MLB Player News

Bradford (ribs) reported to the Rangers' Arizona Complex League affiliate Friday to begin a rehab assignment, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

The left-hander has been sidelined by a lower-back strain and stress fracture in his rib since mid-April but has now been cleared for game action. Manager Bruce Bochy said in early July that Bradford was likely to rejoin the Rangers as a reliever, so he may not require a lengthy rehab assignment.

Falter (triceps) threw a live batting practice session Thursday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Falter looked healthy during the session, and the next steps in the left-hander's recovery will be discussed over the next day or two. Falter has been sidelined since early July with left triceps tendinitis.

Mahle (elbow) is scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Mahle has bounced around during his minor-league rehab assignment, making appearances with Round Rock, Double-A Frisco and the Rangers' Arizona Complex League affiliate. He'll return to Round Rock for his fourth outing after completing 2.2 innings in his previous start. Mahle's recovery from Tommy John surgery is close to complete, and he could be back with the Rangers in early August.

Schmidt (lat) is expected to throw around 20 pitches off a mound Saturday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.

Schmidt hasn't thrown off a mound since being placed on the injured list May 30, making Saturday's session a significant step in his recovery from a strained right lat. The 28-year-old will likely need to complete a few more bullpen sessions before being sent out on a rehab assignment. He seems to still be a few weeks away from activation, and with Gerrit Cole back, there may not be a spot in the Yankees' rotation available for Schmidt once he's healthy.

Gray will undergo season-ending surgery Wednesday in Texas to repair a partial tear of the UCL in his right elbow, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.

It's not yet clear whether Gray will need a full Tommy John surgery, an internal brace procedure or a combination of the two, but either way, he'll be shut down for the 2024 season and appears likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 campaign. Gray was limited to just two starts this season before getting hurt, allowing 13 runs over 8.1 innings.

Rodriguez (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Saturday, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo indicated the left-hander is likely to throw an additional bullpen session after that before progressing to live batting practice. Signed as a free agent in December, Rodriguez has been on the shelf all season due to a strained shoulder, and he'll likely require a multi-start rehab assignment before being cleared for his Arizona debut.

Kershaw (shoulder) is expected to throw four innings during a rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

After being cleared to resume throwing July 2, Kershaw has been getting stretched out in anticipation of a big-league return. He threw three scoreless innings in his most recent rehab outing July 13, tossing 38 pitches in the game and 12 more in the bullpen afterward. The veteran lefty could be cleared to return from the 60-day injured list and rejoin the Dodgers' rotation next week.

Santos gave up one unearned run on two hits and a walk while striking out seven over five innings in his most recent start for Double-A Frisco on July 5.

Santos gave up five earned runs in his first Double-A start June 28, but he righted the ship in his second start for the RoughRiders. He also tossed a scoreless inning in the Futures Game, giving up a hit while striking out a batter and walking one. Santos leaned on a mid-90s four-seam fastball, a slider and a cutter during the Futures Game, and he has reportedly thrown a changeup in the past. The 6-foot righty logged a 2.80 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 81 strikeouts in 64.1 innings over 12 starts for High-A Hickory before getting promoted to Double-A on June 25.

Kelly (shoulder) is expected to throw two more bullpen sessions before facing hitters, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Kelly is slated to throw off the bump Saturday and is expected to require one additional bullpen session before being cleared to face hitters. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that the right-hander is "feeling really, really good." Kelly is been limited to just four starts this season with a right shoulder strain and will need time to ramp things back up, but the recent reports on his progress have been positive.

Floyd had shoulder surgery and won't pitch again until 2025, Carlos Collazo of Baseball America reports.

It's not clear exactly when Floyd had the procedure, but he opened the year on the injured list with right elbow discomfort and never pitched before needing shoulder surgery. Depending on the severity of the procedure, Floyd may not be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign. He still hasn't made his pro debut after the Reds selected him with the 38th overall pick in the 2023 draft.