could rejoin New York's rotation at some point in July.

Schmidt (elbow) tossed a side session Wednesday and is "a couple of weeks" away from facing live hitters, per MLB.com.

Schmidt is now almost a year out from the internal brace procedure he underwent last July. The veteran hurler began throwing from a mound in early April but has been limited to side sessions so far. If he continues his throwing program and is able to face hitters in late June or early July, Schmidt could be ready for game action at some point in August.

Giants manager Tony Vitello said Friday that Mahle (hamstring) will rejoin the rotation Wednesday against the Athletics, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Mahle was wild in his first and only rehab start with Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday in issuing five walks over three innings, but he managed to escape with only one run allowed. The right-hander threw 63 pitches in the outing, so he will not be available for a full workload versus the A's. Vitello declined to reveal whose rotation spot Mahle will be taking, but it will likely be either Trevor McDonald or Adrian Houser getting the boot.

The Brewers announced that Woodruff (shoulder) will return to the pitching rotation during next week's series against Cincinnati, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

Woodruff will finally make his return to the big-league mound for the first time since the end of April. The 33-year-old most recently completed a rehab start Tuesday, allowing three runs over 5.1 innings while striking out six batters. Before going on the injured list, the right-hander posted a 3.60 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 25:7 K:BB in 30 innings.

McCullers (shoulder) threw a 25-pitch live batting practice session Friday at Daikin Park, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

It was the hurler's first time facing hitters since he was diagnosed with right shoulder inflammation in mid-May. The next step for McCullers will either be throwing another live batting practice session or going out on a rehab assignment. It seems McCullers could be back before the All-Star break if all goes well, but he still has several boxes to check.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Friday that Perez's (thigh) next start could be with the Marlins, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

Perez made his first and perhaps only rehab start Thursday at Triple-A Jacksonville, striking out five over 3.2 innings of one-run ball. He sat in the 96-to-98 mph range with his fastballs and got his pitch count up to 51. Though Perez is not fully stretched back out yet, he could nonetheless rejoin the big-league rotation as soon as next week's series against the Rangers at home. That would mean a return in about four weeks, which is half the time of his initially projected eight-week timeline.

Fedde is slated to serve as the bulk reliever in Friday's game versus the Tigers, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.

Lefty Brandon Eisert will open for the White Sox before handing things off to the right-handed Fedde. It will be the seventh bulk relief assignment this season for Fedde, who holds a 4.73 ERA and 19:12 K:BB over 26.2 frames in his first seven outings in such situations.

The Diamondbacks recalled Diaz from Triple-A Reno on Friday.

Diaz is taking the roster spot vacated by the injured Ryne Nelson (elbow). The 25-year-old Diaz has made a full-time move to the bullpen at Reno this season, posting a 4.50 ERA and 43:21 K:BB over 32 innings.

The Diamondbacks placed Nelson on the 15-day injured list Friday with a strained right elbow.

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM says it's a partially torn flexor tendon for Nelson, who held the Angels to two runs over seven innings in his last start Monday. There's been no timetable provided by the Diamondbacks yet, but the nature of the injury points to the likelihood of a lengthy absence for Nelson. Brandon Pfaadt is a candidate to replace Nelson in the Arizona rotation.