MLB Player News

Taillon (7-4) allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out three without walking a batter over 5.2 innings to earn the win Sunday over the Cardinals.

Taillon came an out shy of his seventh straight quality start, but he was still able to capture his third win in a row. He's also given up a home run in six straight starts, as Alec Burleson tagged him for a solo shot in the sixth inning. Taillon is now at a 3.10 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 75:18 K:BB through 93 innings over 16 starts this season.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Sunday that he feels good about Montgomery's (knee) chances of returning from the 15-day injured list for the first turn through the rotation coming out of the All-Star break, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.

Montgomery threw a two-inning, 40-pitch simulated bullpen session Friday and apparently responded favorably. Though he won't have the opportunity to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment during the upcoming week due to the All-Star break, the southpaw should be able to push up his pitch count with another simulated game in Arizona. Lovullo didn't specify whether Montgomery was likely to start in the Diamondbacks' first series of the second half next weekend in Arizona or the following series in Kansas City, but the club already opened up a spot in the rotation for the 31-year-old when they optioned Slade Cecconi to Triple-A Reno on Thursday.

Kremer did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over 4.2 innings against the Yankees. He struck out four.

Kremer entered the fifth inning in relatively good shape with a 2-1 lead but allowed a leadoff homer to Trent Grisham, then allowed two more batters to reach base, including a two-out walk to Aaron Judge that spelled the end to his day. Sunday represented Kremer's third start since returning from a triceps issue, and he's been held to 83-to-85 pitches while failing to make it past the fifth in all of those outings. He'll enter the All-Star break with a 4.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 64 strikeouts over 63.2 innings.

Rodon did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks over four innings against the Orioles. He struck out seven.

Rodon labored through his outing Sunday, needing 98 pitches to complete four innings and allowing only two runs but tossing four or more pitches to 17 of the 19 batters he faced. Rodon's no-decision was the first time in 15 starts he did not factor into the decision and broke a string of five straight defeats after winning eight of his previous nine during that stretch. The All-Star break will provide a much-needed respite for Rodon, who has an ERA of 9.66 with a 1.96 WHIP and 38 strikeouts over his last six starts spanning 27 innings.

Musgrove (elbow) is slated to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, MLB.com reports.

The bullpen session will be Musgrove's first since he went on the injured list June 1 with a right elbow issue. The right-hander was diagnosed with a bone spur and a bone bruise shortly thereafter and received platelet-rich plasma and cortisone injections to address the injury. Musgrove has been playing catch since late June and threw off a mound July 10, though not as part of a full bullpen session. He's expected to accompany the Padres on their three-city road trip following the All-Star break and should continue to toss bullpen sessions during that time with the aim of gradually increasing the intensity of his throwing. He'll likely need a series of minor-league rehab starts prior to being activated off the 60-day IL, and he probably won't be ready to return to the big-league club's rotation until at least early August.

The Rockies reinstated Marquez (elbow) from the 60-day injured list ahead of Sunday's game against the Mets.

He'll pick up his first start of the season and his first in the big leagues since April 26, 2023, now that he's completed his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Marquez wrapped up his seven-start minor-league rehab assignment on a high note Tuesday, when he struck out eight and allowed three runs on four hits and no walks over five innings for Double-A Hartford. Marquez will likely be capped at around 75 to 90 pitches in his 2024 Rockies debut, but he shouldn't face any major workload restrictions in his subsequent outings. During his last full season in the big leagues in 2022, Marquez turned in a 4.95 ERA and 1.37 WHIP while striking out 150 batters in 181.2 innings, so fantasy managers outside of deep leagues are probably best off taking a wait-and-see approach with the right-hander rather than immediately scooping him up off the waiver wire.

Kershaw (shoulder) tossed three scoreless and hitless innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, allowing one walk and striking out five batters.

Kershaw was impressive in the outing, allowing just one baserunner while throwing 38 pitches before tossing another 12 pitches in the bullpen after the start, according to Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register. The veteran lefty made his second minor-league rehab appearance, and his first since June 19. Kershaw also went three innings in his initial rehab outing but experienced soreness in a subsequent bullpen session and was temporarily shut down from throwing. Per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that he received positive reports on Kershaw's outing, and the 36-year-old is set to cover 4-to-5 innings in another rehab appearance with Oklahoma City on Friday. If that goes well, Kershaw could return from the 60-day injured list the following week.

Verlander (neck) threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session Sunday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Verlander used his entire arsenal in the session and finished the bullpen without incident, per McTaggart. He had originally been expected to toss 10-to-15 pitches, so all signs are that he's trending in a positive direction. A timeframe for Verlander's return isn't yet clear, but it is possible that he could rejoin Houston's rotation before the end of July.

Medina, who was placed on the injured list Saturday with a right elbow sprain, is expected to miss "significant time" according to manager Mark Kotsay, MLB.com reports.

Kotsay added the team will likely seek a second opinion on the elbow after the All-Star break, but Medina's absence looks as though it could stretch well into August, if not longer. For the time being, the right-hander is expected to be shut down from any throwing for multiple weeks.

Rea is expected to serve as a bulk reliever behind opening pitcher Rob Zastryzny in Sunday's game against the Nationals, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Rea was roughed up for a season-high seven earned runs in his previous start Tuesday versus the Pirates, so manager Pat Murphy will have the right-hander work behind an opening pitcher for Rea's final turn through the rotation before the All-Star break with the hope of netting better results. Zastryzny is unlikely to cover more than an inning or two before giving way to Rea.