MLB Player News

Gallen (9-5) earned the win over Washington on Wednesday, allowing one run on six hits and one walk while striking out six batters over six innings.

Gallen gave up a run in the fourth inning but otherwise silenced the Nationals for his second straight quality start and third straight victory. Since giving up a season-high seven runs (six earned) over 3.2 frames against Toronto on July 14, Gallen has surrendered just four runs over his subsequent 17 innings. The right-hander's control had been shaky coming into Wednesday, however, as he had issued nine free passes across his previous two outings. He may have eased those concerns against Washington by issuing just one walk in the win.

Valdez (10-5) allowed four runs on six hits and struck out 10 without walking a batter to earn the win Wednesday over the Pirates.

All of the damage came in the second inning, as Joey Bart tagged Valdez for a two-run home run and the Pirates put up another two runs before he could escape the frame. The southpaw bounced back well, allowing just one single over his last four innings, and the Astros' offense picked him up. Valdez finished July with a 2.90 ERA and 40:9 K:BB over 31 innings, winning four of his five starts for the month. Overall, he has a 3.56 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 108:38 K:BB through 116.1 innings over 19 starts. He's projected to make his next start on the road versus the Rangers.

Heaney (4-11) took the loss against the Cardinals on Wednesday, allowing six runs on six hits and one walk while striking out two batters over 4.1 innings.

Heaney yielded a tolerable seven baserunners, but six of them came around to score. The southpaw surrendered three runs on three hits and a walk in the second inning, then gave up a hit to three of the four batters he faced in the fifth, with each of those baserunners eventually coming around to score. The six total runs tied a season-worst mark for Heaney, who had been pitching pretty well coming into Wednesday, posting a 2.78 ERA over his previous six starts. The veteran hurler will look to bounce back in his next start, which is tentatively slated to be at home against Houston.

McGreevy (1-0) earned the win over Texas on Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out three batters over seven innings.

McGreevy wasn't overpowering, but he had good control and allowed just one extra-base hit over his seven frames. The right-hander has never posted big strikeout numbers in the minors, and he recorded a 4.45 ERA across 109.1 innings with Triple-A Memphis this season prior to his call-up Wednesday, so fantasy managers are likely best served tempering expectations rather than rushing to the waiver wire to claim the 24-year-old. This was likely just a spot start in the majors for McGreevy, though he certainly showed enough to be a consideration for St. Louis the next time a spare arm is needed.

Mahle (elbow) struck out four over 4.2 innings and gave up two earned runs on three hits and one walk in his rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Round Rock.

Making what could be his final rehab start before being activated from the 60-day injured list, Mahle tossed 74 pitches (48 strikes) and sported a four-seam fastball that sat around 92-93 mph for most of the night before dipping into the upper 80s in the fourth and fifth innings. Though Mahle's most recent two rehab starts weren't as sharp as his first four, he's likely done enough to prove that he's healthy again coming off Tommy John surgery and ready to join the big-league rotation. Mahle, who signed a two-year, $22 million contract this winter, could make his Rangers debut as soon as Monday versus the Astros in Arlington.

Lodolo (8-4) allowed eight runs on 11 hits and struck out six over 5.2 innings without walking a batter to take the loss versus the Cubs on Wednesday.

Lodolo had allowed a total of eight runs across his previous three starts spanning 17.2 innings. The Cubs got to him early with multiple runs in the second and third frames, and Ian Happ's two-run homer in the sixth ended Lodolo's outing. The southpaw's ERA spiked up from 3.45 to 3.99, and he now has a 1.15 WHIP and 100:26 K:BB across 97 innings over 17 starts. Lodolo will look to bounce back in his next start, which is projected to be at Miami next week.

Hendricks (3-9) allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four over five innings to earn the win over the Reds on Wednesday.

Aside from a three-run home run by Jake Fraley in the fifth inning, Hendricks had a strong start. He didn't allow a baserunner the first time through the order and got through his five frames on 73 pitches (44 strikes). Hendricks ended July with a 5.25 ERA over 24 innings, winning two of his five starts and allowing a total of four homers. For the season, he has a 6.86 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 60:26 K:BB through 20 appearances (15 starts). He is projected to make his next start at home versus the Twins.

Estes is scheduled to start Friday's game against the Dodgers in Oakland.

Estes had started in each of his first 13 appearances with the Athletics this season before he was deployed for 2.2 innings of relief this past Friday against the Angels behind starter Paul Blackburn, who was lifted after five innings in his first outing back from the 60-day injured list. The Athletics traded Blackburn to the Mets on Tuesday, so Estes' brief run in the bullpen will come to an end as he reclaims the vacated rotation spot.

Kikuchi is scheduled to make his first start with the Astros on Friday versus the Rays in Houston, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

The Astros didn't need to open up a spot in their rotation for Kikuchi, as fifth starter Jake Bloss was sent back to Toronto along with outfielder Joey Loperfido and infielder Will Wagner in Monday's trade that landed the veteran southpaw in Houston. Kikuchi had cruised to a 2.64 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while delivering quality starts in six of his first 10 outings with Toronto this season, but aside from a career-best 13-strikeout effort July 9 in San Francisco, he had often been knocked around by opposing lineups over the past two months before being traded. He posted a strong 69:17 K:BB in 57.2 innings in his final 12 starts with Toronto but he also gave up 13 home runs during that stretch, which led to an inflated 6.87 ERA and 1.56 WHIP.

Rodriguez will start Sunday's road game against the Yankees, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

After posting a 2.01 ERA and 0.76 WHIP over his first four starts of July, Rodriguez unraveled in his latest outing Monday. Taking the hill for Game 1 of a doubleheader with the Orioles, Rodriguez failed to escape the first inning while exhibiting a complete loss of control. He spotted just 21 of his 43 pitches for strikes and recorded two outs while allowing four runs (three earned) on four walks and one hit. Toronto optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo following the outing, only to recall him Tuesday as a replacement for Yusei Kikuchi, who was traded to Houston. Despite the rough outing Monday, Rodriguez will stick in the rotation for another turn, though he might have a shorter leash. Bowden Francis started the second game of Monday's doubleheader and tossed 5.2 innings of three-run ball, and while he's not in line to start this weekend against the Yankees, the Blue Jays could elect to have him piggyback with Rodriguez if the latter struggles to find the strike zone early on in Sunday's contest.